tc.redstormrising-第129节

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O'Malley　had　already　been　up　for　three　long；　grueling　hours　this　time；　with　precious　little　to　show　for　it。　Stop；　dip；　listen；　stop；　dip；　listen。　He　knew　there　was　a　sub　down　there；　but　every　time　he　thought　he　was　beginning　to　get　a　line　on　it；　the　damn　thing　slipped　away！　What　was　it　doing　different？
Hatchet　was　having　the　same　problem；　except　its　sub　had　turned　around　on　it　and　nearly　scored　a　hit　on　Battleaxe。　The　frigate's　violent　wake　turbulence　had　detonated　the　Russian　torpedo　astern；　but　it　had　been　close；　too　close　by　half。　He　brought　the　helicopter　into　hover。
〃Down　dome！〃　They　hovered　for　a　minute。　Nothing。　It　began　again。　〃Romeo；　this　is　Hammer。　You　got　anything；　over？〃
〃Hammer；　he　just　faded　out　a　moment　ago。　Our　last　bearing　was　three…four…one。〃
〃Cure。　This　character's　listening　for　you　to　stop　your　sprint；　and　he　cuts　his　power　back。〃
〃That's　a　fair　guess；　Hammer；〃　Morris　said。
〃Okay；　I　got　a　barrier　to　the　west　if　he　heads　that　way。　I　think　he's　going　due　south；　and　we're　dipping　for　him　now。　Out。〃　O'Malley　switched　to　inter。　〃You　got　anything；　Willy？〃
〃Nothing；　sir。〃
〃Prepare　to　raise　dome。〃　A　minute　later　the　helicopter　was　moving　again。　They　dipped　their　sonar　six　more　times　in　the　next　twenty　minutes　and　came　up　blank。
〃Again；　Willy。　Prepare　to　lower。　Set　it　down　to；　uh；　eight　hundred　feet　this　time。〃
〃Ready；　sir。〃
〃Down　dome。〃　O'Malley　squirmed　in　his　seat。　The　outside　temperature　was　moderate；　but　the　sun　made　a　greenhouse　of　the　cockpit。　He'd　need　a　shower　when　he　got　back　to　the　frigate。
〃Searching　at　eight　hundred　feet；　sir；〃　the　petty　officer　said。　He　was　hot；　too；　though　he'd　brought　a　pair　of　cold　drinks　along　for　the　flight。　〃Sir；　I　have　something　。　。　。　possible　contact　bearing　one…eight…five。〃
〃Up　dome！　Romeo；　Hammer；　we　got　a　possible　contact　south　of　us。　Going　after　it　now。〃
〃Hammer；　we　have　nothing　anywhere　near　you。　Be　advised　Bravo　and　Hatchet　are　working　a　contact。　Two　torps　have　been　launched　with　no　hits。〃
Nobody　ever　said　it　was　easy；　the　pilot　thought。　He　moved　three　thousand　yards　and　dipped　the　sonar　again。
〃Contact；　this　one's　for　real。　Type…two　engine　plant　bearing　one…eight…three。〃
O'Malley　checked　his　fuel。　Forty　minutes。　He　had　to　get　this　one　in　a　hurry。　He　ordered　the　dome　up　again　and　went　another　three　thousand　yards　south。　His　shoulders　flexed　against　the　seat　straps。　It　seemed　to　take　forever　for　the　sonar　dome　to　get　down　to　search　depth。
〃There　it　is　again；　sir；　north　of　us；　bearing　zero…one…three。　Bearing　is　changing。　Zero…one…five　now。〃
〃Set　it　up！〃　Thirty　minutes'　fuel。　Time　was　their　enemy　now。　Ralston　punched　up　the　Master　Arm　and　Select　buttons。
〃Willy：　hammer！〃　The　sonar　sent　out　five　ranging　pings。
〃Zero…one…nine；　range　nine　hundred！〃
Ralston　set　search　depth　and　pattern。　O'Malley　brought　his　thumb　across　the　stick　and　dropped　the　torpedo。
