cc.fireice-第51部分

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　main…deck　level；　past　a　row　of　portholes；　including　some　that　were　still　open。　Barnacles　covered　most　of　the　ship　and　heightened　its　spectral　aspect。　Reddish　patches　of　antifouling　paint　peeked　out　here　and　there。　The　wooden　wheelhouse　had　disintegrated　and　the　decks　had　rotted　away。　The　lifeboat　davits　were　empty；　and　wire　shrouds　hung　with　seaweed。　A　pile　of　rusty　debris　was　all　that　remained　of　the　collapsed　funnel。
　
　The　ship　was　a　metal　cadaver；　useless　except　for　the　schools　of　fish　that　nosed　through　passageways　where　humans　had　once　walked。　To　Austin；　who　watched　the　screen　with　an　expression　of　fascination　on　his　bronzed　features；　this　sad　and　lifeless　hunk　of　rusty　metal　was　a　living　thing。　Although　there　were　no　hands　to　close　the　hatches　forced　open　by　the　pressure　of　escaping　air；　Austin　could　almost　hear　the　creak　of　the　booms　and　the　throbbing　engine　as　the　ship　plowed　through　the　seas。　In　his　mind's　eye；　he　pictured　the　helmsman　standing　with　feet　braced　on　a　wooden　grating；　hands　on　the　wheel　while　crewmen　went　about　their　business　on　deck　or　fought　the　inevitable　boredom　of　shipboard　life。
　
　Austin　asked　Gunn　to　steer　the　ROV　around　to　the　stem。　As　Ensign　Kreisman　described　it；　the　hull　was　covered　with　growth　that　hid　the　ship's　markings。　Gunn　poked　the　vehicle　into　several　nooks　and　crannies；　hoping　to　e　across　a　manufacturer's　metal　plate；　but　they　found　nothing。
　
　Austin　turned　to　Gamay。　〃What's　our　resident　nautical　archaeologist　have　to　say　about　this　old　gal？〃
　
　Gamay　pinched　her　chin　in　thought　as　she　stared　at　the　ghostly　images　on　the　glowing　screen。
　
　〃My　specialty　was　Greek　and　Roman　wooden　ships；　and　if　you　asked　me　to　ID　a　bireme　or　a　trireme　I　might　be　of　more　help。　I'll　venture　a　few　guesses；　though。〃　The　camera　was　moving　along　the　midships　section；　where　the　rusty　steel　plating　had　buckled　and　was　clear　of　barnacles。　〃Those　are　riveted　steel　plates。　By　the　1940s；　shipbuilders　had　switched　to　welding。　The　booms　indicate　that　she's　probably　a　cargo　ship。　She's　an　old…timer；　judging　from　her　lines；　maybe　built　in　the　late　eighteen…hundreds　or　around　the　turn　of　the　century。〃
　
　Austin　asked　Gunn　to　move　the　ROV　around　to　the　damaged　side。　The　ship　leaned　downhill；　and　from　this　angle　it　looked　as　if　it　could　e　crashing　over　at　any　second。　Gunn　brought　the　ROV　straight　in　until　the　hole　filled　almost　the　entire　screen。　The　lights　probing　the　ship's　innards　picked　out　twisted　pipes　and　steel　columns。
　
　〃Damage　assessment；　Rudi？〃　Austin　said。
　
　〃From　the　way　those　edges　are　curled；　I'd　say　a　projectile　hit　the　engine　room。　Too　high　for　a　torpedo。　Probably　a　shell　from　a　big　gun。〃
　〃Who　would　sink　a　harmless　old　freighter？〃　Zavala　asked。
　
　〃Maybe　someone　who　thought　she　wasn't　so　harmless；〃　Austin　said。　〃Let's　check　out　the　cabin　section　that　Ensign　Kreisman　told　us　about。〃
　
　Gunn　tweaked　the　controls；　and　the　ROV　rose　abovedecks。　It　was　clear　from　the　grin　on　his　face　that　Rudi　was　having　a　ball。　He　brought　the　vehicle　around；　taking　care　not　to　catch　the　tether　in　the　foremast　or　booms。　The　ROV　moved　past　the　bridge；　then　stopped　and　hovered　in　front　of　a　dark　rectangular　opening。　Unlike　the　ragged　cavity　in　the　hull；　the　edges　of　the　hole　were　relatively　even　from　the　cutting　torch。　Gunn　brought　the　ROV　to　within　a　few　feet　of　the　opening。　The　lights　picked　out　the　framework　of　a　bunk　and　the　remnants　of　a　metal　chair　and　desk　that　lay　in　a　tumbled　heap。
　
　〃Can　we　go　inside？〃　Austin　asked。
　
　〃I'm　getting　a　side　current　that　could　make　things　tricky；　but　I'll　see　what　I　can　do。〃　Gunn　maneuvered　the　vehicle　left　and　right；　then　when　it　was　directly　centered；　he　put　it　through　the　hole　as　easily　as　a　seamstress　threading　a　needIe。　The　ROV　was　capable　of　turning　within　its　own　radius；　and　Gunn　executed　a　three…hundred…sixty…degree　turn。　The　camera　captured　slimy　gray　piles　of　debris。　Gunn　probed　a　corner　with　the　ROV's　manipulator；　stirring　up　a　powdery　cloud　of　rust。　Then　the　ROV　got　tangled　and　wouldn't；　move。　Gunn　waited　for　the　dust　to　settle　and　wriggled　the　ROV　until　it　broke　free　of　the　overhead　wire　that　had　snagged　a　projection　of　its　protective　shielding。
