atlantis.found-第36部分

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aft　rose　vertically；　until　the　tilt…rotor　was　five　hundred　feet　off　the　ground。　Then　Giordino　shifted　the　controls　of　the　mechanical　linkage　that　enabled　both　prop　rotors　to　swing　horizontal　and　send　the　aircraft　into　level　flight。
　　　　　The　609　seated　up　to　nine　passengers；　but　for　this　trip　she　was　empty　except　for　a　bundle　of　survival　gear　strapped　to　the　floor。　Giordino　had　chartered　the　plane　in　Cape　Town　because　the　nearest　NUMA　research　ship　was　more　than　one　thousand　miles　away　from　the　Crozet　Islands。
　　　　　A　helicopter　could　not　have　made　the　2；400…mile　round　trip　without　refueling　at　least　four　times；　and　a　normal　mold…engine　aircraft　that　could　go　the　distance　would　have　had　no　place　to　land　once　it　reached　the　volcanic　island。　The　Model　609　tilt…rotor　could　land　any　place　a　helicopter　could　and　seemed　the　ideal　craft　for　the　job。　Depending　on　the　freakish　whims　of　the　winds；　the　flight　should　average　four　hours　each　way。　The　fuel　would　have　to　be　monitored　closely。　Even　with　modified　wing　tanks；　Giordino　calculated　that　he　would　only　have　an　extra　hour　and　a　half　of　flying　time　for　the　journey　back　to　Cape　Town。　It　wasn't　enough　to　ensure　a　mentally　soothing　flight；　but　Giordino　was　never　one　to　play　a　safe　game。
　　　　　Thirty　minutes　later；　as　he　reached　12；000　feet　and　banked　southeast　over　the　Indian　Ocean；　he　set　the　throttles　at　the　most　fuel…efficient　cruise　setting；　watching　the　airspeed　indicator　hover　at　slightly　under　three　hundred　miles　per　hour。　Then　he　turned　to　the　small　man　sitting　in　the　copilot's　seat。
　　　　　〃If　you　have　any　regrets　about　joining　this　madcap　venture；　please　be　advised　that　it's　too　late　to　change　your　mind。〃
　　　　　Rudi　Gunn　smiled。　〃I'll　be　in　enough　hot　water　for　sneaking　off　with　you　when　the　admiral　finds　out　Fm　not　sitting　behind　my　desk　in　Washington。〃
　　　　　〃What　excuse　did　you　give　for　disappearing　for　six　days？〃
　　　　　〃I　told　my　office　to　say　I　flew　to　the　Baltic　Sea　to　check　on　an　underwater　shipwreck　project　NUMA　is　surveying　with　Danish　archaeologists。〃
　　　　　〃Is　there　such　a　project？〃
　　　　　〃You　bet　your　life；〃　replied　Gunn。　〃A　fleet　of　Viking　ships　that　a　fisherman　snagged。〃
　　　　　Giordino　passed　Gunn　a　pair　of　charts。　〃Here；　you　can　navigate。〃
　　　　　〃How　big　is　St。　Paul　Island？〃
　　　　　〃About　two　and　a　half　square　miles。〃
　　　　　Gunn　peered　at　Giordino　through　his　thick　glasses。　〃I　do　pray；〃　he　said　placidly；　〃that　we're　not　following　in　the　footsteps　of　Amelia　Earhart　and　Fred　Noonan。〃
　
　
　　　　　Three　hours　into　the　flight；　they　were　in　good　shape　fuel…wise　after　picking　up　a　tailwind　of　five　knots。　The　Indian　Ocean　slowly　vanished　as　they　entered　overcast　skies　that　came　from　the　east；　bringing　rain　squalls　and　turbulence。　Giordino　climbed　to　find　smooth　air　and　blue　skies　again；　rising　above　white　puffy　clouds　that　rolled　beneath　them　like　a　stormy　sea。
　　　　　Giordino　had　the　uncanny　ability　to　sleep　for　ten　minutes；　then　pop　awake　to　check　his　instruments　and　make　any　course　alteration　suggested　by　Gunn　before　dozing　off　again。　He　repeated　the　process　more　times　than　Gunn　bothered　to　count；　never　varying　the　routine　by　more　or　less　than　a　minute。
　　　　　Actually；　there　was　no　fear　of　being　lost　and　missing　the　island。　The　tilt…rotor　carried　the　latest　Global　Positioning　System　（GPS）　navigation　equipment。　With　the　GPS　receiver　measuring　the　distance　to　a　string　of　satellites；　the　precise　latitude；　longitude；　and　altitude　were　calculated；　and　the　data　programmed　into　the　aircraft　puter　so　Gunn　could　determine　course；　speed；　time；　and　distance　to　their　destination。
　　　　　Unlike　Giordino；　he　was　an　insomniac。　He　was　also　what　Giordino　often　called　him　a　worrywart。　Gunn　couldn't　have　relaxed　if　he　was　lying　under　a　palm　tree　on　a　Tahitian　beach。　He　constantly　read　his　watch　and　checked　their　position　in　between　studying　an　aerial　photo　of　the　island。
　　　　　When　Giordino　came　awake　and　scanned　the　instrument　panel；　Gunn　tapped　him　on　the　arm。　〃Don't　drift　off　again。　You　should　begin　your　descent。　I　make　the　island　forty　miles　dead　ahead。〃
