cc.vixen03-第33部分

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　able　to　determine。〃
　〃Did　you　retrieve　the　bodies？〃
　〃They　still　lie　there；〃　said　Bass　with　sadness　in　his　eyes。　〃You　see；　Mr。　Pitt；　the　terrible　power　of　QD　is　only　half　its　malignity。　QD's　most　frightening　quality　is　its　refusal　to　die。　We　later　found　that　its　bacillus　forms　superresistant　spores；　which　are　able　to　penetrate　the　ground…in　Rongelo　Island's　case；　the　coral…and　live　out　an　astonishing　lifespan。〃
　〃I　find　it　incredible　that　after　thirty…four　years　no　one　can　safely　go　in　and　carry　out　Vetterly's　remains。〃
　There　was　a　sickness　in　Bass's　voice。　〃There　is　no　way　of　pinpointing　the　exact　date；〃　he　murmured；　〃but　our　best　estimate　indicated　that　man　won't　be　able　to　step　foot　on　Rongelo　Island　for　another　three　hundred　years。〃
　
　34
　
　Fawkes　leaned　over　the　ship's　chart　table；　studying　a　set　of　blueprints；　his　hand　making　notations　with　a　pencil。　Two　large　men；　well　muscled；　the　faces　beneath　their　hard　hats　tanned　and　thoughtful；　stood　on　either　side　of　him。　〃I　want　her　gutted；　every　partment；　every　scrap　of　unnecessary　tubing　and　electrical　conduits；　even　her　bulkheads。〃
　The　man　on　Fawkes's　left　snorted　derisively。　〃You've　lost　your　gourd；　Captain。　Tear　out　the　bulkheads　and　she'll　break　up　in　any　sea　rougher　than　a　millpond。〃
　〃Dugan　is　right；〃　said　the　other　man。　〃You　can't　gut　a　vessel　this　size　without　losing　her　structural　resistance　to　stress。〃
　〃Your　objections　are　duly　noted；　gentlemen；〃　Fawkes　replied。　〃But　in　order　for　her　to　ride　high；　her　draft　must　be　cut　by　forty　percent。〃
　〃I've　never　heard　of　gutting　a　sound　ship　just　to　raise　her　waterline；〃　said　Dugan。　〃What's　the　purpose　of　it　all？〃
　〃You　can　scrap　the　armor　as　well　as　the　auxiliary　machinery；〃　Fawkes　said；　ignoring　Dugan's　question。　〃While　you're　about　it；　you　can　see　to　the　removal　of　the　turret　masts。〃
　〃e　off　it；　Captain；〃　snapped　Lou　Metz；　the　shipyard　superinten…dent。　〃You're　asking　us　to　ruin　what　was　once　a　damned　fine　ship。〃
　〃Aye；　she　was　a　fine　ship；〃　agreed　Fawkes。　〃In　my　mind　she　still　is。　But　time　has　passed　her　by。　Your　government　sold　her　for　scrap　and　the　African　Army　of　Revolution　bought　her　for　a　very　special　undertaking。〃
　〃That's　something　else　that　rubs　us　wrong；〃　said　Dugan。　〃Busting　our　ass　so's　some　bunch　of　nigger　radicals　can　kill　white　people。〃
　Fawkes　laid　down　the　pencil　and　fixed　Dugan　with　a　rigid　stare。　〃I　don't　think　you　people　quite　realize　the　economics　of　the　situation；〃　he　said。　〃What　the　AAR　does　with　the　ship　once　it　leaves　your　shipyard　needn't　concern　your　racial　philosophies。　What　counts　is　that　they　pay　my　wages　the　same　as　they　pay　yours　and　those　of　your　men；　who；　if　my　memory　serves　me；　number　one　hundred　and　seventy。　However；　if　you　insist；　I'll　be　happy　to　convey　your　sentiments　to　the　officials　in　charge　of　the　AAR　treasury。　I　feel　certain　they　can　find　another　shipyard　that　will　prove　more　cooperative。　And　that　would　be　a　pity；　particularly　since　their　contract　is　the　only　one　on　your　books　at　present。　Without　it；　all　one　hundred　and　seventy　men　on　your　crew　would　have　to　be　laid　off。　I　do　not　think　their　families　will　take　it　kindly　when　they　find　out　your　petty　objections　put　their　menfolk　out　of　work。〃
　Dugan　and　Metz　exchanged　angry；　defeated　looks。　Metz　avoided　Fawkes's　eyes　and　gazed　down　sullenly　at　the　blueprints。　〃Okay；　Cap…　　　；　tain；　you're　calling　the　shots。〃
　There　was　a　confidence　born　of　long　years　of　manding　men　refleeted　in　Fawkes's　tight　smile。　〃Thank　you；　gentlemen。　Now　that　we've　cleared　the　air　of　any　misunderstandings；　shall　we　continue？〃
　An　hour　later　the　two　shipyard　men　left　the　bridge　and　made　their　way　down　to　the　main　deck　of　the　ship。　〃I　can't　believe　I　heard　right；〃　Metz　mumbled　numbly。　〃Did　that　lead…brained　Scotsman　actually　order　us　to　remove　half　the　superstructure；　the　funnels；　and　the　fore　and　aft　gun　turrets　and　replace　them　all　with　plywood　sheeting　painted　gray？〃
　〃That's　what　the　man　said；〃　Dugan　replied。　〃I　guess　he　figures　by　dumping　all　that　weight　he　can　lighten　the　ship　by　fifteen　thousand　tons。〃
　〃But　why　replace　everything　with　dummy　structures？〃
