johngardner.winloseordie-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


United　States　Navy；　and　Admiral　Sergei　Yevgennevich　Pauker；　mander…m…Chief　of　the　Soviet　Navy　…　a　post　unknown　in　any　other　navy　in　the　world。'　M　took　a　deep　breath。　'The　latter　has　been　invited　because　of　the　current　thawing　in　relationships　between　East　and　West。　Glasnost。peres…troika；　that　kind　of　thing。'
　'They　will　be　。　。　。？'　Bond　began。
　They　will　be　in　Invincible。　They　will　have　with　them；　like　Gilbert　and　Sullivan's　Sir　Joseph　Porter；　all　their　sisters　and　their　cousins　and　their　aunts。　They　will　also　be　in　danger。　Almost　certainly　attempted　abduction。　At　worst；　murder。　You　will　be　there；　in　Invincible；　to　see　it　does　not　happen。'
　〃Can　you　explain　about　the　danger；　sir？'　The　trigger　of　magnelie　interest　had　been　squeezed　deep　in　Bond's　mind。
　M　smiled　like　a　man　who　has　just　hooked　the　biggest　fish　in　the　river。　'Certainly；　James。　Bill　and　I　will　a　tale　unfold。　It　begins　with　that　little　problem　in　the　Straits　of　Hormuz　…　the　Japanese　tanker。　Son　of　Hitachi；　or　whatever　it's　called　。　。　。'
　The　Chief　of　Staff　corrected　the　tanker's　name；　and　for　his　pains　received　a　venomous　glare　from　M；　who　barked；　'You　want　to　tell　it。　Tanner？'
　'No；　sir；　you　carry　on；　sir。'
　'Good　of　you。　Tanner。　Thank　you。'　M's　mood　was　not　only　bellicose　this　morning；　but　sarcastic。　He　fixed　Bond　with　the　same；　cold　fish…eye　look。　'Ever　heard　of　BAST9'
　'Anagram　for　stab；　sir？'
　'No。　007。　1　mean　BAST。　B…A…S…T。　and　this　is　no　laughing　matter。'
　The　smile　on　Bond's　face　disappeared　quickly。　M　was　being　too　serious　and　prickly　for　jokes。　'No；　sir。　BAST　is　news　to　me。　What　is　it？'
　With　a　wave　of　his　hand　and　a　vocal　sound　meant　to　signify　deep　displeasure。　M　motioned　to　his　Chief　of　Staff　to　explain。
　'James；'　Tanner　came　over　and　leaned　against　the　desk；　'this　really　is　a　very　serious　and　alarming　business。　BAST　is　a　group；　an　organisation。　The　name　hasn't　been　circulated　as　yet；　simply　because　we　didn't　have　many　leads　or　details　at　first。　The　name's　pretty　puerile；　that's　why　nobody　took　it　very　seriously　to　begin　with。　But　BAST　appears　to　be　an　acronym　for　Brotherhood　of　Anarchy　and　Secret　Terror。〃
　'Sounds　like　a　poor　man's　SPECTRE　to　me。'　Bond's　brow　wrinkled　and　there　was　concern　in　his　eyes。
　'At　first　we　thought　it　might　be　a　splinter　group　of　the　old　SPECTRE；　but　it　appears　this　is　something　new；　and　oddly　unpleasant。'　Tanner　continued。　'You　recall　the　small　bomb　incidents　in　October　of　'87？　All　on　one　day；　all　co…ordinated？　There　were　fire　bombs　in　a　couple　of　London　stores　。　。　。'
　'The　ones　put　down　to　animal　rights　activists？'
　Tanner　nodded；　'But　the　others　were　not　so　easily　explained。　One　small　plastique　near　the　Vatican；　another　one　which　destroyed　an　American　military　transport　…　on　the　ground　at　Edwards　Airforce　Base：　no　casualties；　one　in　Madrid；　another；　a　car　bomb；　premature；　shattering　the　French　Minister　of　Defence's　car；　and　a　large　one　in　Moscow：　near　the　Kremlin　Gate　and　not　generally　reported。'
　'Yes。　I　saw　the　file。'
　'Then　you　know　the　file　said　it　was　co…ordinated；　but　nobody
