p&c.icelimit-第75部分

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　He　rose　angrily。　〃You　think　my　men　were　crazy？　They　hated　being　near　that　thing；　they　were　scared　to　death　of　it　Rachel；　I'm　telling　you；　nobody　got　within　five　feet。〃　
　He　winced　and　lay　back。
　After　a　moment；　McFarlane　spoke　again。　〃We　need　to　know　exactly　what　you　saw。　Can　you　tell　us　what　you　remember；　right　before　it　happened？　What　was　going　on？　Did　you　notice　anything　unusual？〃
　〃No。　The　men　were　almost　finished　with　the　welding。　Some　of　them　had　finished。　The　job　was　virtually　done。　Everyone　was　still　wearing　their　protective　gear。　The　ship　was　heeling。　It　seemed　to　be　taking　a　pretty　big　wave。〃
　〃I　remember　that　wave；〃　Rachel　said。　〃Are　you　sure　nobody　lost　his　balance；　nobody　put　out　an　involuntary　hand　to　steady　…　〃
　〃You　don't　believe　me；　do　you？〃　he　asked。　〃Tough　shit；　because　it's　true。　Nobody　touched　the　rock。　Check　the　tapes　yourself　if　you　want。〃
　〃Was　there　anything　unusual　about　the　meteorite？〃　McFarlane　asked。　〃Anything　funny？〃
　Garza　thought　for　a　moment。　Then　he　shook　his　head。
　McFarlane　leaned　closer。　〃That　freak　wave　that　heeled　the　ship。　Do　you　think　tilting　the　meteorite　could　have　caused　the　explosion？〃
　〃Why？　It　was　tilted；　banged；　and　shoved　all　the　way　from　the　impact　site　to　the　holding　tank。　Nothing　like　this　happened。〃
　There　was　a　silence。
　〃It's　the　rock；〃　Garza　murmured。
　McFarlane　blinked；　not　sure　he　had　heard　correctly。
　〃What？〃　he　asked。
　〃I　said；　it's　the　goddamn　rock。　It　wants　us　dead。　All　of　us。〃
　And　with　that；　he　turned　toward　the　bulkhead　and　would　not　speak　again。
　
　Rolvaag；
　10：00　A。M。
　
　VIOLENT　dawn　rose　beyond　the　windows　of　the　bridge；　revealing　a　wind…torn　sea。　A　procession　of　gigantic　swells；　undulating；　remorseless；　came　out　of　the　storm…wracked　western　horizon　and　disappeared　into　the　east。　The　panteonero　continued　to　build；　a　screaming　wind　that　seemed　to　rip　pieces　of　sea　from　the　tops　of　the　waves　and　send　them　flying；　shredding　the　water　into　white　sheets　of　foam。　The　great　ship　heaved　up；　heaved　down；　rolling　and　pitching　in　agonizing　slow　motion。
　Eli　Glinn　stood　alone　at　the　windows；　hands　clasped　behind　his　back。　He　gazed　out　at　the　violence；　conscious　of　an　internal　serenity　he　had　rarely　felt　since　the　project　began。　It　had　been　a　project　fraught　with　unexpected　turns　and　surprises。　Even　here；　on　the　ship；　the　meteorite　continued　to　bedevil　them：　Howell　had　returned　from　the　sick　bay　with　reports　of　six　dead　and　Garza　injured。　Nevertheless；　EES　had　succeeded。　It　was　one　of　the　greatest　engineering　feats　ever。
　He　would　not　care　to　repeat　such　a　project　again。
　He　turned。　Britton　and　the　other　ship's　officers　were　glued　to　the　surface　radar；　tracking　the　Almirante　Ramirez。　
　Lloyd　hovered　behind　them。　It　was　a　tense…looking　group。　Clearly；　his　assurances　about　andante　Vallenar　had　not　convinced　them。　A　natural；　if　illogical；　position　to　take。　But　Glinn's　proprietary　profiling　program　had　never　been　wrong　in　a　critical　prediction。　Besides；　he　knew　Vallenar。　He　had　met　the　man　on　his　own　turf。　He　had　seen　the　iron　discipline　on　his　ship。　He　had　seen　the　man's　skill　as　a　naval　officer；　his　overweening　pride；　his　love　of　country。　The　man　will　not　cross　the　line。　Not　for　a　meteorite。　At　the　last　minute　would　turn；　the　moment　of　crisis　would　pass；　and　they　would　be　on　their　way　home。
　〃Captain；〃　he　asked；　〃what　course　do　you　propose　to　take　us　out　of　Drake　Passage？〃
　〃As　soon　as　the　Ramirez　turns　around；　I'll　order　a　three　three　zero　bearing　to　bring　us　back　into　the　lee　of　South　America　and　get　us　out　of　this　gale。〃
　Glinn　nodded　approvingly。　〃That　will　be　soon。〃
　Britton's　eyes　dropped　back　to　the　screen。　She　said　nothing　more。
　Glinn　strolled　over　and　stood　with　Lloyd　behind　Captain　Britton。　On　the　electronic　chart；　the　green　dot　that　represented　Vallenar　was　fast　approaching　international　waters。　Glinn　couldn't　help　but　smile。　It　was　like　watching　a　horse　race　on　television　for　which　he　alone　knew　the　oute。
　〃Any　radio　contact　from　the　Ramirez？〃　
