p&c.icelimit-第72部分

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responding　to　the　changing　sea。　The　repairs　to　the　propellers　and　rudder　were　holding　well。　The　men　had　done　a　good　job。　Pity　so　many　had　died　in　the　process。
　Night　would　be　falling　soon；　and　the　Rolvaag　was　running　dark。　He　could　wait　no　longer。　〃Mr。　Casseo；　bracket　the　target。　Tracers　only。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　tactical　action　officer。　〃Loading　tracers。〃
　Vallenar　looked　down　at　the　forward　guns。　After　a　minute　he　saw　them　turn；　elevate　to　about　forty…five　degrees；　and　then　fire　in　sequence：　two　bright　shells。　The　barrels　jerked　backward　in　a　gout　of　flame；　and　the　bridge　shook　with　the　recoil。　Vallenar　clapped　his　binoculars　to　his　eyes　and　watched　the　ranging　shots　arc　into　the　storm。　Both　fell　wild；　well　short　of　the　tanker。
　The　ship　subsided　into　another　trough；　then　climbed　again。　Once　more；　the　forward　guns　fired　tracers　in　the　pause　at　the　top　of　their　roll。　These　flew　farther；　but　still　fell　short。
　The　tactical　action　officer　timed　additional　shots　for　the　wave　crests；　making　slight　adjustments。　After　a　few　minutes；　he　spoke　again。　〃andante；　I　believe　we　have　sufficient　range　data　to　lay　a　line　of　shells　across　the　target。〃
　〃Very　well。　Fire　for　effect。　I　want　to　disable　the　ship　enough　to　slow　it　down　but　not　sink　it。　Then　we　will　draw　close　for　a　clean　kill。〃
　There　was　the　briefest　of　silences　at　this。
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　tactical　action　officer。
　As　the　destroyer　rose；　the　guns　went　into　action　once　again；　live　rounds　leaving　the　barrels　now；　screaming　southward　in　deadly　arcs　of　orange。
　
　Rolvaag；
　3：30　P　M。
　
　MCFARLANE　SANK　back　against　the　bulkhead　of　the　observation　unit；　ignoring　the　nearby　chair　and　letting　himself　slide　down　to　the　metal　deck。　He　felt　utterly　drained。　Countless　small　muscles　twitched　spasmodically　in　his　arms　and　legs。　He　could　feel　Rachel　plop　herself　down　beside　him；　but　he　felt　too　exhausted　even　to　look　over。
　With　the　meteorite　disrupting　their　radios；　and　no　time　to　get　help；　they　had　been　forced　to　find　a　solution　themselves。　Standing　in　the　access　corridor；　behind　the　safely　closed　hatch；　they　had　finally　e　up　with　a　workable　scheme。　There　were　dozens　of　waterproof　tarps　in　the　storage　partments　behind　them；　slung　over　the　stacks　of　stores。　They　rigged　a　series　of　those　tarps　over　the　top　of　the　web　to　shield　the　meteorite　from　seawater。　It　took　a　half　hour　of　frantic　activity；　conducted　under　constant　fear　of　another　explosion。
　McFarlane　unclipped　his　radio；　found　it　was　still　dead；　and　snapped　it　off　again　with　a　shrug。　Glinn　would　learn　all　about　it　eventually。　It　seemed　strange　to　McFarlane　that　Britton；　and　Glinn；　and　the　rest　could　have　been　on　that　bridge　all　this　time；　preoccupied　with　their　own　work；　pletely　unaware　of　the　crisis　that　had　played　out　half　a　dozen　decks　beneath　them。　He　wondered　what　the　hell　was　going　on　up　there；　the　storm　seemed　to　be　getting　worse。
　He　felt　himself　roll　back　with　the　ship。　It　was　only　a　matter　of　time　until　the　stream　of　seawater　swerved　toward　the　web　once　again。