　
　〃What　do　you　think？〃　Gunn　said；　turning　to　Austin。
　
　〃I　think　anything　of　value　has　been　removed。　We'll　have　to　piece　together　the　story　from　the　ship　itself；　not　what's　in　it。〃　He　pointed　to　a　wall　shelf。　〃What's　that？〃
　
　Austin's　sharp　eye　had　caught　a　dark；　squarish　object。　Gunn　used　the　manipulator　to　clear　away　a　pile　of　amorphous　grayish…brown　trash　and　made　several　fruitless　attempts　to　grab　the　object。　It　kept　slipping　away　like　a　prize　in　a　penny…arcade　game。　Gunn　set　his　jaw　in　determination　and　pushed　the　object　into　a　corner　where　he　could　get　a　firm　grasp　on　it；　then　he　backed　the　ROV　out　of　the　cabin　and　moved　the　manipulator　to　put　the　prize　directly　in　front　of　the　lights。　The　claw　clutched　a　small；　flat　box。
　
　〃I'm　bringing　her　up；〃　he　said。　He　reversed　the　ROV's　direction　and　sent　the　vehicle　scuttling　back　to　the　Argo。　Minutes　later；　the　lights　of　the　moon　pool　appeared　on　the　screen。　The　captain　ordered　the　ROV's　handlers　to　stabilize　the　artifact　in　seawater　and　send　it　to　the　vehicle　control　room。　Soon　a　technician　arrived；　carrying　a　white　plastic　bucket。　Gamay；　whose　background　in　nautical　archaeology　made　her　the　most　experienced　conservator　on　board；　asked　for　a　soft　brush。　She　removed　the　box　from　the　bucket　and　gently　placed　it　on　the　floor。　Then；　with　soft　strokes；　she　brushed　a　thumbnail　patch　of　the　black　patina　to　reveal　the　gleam　of　metal。
　
　〃It's　made　of　silver；〃　she　said；　and　continued　to　work　until　fifty　percent　of　the　top　was　cleaned。　The　metal　was　embossed　with　a　double…headed　eagle。　Gamay　examined　the　clasp。　〃I　might　be　able　to　get　this　open；　but　I　don't　dare　because　I　could　destroy　what's　inside　when　it　hits　air。　It　may　need　intense　conservation。〃　She　glanced　at　the　captain。
　
　〃The　Argo　is　primarily　set　up　for　biological　and　geological　survey；〃　Atwood　said。　〃There's　another　NUMA　ship　called　the　Sea　Hunter　doing　archaeological　work　not　far　from　here。　They　might　be　able　to　help。〃
　〃I'm　sure　they　can。　I　did　some　research　on　the　Sea　Hunter　a　couple　of　years　ago；〃　Austin　said。　〃She's　the　sister　ship　of　the　Argo；　isn't　she？〃
　〃That's　right。　The　two　vessels　are　almost　identical。〃
　〃We　should　get　this　box　there　soon；〃　Gamay　said。　〃I'll　stabilize　it　in　seawater　as　best　I　can。〃　She　glanced　with　longing　at　the　box。　〃Damn！　Now　I'm　really　curious　about　the　contents。〃

　
　〃How　about　running　it　through　the　X…ray　machine　in　the　infirmary？〃　Austin　suggested。　〃That　might　partially　satisfy　your　curiosity。〃
　
　Gamay　carefully　replaced　the　box　in　the　bucket；　and　the　technician　carried　it　off。　〃You're　brilliant；〃　she　said。
　
　〃You　may　not　think　so　after　you　hear　my　next　idea；〃　Austin　replied。　He　outlined　his　plan。
　
　〃Worth　a　try；〃　Atwood　said；　and　clicked　on　his　hand　radio。　Before　long　the　screen　flickered　into　life　and　the　moon　pool　appeared　again。　The　ROV　was　being　put　back　into　the　water。　The　dive　was　a　repeat　of　the　first；　with　the　diver；　bubbling　foam　and　dark　water。
　
　Gunn　put　the　ROV　on　a　direct　trajectory　to　the　wreck。　Before　long；　the　vehicle　was　ing　from　behind　the　ship。　Gunn　worked　the　joystick；　and　the　mechanical　arm　unfolded　and　extended　to　where　it　could　clearly　be　seen　in　the　glare　of　the　halogen　lights。　Watching　Gamay　clean　the　artifact　had　given　Austin　the　idea。　Clasped　in　the　metal　claw　was　a　metal…bristled　brush　used　in　preparing　the　Argo's　hull　for　painting。
　
　The　ROV　made　several　attempts　to　clear　away　the　barnacles。　Newton's　law　of　action…causing…reaction　kicked　in；　and　the　brushing　pushed　the　ROV　away　from　the　hull。　The　ship　did　not　want　to　give　up　its　identity　without　a　fight。　After　forty…five　minutes；　they　had　succeeded　in　clearing　away　a　patch　about　a　foot　in　diameter。　A　portion　of　a　letter　embossed　in　white　was　visible。　It　could　have　been　an　O　or　any　of　several　other　letters。
　
　〃So　much　for　brilliant　ideas；〃　Austin　said。
　
　Gunn　was　equally　frustrated。　His　forehead　glistened　with　beads　of　perspiration。　He'd　been　trying　to　counteract　the　push　by　revving　up　the　ROV's　th