tc.redstormrising-第134部分

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〃Up　scope！〃　McCafferty　met　the　eyepiece　at　deck　level　and　worked　it　up　slowly。　〃That's　a　kill。　We　broke　her　back。　Okay　。　。　。〃　He　turned　to　the　bearing　of　the　near　Grisha。　Okay；　target　number　two　is　turning…wow；　there　go　his　engines。　Increasing　speed　and　going　left。〃
〃Skipper；　the　wire's　cut　on　the　fish。〃
〃How　long　on　the　run？〃
〃Another　four　minutes；　sir。〃　In　four　minutes　at　full　speed　the　Grisha　would　be　outside　the　torpedo's　acquisition　radius。
〃Damn；　it's　going　to　miss。　Down　scope。　Let's　get　out　of　here。　We'll　go　east　this　time。　Make　your　depth　four　hundred；　all　ahead　two…thirds。　e　right　to　zero…five…five。〃
〃Must　have　been　the　shock　of　the　explosion；　sir。　Half　a　second　later；　the　control　wires　let　go　on　the　number…two　fish。〃　McCafferty　and　his　weapons　officer　reexamined　the　plot。
〃You're　right。　I　cut　that　one　too　close。　Okay。〃　The　captain　stepped　over　to　the　chart　table。　〃Where　do　you　figure　our　friends　are？〃
〃Right　about　here；　sir。　Twenty…　to　twenty…five　miles。〃
〃I　think　we've　taken　enough　heat　off　them。　Let's　see　if　we　can　get　back　up　there　while　Ivan　tries　to　figure　out　what's　going　on。〃
〃We've　been　lucky；　skipper；〃　the　exec　observed。
〃That's　true　enough。　I　want　to　know　where　their　submarines　are。　That　Victor　we　got　just　walked　across　our　sights。　Where　are　the　rest　of　'em？　They　can't　just　be　chasing　after　us　with　these。〃　Of　course　not；　McCafferty　realized。　The　Russians　set　up　hunting　preserves；　sectors　limited　to　specific　types　of　ships。　Their　surface　ships　and　aircraft　would　be　in　one　sector；　and　next　to　it　their　submarines　would　have　exclusive　hunting　rights　。　。　。
He　told　himself　that　he'd　done　well　to　date。　Three　patrol　boats；　a　fullsized　frigate；　and　a　sub；　quite　a　week　in　anybody's　book。　But　it　wasn't　over。　Not　until　they　got　Providence　to　the　ice。

