cc.fireice-第45节

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arks　and　lights　became　doors；　hatches　and　portholes。　The　puter　piled　the　ship's　measurements。　〃She's　two　hundred　fifty　feet　long；〃　Murphy　said。
　
　Austin　pointed　to　a　shadow　on　the　hull。　〃Can　you　zoom　in　on　that　section？〃
　
　Murphy　obliged　with　a　click　of　the　mouse；　and　the　section　Austin　had　noticed　appeared　as　a　small　box　to　one　side　of　the　screen。　The　scientist　played　around　with　the　resolution　until　the　hole　in　the　side　of　the　hull　near　the　waterline　was　clearly　visible。
　
　He　ran　off　a　full…color　copy　of　the　survey　area；　showing　the　target　hits；　and　spread　it　out　on　a　table。　〃She's　at　four　hundred　fifty　feet；〃　he　said。　〃Here's　where　the　three…hundred…foot　bottom　begins　to　fall　away　into　a　canyon。　The　ship　is　on　the　slope；　just　past　the　lip　of　the　cut。　We're　lucky。　A　few　hundred　feet　farther　and　the　wreck　would　have　been　lost　forever　from　metal　deterioration。〃
　〃Good　job；　Murphy；〃　Captain　Atwood　said。　Turning　to　the　others；　he　said；　〃I've　got　a　crew　ready　to　launch　an　ROV　from　the　moon　pool。〃　A　robotic　vehicle。　They　all　moved　to　a　small　room　that　contained　the　control　consoles　for　vehicles　operating　out　of　the　moon　pool。　Gesturing　toward　a　puter　console；　the　captain　said　to　Gunn；　〃Would　you　care　to　handle　the　controls；　mander？〃
　
　Gunn's　academic　demeanor　cloaked　a　personality　that　enjoyed　action；　and　he　had　been　charming　in　his　role　as　a　by…stander　since　boarding　the　ship。　He　was　an　experienced　hand　at　running　an　ROV　and　needed　no　prodding。　〃I'd　like　that　very　much。　Thank　you；　Captain。〃
　〃Whenever　you're　ready。〃
　
　Gunn　sat　behind　the　control　console　and　familiarized　himself　with　the　instruments　and　the　feel　of　the　joystick　that　controlled　the　ROV。　Then　he　grinned　and　rubbed　his　hands　together。　〃Drop　'er　in。〃
　
　The　captain　unclipped　a　small　radio　from　his　belt　and　gave　a　mand。　A　moment　later；　the　screen　flickered　to　life　and　projected　a　view　of　the　cavernous　moon　pool　through　the　video　camera　in　the　nose　of　the　ROV。　The　camera　seemed　to　flood　as　the　ROV　was　lowered　into　the　pool。　A　diver　wearing　a　wet　suit　came　into　view　as　he　uncoupled　the　line　attached　to　the　lifting　crane。　Then　he　was　gone；　replaced　by　a　cloud　of　bubbles　and　the　deepening　blue　of　the　sea；　as　the　ROV　sank　slowly　beneath　the　open　bottom　of　the　ship。
　
　A　thousand…foot　Kevlar…jacketed　tether　connected　the　Benthos　Stingray　ROV　to　the　ship。　The　tether　transmitted　Gunn's　mands　to　the　operating　system　and　relayed　the　video　picture　back　to　the　screen。　The　Argo　carried　larger　and　more　powerful　ROVs；　but　after　hearing　the　NR…1　story；　the　captain　had　thought　they　would　need　a　smaller　vehicle　that　could　be　maneuvered　into　tight　spaces。　The　vehicle　was　the　size　and　shape　of　a　large　suitcase。　Although　the　ROV　was　relatively　small；　it　carried　video　and　digital　cameras　and　a　manipulator　arm。
　
　Moving　the　joystick　with　a　skilled　hand；　Gunn　angled　the　ROV　into　a　long　dive。　The　vehicle　used　the　navigational　net　established　for　the　UUV　to　find　its　way　directly　to　the　target。　Color　faded　from　the　water；　as　each　descending　fathom　took　the　ROV　farther　from　the　dappled　surface　light。　Gunn　switched　on　the　twin　150…watt　quartz　halogen　lights；　but　even　their　powerful　beams　were　swallowed　by　the　thickening　gloom。