The　submarine　went　to　full　power　and　turned　left　away　from　the　helicopter　while　the　torpedo　plunged　to　eight　hundred　feet　before　beginning　its　search。　O'Malley　growled　to　himself　that　he'd　launched　from　a　bad　angle；　but　it　would　have　taken　too　long　to　reel　in　and　reacquire。　He　held　the　aircraft　in　hover　and　listened　over　his　headset　as　the　whine　of　the　torpedo　screws　chased　after　the　deeper　thrum　of　the　Charlie's　powerful　twin　screws。　The　nuclear　sub　maneuvered　frantically；　trying　to　turn　inside　the　pursuing　torpedo。
〃They're　on　the　same　bearing　now；〃　Willy　reported。　〃I　think　the　fish　has　him…hit！〃
But　the　Charlie　didn't　die。　They　heard　the　sound　of　blowing　air；　then　it　stopped。　A　wild　cacophony　of　mechanical　noise　followed　as　the　contact　moved　off　to　the　north；　then　faded　as　the　submarine　slowed。　O'Malley　didn't　have　enough　fuel　to　pursue。　He　came　around　west　and　headed　for　Reuben　James。
〃Hammer；　Romeo；　what　happened？〃
〃We　hit　him；　but　he's　still　alive。　Stand　by；　Romeo；　we're　ing　in　skosh　fuel。　Five　minutes　out。〃
〃Roger　that；　we'll　be　ready　for　you。　We're　vectoring　another　helo　onto　the　Charlie。　I　want　you　to　join　Hatchet。〃
〃How　e　we　didn't　kill　him？〃　Ralston　asked。
〃Almost　all　Russian　subs　have　double　hulls；　and　that　dinky　hundred　pound　warhead　on　the　Mark…46　isn't　gutsy　enough　to　give　you　a　kill　every　time。　You　try　to　attack　from　the　stem　if　you　can；　but　this　time　we　couldn't。　If　you　get　a　stem　hit；　you　pop　the　shaft　seals　and　flood　his　engine　room。　That'll　kill　anybody。　They　didn't　tell　you　to　go　for　a　stem　shot　in　school；　did　they？〃
〃Not　especially。〃
〃Figures；〃　O'Malley　growled。
It　was　good　to　see　the　Reuben　James　after　four　hours。　It　would　have　been　even　better　to　visit　the　officers'　head；　O'Malley　thought　bleakly。　He　brought　the　Seahawk　over　the　port　er　of　the　frigate's　stern　and　paced　the　ship。　Aft；　Willy　opened　the　sliding　door　and　tossed　down　a　messenger　line。　The　frigate's　deck　crew　attached　a　refueling　hose　to　the　line　and　Willy　hauled　it　in；　plugging　the　hose　into　the　fuel　tank。　The　procedure　was　called　HIFR；　for　helicopter　in…flight　refueling。　While　O'Malley　fought　his　helo　through　the　roiled　air　behind　the　ship；　fuel　was　pumped　into　his　tanks；　giving　him　another　four　hours'　endurance。　Ralston　kept　his　eyes　on　the　fuel　indicators　while　O'Malley　flew　the　aircraft。
〃We're　full　up；　Willy。　Secure。〃
The　petty　officer　lowered　the　fuel　hose　and　retrieved　his　line。　He　was　glad　to　close　the　door　and　strap　himself　back　into　his　chair。　Officers；　he　told　himself；　were　too　smart　to　do　what　he　just　did。
〃Bravo；　this　is　Hammer；　where　do　you　want　us；　over？〃
〃Hammer；　Bravo；　e　right　to　one…three…zero　and　rendezvous　with　Hatchet　eight　miles　from　Bravo。〃
〃On　the　way。〃　O'Malley　curved　around　Reuben　James　and　headed　southeast。
〃Hammer；　Romeo；　be　advised　Sea　Sprite　from　Sims　just　finished　off　that　Charlie　for　you。　We　got　a　'well　done'　from　the　screen　mander　for　that　prosecution；　over。〃
〃Tell　the　modore　'you're　wele。'　Bravo；　Hammer；　what　is　it　we're　after；　over？〃
〃We　thought　it　was　a　twin…screw　submarine。　We're　not　quite　so　sure　now；　Hammer；〃　Perrin　replied。　〃We've　fired　three　torpedoes　at　this　target　now　for　zero　hits。　He　got　one　off　at　us；　but　it　prematured　in　our　wake。〃
〃How　close　was　it？〃
〃Fifty　yards。〃
Ouch！　the　pilot　thought。