　　　　　Giordino　rubbed　water　from　a　canteen　on　his　face　and　eased　the　control　column　a　slight　inch　forward。　Slowly；　the　executive　tilt…rotor　began　to　descend；　thrown　about　as　it　dropped　through　the　turbulence　from　inside　the　clouds。　With　nothing　to　see；　Giordino　could　have　simply　watched　the　altimeter　needle　swing　counterclockwise；　but　he　kept　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　white　mist　swirling　past　the　windshield。　Then；　suddenly；　at　5；000　feet　they　emerged　from　under　the　overcast　and　saw　the　ocean　again　for　the　first　time　in　three　hours。
　　　　　〃Nice　work；　Rudi；〃　Giordino　praised　him。　〃St。　Paul　looks　to　be　about　five　miles　ahead；　less　than　two　degrees　off　to　starboard。　You　as　good　as　hit　her　right　on　the　nose。〃
　　　　　〃Two　degrees；〃　Gunn　said。　〃I　really　must　do　better　next　time。〃
　　　　　With　the　turbulence　behind　them；　the　wingtips　stopped　fluttering。　Giordino　eased　the　throttles　back；　the　roar　of　the　engines　falling　to　a　muffled　hum。　The　heavy　rain　had　subsided；　but　rivulets　of　water　still　streaked　across　the　windshield。　Only　now　did　he　turn　on　the　wipers；　as　he　aimed　the　bow　of　the　plane　over　the　high　cliffs　that　shielded　the　island　from　the　relentless　onslaught　of　the　sea。
　　　　　〃Have　you　picked　out　a　spot　to　set　down？〃　asked　Giordino；　staring　at　the　little　island　and　its　single　mountain　that　seemed　to　rise　up　out　of　the　sea　like　a　giant　cone。　There　was　no　obvious　sign　of　a　beach　or　open　field。　He　saw　only　360　degrees　of　steep　rock…covered　slopes。
　　　　　Gunn　held　up　a　magnifying　glass　in　front　of　his　eyes。　〃I've　gone　over　every　inch　of　this　thing；　and　have　e　to　the　conclusion　that　it's　the　worst　piece　of　real　estate　I've　ever　seen。　It's　nothing　but　a　rock　pile；　good　only　for　supporting　a　gravel　pany。〃
　　　　　〃Don't　tell　me　we've　e　all　this　way　only　to　turn　back；〃　Giordino　said　sourly。
　　　　　〃I　didn't　say　we　couldn't　land。　The　only　flat　area　on　the　whole　island　is　near　the　base　of　the　mountain　on　the　west　side。　Looks　like　little　more　than　a　ledge；　maybe　fifty　by　a　hundred　feet。〃
　　　　　Giordino　looked　downright　horrified。　〃Not　even　in　the　movies　do　they　land　helicopters　on　the　sides　of　mountains。〃
　　　　　Gunn　pointed　through　the　windshield。　〃There；　on　your　left。　It　doesn't　look　as　bad　as　I　thought。〃
　　　　　From　Giordino's　angle；　the　only　level　site　to　be　found　against　the　mountain　looked　no　larger　than　the　bed　of　a　pickup　truck。　His　feet　finessed　the　rudder　pedals　as　his　hands　stroked　the　wheel　on　the　control　column；　correcting　his　angle　and　rate　of　descent　with　the　elevators　and　ailerons。　He　thanked　heaven　that　he　had　a　head　wind；　even　if　it　was　only　four　knots。　He　could　see　the　rocks　scattered　across　his　tiny　landing　site；　but　none　looked　large　enough　to　cause　damage　to　the　aircraft's　undercarriage。　One　hand　came　off　the　column　and　began　manipulating　the　levers　operating　the　prop　rotors；　tilting　them　from　horizontal　to　vertical　until　the　aircraft　was　hovering　like　a　helicopter。　The　large…diameter　propellers　began　sending　small　stones　and　dust　swirling　in　damp　clouds　below　the　landing　wheels。
　　　　　Giordino　was　flying　by　feel　now；　head　turned　downward；　one　eye　on　the　approaching　ground；　the　other　on　the　sheer　side　of　the　mountain　not　more　than　ten　feet　beyond　the　starboard　wingtip。　And　then　there　was　a　slight　bump　as　the　tires　struck　the　loose　rock；　and　the　tilt…rotor　settled　like　a　fat　goose　over　her　unhatched　eggs。　He　let　out　a　great　sigh　and　pulled　back　on　the　throttles　before　shutting　down　the　engines。
　　　　　〃We're　home；〃　he　said　thankfully。
　　　　　Gunn's　owlish　face　crinkled　into　a　smile。　〃Was　there　ever　a　doubt？〃
　　　　　〃I've　got　the　mountain　on　my　side。　What's　on　yours？〃
　　　　　During　the　landing；　Gunn's　attention　had　been　focused　on　the　side　of　the　mountain；　and　only　now　did　he　look　out　the　starboard　window。　Not　more　than　four　feet　from　his　exit　door；　the　ledge　dropped　off　at　a　steep　angle　for　nearly　eight　hundred　feet。　The　wingtip　hung　far　out　over　empty　air。　The　smile　was　gone　and　his　face　pale　when　he　turned　back　to　Giordino。
　　　　　〃It　wasn't　as　expansive　as　I　thought；〃　he　murmured　sheepishly。
　　　　　Giordino　threw　off　his　safety　harness。　〃Do　you　have　a　route　to　the　chamber　figured　out？〃
　　　　　Gunn　held　up　the　ae