　
　The　ROV　smoothly　descended　to　three　hundred　feet；　then　leveled　out　a　few　yards　above　the　ocean　floor。　The　vehicle　bucked　a　slight　bottom　current　that　kept　its　speed　under　a　knot　as　it　moved　forward　above　the　black　mud。　Then　the　bottom　dropped　away　and　the　ROV　soared　over　the　lip　of　the　undersea　canyon　so　suddenly　that　everyone　in　the　room　felt　a　slight　wave　of　queasiness。　Gunn　nosed　the　ROV　downward；　keeping　the　vehicle　parallel　to　the　sharp　slope。
　
　The　ROV's　side…scan　sonar　painted　the　target　on　a　separate　monitor　until　it　was　close　enough　for　visual　inspection。　Gunn　goosed　the　vertical　thrusters；　and　the　vehicle　rose　slowly　above　the　vessel。
　
　The　ship　lay　at　an　angle　on　the　sloping　side　of　the　canyon；　the　bottom　section　of　hull　embedded　in　mud。　The　ROV　descended　several　yards　and　moved　alongside　the　hulk　at　main…deck　level；　past　a　row　of　portholes；　including　some　that　were　still　open。　Barnacles　covered　most　of　the　ship　and　heightened　its　spectral　aspect。　Reddish　patches　of　antifouling　paint　peeked　out　here　and　there。　The　wooden　wheelhouse　had　disintegrated　and　the　decks　had　rotted　away。　The　lifeboat　davits　were　empty；　and　wire　shrouds　hung　with　seaweed。　A　pile　of　rusty　debris　was　all　that　remained　of　the　collapsed　funnel。
　
　The　ship　was　a　metal　cadaver；　useless　except　for　the　schools　of　fish　that　nosed　through　passageways　where　humans　had　once　walked。　To　Austin；　who　watched　the　screen　with　an　expression　of　fascination　on　his　bronzed　features；　this　sad　and　lifeless　hunk　of　rusty　metal　was　a　living　thing。　Although　there　were　no　hands　to　close　the　hatches　forced　open　by　the　pressure　of　escaping　air；　Austin　could　almost　hear　the　creak　of　the　booms　and　the　throbbing　engine　as　the　ship　plowed　through　the　seas。　In　his　mind's　eye；　he　pictured　the　helmsman　standing　with　feet　braced　on　a　wooden　grating；　hands　on　the　wheel　while　crewmen　went　about　their　business　on　deck　or　fought　the　inevitable　boredom　of　shipboard　life。
　
　Austin　asked　Gunn　to　steer　the　ROV　around　to　the　stem。　As　Ensign　Kreisman　described　it；　the　hull　was　covered　with　growth　that　hid　the　ship's　markings。　Gunn　poked　the　vehicle　into　several　nooks　and　crannies；　hoping　to　e　across　a　manufacturer's　metal　plate；　but　they　found　nothing。
　
　Austin　turned　to　Gamay。　〃What's　our　resident　nautical　archaeologist　have　to　say　about　this　old　gal？〃
　
　Gamay　pinched　her　chin　in　thought　as　she　stared　at　the　ghostly　images　on　the　glowing　screen。
　
　〃My　specialty　was　Greek　and　Roman　wooden　ships；　and　if　you　asked　me　to　ID　a　bireme　or　a　trireme　I　might　be　of　more　help。　I'll　venture　a　few　guesses；　though。〃　The　camera　was　moving　along　the　midships　section；　where　the　rusty　steel　plating　had　buckled　and　was　clear　of　barnacles。　〃Those　are　riveted　steel　plates。　By　the　1940s；　shipbuilders　had　switched　to　welding。　The　booms　indicate　that　she's　probably　a　cargo　ship。　She's　an　old…timer；　judging　from　her　lines；　maybe　built　in　the　late　eighteen…hundreds　or　around　the　turn　of　the　century。〃
