p&c.icelimit-第62部分

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　He　could　feel　the　movement　of　his　ship　in　the　heavy　swell；　a　corkscrew　motion　that　he　did　not　like。　The　anchor　to　the　uncharted　underwater　ledge　held　…　the　best　anchorage；　the　only　anchorage；　in　the　Franklin　Channel。
　What　was　going　on？
　He　would　not　wait　for　noon　to　get　an　answer　about　Timmer。　At　first　light；　he　would　fire　a　few　four…inch　shells　high　into　their　bows　…　nothing　that　would　sink　the　ship；　of　course；　but　enough　to　disable　it　and　get　their　attention。　Then　he　would　deliver　an　ultimatum：　hand　over　Timmer　or　die。
　Something　flickered　through　the　parting　sheets　of　fog。　He　stared；　face　close　to　the　glass。　There　they　were　again：　lights；　no　doubt　of　it。　He　strained　into　the　darkness。　The　fog　and　sleet　whipped　past；　but　he　saw　it　again；　fleetingly；　and　then　again。　Now；　the　outline　of　the　great　ship　was　being　visible　in　the　lifting　murk。　He　raised　his　binoculars　…　and　the　ship　disappeared。　He　cursed　as　he　examined　the　blackness。　And　then；　again；　he　saw　lights：　one　light　now；　very　faint。
　The　bastards　had　darkened　ship。
　What　were　they　hiding？
　He　stepped　backward；　glancing　at　the　FLIR　scope；　trying　to　pull　some　kind　of　meaning　out　of　the　blurry　green　smear。　Something；　he　sensed；　was　about　to　happen。　Perhaps　the　time　to　act　was　now。
　He　turned　to　the　boatswain's　mate。　〃Sound　general　quarters；〃　he　said。
　The　mate　leaned　into　the　IMC。　〃General　quarters；　general　quarters；　all　hands　man　battle　stations。〃
　A　claxon　horn　went　off。　Almost　immediately；　the　jefe　de　la　guardia　en　la　mer；　the　tactical　action　officer；　appeared　on　the　bridge　and　saluted。
　Vallenar　opened　a　stores　closet　and　pulled　out　a　bulky　set　of　Sovietski　night…vision　goggles。　Strapping　them　in　place　around　his　head；　he　stepped　toward　the　windows　and　peered　out　again。　The　Russian　technology　was　not　as　good　as　the　ITT　devices　made　by　the　Americans；　but　then　again　they　were　not　nearly　as　expensive。　He　glanced　out　toward　the　tanker。
　With　the　goggles；　he　could　see　more　clearly。　Figures　were　scurrying　across　the　deck；　clearly　making　preparations　to　get　under　way。　But；　perplexingly；　the　greatest　activity　seemed　to　center　around　a　large　open　hatch　in　the　middle　of　the　deck。　Something　was　protruding　from　the　hatchway；　something　Vallenar　could　not　quite　make　out。
　As　he　stared；　there　was　a　searing　flicker　of　small　explosions　just　above　the　open　tank。　The　second…generation　night　goggles；　unequipped　with　safety　cutouts；　overloaded　in　the　glare。　Vallenar　staggered　backward；　clawing　at　the　goggles；　pulling　them　from　his　face　and　rubbing　his　eyes　with　a　curse。
　〃Target　by　fire　control；〃　he　called　out　to　the　tactical　action　officer。　〃Do　not　engage　with　four…inch　guns　until　I　so　order。〃
　There　was　a　slight　hesitation。
　Although　spots　still　swayed　in　front　of　his　eyes；　Vallenar　turned　sharply　in　the　direction　of　the　weapons　officer。　〃Aye　aye；　sir；〃　came　the　reply。　〃Targeted　by　fire　control。　Tracking　data　transferred　to　weapons　system。〃
　Vallenar　turned　to　the　conning　officer。　〃Prepare　to　raise　anchor。〃
　〃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。