　They　lapsed　into　silence。　McFarlane　looked　over　as　Rachel　reached　into　a　breast　pocket　of　her　shirt；　pulled　out　a　jewel　case　containing　a　CD…ROM；　and　gave　it　an　appraising　glance。　Then；　exhaling　in　relief；　she　replaced　the　case。
　〃I'd　forgotten　all　about　that　in　the　scramble；〃　she　said。　〃Thank　God　it　wasn't　damaged。〃
　〃What　is　it？〃　he　asked。
　〃Before　boarding；　I　dumped　all　the　data　from　our　meteorite　tests　onto　this　disk；〃　she　said。　〃I　want　to　go　over　it　again。　If　we　get　out　of　here　alive；　that　is。〃
　McFarlane　said　nothing。
　〃It　must　have　an　internal　energy　source；〃　Rachel　went　on。　〃How　else　could　it　generate　so　much　electricity？　If　it　were　just　a　capacitor；　it　would　have　discharged　whatever　electricity　it　had　millions　of　years　ago。　It's　generating　the　charge　inside　itself。〃　She　tapped　the　disk　in　her　pocket。　〃The　answer　has　to　lie　somewhere　in　the　data。〃
　〃What　I　want　to　know　is　just　what　kind　of　environment　it　es　from。　I　mean；　the　thing　reacts　so　violently　to　salt　water；　of　all　things。〃　McFarlane　sighed。　〃Ah；　hell。　Let's　give　the　damn　rock　a　rest。〃
　〃That's　just　the　problem；〃　Rachel　said。　〃Maybe　it　isn't　just　a　rock。〃
　〃Not　your　spaceship　theory　again。〃
　〃No。　Maybe　it's　something　a　lot　simpler　than　a　spaceship。〃
　McFarlane　began　to　answer；　then　stopped。　The　rolls　of　the　ship　were　growing　ever　steeper。
　Rachel　too　had　gone　silent。　It　was　clear　she　knew　what　he　was　thinking。
　〃Must　be　a　hell　of　a　sea　up　there；〃　he　said。
　She　nodded。　〃Anytime　now。〃
　They　waited　in　silence　as　the　rolls　grew　ever　stronger。　At　last；　at　the　very　crest　of　a　great　roll；　the　stream　of　water　once　again　parted　from　the　bulkhead　and　angled　through　the　air　toward　the　tarps。　McFarlane　pulled　himself　to　his　feet　and　stared　out　the　window　of　the　observation　unit；　waiting。　Over　the　rush　of　the　ocean　and　the　distant　shriek　of　the　wind；　he　heard　the　patter　of　water　on　plastic　ing　up　from　below。　He　watched　it　run　harmlessly　down　the　tarps　to　drip　into　the　spaces　between　the　bottom　girders。
　They　paused；　expectantly；　for　the　space　of　a　heartbeat。　Then　Rachel　let　out　a　long　breath。
　〃Looks　like　it　worked；〃　she　said。　〃Congratulations。〃
　〃Congratulations？〃　McFarlane　replied。　〃It　was　your　idea。〃
　〃Yeah；　I　know。　But　you　figured　out　the　salinity　angle。〃
　〃Only　through　your　prompting。〃　McFarlane　hesitated。　〃Listen　to　us；〃　he　went　on。　〃We're　a　goddamn　mutual　appreciation　society。〃
　Despite　his　weariness；　he　found　himself　grinning。　He　could　almost　feel　a　huge　weight　lifting　from　his　shoulders。　They　knew　now　what　caused　the　explosions。　They　had　taken　the　necessary　steps　to　make　sure　it　would　not　happen　again。　They　were　on　their　way　home。
　He　looked　down　at　Rachel；　her　dark　hair　shining　in　the　dim　light。　Just　a　few　weeks　ago；　the　thought　of　sharing　this　easy；　fortable　silence　would　have　been　unthinkable。　And　yet　now　it　seemed　hard　to　imagine　a　time　when　she　had　not　been　with　him；　working　at　his　side　…　finishing　his　sentences　for　him；　teasing　him；　providing　speculation；　wisecracks；　and　insight　whether　they　were　desired　or　not。
