p&c.icelimit-第76部分

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　〃Mr。　Glinn！〃　Britton　cried。　〃Order　your　man　to　reemploy　ECM！〃
　〃Reemploy　electronic　countermeasures；〃　Glinn　said　weakly；　leaning　on　the　console　for　support。　He　stared　at　the　implacable　green　point　on　the　screen；　his　mind　racing　to　find　the　answers；　to　see　the　pattern。　Vallenar　had　stayed　true　to　form　by　launching　a　missile　at　them。　This　was　a　gesture　Glinn　had　anticipated。　Now；　having　rattled　his　saber　in　impotent　rage；　the　man　would　turn　back。　Glinn　waited；　willing　the　ship　to　turn。
　But　the　pulsing　green　dot　continued　on　its　course：　not　their　own　course；　exactly；　but　a　course　that　took　it　ever　deeper　into　international　waters。
　〃Eli？〃　It　was　Lloyd。　His　voice　was　strangely　calm。　With　an　effort；　Glinn　detached　himself　from　a　hundred　avenues　of　speculation　and　met　Lloyd's　flinty　stare。
　〃He's　not　going　to　turn；〃　Lloyd　said。　〃He's　ing　after　us。　For　the　kill。〃
　
　Rolvaag；
　10：20　A。M。
　
　SALLY　BRITTON　steeled　herself；　tuning　out　extraneous　details　one　at　a　time；　focusing　her　mind　for　what　was　to　e。　One　look　at　Glinn's　pale；　shattered　face　had　disarmed　her　anger　and　told　her　all　she　needed　to　know　about　the　failure　of　his　prediction。　She　felt　a　twinge　of　sympathy　for　the　man；　despite　the　unforgivable　misjudgment　which　had　now　put　all　their　lives　in　extreme　danger。　She　herself　had　made　a　misjudgment；　on　a　bridge　similar　to　this　one；　not　all　that　long　ago。
　She　turned　her　attention　to　the　rear　of　the　bridge；　where　a　large　nautical　chart　of　the　Cape　Horn　region　was　displayed。　As　she　looked　at　it；　going　automatically　through　the　familiar　steps；　she　felt　the　worst　of　the　tension　ease。　A　few　options　presented　themselves。　All　might　not　be　lost。
　She　felt　Glinn's　presence　behind　her。　She　turned　to　see　that　the　color　was　returning　to　his　face；　and　the　look　of　shock　and　paralysis　was　leaving　his　eyes。　She　realized；　with　surprise；　that　this　man　was　still　far　from　beaten。
　〃Captain；〃　he　said；　〃may　I　confer　with　you　a　moment？〃
　She　nodded。
　He　took　up　position　beside　her；　removing　a　piece　of　paper　from　the　vest　pocket　of　his　suit　as　he　did　so。　〃I　have　here　all　the　specifications　of　the　Almirante　Ramirez。　The　data　is　accurate　as　of　approximately　three　weeks　ago。〃
　She　looked　at　him。　〃Where　did　you　get　this？〃
　〃From　our　home　office。〃
　〃Let's　hear　it。〃
　〃The　Almirante　Ramirez　is　an　Almirante…class　destroyer；　built　for　the　Chilean　navy　by　Vickers…Armstrong　in　the　U。K。　Its　keel　was　laid　in　1957　and　the　ship　was　missioned　in　1960。　It　has　a　plement　of　266；　with　17　officers。　It　displaces　…　〃
　〃I　don't　need　to　know　how　many　dinners　they　serve。　Get　to　the　threat　systems。〃
　Glinn's　eyes　flitted　downward。　〃It　was　retrofitted　in　the　seventies　to　hold　four　Aerospatiale　38　Exocet　sea…skimming　missiles。　They　have　a　range　of　twenty…five　nautical　miles。　Fortunately　for　us；　they　use　an　earlier　generation　of　active　radar　homing　that　can't　overe　our　advanced　ECM　system。　So　the　Exocets　are　useless　to　him；　even　in　visual　range。〃
　〃What　else　has　he　got？〃
　〃Four　Vickers　four…inch　guns；　two　forward　and　two　aft；　that　can　deliver　forty　rounds　a　minute　with　a　range　of　ten　nautical　miles。　These　are　normally　directed　using　two　SGR　102　fire…control　radars；　but；　if　necessary；　can　also　be　targeted　visually。〃
　〃Dear　God。　Forty　rounds　a　minute　per　gun？〃　
　〃There　are　also　four　Bofors　40…millimeters　with　a　range　of　six　point　five　nautical　miles。　They　can　throw　three　hundred　shells　a　minute。〃
　Britton　felt　the　blood　leave　her　face。　〃Any　one　of　those　guns　could　take　us　out　in　a　matter　of　minutes。　We　can't　let　him　get　within　range。〃
　〃Visual　targeting　in　this　heavy　sea　will　be　difficult。　But　you　are　correct：　we　wouldn't　last　long　in　a　barrage。　We've　got　to　increase　our　speed。〃
　Britton　didn't　answer　at　first。　〃You　know　we're　already　pushing　the　limits　of　the　turbines　at　sixteen　knots。〃　She　turned　to　the　chief　mate。　〃Mr。　Howell；　is　there　any　way　we　can　squeeze　a　little　more　speed　out　of　her？〃
　〃I　might　be　able　to　wring　out　another　knot。〃
　〃Very　well。　Do　it。〃
　He　turned　to　the　helmsman。　〃All　ahead　one　ten。〃
