tc.redstormrising-第135节

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〃What's　your　condition？〃
〃The　tail　works。　Rest　of　our　sonar's　shot。　We　can　shoot　fish　from　the　torpedoroom　control　systems。　Still　raining　in　the　control　room；　but　we　can　live　with　it　as　long　as　we　stay　above　three　hundred　feet。〃
〃Can　you　go　any　faster？〃
〃We　tried　going　to　eight　knots。　Found　out　we　couldn't　keep　it　up。　The　sail's　ing　apart。　The　noise　just　gets　worse。　I　can　give　you　six；　that's　it。〃
〃Very　well。　If　you　got　a　working　tail；　we'll　try　to　take　station　a　few　miles　ahead。　Call　it　five　miles。〃
〃Thanks；　Danny。〃
McCafferty　hung　up　the　phone。　〃Sonar；　you　got　anything　that　even　looks　like　it　might　be　something？〃
〃No；　sir；　it's　clear　right　now。〃
〃All　ahead　two…thirds。〃　So；　where　the　hell　is　Boston？　the　captain　asked　himself。
〃Funny　how　quiet　things　have　got；〃　the　exec　pointed　out。
〃Tell　me　about　it。　I　know　I'm　acting　paranoid；　but　am　I　acting　paranoid　enough！〃　McCafferty　needed　the　laugh。　〃Okay。　We　sprint　and　drift　north；　fifteen　minutes　sprint；　ten　drift；　until　we're　five　miles　ahead　of　Providence。　Then　we　settle　down　to　six　knots　and　continue　the　mission。　I'm　going　to　catch　a　nap。　Wake　me　in　two　hours。　Talk　to　the　division　officers　and　chiefs；　make　sure　the　troops　are　getting　some　rest。　We've　been　pushing　pretty　hard。　I　don't　want　anybody　to　fold　up。〃　McCafferty　grabbed　half　a　sandwich　as　he　walked　forward。　It　was　only　eight　steps　to　his　stateroom。　The　food　was　swallowed　by　then。
〃Captain　to　control！〃　It　seemed　he　had　only　just　closed　his　eyes　when　the　speaker　over　his　head　went　off。　McCafferty　checked　his　watch　on　the　way　out　the　door。　He'd　been　asleep　for　ninety　minutes。　It　would　have　to　do。
〃What　do　we　got？〃　he　asked　the　exec。
〃Possible　submarine　contact　on　the　port　quarter。　Just　picked　it　up。　We　got　a　bearing　change　already…it's　close。　No　signature　yet。〃
〃Boston？〃
〃Could　be。〃
I　wish　Todd　hadn't　gone　off　like　that；　McCafferty　told　himself。　He　found　himself　wondering　if　they　shouldn't　just　tell　Providence　to　go　to　her　best　speed　and　screw　the　noise。　That　was　fatigue　talking；　he　knew。　Tired　people　make　mistakes；　especially　judgmental　effors。　Captains　can't　afford　those；　Danny。
Chicago　was　making　six　knots。　No　noise　at　all；　the　captain　thought。　Nobody　can　hear　us　。　。　。　maybe；　probably。　You　don't　really　know　anymore；　do　you？　He　went　into　the　sonar　room。
〃How　you　feeling；　Chief？〃
〃Hangin'　in　there；　skipper。　This　contact's　a　beaut。　See　how　he　fades　in　and　out。　He's　there；　all　right；　but　it's　a　cast…iron　bitch　to　hold　him。〃
〃Boston　headed　off　west　a　few　hours　ago。〃
〃Could　be　him　ing　back；　sir。　Lord　knows　he's　quiet　enough。　Or　it　could　be　a　Tango　on　batteries；　sir。　I　don't　have　enough　signal　to　tell　the　difference。　Sorry；　sir。　I　just　don't　know。〃　The　chief　rubbed　raw　eyes　and　let　out　a　long　breath。
〃How　long　since　you　had　any　rest？〃
〃I　don't　know　that　either；　sir。〃
〃When　we　finish　up　this　one；　you　hit　the　rack；　Chief　〃　The　tracking　party　officer　called　forward　next。
〃I　have　a　working　range　for　you；　sir。　Five　thousand　yards。　I　think　he's　on　an　easterly　course。　Trying　to　firm　that　up。〃　McCafferty　ordered　a　firecontrol　solution　to　be　run　on　the　contact。
