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第26节

michael crichton.congo-第26节

小说: michael crichton.congo 字数: 每页4000字

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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reply; Munro put an arm around his shoulder and took him aside。 〃It's going to be all right;〃 he told Elliot。 〃They're outdated sixties SAMs and most of them are blowing up because the solid propellant's cracked with age。 We're in no danger。 Just look after Amy; she needs your help now。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

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