　Deep　inside　the　ship；　she　felt　an　answering　rumble　as　the　engines　were　brought　up　to　110　rpms。　That　would　give　them　…　she　did　a　quick　mental　calculation　…　four　and　a　half　hours；　maybe　a　little　less；　before　they　were　within　range　of　the　Vickers。
　She　turned　back　to　Glinn　and　the　chart。　〃I've　worked　it　out；〃　she　said。　〃Our　best　option　is　to　head　northeast　into　Argentinian　national　waters　as　soon　as　possible。　Argentina　is　a　bitter　enemy　of　Chile；　and　they'd　hardly　countenance　a　Chilean　destroyer　chasing　us　into　their　waters。　They'd　consider　it　an　act　of　war。〃
　She　glanced　at　Glinn；　but　his　veiled　look　betrayed　nothing。
　〃Alternatively；　we　could　head　for　the　British　naval　base　on　the　Falkland　Islands。　We　should　also　radio　our　government　and　report　we're　under　attack　by　a　Chilean　warship。　We　might　be　able　to　put　some　military　pressure　on　that　crazy　son　of　a　bitch。〃
　She　waited　for　a　response。
　At　last；　Glinn　spoke。　〃I　understand　now　what　Vallenar's　slight　course　changes　were　about。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃We've　been　cut　off。〃
　Britton　looked　quickly　back　at　the　map。　The　Ramirez　was　now　twenty　miles　northwest　of　them；　on　a　true　bearing　of　300　degrees。　Suddenly；　she　understood。
　〃Oh　shit；〃　she　breathed。
　〃If　we　change　course　now　to　Argentina　or　the　Falklands；　he'll　overtake　us　about　here。〃　Glinn　drew　a　small　circle　on　the　map　with　his　finger。
　〃We'll　head　west　back　to　Chile；　then；〃　Britton　said　quickly。　〃He　wouldn't　get　away　with　sinking　us　in　the　Puerto　Williams　harbor。〃
　〃No　doubt。　Unfortunately；　even　if　we　turn　back　now；　he'll　intercept　us　here。〃　His　finger　traced　another　circle　on　the　map。
　〃Then　we'll　head　for　the　British　scientific　station　on　South　Georgia　Island。〃
　〃Then　he'll　intercept　us　here。〃
　She　watched　the　map；　a　paralyzing　chill　creeping　down　her　spine。
　〃You　see；　Sally　…　may　I　call　you　Sally？　…　when　he　made　those　course　changes　to　the　northeast；　he　had　already　anticipated　our　possible　points　of　refuge。　If　we　had　realized　this　and　acted　immediately；　we　would　have　had　a　chance　of　getting　to　Argentina；　at　least。　But　now　even　that　route　is　closed　to　us。〃
　Britton　felt　a　pressure　on　her　chest。　〃The　U。S。　Navy…〃
　〃My　man's　already　checked　that。　There's　no　effective　military　help　within　twenty…four　hours。〃
　〃But　there's　a　British　naval　base　on　the　Falklands；　armed　to　the　teeth！〃
　〃We　considered　that；　too。　Chile　was　a　British　ally　in　the　Falklands　War。　For　the　U。S。　to　request　military　help　from　the　U。K。　against　its　former　ally；　using　the　very　base　they　fought　for　…　well；　let　us　just　say　it　is　a　request　that　would　take　more　time　than　we　have　to　expedite；　even　with　Lloyd's　and　my　connections。　Unfortunately；　the　extreme　South　Atlantic　is　no　place　to　get　into　a　military　scrape。　We're　on　our　own。〃
　She　looked　at　Glinn。　He　returned　her　gaze　with　gray　eyes　that　seemed　to　have　deepened　until　they　were　almost　the　color　of　the　surrounding　ocean。　There　was　a　plan　behind　those　eyes。　She　was　afraid　to　ask　what　it　was。
　〃We　head　south；〃　Glinn　said　simply。　〃To　the　Ice　Limit。〃
　Britton　could　hardly　believe　it。　〃Go　south　into　the　Screaming　Sixties；　into　the　ice；　in　a　storm　like　this？　That's　not　an　option。〃
　〃You're　right；〃　said　Glinn　quietly。　〃It's　not　an　option。　It's　the　only　option。〃
　
　Almirante　Ramirez；
　11：00　A。M。
　
　AFTER　DAWN；　Vallenar　noticed　that　the　wind　had　begun　its　inevitable　shift　to　the　west。　His　plan　had　worked。　Belatedly；　the　Americans　had　realized　they　were　cut　off。　There　was　no　place　for　them　to　go　but　down　into　the　Sixties。　Already；　they　had　changed　course　to　one　eight　zero　…　due　south。　And　that's　where　he　would　intercept　them；　where　the　endgame　would　play　out：　at　the　Ice　Limit；　in　the　black　freezing　waters　of　the　Antarctic　Ocean。
　He　spoke　softly；　precisely。　〃From　now　on；　I'll　have　the　deck。〃
　The　oficial　de　guardia；　the　officer　of　the　deck；　called　out；　〃Aye；　sir；　the　andante　has　the　deck！〃
　〃Set　heading　one　eight　zero；〃　Vallenar　said　to　the　conning　officer。
　This　order　would　place　the　violent　sea　directly　on　their　beam；　the　most　dangerous　position　for　the　destroyer。　The　bridge　officers　knew　this。　He　waited　for　the　conning　officer　to　repeat　the　order　and　call　rudder　dire