michael crichton.congo-第26节

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　〃Jesus　Christ；〃　Elliot　said。
　Ross　said　nothing。　She　continued　to　work　at　the　puter　console；　trying　to　get　the　static　to　resolve　on　the　screen；　pressing　one　key　after　another。
　〃When　I　agreed　to　join　this　expedition；〃　Elliot　said；　beginning　to　shout；　〃I　didn't　expect　to　get　into　a　shooting　war。〃
　〃Neither　did　I；〃　Ross　said。　〃It　looks　as　if　we　both　got　more　than　we　bargained　for。〃
　Before　Elliot　could　reply；　Munro　put　an　arm　around　his　shoulder　and　took　him　aside。　〃It's　going　to　be　all　right；〃　he　told　Elliot。　〃They're　outdated　sixties　SAMs　and　most　of　them　are　blowing　up　because　the　solid　propellant's　cracked　with　age。　We're　in　no　danger。　Just　look　after　Amy；　she　needs　your　help　now。　Let　me　work　with　Ross。〃
　Ross　was　under　intense　pressure。　With　the　airplane　circling　eight　miles　from　the　chaff　cloud；　she　had　to　make　a　decision　quickly。　But　she　had　just　been　dealt　a　devastating…　and　wholly　unexpected…setback。
　The　Euro…Japanese　consortium　had　been　ahead　of　them　from　the　very　start；　by　approximately　eighteen　hours　and　twenty　minutes。　On　the　ground　in　Nairobi；　Munro　had　worked　out　a　plan　with　Ross　which　would　erase　that　difference　and　put　the　ERTS　expedition　on…site　forty　hours　ahead　of　the　consortium　team。　This　plan…which　for　obvious　reasons　she　had　not　told　Elliot…called　for　them　to　parachute　onto　the　barren　southern　slopes　of　Mount　Mukenko。
　From　Mukenko；　Munro　estimated　it　was　thirty…six　hours　to　the　ruined　city；　Ross　expected　to　jump　at　two　o'clock　that　afternoon。　Depending　on　cloud　cover　over　Mukenko　and　the　specific　drop　zone；　they　might　reach　the　city　as　early　as　noon　on　June　19。
　The　plan　was　extremely　hazardous。　They　would　be　jumping　untrained　personnel　into　a　wilderness　area；　more　than　three　days'　walk　from　the　nearest　large　town。　If　anyone　suffered　a　serious　injury；　the　chances　of　survival　were　slight。　There　was　also　a　question　about　the　equipment：　at　altitudes　of　8；000…10；000　feet　on　the　volcanic　slopes；　air　resistance　was　reduced；　and　the　Crosslin　packets　might　not　provide　enough　protection。
　Initially　Ross　had　rejected　Munro's　plan　as　too　risky；　but　he　convinced　her　it　was　feasible。　He　pointed　out　that　the　parafoils　were　equipped　with　automated　altimeter…release　devices；　that　the　upper　volcanic　scree　was　as　yielding　as　a　sandy　beach；　that　the　Crosslin　containers　could　be　over…packed；　and　that　he　could　carry　Amy　down　himself。
　Ross　had　double…checked　oute　probabilities　from　the　Houston　puter；　and　the　results　were　unequivocal。　The　probability　of　a　successful　jump　was　。7980；　meaning　there　was　one　chance　in　five　that　someone　would　be　badly　hurt。　However；　given　a　successful　jump；　the　probability　of　expedition　success　was　。9934；　making　it　virtually　certain　they　would　beat　the　consortium　to　the　site。
　No　alternate　plan　scored　so　high。　She　had　looked　at　the　data　and　said；　〃I　guess　we　jump。〃
　〃I　think　we　do；〃　Munro　had　said。
