johngardner.winloseordie-第41部分

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　Mikhail　Sergeyevich　Gorbachev。　General　Secretary　of　the　CPSU　and　President　of　the　Presidium　of　the　Supreme　Soviet　was　dressed　in　a　camel…hair　overcoat　that　he　had　not　bought　at　GUM。　He　held　a　grey　felt　hat。　which　could　have　been　purchased　at　Lock's　in　Jermyn　Street；　and　wore　a　broad　smile。　He　was　neat；　burly；　broad…shouldered；　and　relaxed；　thanks　to　all　the　goodwill　that　seemed　to　flow　out　of　him。
　Watmsley　introduced　them；　and。　to　Bond's　surprise；　Mr　Gorbachev　replied　in　English；　'Captain　Bond；　it　is　a　great　pleasure　to　meet　you。　I　hope　you　mingle　with　those　who　look　after　me　in　a　true　spirit　of　glasnost。'　The　short　man's　handshake　was　positively　bone…crushing　and　left　Bond　speechless　as　the　Russian　passed　on　towards　his　quarters。
　'Ho　dear；　sir。'　Harvey　whispered。　…He　hasn't　brought　Raisa　with　him。　Hope　he's　got　an　Amex　card　as　well。'
　'Be　fair；　Harvey。　The　Prez　hasn't　brought　Barbara；　and　Mrs　T's　without　Denis。　It's　reasonable　enough。'
　Walmsley　returned；　looking　flustered。　'Well；　at　least　one　of　them　didn't　seem　to　know　you。　Bond。'
'I　wouldn't　bet　on　it；　sir。'
　'No。　well　。。。　All　senior　officers；　divisional　officers　and　the　Chief　Regulating　Officer　in　my　day　cabin　in　fifteen　minutes。　We're　not　using　the　PA　to　warn　you；　so　tell　me　now　if　you're　happy　about　arrangements　…　I　mean　happy　enough　to　leave　this　section　of　the　ship　for　an　hour　or　so。'
　Til　be　there；　sir。　if　I'm　at　all　concerned；　I'll　let　you　know；　personally；　and　give　you　my　reasons。'
　The　Rear…Admiral　gave　a　curt　nod　and　left；　his　long；　important　strides　indicating　that　he　was　well　pleased　with　the　final　transfer　of　probably　the　three　most　powerful　people　in　the　world　to　his　ship。
　Bond　thought　this　was　one　hell　of　a　responsibility；　and　Walmsley　should　not　show　any　cockiness　until　it　was　all　safely　over。
Petty　Officer　'Blackie'　Blackstone　looked　at　the　great　turbines　whining　strongly　in　the　Engine　Room　of　Invincible。　When　he　had　first　joined　the　Royal　Navy；　the　Engine　Rooms　were　hot；　dirty；　sweaty　and　noisy　places；　htvincible's　Engine　Room　was　brilliantly　clean；　and　only　a　few　people　were　actually　needed　close　to　the　turbines；　for　they　were　monitored　from　a　separate　room；　full　of　dials；　VDUs　and　switches。
　Blackstone　was　probably　the　only　man　on　Invincible；　outside　the　Captain；　senior　officers　and　security　people；　who　knew　what　was　going　on。　He　did　not　question　how　his　two　'friends'　Harry　and　Bill　had　got　hold　of　the　information；　nor　did　he　have　any　moral　qualms　about　what　he　was　to　do。　After　all。　it　would　get　him　off　the　hook；　both　financially　and　domestically。　In　any　case；　they　had　told　him　it　was　really　a　Greenpeace　operation；　limed　to　cause　great　embarrassment　to　the　Americans　and　Russians；　also　to　the　British　Establishment；　and　'Blackie'　had　always　had　a　lot　of　sympathy　for　Greenpeace。
　He　had　thought　for　a　long　time　about　the　job；　but　once　he　weighed　the　positive　and　negative　sides；　he　realised　there　was　no　real　danger。
　'Blackie'　had　gone　to　a　lot　of　trouble　in　arranging　his　shifts。　The　first　one　just　after　these　nobs　e　aboard；　they　had　told　him。　Then　the　second　one　would　require　action　in　the　middle　of　the　following　forenoon。　'Blackie'　Blackstone　would　have　access　to　the　turbines　on　both　required　shifts。　He　had　seen　to　that；　just　as　he　knew　the　other　men　on　the　watch　were　content　to　let　him　do　the　physical　check　on　the　turbines。　Even　now；　just　after　the　visitors　had　arrived　on　board；　he　was　alone　in　the　Engine　Room；　while　a　Chief　Petty　Officer；　another　Petty　Officer；　like　himself；　and　a　〃Killick〃　…　a　Leading　Seaman；　so　called　because　of　the　anchor…badge　he　wore：　killick　being　the　old　slang　term　for　anchor　…　lounged　their　way　through　the　watch；　occasionally　checking　the　pressures　and　speeds　of　the　turbines。
　The　Second　Engineering　Officer　was；　as　ever；　in　the　officers'　caboose；　just　behind　the　control　room。　Nobody　would　require　him　unless　something　went　terribly　wrong。　Changes　of　speed；　and　other　such　things　could　be　acplished　at　the　touch　of　a　buiton；　or　a　couple　of　clicks　im　the　small　levers　which　acted　as　throttles。　So　the　Lieutenant　who　was　the　Second　Engineering
