cc.floodtide-第39节

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ound　vehicle　may　have　looked　ungainly　on　the　surface；　but　underwater　she　dived　and　turned　with　the　grace　of　a　baby　whale。　She　was　propelled　with　three　thrusters　in　the　twin　tail　section　that
　
　impelled　water　through　the　front　intake　and　expelled　it　out　the　rear。　With　a　light　touch　on　the　two　handgrips；　one　controlling　pitch　and　dive；　the　other　banks　and　turns；　along　with　the　speed…control　lever；　the　Sea　Dog　II　could　glide　smoothly　a　few　feet　under　the　surface　of　the　sea　or　dive　to　a　depth　of　two　thousand　feet　in　a　matter　of　minutes。　The　pilots；　who　lay　prone　with　their　heads　and　shoulders　extending　into　a　single　transparent　glass　bow；　had　a　much　wider　range　of　visibility　than　provided　by　most　submersibles　with　only　small　viewing　ports。
　
　Visibility　beneath　the　surface　was　nil。　The　water　enclosed　the　sub　like　a　thick　quilt。　Looking　up　and　ahead；　they　could　just　barely　make　out　the　shadowy　outline　of　the　launch。　Then　came　a　deep　rumble　as　Cabrillo　increased　the　rpms　of　the　powerful　Rodeck　539…cubic…inch；　1；500…horsepower　engine　that　drove　the　big　double…ender　launch。　The　propeller　thrashed　the　water；　the　stern　dug　in　and　the　launch　strained　before　surging　forward　with　the　bulky　submersible　in　tow。　Like　a　diesel　lootive　pulling　a　long　train　up　a　grade；　the　launch　struggled　to　gain　momentum；　finally　increasing　its　speed　until　it　was　dragging　the　deadweight　below　the　water　at　a　respectable　eight　knots。　Unknown　to　Pitt　and　Giordino；　Cabrillo　had　the　throttle　of　the　powerful　engine　set　at　only　one…third　power。
　
　During　the　short　journey　from　the　Oregon　to　the　United　States；　Pitt　programmed　the　on…board　puter　analyzer　that　automatically　set　and　monitored　the　oxygen　level；　electronics　and　the　depth　control　systems。　Giordino　activated　the　manipulator　arm　by　running　it　through　a　series　of　exercises。
　
　〃Is　the　munications　antenna　up？〃　Pitt　asked　him。
　Lying　next　to　him；　Giordino　nodded　slightly。　〃I　let　out　the　cable　to　a　maximum　length　of　sixty　feet　as　soon　as　we　entered　the　water。　She's　dragging　on　the　surface　behind　us。〃
　〃How　did　you　disguise　it？〃
　Giordino　shrugged。　〃Another　cunning　ploy　of　the　great　Albert　Giordino。　I　encased　it　in　a　hollowed…out　cantaloupe。〃
　〃Stolen　from　the　chef；　no　doubt。〃
　Giordino　gave　Pitt　a　hurt　look。　〃Waste　not；　want　not。　It　was　overripe　and　she　was　going　to　throw　it　in　her　garbage　collector。〃
　Pitt　spoke　into　a　tiny　microphone。　〃Chairman　Cabrillo；　do　you　read　me？〃
　〃Like　you　were　sitting　next　to　me；　Mr。　Pitt；〃　Cabrillo　came　back　quickly。　Like　the　other　five　men　in　the　launch；　he　was　dressed　as　a　local　fisherman。
　〃As　soon　as　we　reach　our　drop　zone；　I'll　release　the　munications…relay　antenna　so　we　can　remain　in　contact　after　you've　returned　to　the　Oregon。　When　I　drop　the　antenna；　its　weighted　line　will　settle　into　the　silt　and　it　will　act　as　a　buoy。〃　〃What　is　your　range？〃
　〃Underwater；　we　can　transmit　and　receive　up　to　fifteen　hundred　yards。〃
　〃Understood；〃　said　Cabrillo。　〃Stand　by；　we're　only　a　short　distance　away　from　the　liner's　stern。　I　won't　be　able　to　e　in　much　closer　than　fifty　yards。〃　〃Any　sign　of　a　security　force？〃
