mreilly.icestation-第31部分

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；　she　wouldn't　be　needing　them　anymore。　
　Schofield　poked　his　head　around　the　dining　room　door。　〃What　do　you　think；　Rebound？〃　he　said。　
　Inside　the　dining　room；　Rebound　was　working　feverishly　over　Samurai's　inanimate　body。　The　body　lay　flat　on　its　back　on　a　table　in　the　center　of　the　room。　Blood　dripped　off　the　edges　of　the　table；　forming　a　red　puddle　on　the　cold　porcelain　floor。　
　Rebound　looked　up　from　what　he　was　doing。　He　shook　his　head　in　exasperation。　
　〃I　can't　keep　up　with　the　blood　loss；〃　he　said　to　Schofield。　〃There's　just　too　much　internal　damage。　His　whole　gut's　been　blown　apart。〃　
　Rebound　wiped　his　forehead。　A　slick　of　blood　appeared　above　his　eyes。　He　looked　hard　at　Schofield。　'This　is　way　out　of　my　league；　sir。　He　needs　someone　who　knows　what　he's　doing。　He　needs　a　doctor。〃　
　Schofield　stared　at　Samurai's　prone　body　for　a　few　seconds。　
　〃Just　do　what　you　can；〃　he　said；　and　then　he　left　the　room。　
　
　〃OK；　people；　listen　up；〃　Schofield　said。　〃We　don't　have　much　time；　so　I'm　going　to　keep　this　short。〃　
　The　six　remaining　able…bodied　Marines　were　gathered　around　the　pool　on　E…deck。　They　all　stood　in　a　wide　circle。　Schofield　stood　in　the　middle。　
　Schofield's　voice　echoed　up　through　the　shaft　of　the　empty　station：　〃This　station　is　obviously　a　lot　hotter　than　we　originally　thought。　I'm　thinking　that　if　the　French　were　willing　to　take　a　chance　to　grab　it；　others　will；　too。　And　whoever　those　others　might　be；　by　now　they've　had　some　time　to　get　their　shit　together　and　prepare　for　a　full…scale　attack。　Have　no　doubt；　people；　if　anyone　else　decides　to　hit　this　station　they　will　almost　certainly　be　better　prepared　and　more　heavily　armed　than　those　French　pricks　we　just　exterminated。　Opinions？〃　
　〃Concur；〃　Buck　Riley　said。　
　〃Same；〃　Snake　said。　Book　Riley　and　Snake　Kaplan　were　the　two　most　senior　enlisted　men　in　the　unit。　It　meant　something　that　they　both　agreed　with　Schofield's　assessment　of　the　situation。　
　Schofield　said；　〃All　right；　then。　What　I　want　to　happen　now　is　this。　Montana。。。〃　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　
　〃I　want　you　to　go　topside　and　position　our　two　hovercrafts　so　that　their　range　finders　are　pointed　outward；　so　that　they　cover　the　entire　landward　approach　to　this　station。　I　want　maximum　coverage；　no　gaps。　Trip　wires　aren't　going　to　cut　it　anymore　with　this　place；　we　use　the　range　finders　from　here。　As　soon　as　anyone　es　within　fifty　miles　of　this　station；　I　want　to　know　about　it。〃　
　〃Got　it；〃　Montana　said。　
　〃And　while　you're　up　there；〃　Schofield　said；　〃see　if　you　can　get　on　the　radio　and　raise　McMurdo。　Find　out　when　our　reinforcements　are　ing。　They　should've　been　here　by　now。〃　
　〃You　got　it；〃　Montana　said。　He　hurried　away。　
　〃Santa　Cruz　。。。；〃　Schofield　said；　turning。　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　
　〃Eraser　check。　I　want　this　whole　facility　swept　from　top　to　bottom　for　any　kind　of　eraser　or　delay　switch；　OK？　There's　no　knowing　what　kinds　of　little　surprises　our　French　friends　left　behind　for　us。　Got　it？〃　
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Santa　Cruz　said。　He　broke　out　of　the　circle　and　headed　for　the　nearest　rung…ladder。　
　〃Snake。。。〃　
　〃Sir。〃　
　〃The　winch　that　lowers　the　diving　bell。　Its　control　panel　is　up　on　C…deck；　in　the　alcove。　That　control　panel　was　damaged　by　a　grenade　blast　during　the　fight。　I　need　those　winch　controls　working　again。　Can　you　handle　it？〃　
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Snake　said。　He；　too；　left　the　circle。　
　When　Snake　had　gone；　Riley　and　Gant　were　the　only　ones　left　on　the　deck。　
　Schofield　turned　to　face　them。　〃Book。　Fox。　I　want　vou　two　to　do　a　full　prep　of　our　dive　gear。　Three　divers；　four…hour　dive　pression；　low…audibility　gear；　plus　some　auxiliaries　for　later。〃　
　〃Air　mix？〃　Riley　asked。　
　〃Saturated　helium…oxygen。　Ninety…eight　to　two；〃　Schofield　said。　
　Riley　and　Gant　were　momentarily　silent。　A　pressed　air　mix　of　98％　helium　and　2％　oxygen　was　very　rare。　The　almost　negligible　amount　of　oxygen　indicated　a　dive　to　a　very　high…pressure　environment。　
