mreilly.icestation-第94部分

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　It　was　a　big　ship。　With　a　length　of　844　feet；　it　was　as　long　as　two　and　a　half　football　fields。　The　enormous　five…story　superstructure　in　the　middle　of　the　ship…the　operations　center　of　the　ship　known　as　〃the　island〃…looked　down　on　the　flight　deck。　On　a　normal　day；　the　flight　deck　would　have　been　dotted　with　choppers；　Harriers；　gunships；　and　people；　but　not　today。　
　Today　the　flight　deck　was　deserted。　There　was　no　movement　on　it　at　all；　no　aircraft；　no　people。　
　It　looked　like　a　ghost　town。　
　The　Silhouette　slowed　perfectly　in　the　air　above　the　non…skid　deck　of　the　Wasp；　its　retros　firing　thin　streams　of　gas　down　onto　the　deck　beneath　it。　The　ominous　black　fighter　plane　landed　softly　on　the　flight　deck；　near　the　stern　of　the　ship。　
　Schofield　peered　out　through　the　canopy　of　the　Silhouette。　
　The　flight　deck　in　front　of　him　was　eerily　empty。　Schofield　sighed。　He　had　expected　that。　
　〃All　right；　everyone；　let's　get　out　of　here；〃　he　said。　
　Renshaw　and　Kirsty　left　the　cockpit。　Wendy　went　with　them。　Schofield　said　he　would　take　care　of　Gant。　
　Before　he　left　the　cockpit；　however；　Schofield　pulled　a　long；　thin　silver　canister　from　the　satchel　that　he　had　stretched　over　his　shoulder。　
　He　set　the　timer　on　the　Tritonal　charge　for　ten　minutes　and　then　left　it　on　the　pilot's　chair。　Then　he　picked　up　Gant　and　carried　her　out　of　the　cockpit　and　into　the　missile　bay。　Then　he　carried　her　down　the　steps　and　out　of　the　Silhouette。　
　
　The　flight　deck　was　deserted。　
　In　the　orange　twilight；　Schofield　and　his　motley　collection　of　survivors　stood　in　front　of　the　ominous　black　plane。　The　big　black　Silhouette；　with　its　sharply　pointed　down…turned　nose　and　its　sleek；　low…swept　wings；　looked　like　a　gigantic　bird　of　prey　as　it　sat　there　on　the　deserted　flight　deck　of　the　Wasp　in　the　cold　Antarctic　twilight。　
　Schofield　led　the　others　across　the　empty　flight　deck；　toward　the　five…story　superstructure　in　the　middle　of　the　ship。　It　was　a　strange　sight…Schofield　with　Gant　in　his　arms；　Renshaw　and　Kirsty；　and　last　of　all；　loping　across　the　flight　deck　behind　them；　staring　in　awe　at　the　massive　metal　vessel　all　around　her；　Wendy。　
　As　they　approached　the　island；　a　door　opened　at　the　base　of　the　massive　structure　and　a　white　light　glowed　from　inside　it。　
　Suddenly　a　man's　shadow　appeared　in　the　doorway；　silhouetted　by　the　light　behind　him。　Schofield　came　closer　and　recognized　the　owner　of　the　shadow；　recognized　the　weathered　features　of　a　man　he　knew　well。　
　It　was　Jack　Walsh。　
　The　Captain　of　the　Wasp。　The　man　who；　four　years　ago；　had　defied　the　White　House　and　sent　a　team　of　his　Marines　into　Bosnia　to　get　Shane　Schofield　out。　
　Walsh　smiled　at　Schofield；　his　blue　eyes　shining。　
　〃You've　been　getting　a　lot　of　noses　out　of　joint　today；　Scarecrow；〃　he　said　evenly。　〃Lot　of　people　talking　about　you。〃　
　Schofield　frowned。　He　had　kind　of　expected　a　warmer　reception　from　Jack　Walsh。　
　〃Why　have　you　cleared　the　deck；　sir？〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃I　didn't…〃　Walsh　began；　cutting　himself　off　as　suddenly　another　man　brushed　rudely　past　him　and　stepped　out　onto　the　flight　deck　and　just　stood　there　in　front　of　Schofield。　
　Schofield　had　never　seen　this　man　before。　He　had　carefully　groomed　white　hair；　a　white　mustache；　and　a　barrel…like　torso。　
　And　he　wore　a　blue　uniform。　Navy。　The　number　of　medals　on　his　breast　pocket　was　staggering。　Schofield　guessed　he　must　have　been　about　sixty。　
　〃So　this　is　the　Scarecrow；〃　the　man　said；　looking　Schofield　up　and　down。　Schofield　just　stood　there　on　the　flight　deck；　holding　Gant　in　his　arms。　
　〃Scarecrow；〃　Jack　Walsh　said　tightly；　〃this　is　Admiral　Thomas　Clayton；　the　Navy's　representative　to　the　Joint　Chiefs　of　Staff。　He　assumed　mand　of　the　Wasp　about　four　hours　ago。〃　
　Schofield　sighed　inwardly。　
　An　Admiral　from　the　Joint　Chiefs　of　Staff。　Jesus。　
　If　what　he　had　heard　about　the　ICG　was　correct；　the　Joint　Chiefs　were　its　head；　its　brain。　Schofield　was　looking　at　one　of　the　heads　of　the　ICG。　
　〃All　right！〃　Admiral　Clayton　yelled　loudly　to　someone　standing　in　the　doorway　behind　Walsh。　〃Get　out　there！〃　