　〃The　whole　ship　and　dock　look　as　dead　as　a　crypt　in　winter。〃　〃Standing　by。〃
　Cabrillo　was　better　than　his　word。　He　slowed　the　launch　until　it　barely　maintained　headway　and　steered　it　almost　directly　under　the　stern　of　the　United　States。　The　sun　was　ing　up　as　a　diver　slipped　over　the　side　and　descended　down　the　towline　to　the　submersible。　〃Diver　is　down；〃　Cabrillo　announced。
　〃We　see　him；〃　answered　Pitt；　looking　up　through　the　transparent　nose。　He　watched　as　the　diver　released　the　connection　mechanism　mounted　on　top　of　the　submersible　between　the　twin　tubes　and　gave　the　familiar　〃okay〃　sign　with　one　hand　before　disappearing　up　the　towline。　〃We　are　free。〃
　〃Make　a　turn　forty　degrees　to　your　starboard；〃　directed　Cabrillo。　〃You　are　only　eighty　feet　west　of　the　stern。〃
　Giordino　gestured　up　through　the　murky　depth　at　the　immense　shadow　that　gave　the　illusion　it　was　passing　over　them；　The　seemingly　unending　shape　was　enhanced　by　the　sunlight　filtering　between　the　dock　and　the　gigantic　hull。　〃We　have　her。〃
　〃You're　on　your　own。　Rendezvous　will　be　at　four…thirty。　I'll　…　have　a　diver　waiting　at　your　antenna　mooring。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Juan；〃　said　Pitt；　feeling　free　to　use　the　chairman's　first　name。　〃We　couldn't　have　done　it　without　you　and　your　exceptional　crew。〃
　
　〃I　wouldn't　have　it　any　other　way；〃　Cabrillo　came　back　cheerfully。
　Giordino　gazed　in　awe　at　the　monstrous　rudder　looming　overhead　and　pressed　the　lever　that　dropped　the　antenna's　anchor　into　the　silt　on　the　bottom。　From　their　position　the　hull　seemed　to　travel　off　into　infinity。　〃She　appears　to　be　riding　high。　Do　you　recall　her　draft？〃
　〃I'd　have　to　make　a　wild　guess；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Somewhere　around　forty　feet；　give　or　take？〃
　〃Judging　from　the　look　of　her；　your　guess　is　a　good　five　feet　on　the　low　side。〃
　
　Pitt　made　Cabrillo's　course　correction　and　dipped　the　Sea　Dog　/Ts　bows　into　deeper　water。　〃I'd　better　be　careful　or　we'll　bump　our　heads。〃
　
　Pitt　and　Giordino　had　worked　as　a　team　on　countless　dives　into　the　abyss　and　operated　a　score　of　submersibles　on　various　NUMA　projects。　Without　any　discussion　each　man　spontaneously　assumed　his　well…practiced　responsibilities。　Pitt　acted　as　pilot　while　Giordino　kept　an　eye　on　the　systems　monitor；　operated　the　video　camera　and　worked　the　manipulator　arm。
　
　Pitt　gently　eased　the　throttle　lever　forward；　directing　the　sub's　movement　by　angling　and　tilting　the　three　thrusters　with　the　handgrip　controls；　dodging　beneath　the　giant　rudder　and　banking　around　the　two　starboard　screws。　Like　some　nocturnal　flying　machine；　the　submersible　slipped　around　the　three…bladed　bronze　propellers　that　spanned　the　watery　gloom　like　great；　beautifully　curved　fans。　The　Sea　Dog　II　continued　silently　through　the　water；　which　became　an　eerie　opaque　green。
　