　〃No；〃　Britton　replied。　〃They've　been　maintaining　radio　silence　throughout。　Not　even　making　contact　with　their　own　base。　Banks　heard　the　base　CO　order　him　back　hours　ago。〃　
　Naturally；　thought　Glinn。　It　fit　the　profile。
　He　allowed　his　gaze　to　linger　on　Britton：　at　the　scattering　of　freckles　on　her　nose；　the　poise　in　her　bearing。　She　doubted　his　judgment　now；　but　later　she　would　see　that　he　had　been　right。　He　thought　about　the　courage　she　had　shown；　the　unerring　good　sense；　the　coolness　under　pressure；　the　dignity；　even　while　the　bridge　had　been　out　of　her　mand。　This　was　a　woman；　he　felt；　he　could　finally　trust。　Perhaps　this　was　the　woman　he　had　been　looking　for。　It　bore　further　consideration。　He　began　thinking　of　the　correct　strategy　to　win　her；　potential　avenues　of　failure；　the　likeliest　path　to　success。。。
　He　glanced　back　at　the　radar　screen。　The　dot　was　now　just　minutes　from　the　line。　He　felt　the　faintest　twinge　of　nervousness　disturb　his　serenity。　But　all　factors　had　been　taken　into　account。　The　man　would　turn。
　He　looked　deliberately　away　from　the　screen　and　strolled　back　to　the　window。　It　was　an　awesome　sight。　The　waves　were　topping　the　maindeck；　sweeping　past　in　green　sheets；　streaming　through　the　scuppers　back　into　the　sea。　The　Rolvaag；　despite　its　movement；　still　felt　quite　stable　…　it　was　a　following　sea；　which　greatly　aided　stability。　And　the　mass　in　the　center　tank　acted　as　ballast。
　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　Any　moment　now；　Britton　would　report　that　the　Ramirez　had　turned　back。
　There　was　an　audible　sound；　a　collective　murmur；　from　the　group　around　the　radar。
　〃The　Ramirez　is　changing　course；〃　said　Britton；　glancing　up。
　Glinn　nodded；　suppressing　a　smile。
　〃Turning　northerly　to　a　zero　six　zero　heading。〃
　Glinn　waited。
　〃He　just　crossed　the　line；〃　Britton　added　in　a　low　voice。　〃Still　heading　zero　six　zero。〃
　Glinn　hesitated。　〃Vallenar's　navigation　is　slightly　off。　His　rudder　is　damaged。　He's　clearly　in　the　process　of　turning　around。〃
　The　minutes　ticked　off。　Glinn　left　the　windows　and　once　again　approached　the　screen。　The　green　dot　continued　heading　east…northeast。　It　wasn't　exactly　chasing　them　now；　but　it　wasn't　turning　around　either。　Strange。　He　felt　another　twinge。
　〃He　will　e　around　momentarily；〃　murmured　Glinn。
　The　silence　lengthened　as　the　Ramirez　continued　on　its　bearing。
　〃Maintaining　speed；〃　said　Howell。　
　〃Turn；〃　muttered　Lloyd。
　The　ship　did　not　turn。　Instead；　it　made　another　slight　course　correction　to　zero　five　zero。
　〃What's　the　hell's　he　doing？〃　Lloyd　suddenly　exploded。
　Britton　straightened　up　and　looked　squarely　at　Glinn。　She　said　nothing；　but　words　were　unnecessary：　Glinn　could　read　her　expression　with　crystal　clarity。
　Doubt　passed　through　him　like　a　spasm；　to　be　quickly　replaced　by　reassurance。　He　knew　now　what　the　problem　was。　〃Of　course。　He's　not　only　having　trouble　with　his　rudder；　but　his　primitive　navigation　systems　have　been　affected　by　our　jamming。　The　man　doesn't　know　where　he　is。〃　He　turned　to　his　operative　at　the　console。　〃Turn　off　the　ECM。　Let　our　friend　find　his　bearings。〃
　The　operative　typed　a　series　of　mands。
　〃He's　twenty…five　miles　distant；〃　said　Howell。　〃We're　just　within　range　of　his　Exocets。〃
　〃I'm　aware　of　that；〃　murmured　Glinn。
　There　was　a　moment　in　which　the　entire　bridge　fell　silent。　Then　Howell　spoke　again。　〃We're　being　illuminated　with　targeting　radar。　He's　getting　our　range　and　bearing。〃
　For　the　first　time　since　his　final　op　as　a　Ranger；　Glinn　felt　a　certain　kind　of　uneasiness　in　his　gut。　〃Give　him　a　few　more　minutes。　Let　him　figure　out　we're　both　in　international　waters。〃
　Again　the　minutes　ticked　by。
　〃For　God's　sake；　bring　the　ECM　back　on　line！〃　Britton　said　sharply。
　〃Another　minute。　Please。〃
　〃Exocet　launched；〃　said　Howell。
　〃CIWS　full　auto；〃　said　Britton。　〃Prepare　to　launch　chaff。〃
　The　minutes　passed　in　frozen　dread。
　Then　there　was　a　sudden　rattling　of　Gatling　guns　as　the　CIWS　went　into　action；　followed　by　a　harrowing　airburst　off　the　starboard　side　of　the　ship。　A　tiny　piece　of　shrapnel　ticked　off　a　bridge　window；　leaving　a　star。
　〃Still　being　painted　with　radar；〃　said　Howell。
　〃Mr。　Glinn！〃　Britton　cried。　〃Order　your　man　to　reem