〃What's　this？〃　the　chief　asked。　〃Another　sonar　contact　behind　the　first　one；　bearing　two…five…three。　He's　following　the　other　guy！〃
〃I　need　an　ID；　Chief。〃
〃I　don't　have　enough　data；　Captain。　Both　these　guys　are　creeping。〃
Is　Boston　one　of　them？　If　so；　which？　If　the　one　in　front；　do　we　warn　him　and　reveal　our　position？　Or　shoot　and　risk　shooting　at　the　wrong　one？　Or　just　do　nothing　at　all？
McCafferty　went　aft　to　the　plotting　board。　〃How　close　is　this　one　to　Providence？〃
〃Just　over　four　thousand　yards；　ing　in　on　her　port　bow。〃
〃He　probably　has　her　then；〃　the　captain　thought　aloud。
〃But　who　the　hell　is　he？〃　the　tracking　officer　asked　quietly。　〃And　what's　this　Sierra…2　contact　behind　him？〃
〃Transient！　Transient！〃　the　sonar　chief　called。　〃Mechanical　transient　on　Sierra2！〃
〃Left　fifteen　degrees　rudder；〃　McCafferty　ordered　quietly。
〃Torpedo　in　the　water；　bearing　two…four…nine！〃
〃All　ahead　two…thirds！〃　This　order　was　loud。
〃Conn；　sonar；　we　got　increased　machinery　noises　on　Sierra…l。　Okay；　the　front　contact　is　a　two…screw　boat；　blade　count　indicates　speed　of　ten　knots　and　increasing；　getting　some　cavitation。　Target　Sierra…I　is　maneuvering。　Classify　this　target　as　a　Tango…class。〃
〃Boston's　the　one　in　back。　All　ahead　one…third。〃　McCafferty　ordered　his　submarine　to　slow　back　down。　〃Get　him；　Todd！〃
His　wish　was　rewarded　with　an　explosion　fifteen　seconds　later。　Simms　had　e　up　with　the　same　tactic　as　his　friend　on　Chicago。　Close　to　a　few　thousand　yards　of　the　target；　and　give　him　no　chance　to　maneuver　clear。　Fifteen　minutes　later；　Boston　joined　her　healthy　sister。
〃Talk　about　a　tough　four　hours。　That　Tango　was　good！〃　Simms　called　over　on　the　gertrude。　〃You　in　good　shape？〃
〃Yes。　We　have　the　front　guard　position。　You　want　to　take　the　rear　for　a　while？〃
〃You　got　it；　Danny。　See　ya'。〃

ICELAND
〃Lead　off；　Sergeant　Nichols。〃
The　Russian　outpost　was　three　miles　south　and　three　thousand　feet　up。　They　climbed　up　the　walls　of　the　ravine　and　into　relatively　open　ground。　They　were　between　the　sun　and　the　outpost。　Edwards　found　that　intellectually　he　believed　what　Nichols　said　about　light　conditions；　and　how　the　eye　reacted　to　them…and　how　easy　was　it　to　spot　something　three　miles　away？…but　walking　like　this　felt　like　being　naked　on　the　street　at　rush　hour。　They　had　darkened　their　faces　with　camouflage　makeup；　and　their　uniforms　blended　in　well　with　the　color　and　texture　of　the　land。　But　the　human　eye　looks　for　movement；　Edwards　told　himself；　and　we're　moving。　What　am　I　doing　here？
One　step　at　a　time。　Walk　softly。　Don't　raise　any　dust。　Slow；　easy　pace。　No　sudden　moves。　Heads　down。　All　the　things　Nichols　had　said　echoed　through　his　mind。　Look　at　me；　I'm　invisible。
He　manded　himself　not　to　look　up；　but　Edwards　would　have　been　less　than　human　not　to　sneak　an　occasional　look。　The　hill…mountain　towered　above　them。　It　really　got　steep　near　the　top。　A　volcano？　he　wondered。　There　was　no　sign　of　activity　at　the　summit。　Maybe　nobody　is　there？　Right。　Do　us　all　a　favor　and　be　blind；　or　asleep；　or　eating；　or　looking　for　airplanes。　He　had　to　pull　his　eyes　away　from　it。
