p&c.icelimit-第13节

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　And　even　stranger　that　his　greatest　achievement　should　be　launched　from　here；　where　his　own　roots　lay。　Even　as　a　boy　he　had　loved　collecting。　Having　no　money；　he　had　to　build　up　his　natural　history　collection　by　finding　his　own　specimens。　He　picked　up　arrowheads　out　of　eroded　embankments；　shells　from　the　grimy　shoreline；　rocks　and　minerals　from　abandoned　mines；　he　dug　fossils　from　the　Jurassic　deposits　of　nearby　Hackensack　and　caught　butterflies　by　the　dozen　from　these　very　marshes。　He　collected　frogs；　lizards；　snakes；　and　all　manner　of　animal　life；　preserving　them　in　gin　swiped　from　his　father。　He　had　amassed　a　fine　collection　…　until　his　house　burned　down　on　his　fifteenth　birthday；　taking　all　his　treasures　with　it。　It　was　the　most　painful　loss　of　his　life。　After　that；　he　never　collected　another　specimen。　He'd　gone　to　college；　then　into　business；　piling　success　upon　success。　And　then　one　day；　it　dawned　on　him　that　he　could　now　afford　to　buy　the　very　best　the　world　could　offer。　He　could；　in　an　odd　way；　erase　that　early　loss。　What　started　as　a　hobby　became　a　passion　…　and　his　vision　for　the　Lloyd　Museum　was　born。　And　now　here　he　was；　back　at　the　Jersey　docks；　about　to　set　off　to　claim　the　greatest　treasure　of　all。
　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　gripped　the　handle　of　the　door；　a　tingle　of　anticipation　coursing　through　him。　Glinn's　thin　folder　had　been　a　masterpiece　…　well　worth　the　million　he　had　paid　for　it。　The　plan　it　outlined　was　brilliant。　Every　contingency　had　been　accounted　for；　every　difficulty　anticipated。　Before　he'd　finished　reading；　his　shock　and　anger　at　the　price　tag　had　been　replaced　by　eagerness。　And　now；　after　ten　days　of　impatient　waiting；　he　would　see　the　first　stage　of　the　plan　nearing　pletion。　The　heaviest　object　ever　moved　by　mankind。　He　turned　the　handle　and　stepped　inside。
　The　building's　facade；　large　as　it　was；　only　hinted　at　the　vastness　of　its　interior。　Seeing　such　a　large　space　without　internal　floors　or　walls；　pletely　open　to　its　high　ceiling；　temporarily　defeated　the　eye's　ability　to　judge　distances；　but　it　seemed　at　least　a　quarter　mile　in　length。　A　network　of　catwalks　stretched　through　the　dusty　air　like　metal　spiderwebbing。　A　cacophony　of　noise　rolled　through　the　cavernous　space　toward　him：　the　chatter　of　riveting；　the　clang　of　steel；　the　crackle　of　welding。
　And　there；　at　the　center　of　furious　activity；　it　lay：　a　stupendous　vessel；　propped　up　in　dry　dock　by　great　steel　buttresses；　its　bulbous　bow　towering　above　him。　As　oil　tankers　go；　it　was　not　the　biggest；　but　out　of　the　water　it　was　just　about　the　most　gigantic　thing　Lloyd　had　ever　seen。　The　name　Rolvaag　was　stenciled　in　white　paint　along　the　port　side。　Men　and　machines　were　crawling　around　it　like　a　colony　of　ants。　A　smile　broke　out　on　Lloyd's　face　as　he　inhaled　the　heady　aroma　of　burnt　metal；　solvents；　and　diesel　fumes。　A　part　of　him　enjoyed　watching　the　flagrant　expenditure　of　money　…　even　his　own。
　Glinn　appeared；　rolled…up　blueprints　in　one　hand；　an　EES　hard　hat　on　his　head。　Lloyd　looked　at　him；　still　smiling；　and　shook　his　head　wordlessly　in　admiration。
