tc.redstormrising-第117部分

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manding　officer。　That　made　it　partly　his　problem。　Besides；　O'Malley　told　himself；　he's　a　pretty　good　man。
He　looked　better　when　they　met　again。　Amazing　what　a　shower　could　do。　His　hair　was　brushed　back　and　his　service　khakis　pressed。　The　two　officers　went　aft　to　the　helicopter　pad；　then　down　the　brow　to　the　dock。
HMS　Battleaxe　gave　the　appearance　of　a　larger　ship　than　the　American　frigate。　In　fact　she　was　about　twelve　feet　shorter；　but　seven　hundred　tons　heavier；　various　differences　in　her　design　reflecting　the　philosophies　of　her　builders。　She　was　undeniably　prettier　than　her　American　counterpart；　her　unexciting　hull　lines　more　than　balanced　by　a　superstructure　that　looked　as　though　it　had　been　sculpted　to　sit　atop　a　ship　instead　of　a　parking　lot。
Morris　was　glad　to　see　that　things　were　informal。　A　youthful　midshipman　met　them　at　the　foot　of　the　brow　and　escorted　them　aboard；　explaining　that　the　captain　was　on　the　radio　at　the　moment。　After　the　customary　salutes　of　flag　and　duty　officer；　the　midshipman　led　them　into　the　ship's　air…conditioned　citadel；　then　forward　to　the　wardroom。
〃Hot　damn；　a　piano！〃　O'Malley　exclaimed。　A　battered　upright　was　secured　to　the　port　bulkhead　with　two…inch　line。　Several　officers　rose　and　introduced　themselves。
〃Drinks；　gentlemen？〃　a　steward　asked。　O'Malley　got　himself　a　can　of　beer　and　moved　toward　the　piano。　A　minute　later　he　was　battering　his　way　through　some　Scott　Joplin。　The　wardroom's　forward　door　opened。
〃Jerr…O！〃　a　man　with　four　stripes　on　his　shoulder　boards　exclaimed。
〃Doug！〃　O'Malley　jumped　up　from　the　stool　and　ran　to　shake　his　hand。　〃How　the　hell　are　you！〃
〃I　knew　it　was　your　voice　on　the　radio。　'Hammer〃　indeed。　The　American　Navy's　run　out　of　petent　pilots　and　scraped　you　up；　eh？〃　Both　men　laughed　out　loud。　O'Malley　waved　his　captain　over。
〃Captain　Ed　Morris；　meet　Captain　Doug　Perrin；　MBE；　RN；　and　a　shitload　of　other　acronyms。　Watch　this　turkey；　skipper；　he　used　to　drive　submarines　before　he　went　straight。〃
〃I　see　you　guys　know　each　other。〃
〃Some　bloody　fool　decided　to　send　him　to　lecture　at　HMS　Dryad；　our　ASW　school；　when　I　was　taking　the　advanced　course。　Set　back　our　relations　by　at　least　a　hundred　years。〃
〃Is　the　Fox　and　Fence　put　back　together　yet？〃　O'Malley　asked。　〃Skipper；　there　was　this　pub　about　half　a　mile　from　the　place；　and　one　night　Doug　and　me…〃
〃I　am　trying　to　forget　that　night；　Jerr…O。　Susan　gave　me　hell　about　it　for　weeks。〃　He　led　them　aft　and　got　himself　a　drink。　〃Marvelous　job　with　that　Victor　last　night！　Captain　Morris；　I　understand　you　did　very　well　with　your　previous　mand。〃
〃Killed　a　Charlie　and　picked　up　two　assists。〃
〃We　stumbled　across　an　Echo　on　our　last　convoy。　Old　boat；　but　she　had　a　good　driver。　Took　us　six　hours。　But　a　pair　of　diesel　submarines；　probably　Tangos；　got　inside　and　killed　five　ships　and　an　escort。　Diomede　may　have　gotten　one　of　them。　We're　not　sure。〃
〃Was　the　Echo　ing　after　you？〃　Morris　asked。
