p&c.icelimit-第70部分

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　〃Aye；　preparing　to　raise　anchor。〃
　〃How　is　our　fuel？〃
　〃Fifty…five　percent；　sir。〃
　Vallenar　closed　his　eyes；　letting　the　painful　glare　subside。　He　withdrew　a　cigar　from　his　pocket；　and　spent　a　good　three　minutes　lighting　it。　Then　he　turned　back　toward　the　window。
　〃The　American　ship　is　moving；〃　said　the　conning　officer；　leaning　over　the　radar。
　Vallenar　took　a　slow　puff。　High　time。　Perhaps　they　were　finally　going　to　anchor　in　safer　water；　in　the　lee　up　the　channel。　From　there；　they　could　ride　out　the　storm。
　〃It's　moving　away　from　the　bluff。〃
　Vallenar　waited。
　〃Turning。。。　Bearing　zero　eight　five　now。〃
　The　wrong　direction　for　the　lee　water　up　channel。　Still　Vallenar　waited；　a　sudden；　cold　dread　in　his　heart。　Five　minutes　passed。
　〃Still　bearing　zero　eight　five；　accelerating　to　four　knots。〃
　〃Keep　tracking；〃　he　murmured。　The　dread　gripped　him　tighter　now。
　〃Target　turning；　moving　five　knots；　bearing　one　one　five；　one　two　zero；　one　two　five　…　〃　
　Accelerating　fast　for　a　tanker；　he　thought。　But　it　didn't　matter　what　kind　of　engines　the　massive　ship　sported；　outrunning　a　destroyer　was　a　physical　impossibility。
　He　turned　away　from　the　windows。　〃Aim　forward　of　the　king　posts；　above　the　waterline。　I　want　the　ship　crippled；　not　sunk。〃
　〃The　target　is　moving　five　knots；　steadying　at　one　three　five。〃　
　Heading　for　open　sea；　Vallenar　thought。　That　was　it；　then；　Timmer　was　dead。
　Casseo；　the　tactical　action　officer；　spoke：　〃Maintaining　tracking　of　target；　sir。〃
　Vallenar　struggled　to　keep　himself　calm；　to　keep　himself　strong；　to　show　nothing　of　himself　to　the　men　around　him。　Now；　more　than　ever；　he　would　need　clarity。
　He　lowered　the　cigar；　licked　his　dry　lips。
　〃Prepare　to　fire；〃　he　said。
　
　Rolvaag；
　3：55　A。M。
　
　GLINN　DREW　in　breath　slowly；　deliberately；　feeling　the　steady　rush　of　air　fill　his　lungs。　As　always　before　an　action；　a　preternatural　calm　settled　over　him。　The　ship　was　rigged　for　sea　and　the　powerful　engines　hummed　far　beneath　his　feet。　The　destroyer　sat　low　in　the　water；　a　bright　spot　in　the　gloom　about　twenty　degrees　aft　of　the　port　beam。
　It　would　all　be　over　within　five　minutes。　But　the　timing　would　be　everything。
　He　turned　his　gaze　toward　the　corner　of　the　bridge。　Puppup　was　standing　in　the　shadows；　hands　folded；　waiting。　Now　he　came　forward　at　Glinn's　nod。
　〃Yes？〃
　〃I'll　need　you　to　stand　ready　to　assist　the　helmsman。　We　may　have　to　make　abrupt　changes　to　our　course；　and　we'll　need　your　expertise　with　the　currents　and　underwater　topography。〃
　〃The　underwater　what？〃
　〃Where　the　reefs　are；　where　it's　shallow；　where　it's　deep　enough　to　pass　safely。〃
　Puppup　seemed　to　accept　this。　Then　he　looked　up　at　Glinn；　eyes　bright。
　〃Guv？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃My　canoe　only　draws　six　inches。　I　never　had　to　worry　about　any　of　that　lot。〃
　〃I'm　aware　of　that。　I'm　also　aware　that　the　tides　here　run　thirty　feet；　and　it's　high　tide。　You　know　where　the　wrecks　are　and　the　sunken　ledges。　Be　ready。〃
　〃Very　well；　guv。〃
　Glinn　watched　as　the　little　man　slunk　back　into　the　shadows。　Then　his　glance　flickered　toward　Britton；　at　the　mand　station　with　Howell　and　the　deck　officer。　She　was　indeed　a　fine　woman；　a　good　captain；　everything　he　had　known　she　would　be。　The　way　she'd　reacted　when　he　temporarily　abrogated　her　authority　…　that；　above　all；　had　impressed　him　deeply。　There　was　a　great　dignity　and　self…control　in　her　bearing；　even　as　she　relinquished　mand。　He　wondered　if　it　was　innate；　or　the　result　of　her　earlier　disgrace。
　On　impulse；　he　had　early　on　picked　up　a　book　of　W。H。　Auden's　poetry　from　the　ship's　library。　He　was　not　a　reader　of　poetry；　it　had　always　seemed　a　nonproductive　pursuit。　He'd　turned　to　something　called　〃In　Praise　of　Limestone；〃　with　its　vague　promise　of　engineering。　It　had　been　a　revelatory　experience。　He'd　had　no　idea　of　the　power　of　poetry：　of　how　much　feeling；　thought；　even　wisdom　could　be　imparted　in　such　pact　language。　It　occurred　to　him　that　it　would　be　interesting　to　discuss　this　with　Britton。　After　all；　it　had　been　her　Auden　quotation　during　their　first　meeting　that　had　led　him　to　the　book。