　had　taken　responsibility。'
　Bond　nodded。
　The　file　was　lying　by　omission；'　Tanner　sounded　grave　now。　'There　was　a　long　letter；　circulated　to　all　the　countries　concerned。　In　brief　it　said　the　incidents　had　been　co…ordinated　by　the　Brotherhood　of　Anarchy　and　Secret　Terror；　to　be　referred　to　as　BAST。　Everyone　did　some　back…tracking；　because　these　kinds　of　groups　do　have　a　tendency　to　choose　high…l'alutin　names。　The　damage　from　ihose　first　incidents　was　small　and　there　were　no　deaths；　but　those　who　advise　on　international　terrorism　told　us　to　take　them　damned　seriously；　if　only　because　BAST　is　a　demonic　name。　BAST；　it　seems；　is　a　word　that　es　from　Ancient　Egypt：　sometimes　known　as　Aini　or　Aym。　BAST　is　said　to　appear　as　a　three…headed　demon　…　head　of　a　snake；　head　of　a　cat；　head　of　a　man　…　mounted　on　a　viper。　The　demon　BAST　is　connected　with　incendiarism；　and　we　now　have　little　doubt　that　the　Brotherhood　chose　the　name　because　of　its　demonic　connotations。'
　'Demons？'　Bond　raised　his　eyes　towards　the　ceiling。
　'Yes。　demons。〃　M；　who　was　far　from　being　a　superstitious　man；　appeared　to　be　taking　the　entire　thing　very　seriously。　'A　lot　of　research　has　been　done　on　this。　Now；　we　know　that　there　are　indeed　three　leaders…　like　the　snake；　man　and　cat…and　a　prime　leader　upon　which　they　all　ride　and　exist。　The　viper；　if　you　like；　es　by　the　name　of　Biissam　Baradj。　a　former　ranking　member　of　the　PLO；　a　former　friend　of　Arafat's；　and　a　wealthy　man　in　his　own　right。　Baradj　is　certainly　paymaster　and　mastermind。〃
　Tanner　nodded　and　said　that　other　intelligence　had　pinpointed　three　associates　of　Baradj；　all　one…time　members　of　Middle…Eastern　paramilitary　political　groups。　'Abou　Hamarik；　Ali　Al　Adwan；　and　a　young　woman；　Saphii　Boudai　…　the　man。　the　snake　and　the　cat。　Apparently　those　are　their　key　names：　street　names。　They're　all　experienced　in　the　arts　of　lerrorism。　they're　also　disenchanted　with　all　the　old　causes。
　They've　embraced　the　idea　of　anarchy　with　one　thought　only。　They　believe　that　Napoleon's　definition　of　anarchy　is　the　one　and　only　true　definition　…　〃Anarchy　is　the　stepping　stone　to　absolute　power〃。'
　Bond　fell　a　tingling　chill　down　his　spine。　He　had　fought　against　fanatical　shadows　before。
　'Y'see。　James；'　M　appeared　to　have　softened；　'these　people　who　sound　so　childish　with　their　BAST　signature；　are　far　from　childish。　Baradj　can　lay　his　hands　on　billions；　he　is　also　a　shrewd　and　cunning　strategist。　The　other　leaders　are　trained　soldiers　in　the　terrorist　wars。　They　can　teach　skills；　and；　through　Baradj；　they　can　buy　and　sell　as　many　mercenaries　as　they　need。　Mad　as　it　might　seem；　these　people　are　pledged　against　practically　all　political　and　religious　ideologies。　They　have　their　own　ideal　…　to　gain　absolute　power。　What　they　do　with　that　power　once　they've　got　it；　heaven　only　knows。　But　that's　what　they're　after；　and。　if　recent　activities　are　anything　ю　go　by；　they're　going　to　be　a　nasty　poisoned　thorn　in　the　sides　of　all　nations　and　all　types　and　conditions　of　government　for　some　time　to　e。'