　
　Austin　asked　Gunn　to　move　the　ROV　around　to　the　damaged　side。　The　ship　leaned　downhill；　and　from　this　angle　it　looked　as　if　it　could　e　crashing　over　at　any　second。　Gunn　brought　the　ROV　straight　in　until　the　hole　filled　almost　the　entire　screen。　The　lights　probing　the　ship's　innards　picked　out　twisted　pipes　and　steel　columns。
　
　〃Damage　assessment；　Rudi？〃　Austin　said。
　
　〃From　the　way　those　edges　are　curled；　I'd　say　a　projectile　hit　the　engine　room。　Too　high　for　a　torpedo。　Probably　a　shell　from　a　big　gun。〃
　〃Who　would　sink　a　harmless　old　freighter？〃　Zavala　asked。
　
　〃Maybe　someone　who　thought　she　wasn't　so　harmless；〃　Austin　said。　〃Let's　check　out　the　cabin　section　that　Ensign　Kreisman　told　us　about。〃
　
　Gunn　tweaked　the　controls；　and　the　ROV　rose　abovedecks。　It　was　clear　from　the　grin　on　his　face　that　Rudi　was　having　a　ball。　He　brought　the　vehicle　around；　taking　care　not　to　catch　the　tether　in　the　foremast　or　booms。　The　ROV　moved　past　the　bridge；　then　stopped　and　hovered　in　front　of　a　dark　rectangular　opening。　Unlike　the　ragged　cavity　in　the　hull；　the　edges　of　the　hole　were　relatively　even　from　the　cutting　torch。　Gunn　brought　the　ROV　to　within　a　few　feet　of　the　opening。　The　lights　picked　out　the　framework　of　a　bunk　and　the　remnants　of　a　metal　chair　and　desk　that　lay　in　a　tumbled　heap。
　
　〃Can　we　go　inside？〃　Austin　asked。
　
　〃I'm　getting　a　side　current　that　could　make　things　tricky；　but　I'll　see　what　I　can　do。〃　Gunn　maneuvered　the　vehicle　left　and　right；　then　when　it　was　directly　centered；　he　put　it　through　the　hole　as　easily　as　a　seamstress　threading　a　needIe。　The　ROV　was　capable　of　turning　within　its　own　radius；　and　Gunn　executed　a　three…hundred…sixty…degree　turn。　The　camera　captured　slimy　gray　piles　of　debris。　Gunn　probed　a　corner　with　the　ROV's　manipulator；　stirring　up　a　powdery　cloud　of　rust。　Then　the　ROV　got　tangled　and　wouldn't；　move。　Gunn　waited　for　the　dust　to　settle　and　wriggled　the　ROV　until　it　broke　free　of　the　overhead　wire　that　had　snagged　a　projection　of　its　protective　shielding。
　
　〃What　do　you　think？〃　Gunn　said；　turning　to　Austin。
　
　〃I　think　anything　of　value　has　been　removed。　We'll　have　to　piece　together　the　story　from　the　ship　itself；　not　what's　in　it。〃　He　pointed　to　a　wall　shelf。　〃What's　that？〃
　
　Austin's　sharp　eye　had　caught　a　dark；　squarish　object。　Gunn　used　the　manipulator　to　clear　away　a　pile　of　amorphous　grayish…brown　trash　and　made　several　fruitless　attempts　to　grab　the　object。　It　kept　slipping　away　like　a　prize　in　a　penny…arcade　game。　Gunn　set　his　jaw　in　determination　and　pushed　the　object　into　a　corner　where　he　could　get　a　firm　grasp　on　it；　then　he　backed　the　ROV　out　of　the　cabin　and　moved　the　manipulator　to　put　the　prize　directly　in　front　of　the　lights。　The　claw　clutched　a　small；　flat　box。
　
　〃I'm　bringing　her　up；〃　he　said。　He　reversed　the　ROV's　direction　and　sent　the　vehicle　scuttling　back　to　the　Argo。　Minutes　later；　the　lights　of　the　moon　pool　appeared　on　the　screen。　The　captain　ordered　the　ROV's　handlers　to　stabili