　All　these　thoughts　occupied　Glinn's　mind　for　less　than　a　second。　They　vanished　at　the　low　sound　of　an　alarm。　Britton　spoke；　her　voice　distinct　but　calm：　〃The　warship's　painting　us　with　high　PRF　fire…control　radar。〃　She　turned　to　Howell。　〃Sound　stations。〃
　Howell　repeated　the　mand。　Another　siren　went　off；　much　louder。
　Glinn　stepped　lightly　toward　his　man　at　the　puter　console。　〃Jam　it；〃　he　murmured。
　He　felt　Britton's　eyes　flicker　toward　him。　〃Jam　it？〃　she　repeated；　a　trace　of　sarcasm　mingling　with　the　tension　in　her　voice。　〃May　I　ask　with　what？〃
　〃With　the　McDonnell…Douglas　Blackout　Series　Wide…Band　ECM　system　on　your　mast。　He's　going　to　fire　on　us　with　his　guns；　or　perhaps　even　launch　an　Exocet。　We　have　chaff　and　CIWS；　to　take　care　of　any　missile　launch。〃
　This　time；　Howell　turned　to　look　at　him　incredulously。　〃Close…In　Weapons　System？　There's　nothing　like　that　on　our　ship。〃
　〃Under　those　forward　bulkheads。〃　Glinn　nodded　to　his　man。　〃Time　to　shed　our　clothes。〃
　The　man　typed　a　few　mands　and　there　was　a　sharp　crack　forward。　Glinn　watched　as　the　bulkheads　peeled　off　and　fell　into　the　sea；　just　as　planned；　exposing　the　six　stubby　barrels　of　the　Phallanx　Gatling　guns　which；　Glinn　knew；　could　fire　20…millimeter　rounds　of　depleted　uranium　at　an　ining　missile　at　a　rate　in　excess　of　3；000　rounds　per　minute。
　〃Jesus；〃　said　Howell；　〃that's　classified　hardware。〃
　〃Indeed。〃
　〃Additional　security　equipment；　I　believe　he　once　called　it；〃　Britton　said　with　a　trace　of　irony。
　Glinn　turned　back　toward　her。　〃At　the　moment　we　begin　jamming；　I　suggest　you　bring　her　head　hard　to　starboard。〃
　〃Evasive　action？〃　Howell　said。　〃With　this　ship？　It　takes　three　miles　just　to　stop。〃
　〃I'm　well　aware　of　that。　Do　it　anyway。〃
　Britton　spoke。　〃Mr。　Howell；　bring　her　head　hard　to　starboard。〃
　Howell　turned　to　the　helmsman。　〃Hard　right　rudder；　starboard　engine　back　emergency　full；　port　engine　emergency　ahead。〃
　Britton　looked　at　Glinn's　man。　〃Employ　all　countermeasures。　If　he　fires　a　missile；　deploy　chaff；　CIWS；　as　necessary。　〃
　There　was　a　delay；　then　a　shudder；　as　the　ship　began　to　slow　and　turn。
　〃This　isn't　going　to　work；〃　Howell　muttered。
　Glinn　did　not　bother　to　answer。　He　knew　that；　in　fact；　the　tactic　would　work。　Even　if　the　electronic　countermeasures　failed；　Vallenar　would　be　aiming　high　at　the　bow；　where　it　would　cause　the　most　excitement　with　the　least　damage。　He　wouldn't　try　to　sink　the　Rolvaag　…　not　yet；　at　any　rate。
　A　long　two　minutes　passed　in　the　darkness。　Then　there　was　an　eruption　of　light　along　the　side　of　the　destroyer　as　its　four…inch　guns　fired。　Some　tense　seconds　later；　there　was　an　explosion　off　the　Rolvaag's　port　bow；　and　another；　and　a　third；　faint　geysers　of　water　rising　in　the　darkness　and　twisting　away　in　the　wind。　Glinn　noted　that；　as　he　expected；　the　shells　were　going　wide。
　The　officers　on　the　bridge　exchanged　pale；　shocked　glances。　Glinn　watched　them　with　sympathy。　He　knew　that；　even　in　the　best　of　circumstances；　ing　under　fire　for　the　first　time　was　traumatic。
　〃I'm　getting　movement　on　the　destroyer；〃　Howell　said；　staring　at　the　radar。
　〃May　I　suggest　all　ahead　flank；　steady　course　one　eight　zero；〃　Glinn　said　gently。
　The　helmsman　did　not　repeat　the　order；　instead　glancing　over　at　the　captain。　〃That'll　take　us　out　of　the　main　channel；　inside　the　reefs；〃　he　said；　voice　wavering　ever　so　slightly。　〃They're　uncharted。。。〃
　Glinn　motioned　to　Puppup。
　〃Yes；　guv？〃
　〃We're　taking　the　reef　side　of　the　channel。〃
　〃Sure　thing。〃　Puppup　skipped　over　to　stand　beside　the　helmsman。
　Britton　sighed。　〃Execute　the　order。〃
　Surf　crashed　into　the　bow；　sending　foam　across　the　deck。　Puppup　peered　out　into　the　dark。
　〃Take　it　a　little　to　the　left；　there。〃
　〃Make　it　so；　Mr。　Howell；〃　Britton　said　tersely。
　〃Left　five　degrees　rudder；〃　said　Howell；　〃steady　on　course　one　seven　five。〃
　There　was　a　moment　of　strained　silence。　Then　the　helmsman　spoke。　〃Aye；　sir；　steady　at　one　seven　five。〃
　Howell　leaned　over　the　radar。　〃They're　picking　up　speed；　up　to　twelve　knots　now　to　our　eight。〃　He　stared　hard　at　Glinn。　〃What　the　hell's　your　plan