　〃Beats　me。　Maybe　he　and　his　black　buddies　expect　to　bluff　the　South　African　Navy　to　death。〃
　〃And　that's　another　thing；〃　said　Metz。　〃If　you　bought　a　ship　like　this　to　use　in　a　foreign　war；　wouldn't　you　try　and　keep　the　deal　under　wraps？　My　guess　is　that　they're　going　to　blast　Cape　Town　all　to　hell。〃
　〃With　dummy　guns；　no　less；〃　grunted　Dugan。
　〃I'd　like　to　tell　that　overgrown　bastard　to　take　his　contract　and　stuff　it　up　his　ass；〃　Metz　rasped。
　〃You　can't　deny　he's　got　us　by　the　balls。〃　Dugan　turned　and　stared　up　at　the　shadowy　figure　behind　the　bridge　windows。　〃Do　you　think　he's　ripe　for　a　straitjacket？〃
　〃Nuts？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Crazy　like　a　coyote；　maybe。　He　knows　what　he's　doing；　and　that's　what　bugs　the　shit　out　of　me。〃
　〃What　do　you　suppose　the　AAR　really　has　in　mind　once　they　get　the　ship　to　Africa？〃
　〃I'll　make　book　she　never　sees　port；〃　said　Metz。　〃By　the　time　we're　through　ripping　her　bowels　out；　she'll　be　so　unstable　she'll　go　belly　up　before　she　leaves　Chesapeake　Bay。〃
　Dugan　eased　his　buttocks　onto　a　massive　capstan。　He　looked　down　the　length　of　the　ship。　Her　great　mass　of　steel　seemed　cold　and　malevolent；　it　was　as　though　she　were　holding　her　breath；　waiting　for　some　silent　mand　to　unleash　her　awesome　power。
　〃This　whole　act　stinks；〃　Dugan　said　finally。　〃I　only　hope　to　God　we're　not　doing　anything　we'll　regret。〃
　Fawkes　examined　the　markings　on　a　well…creased　set　of　navigation　charts。　First　he　puted　the　known　velocity　and　fluctuations　of　the　current；　then　the　range　of　tidal　conditions。　Satisfied　with　the　figures；　he　next　traced　a　mile…by…mile　course　to　his　destination；　memorizing　every　buoy；　every　beacon　and　channel　marker；　until　he　could　picture　them　all　in　his　mind's　eye　without　confusion　as　to　their　exact　sequence。
　The　task　before　him　seemed　impossible。　Even　with　precise　analysis　of　every　obstacle　and　its　successful　conquest；　there　were　still　too　many　variables　that　had　to　be　left　to　chance。　There　was　no　way　he　could　predict　the　weather　on　a　given　day　still　weeks　away。　The　odds　of　colliding　with　another　ship　also　reared　their　numerical　heads。　These　unknowns　he　did　not　take　lightly；　and　yet　the　possibility　that　he　might　be　found　out　and　stopped　was　refused　entrance　into　his　mind。　He　had　even　steeled　himself　to　ignore　any　second　thoughts　from　De　Vaal；　who　might　order　the　mission　to　be　scrapped。
　At　ten　minutes　to　midnight　Fawkes　removed　his　glasses　and　rubbed　his　tired　eyes。　He　took　a　small　photo　holder　from　his　breast　pocket　and　looked　into　the　long…ago　faces　of　his　family。　Then　he　sighed　and　propped　the　holder　on　a　small　packing　crate　set　beside　the　cot　he　maintained　in　the　control　room　of　the　ship。　The　first　week　he　had　slept　in　the　captain's　quarters；　but　the　fortable　acmodations　were　gone　now；　furnish…ings；　facilities；　even　the　bulkheads　that　once　enclosed　the　cabin；　had　been　torched　away。
　Fawkes　undressed　and　slid　his　huge　frame　inside　a　sleeping　bag；　taking　a　final　look　at　the　photo。　Then　he　clicked　off　the　drop…cord　light　and　became　smothered　in　the　darkness　of　his　loneliness　and　unrelenting　hatred。
　
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　De　Vaal　rolled　a　cigarette　between　his　slender　fingers。　〃Will　Fawkes　meet　his　schedule；　do　you　think？〃
　〃One　of　my　operatives　reports　that　he　is　driving　the　shipyard　workers　like　a　sadist；〃　replied　Zeegler。　〃I　cannot　help　but　think　the　good　captain　will　launch　Wild　Rose　at　the　required　time。〃
　〃What　of　his　black　crew？〃
　〃They　are　under　tight　security　on　a　cargo　freighter　moored　off　a　remote　island　in　the　Azores。〃　Zeegler　sat　down　across　from　De　Vaal　before　continuing。　〃When　all　is　in　readiness；　the　crew　will　be　smuggled　on　board　Fawkes's　ship。〃
　〃Will　they　be　familiar　with　the　operation　of　the　vessel？〃
　〃Training　is　being　conducted　with　mock…ups　on　the　freighter。　Each　man　will　know　his　job　when　Fawkes　casts　off　the　mooring　lines。〃
　〃What　have　the　men　been　told？〃
　〃They　think　they　have　been　recruited　to　pick　up　the　ship　for　sea　trials　and　gunnery　practice　before　sailing　it　on　to　Cape　Town。〃
　De　Vaal　sat　in　concentration　for　a　moment。　〃A　pity　we　can't　have　Lusana　as　a　passenger。〃
　〃The　possi