　At　that　moment；　a　stream　of　men…all　of　them　dressed　in　blue　coveralls…poured　out　of　the　doorway　in　front　of　Schofield　and　headed　across　the　deck　toward　the　Silhouette。　
　Admiral　Clayton　turned　to　Schofield。　〃Seems　this　mission　is　not　going　to　be　a　plete　waste　of　time　after　all。　We　heard　the　mentary　of　your　dogfight　with　the　F…22s。　A　cloaking　device；　huh？　Who　would　have　thought　it。〃　
　Schofield　looked　back　out　at　the　deck；　saw　the　men　in　blue　coveralls　reach　the　stern　end　of　the　flight　deck；　saw　them　begin　to　swarm　all　over　the　Silhouette。　A　couple　of　them　went　up　the　steps　and　inside　the　big　black　plane。　
　〃Captain　Walsh；〃　Schofield　said；　indicating　Gant。　〃This　Marine　needs　medical　attention。〃　
　Walsh　nodded。　〃Let's　get　her　to　the　infirmary。　Deckhand！〃　
　A　deckhand　appeared；　took　Gant　from　Schofield；　carried　her　inside。　
　Schofield　turned　to　Kirsty　and　Renshaw。　〃Go　with　her。　Take　Wendy；　too。〃　Kirsty　and　Renshaw　obeyed；　went　inside　the　island。　Wendy　hopped　in　through　the　doorway　after　them。　Schofield　made　to　follow　them；　but　as　he　did；　there　came　a　shout　from　over　by　the　Silhouette。　
　〃Admiral！〃　one　of　the　men　in　blue　coveralls　called　out　from　underneath　the　pointed　nose　of　the　Silhouette。　
　〃What　is　it？〃　Admiral　Clayton　said；　walking　over　to　the　plane。　
　The　man　held　up　the　Tritonal　80/20　charge　that　Schofield　had　left　inside　the　cockpit。　Clayton　saw　it。　He　didn't　seem　at　all　perturbed　by　its　presence。　
　Admiral　Clayton　turned　to　Schofield　from　fifty　yards　away。　〃Attempting　to　destroy　the　evidence；　Lieutenant？〃　
　The　Admiral　took　the　charge　from　the　man；　turned　the　pressurized　lid；　and　calmly　flicked　the　disarm　switch。　
　Clayton　smiled　at　Schofield。　〃Really；　Scarecrow；〃　he　called。　〃You'll　have　to　do　better　than　that　to　beat　me。〃　
　Schofield　just　stared　at　Clayton；　standing　over　by　the　Silhouette。　〃I'm　sorry　about　the　deck；　sir；〃　Schofield　said　quietly。　
　Behind　him；　Jack　Walsh　said；　〃What？〃　
　〃I　said；　I'm　sorry　about　the　deck；　sir；〃　Schofield　repeated。　
　At　that　moment；　there　came　a　sudden　high…pitched　whining　sound。　And　then　before　anyone　knew　what　was　happening；　the　whine　became　a　scream　and　then；　like　a　thunderbolt　sent　from　God　himself；　the　sixth　and　final　missile　from　the　Silhouette　came　shooting　down　out　of　the　sky　and　slammed　into　the　Silhouette　at　nearly　three　hundred　miles　per　hour。　
　The　big　black　fighter　plane　shattered　in　an　instant；　exploded　into　a　thousand　pieces。　Every　man　inside　or　near　it　was　killed　instantly。　The　fuel　tanks　of　the　big　black　plane　exploded　next；　causing　a　red…hot　fireball　of　liquid　fire　to　flare　out　from　the　destroyed　plane。　The　fireball　billowed　out　across　the　deck　and　engulfed　Admiral　Clayton。　It　was　so　hot；　it　wiped　the　skin　from　his　face。　
　Admiral　Thomas　Clayton　was　dead　before　he　hit　the　ground。　
　
　
　
　Shane　Schofield　stood　on　the　bridge　of　the　Wasp　as　it　sailed　east　across　the　Southern　Ocean；　into　the　morning　sun。　He　took　a　sip　from　a　coffee　mug　with　the　words　CAPTAINS　MUG　written　on　it。　The　coffee　was　hot。　
　Jack　Walsh　came　out　onto　the　bridge　and　offered　him　a　new　pair　of　silver　antiflash　glasses。　Schofield　took　them；　put　them　on。　
　It　had　been　three　hours　now　since　the　Silhouette　had　been　destroyed　by　one　of　its　own　missiles。　
　Gant　had　been　taken　to　the　infirmary；　where　her　condition　had　worsened。　Her　blood　loss　had　been　severe。　She　had　lapsed　into　a　a　about　half　an　hour　ago。　
　Renshaw　and　Kirsty　were　in　Walsh's　stateroom；　sleeping　soundly。　Wendy　was　playing　in　a　dive　preparation　pool　belowdecks。　
　Schofield　himself　had　had　a　hot　shower　and　changed　into　a　tracksuit。　A　corpsman　had　attended　to　his　wounds；　reset　his　broken　rib。　He　had　said　that　Schofield　would　need　further　treatment　when　he　got　back　home；　but　with　a　few　painkillers　he　would　be　OK　for　now。　When　the　corpsman　had　finished；　Schofield　had　returned　to　Gant's　bedside。　He　had　only　e　up　to　the　bridge　when　Walsh　had　called　for　him。　
　When　he'd　got　there；　Walsh　had　told　him　that　the　Wasp　had　just　received　a　call　from　McMurdo　Station。　Apparently；　a　battered　Marine　hovercraft　had　just　arrived　at　McMurdo。　In　it　were　five　people…one