　The　jump　solved　many　problems；　for　the　geopolitical　updates　were　increasingly　unfavorable。　The　Kigani　were　now　in　full　rebellion；　the　pygmies　were　unstable；　the　Zaire　army　had　sent　armored　units　into　the　eastern　border　area　to　put　down　the　Kigani…and　African　field　armies　were　notoriously　trigger…happy。　By　jumping　onto　Mukenko；　they　expected　to　bypass　all　these　hazards。
　But　that　was　before　the　Zaire　army　SAMs　began　exploding　all　around　them。　They　were　still　eighty　miles　south　of　the　intended　drop　zone；　circling　over　Kigani　territory；　wasting　time　and　fuel。　It　looked　as　if　their　daring　plan；　so　carefully　worked　out　and　confirmed　by　puter；　was　suddenly　irrelevant。
　And　to　add　to　her　difficulties；　she　could　not　confer　with　Houston；　the　puter　refused　to　link　up　by　satellite。　She　spent　fifteen　minutes　working　with　the　portable　unit；　boosting　power　and　switching　scrambler　codes；　until　she　finally　realized　that　her　transmission　was　being　electronically　jammed。
　For　the　first　time　in　her　memory；　Karen　Ross　wanted　to　cry。
　〃Easy　now；〃　Munro　said　quietly；　lifting　her　hand　away　from　the　keyboard。　〃One　thing　at　a　time；　no　point　in　getting　upset。〃　Ross　had　been　pressing　the　keys　over　and　over　again；　unaware　of　what　she　was　doing。
　Munro　was　conscious　of　the　deteriorating　situation　with　both　Elliot　and　Ross。　He　had　seen　it　happen　on　expeditions　before；　particularly　when　scientists　and　technical　people　were　involved。　Scientists　worked　all　day　in　laboratories　where　conditions　could　be　rigorously　regulated　and　monitored。　Sooner　or　later；　scientists　came　to　believe　that　the　outside　world　was　just　as　controllable　as　their　laboratories。　Even　though　they　knew　better；　the　shock　of　discovering　that　the　natural　world　followed　its　own　rules　and　was　indifferent　to　them　represented　a　harsh　psychic　blow。　Munro　could　read　the　signs。
　〃But　this；〃　Ross　said；　〃is　obviously　a　non…military　aircraft；　how　can　they　do　it？〃
　Munro　stared　at　her。　In　the　Congolese　civil　war；　civilian　aircraft　had　been　routinely　shot　down　by　all　sides。　〃These　things　happen；〃　he　said。
　〃And　the　jamming？　Those　bastards　haven't　got　the　capability　to　jam　us。　We're　being　jammed　between　our　transmitter　and　our　satellite　transponder。　To　do　that　requires　another　satellite　somewhere；　and…〃　She　broke　off；　frowning。
　〃You　didn't　expect　the　consortium　to　Sit　by　idly；〃　Munro　said。　〃The　question　is；　can　you　fix　it？　Have　you　got　countermeasures？〃
　〃Sure；　I've　got　countermeasures；〃　Ross　said。　〃I　can　encode　a　burst　bounce；　I　can　transmit　optically　on　an　IR　carrier；　I　can　link　a　ground…base　cable…but　there's　nothing　I　can　put　together　in　the　next　few　minutes；　and　we　need　information　now。　Our　plan　is　shot。〃
　〃One　thing　at　a　time；〃　Munro　repeated　quietly。　He　saw　the　tension　in　her　features；　and　he　knew　she　was　not　thinking　clearly。　He　also　knew　he　could　not　do　her　thinking　for　her；　he　had　to　get　her　calm　again。
　In　Munro's　judgment；　the　ERTS　expedition　was　already　finished…they　could　not　possibly　beat　the　consortium　to　the　Congo　site。　But　he　had　no　intention　of　quitting；　he　had　led　expeditions　long　enough　to　know　that　anything　could　happen；　so　he　said；　〃We　can　still　make　up　the　lost　time。〃
　〃Make　it　up？　How？〃