　'And　how　do　we　know　they're　after　the　little　band　of　naval　brass？'　Bond　asked。
　M　explained。　He　spoke　at　length　about　the　voice　prints　they　had　on　three　of　the　leading　members　of　BAST；　how　they　had　also　stumbled　across　the　organisation's　call…sign　or　password；　'Health　depends　on　strength。'
　The　problem　is；'　M　went　on。　'（hat　these　people　appear　to　be　so　flaky；　as　our　American　brothers…in…arms　would　say。　that　one　is　inclined　not　to　take　them　seriously。　We　have　to　take　them　seriously。　That　strange　and　almost　ridiculous　attack　on　the　Japanese　tanker　was　their　doing；　and　that　was　a　rehearsal；　carried　out　in　cold　blood。　A　supertanker；　James；　is　not　altogether　unlike　an　aircraft…carrier。　They　wanted　to　see　it〃　they　could　take　out　a　tanker；　in　order　to　test　the　feasibility　of　a　similar　assault　on　Invincible。'
　'But　how　do　we　know　that？'　Bond　pressed。
　'We　plucked　two　voices　from　the　air。'　M　smiled　for　the　first　time　since　Bond　had　entered　the　room。　'We　got　voice　prints　on　Baradj　and　Abou　Hamarik。　It　appears　the　latter　organised　the　event　…　they　coded　it　Operation　WIN；　incidentally　…　and　Hamarik's　trying　to　plant；　or　promise　someone　either　already　serving　in　Invincible；　от　on　the　staff　of　one　of　our　visiting　Admirals。　The　ones　to　whom　you；　007；　will　act　as　Nanny。'
　'Delighted；　sir。'　Bond's　tips　curved　into　one　of　the　cruellest　smiles　M　had　ever　seen。　Later　the　Chief　was　to　say　that；　to　use　a　Biblical　expression；　'Iron　had　entered　into　oo7's　soul。'　He　was
　not　far　wrong。
　Bond's　thoughts　lurned　to　Napoleon　again　and　he　remembered　that　he　had　also　said；　LA　love　of　country；　a　spirit　of　enthusiasm；　and　a　sense　of　honour；　will　operate　upon　young　soldiers　with　advantage。'　Not　only　young　soldiers；　James　Bond　considered；　but　Naval　officers　with　a　history　of　matters　secret　as　well。
　Many　people　in　（he　intelligence　world　who　knew　Bond；　were　surprised　a　month　later　to　read　in　the　London　Gazelle　…
　BOND。　James。　mander　RNVR。　Relieved　of　current　liaison　duties　at　the　Foreign　Office。　Promoted　to　the　substantive　rank　of　Captain　RN　and　returned　to　active　service　forthwith。
　
　3
　
　Reflections　in　a　Harrier
　
　The　Sea　Harrier　taxied　to　the　foot　of　the　so…called　ski　ramp　…　a　wide　metal　hill；　sweeping　upwards　at　12°　…　and　the　nose…wheel　rolled　into　perfect　alignment　with　the　dark　painted　strip　that　was　the　centreline。
　The　legendary　V'STOL　（Vertical'Short　Take…Off　&　Landing）　pronounced　'Veestol'　…　aircraft　responded　to　the　tiny　throttle　movement　and　climbed　so　that　the　entire　fuselage　became　positioned　into　ihe　upward　configuration。
　Bond　went　through　the　take…off　checks　for　the　last　time：　brakes　on；　flaps　OUT。　ASI　（Air　Speed　Indicator）　'bug'　to　lift…off　speed。　The　aircraft　was　alive；　trembling　to　the　idling　of　the　Rolls…Royce　（Bristol）　Pegasus　104　turbofan　which　could　generate　an　impressive　21；500　pounds　of　thrust。
　On　the　Sea　Harrier　the　thrust　is　channelled　through　two　engine　propulsion　nozzles；　set　at　port　and　starboard；　capable　of　being　rotated；　from　the　aft　horizontal　position；　through　some　98。5°。　This　is　the　Harrier's　great　advantage　over　conventional　fixed…wing　aircraft；　for　the　jet　nozzles　allow　vertic