　The　bottom　appeared　as　distant　land　through　a　fog。　Assorted　trash　dumped　off　ships　and　the　dock　over　the　years　lay　partially　embedded　in　the　silt。　They　soared　over　a　rusting　deck　grate　that　was　home　to　a　small　school　of　squid　that　drifted　in　and　out　of　the　parallel　rows　of　square　openings。　Pitt　guessed　that　it　had　simply　been　dumped　by　dockyard　workers　sometime　in　the　past。　He　stopped　the　thrusters　and　settled　the　craft　into　the　soft　bottom　beneath　the　liner's　stern。　A　small　cloud　of　silt　filtered　up　and　outward　like　a　brown　vapor；　momentarily　obscuring　any　view　through　the　forward　canopy。
　
　Overhead；　t　ic　hull　of　the　United　States　stretched　above　them　into　the　dusky　water　like　a　dark；　ominous　shroud。　There　was　a　sense　of　loneliness　on　the　desolate　bottom。　The　real　world　above　did　not　exist。
　
　〃I　think　it　best　if　we　took　a　few　minutes　and　thought　this　thing　out；〃　said　Pitt。
　〃Don't　ask　me　why；〃　said　Giordino；　〃but　a　dumb　joke　from　my　childhood　suddenly　popped　into　my　head。〃
　〃What　joke　is　that？〃
　〃The　goldfish　that　blushed　when　it　saw　the　Queen　Mary's　bottom。〃
　Pitt　made　a　sour　face。　〃The　simple　things　that　e　from　simple　minds。　You　should　rot　in　purgatory　for　resurrecting　that　old　turkey。〃
　Giordino　acted　as　if　he　didn't　hear。　〃Not　to　change　the　titillating　subject；　but　I　wonder　if　these　clowns　thought　of　using　eavesdropping　sensors　around　the　hull。〃
　〃Unless　we　bump　into　one　dangling　from　the　dock；　we　have　no　way　of　telling。〃
　〃Still　pretty　dark　to　make　out　any　detail。〃　〃I'm　thinking　we　can　set　our　light　beams　on　the　low　end　and　begin　inspecting　the　keel。　Our　chances　of　being　spotted　that　deep　beneath　the　hull　are　unlikely。〃
　〃Then　as　the　sun　rises　higher　in　the　sky；　we　can　work　out　and　up　toward　the　waterline。〃
　Pitt　nodded。　〃Hardly　a　brilliant　plan；　but　it's　the　best　I　can　e　up　with　under　the　circumstances。〃
　〃Then　we'd　better　get　a　move　on；〃　said　Giordino；　〃if　we　don't　want　to　suck　our　oxygen　dry。〃
　
　Pitt　engaged　the　thrusters；　and　the　submersible　slowly　rose　from　the　silt　until　it　was　only　four　feet　below　the　keel。　He　concentrated　on　keeping　the　Sea　Dog　II　on　an　even　plane；　glancing　every　few　seconds　at　his　positioning　monitor　to　guide　him　on　a　straight　track　while　Giordino　peered　upward；　his　eyes　searching　for　any　irregularity　that　indicated　an　exit　or　entry　hatch　that　had　been　riveted　in　the　bottom　of　the　hull；　taping　any　suspicious　piece　or　workmanship　with　the　video　camera。　After　a　few　minutes；　Pitt　found　it　more　expedient　to　ignore　the　monitor　and　simply　follow　the　horizontal　seams　between　the　hull　plates　through　the　transparent　canopy。
　
　On　the　surface；　the　sun's　rays　pierced　the　depths；　increasing　visibility。　Pitt　switched　off　the　exterior　lights。　The　steel　plates；　black　in　the　earlier　darkness；　now　became　a　dull　red　as　the　antifouling　paint　became　more　evident。　There　was　a　slight　current　caused　by　the　outgoing　tide；　but　Pitt　held　the　submersible　steady　as　the　inspection　continued。　For　the　next　two　hours　they　glided　back　and　forth　as　if　mowing　a　lawn；　each　man　strangely　silent；　intent　on　his　job。
　
　Suddenly；　Cabrillo's　voice　broke　the　silence。　〃Care　to　make　a　progress　report；　gentlemen？〃
　〃No　progress　to　report；〃　Pitt　answered。　〃One　more　sweep　and　we'll　have　finished　the　bottom　of　the　hull。　Then　it's　up　the　sides　toward　the　waterline。〃
　〃Let's