〃Possibly〃；　Perrin　answered。　〃it　does　appear　that　Ivan's　going　after　the　escorts　quite　deliberately。　We　had　two　missiles　shot　at　us　by　the　last　Backfire　raid。　One　ran　into　our　chaff　cloud；　and　fortunately　our　Sea　Wolf　intercepted　the　other。　Unfortunately；　the　one　that　exploded　behind　us　amputated　our　towed　array　and　we're　down　to　just　our　2016　sonar。〃
〃So　you've　been　assigned　to　ride　shotgun　on　us　then？〃
〃It　would　seem　so。〃
The　captains　lapsed　into　shoptalk；　which　was　the　whole　point　of　the　dinner　in　any　case。　O'Malley　found　the　English　helicopter　pilot　while　the　tables　were　set；　and　they　started　the　same　thing　while　the　American　played　the　piano。　Somewhere　in　the　Royal　Navy　was　a　directive：　when　dealing　with　American　naval　officers；　get　them　over　early；　get　a　drink　in　them　first；　then　talk　business。
Dinner　was　excellent；　though　the　Americans；　judgment　was　somewhat　affected　by　the　liquid　refreshments。　O'Malley　listened　closely　as　his　captain　described　the　loss　of　Pharris；　the　tactics　employed　by　the　Russians；　and　how　he　had　failed　to　counter　them　properly。　It　was　like　listening　to　a　man　relate　the　death　of　his　child。
〃Under　the　circumstances；　hard　to　see　what　you　could　have　done　differently；〃　Doug　Perrin　sympathized。　〃Victor　is　a　capable　opponent；　and　he　must　have　timed　your　ing　off　the　sprint　very　carefully。〃
Morris　shook　his　head。　〃No；　we　came　off　sprint　well　away　from　him；　and　that　blew　his　solution　right　out　the　window。　If　I'd　done　things　better；　those　men　wouldn't　be　dead。　I　was　the　captain。　It　was　my　fault。〃
Perrin　said；　〃I've　been　there　in　the　submarine；　you　know。　He　has　the　advantage　because　he's　already　been　tracking　you。〃　He　flashed　O'Malley　a　look。
Dinner　ended　at　eight。　The　escort　manders　would　meet　the　following　afternoon；　and　the　convoy　would　sail　at　sundown。　O'Malley　and　Morris　left　together；　but　the　pilot　stopped　at　the　brow。
〃Forgot　my　hat。　I'll　be　back　in　a　minute。〃　He　hurried　back　to　the　wardroom。　Captain　Perrin　was　still　there。
〃Doug；　I　need　an　opinion。〃
〃He　shouldn't　go　back　out　in　his　current　state。　Sorry；　Jerry；　but　that's　how　I　see　things。〃
〃You're　right。　There's　one　thing　I　can　try。〃　O'Malley　made　a　small　purchase　and　rejoined　Morris　two　minutes　later。
〃Captain；　any　particular　reason　you　have　to　head　right　back　to　the　ship？〃　he　asked　quietly。　〃Something　I　need　to　talk　about　and　I　don't　want　to　do　it　aboard。　It's　a　personal　thing。　Okay？〃　The　pilot　looked　very　embarrassed。
〃How　about　we　take　a　little　walk？〃　Morris　agreed。　The　two　officers　walked　east。　O'Malley　looked　up　and　down　the　street；　and　found　a　waterfront　bar　with　sailors　going　in　and　out。　He　steered　Morris　into　it　and　they　found　a　booth　in　the　back。
〃Two　glasses〃；　O'Malley　told　the　barmaid。　He　unzipped　the　leg　pocket　of　his　flight　suit　and　withdrew　a　bottle　of　Black　Bush　Irish　whiskey。
〃You　want　to　drink　here；　you　buy　it　here。〃　O'Malley　handed　her　two　twenty…dollar　bills。
〃Two　glasses　and　ice。〃　His　voice　did　not　brook　argument。　〃And　leave　us　alone。〃　Service　was　quick。
〃I　checked　my　logbook　this　afternoon；〃　O'Malley　said　after　tossing　off　half　his　first　drink。　〃Four　thousand　three　hundred　sixty　hours　of　stick　time。　Counting　last　night；　three　hundred　eleven　hours　of　bat　time。〃