　Schofield　handed　Gant　a　handful　of　blue　capsules。　They　were　N…67D　antinitrogen　blood…pressure　capsules；　developed　by　the　Navy　for　use　during　deep…dive　missions。　They　were　affectionately　known　to　military　divers　as　〃the　pills。〃　
　By　retarding　the　dissolution　of　nitrogen　in　the　bloodstream　during　a　deep　dive；　the　pills　prevented　depression　sickness…better　known　as　the　bends…among　divers。　Since　the　pills　neutralized　nitrogen　activity　in　the　bloodstream；　Navy　and　Marine　Corps　divers　could　descend　as　quickly　as　they　liked　without　fear　of　nitrogen　narcosis　and　ascend　without　the　need　for　making　time…consuming　depression　stops。　The　pills　had　revolutionized　military　deep…diving。　
　〃Planning　a　deep　dive；　sir？〃　Gant　said；　looking　up　from　the　blue　pills　in　her　hand。　
　Schofield　looked　at　her　seriously。　〃I　want　to　find　out　what's　down　in　that　cave。〃　
　
　
　
　Schofield　walked　quickly　around　the　curved　outer　tunnel　of　B…deck；　deep　in　thought。　
　Things　were　moving　fast　now。　
　The　French　attack　on　Wilkes　had　taught　him　a　lot。　Wilkes　Ice　Station…or；　more　precisely；　whatever　lay　buried　in　the　ice　beneath　Wilkes　Ice　Station…was　now　officially　worth　killing　for。　
　But　it　was　the　implications　of　that　lesson　that　gave　Schofield　a　chill。　If　France　had　been　willing　to　launch　an　impromptu　snatch…and…grab　for　whatever　was　down　in　that　cave；　it　was　highly　probable　that　other　countries　would　be　willing　to　do　the　same。　
　There　was　one　additional　factor；　though；　about　possible　further　attacks　on　Wilkes　that　caused　Schofield　particular　concern：　if　someone　was　going　to　launch　an　attack　on　Wilkes。　they　would　have　to　do　it　soon…before　a　full…strength　U。S。　force　arrived　at　the　station。　
　The　next　few　hours　would　be　very　tense。　
　It　would　be　a　race　to　see　who　would　arrive　first。　
　American　reinforcements　or　a　fully…equipped　enemy　force。　
　Schofield　tried　not　to　think　about　it。　There　were　a　lot　of　things　to　do；　and　one　matter　in　particular　required　his　attention　first。　
　After　the　battle　with　the　French　had　concluded；　the　remaining　scientists　from　Wilkes…there　were　five　of　them；　three　men　and　two　women…had　retired　to　their　living　quarters　on　B…deck。　Schofield　was　heading　for　those　living　quarters　now。　He　was　hoping　to　find　among　those　scientists　a　doctor　who　might　be　able　to　help　Samurai。　
　Schofield　continued　to　walk　around　the　curved　outer　tunnel。　His　clothes　were　still　wet；　but　he　didn't　care。　Like　all　of　the　other　Marines　in　his　unit；　he　was　wearing　a　thermal　wet　suit　under　his　fatigues。　It　was　practically　standard　attire　for　Recon　Units　working　in　arctic　conditions。　Wet　suits　were　warmer　than　long　Johns　and　didn't　get　heavy　if　they　got　wet。　And　by　wearing　one's　wet　suit　instead　of　carrying　it；　a　Recon　Marine　lightened　his　load；　something　very　important　for　a　rapid…response　unit。　
　Just　then；　a　door　to　Schofield's　right　opened　and　a　cloud　of　steam　wafted　out　into　the　corridor。　A　sleek　black　object　slid　out　of　the　haze　and　into　the　corridor　in　front　of　Schofield。　
　Wendy。　
　She　was　dripping　with　water。　She　looked　up　at　Schofield　with　a　goofy　seal　grin。　
　Kirsty　emerged　from　the　steamy　haze。　The　shower　room。　She　saw　Schofield　instantly　and　she　smiled。　
　〃Hi；〃　she　said。　She　was　wearing　a　new　set　of　dry　clothes；　and　her　hair　was　tousled；　wet。　Schofield　guessed　that　Kirsty　had　just　had　the　hottest　shower　of　her　life。　
　〃Hey　there；〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃Wendy　loves　the　shower　room；〃　Kirsty　said；　nodding　at　Wendy。　〃She　likes　to　slide　through　the　steam。〃　
　Schofield　suppressed　a　laugh　and　looked　down　at　the　little　black　fur　seal　at　his　feet。　She　was　cute；　very　cute。　She　had　also　saved　his　life。　Her　soft　brown　eyes　glistened　with　intelligence。　
　He　looked　at　Kirsty。　〃How　are　you　feeling？〃　
　〃Warm　now；〃　she　said。　
　Schofield　nodded。　From　the　look　of　her；　Kirsty　seemed　to　have　bounced　back　well　from　her　ordeal　in　the　pool。　Kids　were　good　like　that；　resilient。　He　wondered　what　sort　of　therapy　an　adult　would　need　after　falling　into　a　pool　filled　with　ferocious　killer　whales。　
　Schofield　gave　a　lot　of　the　credit　to　Buck　Riley。　Riley　had　been　up　on　C…deck　when　Kirsty　had　been　whizzed　up　there　on　the　Maghook；　and　for　the　remainder　of　the　battle　Riley　had　kept　Kirsty　by　his　side；　safe　and　sound。　
　〃Good；〃　Schofield　said。　〃You're　one　tough　kid；