　Glinn　handed　him　a　spare　hard　hat。　〃The　view　from　the　catwalks　is　even　better；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　meet　Captain　Britton　up　there。〃
　Lloyd　fitted　the　hard　hat　to　his　head　and　followed　Glinn　onto　a　small　lift。　They　ascended　about　a　hundred　feet；　then　stepped　out　onto　a　catwalk　that　ran　around　all　four　walls　of　the　dry　dock。　As　he　moved；　Lloyd　found　himself　unable　to　take　his　gaze　off　the　immense　ship　that　stretched　away　below　him。　It　was　incredible。　And　it　was　his。　
　〃It　was　built　in　Stavanger；　Norway；　six　months　ago。〃　Glinn's　dry　voice　was　almost　lost　in　the　din　of　construction　that　rose　up　to　meet　them。　〃Given　everything　we're　doing　to　it；　we　couldn't　opt　for　a　spot　charter。　So　we　had　to　buy　it　outright。〃
　〃Double　overage；〃　Lloyd　murmured。
　〃We'll　be　able　to　sell　it　later　and　recoup　almost　all　the　expense；　of　course。　And　I　think　you'll　find　the　Rolvaag　worth　it。　It's　state　of　the　art；　double…hulled　and　deep　drafted　for　rough　seas。　It　displaces　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　tons…smallish　when　you　consider　that　VLCCs　displace　up　to　half　a　million。〃
　〃It's　remarkable。　If　there　was　only　some　way　of　running　my　affairs　remotely；　I'd　give　anything　to　be　able　to　go　along。〃
　〃We'll　document　everything；　of　course。　There　will　be　daily　conferences　via　satellite　uplink。　I　think　you'll　share　everything　but　the　seasickness。〃
　As　they　continued　along　the　catwalk；　the　entire　port　side　of　the　vessel　became　visible。　Lloyd　stopped。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Glinn　asked。
　〃I。。。〃　Lloyd　paused；　temporarily　at　a　loss　for　words。　〃I　just　never　thought　it　would　look　so　credible。〃　
　Amusement　gleamed　briefly　in　Glinn's　eyes。　〃Industrial　Light　and　Magic　is　doing　a　fine　job；　don't　you　think？〃
　〃The　Hollywood　firm？〃
　Glinn　nodded。　〃Why　reinvent　the　wheel？　They've　got　the　best　visual　effects　designers　in　the　world。　And　they're　discreet。〃
　Lloyd　did　not　reply。　He　simply　stood　at　the　railing；　gazing　down。　Before　his　very　eyes；　the　sleek；　state…of…the…art　oil　tanker　was　being　transformed　into　a　shabby　ore　carrier　bound　for　its　graveyard　voyage。　The　forward　half　of　the　great　ship　presented　beautiful；　clean　expanses　of　painted　metal；　welds　and　plates　in　crisp　geometrical　perfection：　all　the　sparkling　newness　of　a　six…month…old　vessel。　From　amidships　to　the　stern；　however；　the　contrast　could　not　have　been　more　outrageous。　The　rear　section　of　the　ship　looked　like　a　wreck。　The　aft　superstructure　seemed　to　have　been　coated　in　twenty　layers　of　paint；　each　flaking　off　at　a　different　rate。　One　of　the　bridge　wings；　a　queer…looking　structure　to　begin　with；　had　been　apparently　crushed；　then　welded　back　together。　Great　rivers　of　rust　cascaded　down　the　dented　hull。　The　railings　were　warped；　and　missing　sections　had　been　crudely　patched　with　welded　pipe；　rebar；　and　angle　iron。
　〃It's　a　perfect　disguise；〃　said　Lloyd。　〃Just　like　the　mining　operation。〃
　〃I'm　especially　pleased　with　the　radar　mast；〃　said　Glinn；　pointing　aft。