〃Vietnam。　You　said　you　were　there。〃　Morris　sipped　at　his　own。
〃Last　day；　last　tour。　Search…and…rescue　mission　for　an　A…7　pilot　shot　down　twenty　miles　south　of　Haiphong。〃　He　had　never　even　told　his　wife　this　story。　〃Saw　a　flash；　made　the　mistake　of　ignoring　it。　Thought　it　was　a　reflection　off　a　window　or　a　stream　or　something。　Kept　going。　Turned　out　it　was　probably　a　reflection　of　a　gunsight；　maybe　a　pair　of　binoculars。　One　minute　later　some　hundred…millimeter　flak　goes　off　around　us。　Helo　just　es　apart。　I　get　her　down；　we're　on　fire。　Look　left…copilot's　torn　apart；　his　brains　are　in　my　lap。　My　crew　chief；　a　third…class　named　Ricky；　he's　in　the　back。　I　look。　Both　his　legs　are　torn　off。　I　think　he　was　still　alive　then；　but　there　wasn't　a　damned　thing　I　could　do　about　it…couldn't　even　get　to　him　the　way　things　were…and　there's　three　people　heading　towards　us。　I　just　ran　away。　Maybe　they　didn't　see　me。　Maybe　they　didn't　care…hell；　I　don't　know。　Another　helo　found　me　twelve　hours　later。〃　He　poured　himself　another　drink　and　topped　off　the　one　for　Morris。　〃Don't　make　me　drink　alone。〃
〃I've　had　enough。〃
〃No；　you　haven't。　And　neither　have　I。　It　took　me　a　year　to　get　over　that。　You　don't　have　a　year。　All　you　got's　tonight。　You　gotta　talk　about　it；　Captain。　I　know。　Think　it's　bad　now？　It　gets　worse。〃
He　took　another　pull　on　the　drink。　At　least　it　was　good　stuff；　O'Malley　told　himself　He　watched　Morris　sit　there　for　five　minutes；　sipping　at　his　drink　and　wondering　if　he　should　just　go　back　to　the　ship。　The　proud　captain。　Like　all　captains；　condemned　to　live　alone；　and　this　one　was　lonelier　than　most。　He's　afraid　I'm　right；　O'Malley　thought。　He's　afraid　it　will　get　worse。　You　poor　bastard。　If　you　only　knew。
〃Run　through　it〃　the　pilot　said　quietly。　〃Analyze　it　one　step　at　a　time。〃
〃You　already　did　that　for　me。〃
〃I　have　a　big　mouth。　Has　to　be　for　my　feet　to　fit　in　it。　You　do　it　in　your　sleep；　Ed。　Might　as　well　do　it　when　you're　awake。〃
And；　slowly；　he　did。　O'Malley　coached　him　through　the　sequence。　Weather　conditions；　ship's　course　and　speed。　What　sensors　were　operating。　In　an　hour　they　were　three　quarters　of　the　way　down　the　bottle。　Finally　they　got　to　the　torpedoes。　Morris's　voice　started　to　crack。
〃There　just　wasn't　anything　else　I　could　do！　The　Goddamned　thing　just　came　in。　We　only　had　one　nixie　out；　and　the　first　fish　blew　that　the　hell　away。　I　tried　to　maneuver　the　ship；　but…〃
〃But　you　were　up　against　a　homing　torpedo。　You　can't　outrun　'em　and　you　can't　outturn　'em。〃
〃I'm　not　supposed　to　let…〃
〃Oh；　horseshit！〃　The　pilot　refilled　the　glasses。　〃You　think　you're　the　first　guy　ever　lost　a　'can？　Didn't　you　ever　play　ball；　Ed？　Hell；　there's　two　sides；　and　both　of　'em　play　to　win。　You　expect　those　Russian　sub　skippers　are　just　gonna　sit　there　and　say；　'Kill　me；　kill　me'？　You　must　be　dumber　'n　I　thought。〃
〃My　men…〃
〃Some　of　them　are　dead；　most　of　them　aren't。　I'm　sorry　some're　dead。　I'm　sorry　Ricky　died。　Kid　wasn't　even　nineteen　yet。　But　I　didn't　kill　him；　and　you　didn't　kill　your　men。　You　saved　your　ship。　You　brought　her　back　with　most　of　the　crew。〃
Morris　drained　his　glass　with　o