〃Okay；　I　have　Hatchet　in　sight。　Bravo；　it's　your　ball　game。　Where　do　you　want　me　now？〃
Morris　had　allowed　himself　to　fall　far　behind　in　the　hunt　for　the　now　dead　Charlie。　On　his　mand　the　frigate　went　to　full　speed；　closing　on　Battleaxe　at　twenty…five　knots。　In　response　to　the　multiple　submarine　contacts；　the　convoy　was　turning　slightly　south。
O'Malley's　Seahawk　hovered　seven　miles　from　Battleaxe　while　Hatchet　ran　back　home　for　fuel　and　sonobuoys。　Again　the　process　of　dipping　and　moving　began。
〃Nothing；〃　Willy　reported。
〃Bravo；　Hammer；　can　you　give　me　a　rundown　of　what　this　target's　been　doing？〃
〃We've　nearly　gotten　him　twice　atop　the　layer。　His　course　is　generally　south。〃
〃Sounds　like　a　missile　boat。〃
〃Agreed；〃　Perrin　answered。　〃Our　last　datum　point　was　within　one　thousand　yards　of　your　position。　We　have　nothing　at　this　time。〃
O'Malley　examined　the　data　transmitted　from　Battleaxe's　plot。　As　was　usually　true　of　submarine　course　tracks；　it　was　a　collection　of　vague　opinions；　shaky　judgments；　and　not　a　few　wild　guesses。
〃Bravo；　you're　a　sub…driver。　Talk　to　me；　over。〃　This　was　lousy　radio　procedure；　but　what　the　hell？
〃Hammer；　the　only　thing　that　makes　the　least　bit　of　sense　is　that　he's　extremely　fast。〃　O'Malley　examined　the　tactical　display　more　closely。
〃You're　right；　Bravo。〃　O'Malley　pondered　this。　A　Papa；　maybe？　he　wondered。　Twin　screws；　cruise　missiles；　fast　as　a　thief。
〃Hammer；　Bravo；　if　we　proceed　on　the　assumption　that　he's　very　fast；　I　remend　you　go　east　until　Romeo　es　off　sprint　and　can　give　us　a　bearing。〃
〃Concur；　Bravo。　Give　me　a　vector。〃　On　mand　from　Battleaxe；　the　Seahawk　ran　twenty　miles　east　and　began　dipping　his　sonar。　It　took　fifteen　minutes　to　load　another　pair　of　Stingray　torpedoes　on　Hatchet；　along　with　fuel　and　sonobuoys。
〃What　do　you　think　we're　after；　skipper？〃　Ralston　asked。
〃How's　a　Papa　grab　you？〃　O'Malley　asked。
〃But　the　Russians　only　have　one　of　those；〃　the　copilot　objected。
〃Doesn't　mean　they're　saving　it　for　a　museum；　mister。〃
〃Nothing；　sir；〃　Willy　reported。
Reuben　James　came　off　sprint；　turning　to　a　southerly　heading　to　bring　her　sonar　to　bear　on　the　remaining　contact。　If　only　Battleaxe　still　had　her　tail；　Morris　thought；　we　could　triangulate　on　every　contact；　and　with　two　helos　。　。　。
〃Contact；　evaluate　as　possible　submarine；　bearing　zero…eight…one；　bearing…changing　slowly；　looks　like。　Yeah；　bearing　changing　north　to　south。〃　The　data　went　at　once　to　Battleaxe　and　the　screen　mander。　Another　helicopter　joined　the　hunt。
〃Down　dome！〃　This　was　the　thirty…seventh　time　today；　O'Malley　thought。　〃My　ass　is　asleep。〃
〃Wish　mine　was。〃　Ralston　laughed　without　much　humor。　Again　they　detected　nothing。
〃How　can　something　be　exciting　and　boring　at　the　same　time？〃　the　ensign　asked；　unconsciously　echoing　the　Tomcat　pilot　days　ago。
〃Up　dome！　You　know；　I've　wondered　that　a　few　times　myself。〃　O'Malley　keyed　his　radio。　〃Bravo；　Hammer；　I　got　an　idea　for　you。〃
〃We're　listening；　Hammer。〃
〃You　have　Hatchet　dropping　a　line　of　buoys　south　of　us。　Deploy　another　line　west。　Then　I　start　pinging。　Maybe　we　can　flush　the　guy　into　doing　something。　You　ever　get