　Munro　said　the　first　thing　that　came　to　mind：　〃We'll　take　the　Ragora　north。　Very　fast　river；　no　problem。〃
　〃The　Ragora's　too　dangerous。〃
　〃We'll　have　to　see；〃　Munro　said；　although　he　knew　that　she　was　right。　The　Ragora　was　much　too　dangerous；　particularly　in　June。　Yet　he　kept　his　voice　calm；　soothing；　reassuring。　〃Shall　I　tell　the　others？〃　he　asked　finally。
　〃Yes；〃　Ross　said。　In　the　distance；　they　heard　another　rocket　explosion。　〃Let's　get　out　of　here。〃
　Munro　moved　swiftly　to　the　rear　of　the　Fokker　and　said　to　Kahega；　〃Prepare　the　men。〃
　〃Yes；　boss；〃　Kahega　said。　A　bottle　of　whiskey　was　passed　around；　and　each　of　the　men　took　a　long　swallow。
　Elliot　said；　〃What　the　hell　is　this？〃
　〃The　men　are　getting　prepared；〃　Munro　said。
　〃Prepared　for　what？〃　Elliot　asked。
　At　that　moment；　Ross　came　back；　looking　grim。　〃From　here　on；　we'll　continue　on　foot；〃　she　said。
　Elliot　looked　out　the　window。　〃Where's　the　airfield？〃
　〃There　is　no　airfield；〃　Ross　said。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃I　mean　there　is　no　airfield。〃
　〃Is　the　plane　going　to　put　down　in　the　fields？〃　Elliot　asked。
　〃No；〃　Ross　said。　〃The　plane　is　not　going　to　put　down　at　all。〃
　〃Then　how　do　we　get　down？〃　Elliot　asked；　but　even　as　he　asked　the　question；　his　stomach　sank；　because　he　knew　the　answer。
　〃Amy　will　be　fine；〃　Munro　said　cheerfully；　cinching　Elliot's　straps　tightly　around　his　chest。　〃I　gave　her　a　shot　of　your　Thoralen　tranquilizer；　and　she'll　be　quite　calm。　No　problem　at　all；　I'll　keep　a　good　grip　on　her。〃
　〃Keep　a　good　grip　on　her？〃　Elliot　asked。
　〃She's　too　small　to　fit　a　harness；〃　Munro　said。　〃I'll　have　to　carry　her　down。〃　Amy　snored　loudly；　and　drooled　on　Munro's　shoulder。　He　set　Amy　on　the　floor；　she　lay　limply　on　her　back；　still　snoring。
　〃Now；　then；〃　Munro　said。　〃Your　parafoil　opens　automatically。　You'll　find　you　have　lines　in　both　hands；　left　and　right。　Pull　left　to　go　left；　right　to　go　right；　and…〃
　〃What　happens　to　her？〃　Elliot　asked；　pointing　to　Amy。
　〃I'll　take　her。　Pay　attention　now。　If　anything　goes　wrong；　your　reserve　chute　is　here；　on　your　chest。〃　He　tapped　a　cloth　bundle　with　a　small　black　digital　box；　which　read　4757。　〃That's　your　rate…of…fall　altimeter。　Automatically　pops　your　reserve　chute　if　you　hit　thirty…six　hundred　feet　and　are　still　falling　faster　than　two　feet　per　second。　Nothing　to　worry　about；　whole　thing's　automatic。〃
　Elliot　was　chilled；　drenched　in　sweat。　〃What　about　landing？〃
　〃Nothing　to　it；〃　Munro　grinned。　〃You'll　land　automatically　too。　Stay　loose　and　relax；　take　the　shock　in　the　legs。　Equivalent　of　jumping　off　a　ten…foot　ledge。　You've　done　it　a　thousand　times。〃
　Behind　him　Elliot　saw　the　open　door；　bright　sunlight　glacing　into　the　plane。　The　wind　whipped　and　howled。　Kahega's　men　jumped　in　quick　succession；　one　after　another。　He　glanced　at　Ross；　who　was　ashen；　her　lower　lip　trembling　as　she　gripped　the　doorway。
　〃Karen；　you're　not　going　to　go　along　with…〃
　She　jumped；　disappearing　into　the　sunlight。　Munro　said；　〃You're　next。〃
　〃I've　never　jumped　before；〃　Elliot　said。
　〃That's　the　best　way。　You　won't　be　frightened。〃
　〃But　I　am　frightened。〃
　〃I　can　help　you　with　that；〃　Munro　said；　and　h