Officer　was　left　to　do　a　little　'Egyptian　Physical　Training'　as　they　called　it。　In　other　words；　the　Lieutenant　was　sleeping。
　Petty　Officer　Blackstone　tjuielly　moved　to　the　far　side　of　Number　One　Turbine。　He　pulled　a　screwdriver　from　a　leather　toolkit　attached　to　his　belt；　and　tucked　away　behind　his　right　hip。　He　then　removed　a　cylinder；　wrapped　in　Kleenex；　from　his　pocket。　The　cylinder；　which　was　made　of　strong　wire　gauze；　had　an　opening　at　one　end　and　was　rounded　at　the　other。　Anyone；　from　Midshipman　to　Ordinary　Seaman；　could　have　identified　the　cylinder；　us　a　straightforward　filter　for　the　turbine's　oil　system。
　Blacksione　quickly　unscrewed　the　two　lugs　that　held　down　a　small　panel；　roughly　six　inches　by　six；　and　lifted　it　on　its　hinge。　Above　the　panel　the　words　Filter　One　were　stencilled。
　Ouietly；　he　placed　the　screwdriver　on　Ihe　deck；　by　his　feet。　and　took　an　abnormally　long　pair　of　tweezers　from　the　toolkit　on　his　belt；　at　the　same　time　gathering　another　wodge　of　Kleenex　into　his　left　hand。　Gently；　Petty　Officer　Blackstone　inserted　the　tweezers　into　the　open　panel　of　Filter　One；　extracting　the　identical　heavy；　dirty；　gauze　cylinder　from　within　…　though　this　one　was　hot　and　dripphig　with　oil。　He　placed　it　into　the　wodgc　of　Kleenex　and　put　it　carefully　on　the　deck；　beside　the　screwdriver。　It　would　take　three　minutes　for　any　sign　of　the　change　to　be　registered　on　the　instruments　in　the　control　room；　and　it　took　less　than　thirty　seconds　to　slide　the　new　filter　into　place；　and　another　minute　to　close　the　panel　and　strew　the　lugs　back　in　place。
　Blackstone　next　returned　the　screwdriver　and　tweezers　to　his　toolkil。　picked　up　the　bunched　Kleenex　which　held　the　recently　removed　filter；　and　made　his　way　through　the　bulkhead　door；　aft　and　leading　to　the　Engine　Room　heads。
　There　he　unbolted　one　of　the　ports；　opened　it　up　and　hurled　the　filter　and　Kleenex　out　to　be　whipped　away　by　the　wind。　He　closed　up　the　round　port；　washed　his　hands；　clearing　away　all　traces　of　oil；　and　returned　to　the　Engine　Room；　casually　walking　around　all　the　turbines；　taking　his　time　before　returning　to　the　Control　Room。
　'They　all　still　running；　Blackie？'　the　CPO　asked　with　a　grin。
'Difficult　to　say。　Chiefy。　I　went　and　had　a　smoke　in　the　heads。'
　'You　jammy　bugger；'　the　other　Petty　Officer　said。　'I　was　just　telling　them　about　how　you　sloped　off　that　time　when　we　last　docked　in　Gib。　She　was　a　corker；　wasn't　she？　Black…haired　beauty；　that　one。'
　'You're　full　of　shit；'　said　Blackie；　and　the　conversation　continued　on　this　high　intellectual　plane　for　the　next　hour　or　so。
　The　turbines　all　ran　smoothly；　but　Blackie　knew　that　it　wouldn't　be　smooth　running　at　about　eleven　in　the　forenoon　tomorrow。　For　one　thing；　the　oil　temperature　on　Number　One　turbine　would　start　to　rise　spectacularly；　and　he　would　be　there　to　deal　with　it。
'Gentlemen。　thank　you　for　your　time。　I'll　be　as　quick　as　possible；
though　it's　essential　that　you　all　know　exactly　what's　at　stake　here。'　Sir　John　Walmsley　was　full　of　himself：　sitting　back　in　his　chair　in　the　crowded　day　cabin；　with　all　his　senior　officers　around　him。　he　almost　overflowed　with　his　own　responsibility。　Bond　viewed　the　man　with　pity　rather　than　awe。　Walmsley　was　a　pompous　ass；　full　of　self…importance；　and；　therefore；　from　Bond's　viewpoint；　not　really　suitable　for　the　job　he　had　to　do。　'Now；　Stewards'　Meeting。　This　is　a　very　clear　name　for　what　is　happening　aboard　Invincible。'
　The　Rear…Admiral　cleared　his　throat　and　continued。　'You　all　know　who's　on　board。　The　three　most　powerful　heads　of　state　in　the　world；　and　they　sec　themselves　attending　a　real　Stewards'　Meeting；　for　they　regard　themselves　as　＇rue　Stewards。　Stewards　in　whom　the　world　puts　its　trust。　Two　men　and　a　woman　who　can　truly　hold　the　world　in　their　hands。'　This；　Bond　concluded；　was　going　to　be　a　sermon；　not　a　briefing。　Nor　would　it　be　a　sermon　to　the　wholly　converted。
　Walmsley　was　still　talking。　'You'll　also　realise　one　important　factor。　They　are　all　here　with　close　protection　squads　but　wiihout　their　normal　advisers　…　apart　from　the　sinister　bagman；　with　President　Bush；　who　is　required　t