　Even　from　this　distance；　Lloyd　could　see　the　paint　was　largely　stripped　off；　and　bits　of　metal　dangled　from　old　wires。　A　few　antennae　had　been　broken；　crudely　spliced；　then　broken　again。　Everything　was　streaked　with　stack　soot。
　〃Inside　that　wreck　of　a　mast；〃　Glinn　went　on；　〃you'll　find　the　very　latest　equipment：　P…Code　and　differential　GPS；　Spizz…64；　FLIR；　LN…66；　Slick　32；　passive　ESM；　and　other　specialized　radar　equipment；　Tigershark　Loran　C；　INMARSAT；　and　Sperry　GMDSS　munications　stations。　If　we　run　into　any；　ah；　special　situations；　there　are　some　mast　electronics　that　can　be　raised　at　the　push　of　a　button。〃
　As　Lloyd　watched；　a　crane　holding　a　huge　wrecking　ball　swiveled　toward　the　hull；　with　exquisite　care　the　ball　was　brought　in　contact　with　the　port　side　of　the　ship　once；　twice；　then　three　times；　adding　fresh　indignities。　Painters　with　thick　hoses　swarmed　over　the　ship's　midsection；　turning　the　spotless　deck　into　a　storm　of　simulated　tar；　oil；　and　grit。
　〃The　real　job　will　be　cleaning　all　this　up；〃　Glinn　said　〃Once　we　unload　the　meteorite　and　are　ready　to　resell　the　ship。〃
　Lloyd　tore　his　gaze　away。　Once　we　unload　the　meteorite。。。　In　less　than　two　weeks；　the　ship　would　be　heading　to　sea。　And　when　it　returned　…　when；　at　last；　his　prize　could　be　unveiled　…　the　whole　world　would　be　talking　about　what　had　been　acplished。
　〃Of　course；　we're　not　doing　much　to　the　interior；〃　Glinn　said　as　they　started　along　the　catwalk　again。　〃The　quarters　are　quite　luxurious　…　large　staterooms；　wood　paneling；　puter…controlled　lighting；　lounges；　exercise　rooms；　and　so　forth。〃
　Lloyd　stopped　once　again　as　he　noticed　activity　around　a　hole　cut　into　the　forward　hull。　A　line　of　bulldozers；　D…cats；　front…end　loaders；　skidders　with　house…size　tires；　and　other　heavy　mining　equipment　snaked　away　from　the　hole；　a　heavyweight　traffic　jam；　waiting　to　be　loaded　onto　the　ship。　There　was　a　roar　of　diesel　engines　and　the　grinding　of　gears　as；　one　by　one；　the　equipment　drove　in　and　disappeared　from　view。
　〃An　industrial…age　Noah's　ark；〃　said　Lloyd。
　〃It　was　cheaper　and　faster　to　make　our　own　door　than　to　position　all　the　heavy　equipment　with　a　crane；〃　Glinn　said。　〃The　Rolvaag　is　designed　like　a　typical　tanker。　The　cargo…oil　spaces　occupy　three　quarters　of　the　hull。　The　rest　is　taken　up　with　general　holds；　partments；　machinery　spaces；　and　the　like。　We've　built　special　bays　to　hold　the　equipment　and　raw　material　we'll　need　for　the　job。　We've　already　loaded　a　thousand　tons　of　the　best　Mannsheim　high…tensile　steel；　a　quarter　million　board　feet　of　laminated　timbers；　and　everything　from　aircraft　tires　to　generators。〃
　Lloyd　pointed。　〃And　those　boxcars　on　the　deck？〃
　〃They're　designed　to　look　like　the　Rolvaag　is　making　some　extra　bucks　on　the　side　piggybacking　containers。　Inside　are　some　very　sophisticated　labs。〃
　〃Tell　me　about　them。〃
　〃The　gray　one　closest　to　the　bow　is　a　hydro　lab。　Next　to　it　is　a　clean　room。　And　then　we　have　a　high…speed　CAD　workstation；　a　darkroom；　tech　stores；　a　scientific　freezer；　electron　microscope　and　X…ray　crystallography　labs；　a　diver's　locker；　and　an　isotope　and　radiation　chamber。　Belowdecks　are　medical　and　surgical　spaces；　a　biohazard　lab；　and　two　machine　shops。　No　windows　for　any　of　them；