　She　was　leaning　back　against　the　tank；　gazing　out　at　nothing　as　the　ship　went　into　an　even　steeper　roll；　unaware　that　he　was　looking　at　her。　〃Do　you　hear　something？〃　she　asked。　〃I　could　swear　I　heard　a　distant　explosion。〃
　But　McFarlane　was　barely　listening。　To　his　surprise；　he　felt　himself　kneeling　beside　her　and　drawing　her　near　with　a　very　different　feeling　than　the　passion　that　had　briefly　filled　him　in　her　cabin。
　She　laid　her　head　on　his　shoulder。
　〃You　know　something？〃　he　said。　〃You're　the　nicest　smart…assed；　backstabbing　assistant　I've　met　in　a　long　time。〃
　〃Mmm。　I'll　bet　you　say　that　to　all　the　girls。〃
　He　stroked　her　cheek　gently；　then　raised　her　lips　to　his　as　another　large　wave　passed　by。　Water　splattered　loudly　across　the　tarps。
　〃Does　this　mean　I　get　to　wear　your　MIT　ring？〃　she　murmured。
　〃No。　But　you　can　borrow　my　rock　hammer。〃
　They　kissed　again　as　the　ship　slowly　righted；　then　went　immediately　into　another　heavy　roll　in　the　other　direction。
　Suddenly；　McFarlane　drew　back。　Over　the　general　muttering　and　creaking　of　the　hold；　over　the　distant　boom　of　the　sea；　he　heard　a　new　sound；　a　strange；　high…pitched　creaking；　ending　in　a　metallic　crack；　loud　as　a　gunshot；　and　then　another；　and　another。
　He　glanced　quickly　at　Rachel。　She　looked　back；　her　eyes　wide　and　luminous。　The　loud　reports　ceased；　but　the　echoes　still　sounded　in　his　ears。　They　waited　in　shocked　silence。　With　each　fresh　roll　of　the　ship；　there　now　arose　a　chorus　of　other　sounds：　the　groaning　of　steel；　the　creak　and　crackle　of　splintering　wood；　the　tearing　of　rivets　and　welds。
　
　Rolvaag；
　3：30　P。M。
　
　BRITTON　WATCHED　the　first　tracer　shell　rise　lazily　above　the　wracked　surface　of　the　sea　and　then　fall　away　in　a　twinkle　of　light。　Another　one　followed；　still　dropping　well　short　of　their　position。
　Lloyd　was　instantly　at　the　window。　〃Christ；　do　you　believe　this？　The　son　of　a　bitch　is　firing　at　us。〃
　〃Tracers；〃　said　Glinn。　〃They're　getting　our　range。〃
　She　saw　Lloyd's　jaw　set　in　a　tight　line。
　〃Mr。　Howell；　hard　left　rudder；〃　she　ordered　as　another　pair　of　tracer　shells　arched　over　the　sea；　a　little　closer　this　time。
　They　watched　in　silence　as　more　shells　came　on；　creeping　ever　closer。　And　then　one　flashed　directly　overhead；　a　streak　of　light　against　the　dark　sky。
　〃We're　bracketed；〃　murmured　Glinn。　〃Now　they'll　open　up　with　live　rounds；　walking　them　through　our　position。〃
　Lloyd　turned　on　him。　〃What　are　you；　a　sports　announcer？　We　need　a　plan；　not　running　mentary。　I　can't　believe　this。　Three　hundred　million　and　this　is　where　you've　brought　us？〃
　Britton　spoke；　quickly　but　distinctly。　〃Silence　on　the　bridge！　Mr。　Howell；　right　full　rudder！　Engines　emergency　astern！〃　In　the　crisis；　she　felt　her　thoughts　begin　to　stream　past　with　a　crystalline　clarity。　It　was　almost　as　if　someone　else　was　doing　her　thinking　for　her。　She　glanced　at　Lloyd；　standing　there　at　the　center　of　the　bridge　windows；　his　beefy　fingers　twined　like　a　knot　as　he　looked　southward　over　the　ruthless　seas。　How　difficult　it　must　be　to　realize　that　money　couldn't　buy　everything　…　even　one's　own　life。　How　different　he　was；　in　the　last　analysis；　from　th