The　rocks　he　stepped　over　and　around　blended　together　after　a　while。　Each　member　of　the　party　walked　alone。　No　one　said　anything。　Every　face　was　couched　in　a　neutral　expression　that　might　have　meant　quiet　determination　or　concealed　exhaustion。　Just　walking　the　rocks　safely　required　concentration。
This　is　the　end　of　it。　The　last　hike。　The　last　hill　to　climb。　The　end；　Edwards　promised　himself。　After　this　I　drive　a　car　to　get　the　morning　paper。　If　I　can't　have　a　one…story　house　I'll　damned　well　have　an　elevator　installed。　I'll　get　kids　to　cut　the　grass　for　me　and　sit　on　the　porch　watching　them。
Finally　the　hilltop　was　behind　him。　He　had　to　sneak　his　looks　over　his　shoulder　now。　For　some　reason　the　helicopter　full　of　Russian　paratroopers　didn't　e。　They　were　somewhat　safer　now。　So　Nichols　stepped　up　the　pace。
Four　hours　later　the　mountaintop　was　behind　a　knife…edge　ridge　of　volcanic　rock。　Nichols　called　a　halt。　They'd　been　moving　for　seven　hours。
〃Well；〃　the　sergeant　said。　〃That　was　easy　enough；　wasn't　it？〃
〃Sarge；　next　time　you　jump　out　of　an　airplane；　please　break　your　ankle；〃　Mike　suggested。
〃Hard　part's　behind　us。　Now　all　we　have　left　is　to　climb　this　wee　hill；〃　Nichols　pointed　out。
〃Might　want　to　get　some　water　first；〃　Smith　said。　He　pointed　to　a　stream　a　hundred　yards　away。
〃Good　idea。　Leftenant；　I　do　think　we　should　be　atop　the　hill　as　quick　as　we　can。〃
〃Agreed。　This　is　absolutely　the　last　Goddamned　hill　I　ever　climb！〃
Nichols　chuckled。　〃I　have　said　that　myself　once　or　twice；　sir。〃
〃I　don't　believe　it。〃

USS　INDEPENDENCE
〃Wele　aboard；　Toland！〃　mander；　Strike　Fleet　Atlantic　was　a　three…star　billet；　but　Rear　Admiral　Scott　Jacobsen　would　have　to　settle　for　the　job　instead　of　the　rank　for　the　moment。　The　life…long　aviator　was　the　most　senior　carrier　division　mander　in　the　Navy；　and　was　the　replacement　for　the　late　Admiral　Baker。　〃You　have　one　hell　of　a　letter　of　introduction　here　from　Admiral　Beattie。〃
〃He　made　too　big　a　deal　of　it。　All　I　did　was　pass　along　an　idea　somebody　else　came　up　with。〃
〃Okay。　You　were　on　Nimitz　when　the　task　force　got　hit；　right？〃
〃Yes；　sir；　I　was　in　CIC。〃
〃The　only　other　guy　who　got　out　was　Sonny　Svenson？〃
〃Captain　Svenson；　yes；　sir。〃
Jacobsen　picked　up　his　phone　and　punched　three　digits。　〃Ask　Captain　Spaulding　to　join　me。　Thank　you。　Toland；　you；　me；　and　my　operations　officer　are　going　to　relive　that　experience。　I　want　to　see　if　there　might　be　something　our　briefing　left　out。　They're　not　going　to　punch　any　holes　in　my　carriers；　son。〃
〃Admiral；　don't　underestimate　them；〃　Toland　warned。
〃I　won't　underestimate　them；　Toland。　That's　why　I　have　you　here。
Your　group　got　caught　too　far　north　for　the　circumstances。　Taking　Iceland　was　a　beautiful　move　on　their　part。　It　screwed　our　plans　pretty　well。　We　are　going　to　fix　that；　mander。〃
〃So　I　gather；　sir。〃

USS　REUBEN　JAMES
〃Ain't　she　pretty！〃　O'Malley　said。　He　flipped　his　cigarette　over　the　side　and　crossed　his　arms；　staring　at　the　massive　carrier　on　the　horizon。　She　was　just　a　dim　gray　shape；　with　aircraft　landing　on　the　flat　deck。