38　…　Stealth　on　the　Rocks

ICELAND
The　first　leg　of　the　trip　was　only　eight　miles　in　a　straight　line；　but　the　line　they　traveled　was　straight　in　no　dimension。　The　terrain　here　was　volcanic　also；　littered　with　rocks　large　and　small。　The　large　ones　made　shadows；　and　whenever　possible　they　stayed　in　them；　but　with　every　step　they　had　also　to　detour；　uphill　and　down；　left　and　right；　until　every　yard　of　forward　travel　was　acpanied　by　a　yard　in　another　direction；　and　eight　miles　became　sixteen。
For　the　first　time；　Edwards　knew　that　he　was　under　possible　observation。　Even　when　the　hilltop　they　skirted　was　hidden　by　a　ridge；　who　could　say　that　the　Russians　did　not　have　another　scouting　party　out？　Who　could　be　sure　that　they　were　not　being　watched；　that　some　Russian　sergeant　with　binoculars　had　noticed　their　rifles　and　packs；　then　picked　up　his　portable　radio　and　sent　out　a　call　for　an　armed　helicopter？　The　effort　of　the　walk　made　their　hearts　beat　fast。　Fear　made　their　hearts　beat　faster　still；　pounding　their　fatigue　like　interest　on　a　usurer's　loan。
Sergeant　Nichols　proved　an　efficient　leader；　and　a　hard　one。　The　oldest　member　of　the　party；　his　stamina…sore　ankle　and　all…amazed　Edwards。
They　all　kept　quiet；　no　one　wanted　to　make　noise；　and　Nichols　was　unable　to　growl　at　those　too　slow　to　keep　up。　His　contemptuous　look　was　enough。　He's　ten　years　older　than　me；　Edwards　told　himself；　and　I'm　a　track　man。　I　can　keep　up　with　this　bastard。　Can't　I？
Nichols　managed　to　keep　them　clear　of　the　coast　road　for　most　of　their　journey；　but　there　was　one　point　where　the　road　looped　around　a　small　cove　to　within　a　mile　of　their　path。　Here　they　faced　a　cruel　choice：　risk　observation　from　the　road；　where　the　traffic　was　probably　Russian；　or　from　the　mountaintop。　They　risked　the　road；　slowly　and　gingerly　as　they　watched　traffic　motor　along　every　fifteen　minutes　or　so。　The　sun　was　low　in　the　northwestern　sky　as　they　crept　up　a　ravine　with　steep　walls。　They　found　a　rockpile　to　rest　in　before　their　dash　below　the　observation　post。
〃Well；　that　was　a　nice　day's　walk；　wasn't　it？〃　the　sergeant　of　Royal　Marines　asked。　He　wasn't　even　sweating。
〃You　trying　to　prove　something；　Sergeant？〃　Edwards　asked。　He　was。
〃Sorry；　Leftenant。　Your　friends　told　me　you　were　in　proper　shape。〃
〃I　don't　think　I'll　have　a　heart　attack　just　yet；　if　that's　what　you　mean。　Now　what？〃
〃I'd　suggest　that　we　wait　an　hour；　until　the　sun　sinks　lower；　then　press　on。　Nine　more　miles。　We'll　want　to　move　as　quick　as　we　can。〃
Sweet　Jesus！　Edwards　thought。　He　kept　his　face　impassive。　〃You　sure　they　won't　see　us？〃
〃Sure？　No；　I　am　not　sure；　Leftenant。　Twilight　is　the　hardest　time　to　see；　however。　The　eye　cannot　adjust　from　the　bright　sky　to　the　dark　ground。〃
〃Okay；　you　got　us　this　far。　I'm　going　to　go　and　check　on　the　lady。〃
Nichols　watched　him　walk　off。　〃I　would　not　mind　seeing　'the　lady'　myself。〃
〃That　wasn't　a　good　thing　to　say；　Nick；〃　Smith　observed　quietly。
〃e　on；　you　know　what　he's…〃
〃Nick；　talk　nice　about　the　lady；〃　Smith　warned。　He　was　tired；　but　not　that　tired。　〃She's　had　a　bad　time；　man。　And　the　skipper's　a　gentleman；　y'dig？　Hey；　I　thought　he　was　a　wimp；　too。　I　was　wrong。　Anyway；　Miss　Vigdis；　man；　that's　one　hell　of　a　lady。〃
Mike　found　her　curled　in　a　fetal　position　next　to　a　rock。　Rodgers　was　keeping　an　eye　on　her；　and　moved　off　when　the　lieutenant　arrived。
〃How　are　you？〃　Mike　asked。　She　turned　her　head　fractionally。
〃Dead。　Michael；　I　am　so　tired。〃
〃Me；　too；　babe。〃　Mike　sat　down　beside　her　and　stretched　his　legs　out；　wondering　if　the　muscle　tissue　would　just　fall　off　the　bones。　He　was　strong　enough　to　stroke　her　hair。　It　was　matted　with　sweat；　but　Mike　was　past　noticing　such　things。　〃Just　a　little　while　longer；　Hey；　you're　the　one　who　wanted　to　stay　with　us；　remember？〃
〃I　am　fool！〃　There　was　a　note　of　humor　in　her　voice。　As　long　as　you　can　laugh；　Mike　remembered　his　father　saying；　you　are　not　defeated。
〃e　on；　you　better　stretch　those　legs　out　or　they're　gonna　knot　up。　e　on；　roll　over。〃　Edwards　straightened　her　legs　and　massaged　her　calves　briefly。　〃What　we　need　is　some　bananas。〃
〃What？〃　Her　head　came　up。
〃Bananas　have　lots　of　potassium。　Helps　to　prevent　cramps。〃　Or　was　it　calcium　for　pregnant　women？　he　wondered。
〃What　do　we　do　when　we　get　to　our　new　hill？〃
〃We　wait　for　the　good　guys。〃
〃They　e？〃　Her　voice　changed　slightly。
〃I　think　so。〃
〃And　you　leave　then？〃　Mike　was　quiet　for　a　moment；　measuring　his　boldness　against　his　shyness。　What　if　she　says…
〃Not　without　you；　I　don't。〃　He　hesitated　again。　〃I　mean；　if　that's…〃
〃Yes；　Michael。〃
He　lay　down　beside　her。　Edwards　was　startled　by　the　fact　that　he　desired　her　now。　She　was　no　longer　the　victim　of　rape；　or　a　girl　pregnant　by　another　man；　or　a　strange　person　from　another　culture。　He　was　awed　by　her　inner　strength　and　other　things　for　which　he　had　no　names；　and　needed　none。
〃You're　right。　I　do　love　you。〃　Son　of　a　bitch。　He　held　her　hand　as　both　rested　for　the　task　ahead。

USS　CHICAGO
〃That's　one　of　'em；　sir。　Providence；　I　think。　I　got　some　funny　transients；　like　metal　pieces　beating　against　each　other。〃
They'd　been　tracking　the　target…every　contact　was　a　target…for　two　hours；　closing　very　carefully　as　the　possible　noise　source　changed　into　a　probable　one。　The　overhead　storm　degraded　their　sonar　performance　measurably；　and　the　target's　stealth　prevented　their　developing　a　signature　identification　for　an　agonizing　period。　Might　she　be　a　Russian　sub　creeping　in　search　of　her　own　target？　Finally　the　faint　rattles　from　the　damaged　sail　betrayed　her。　McCafferty　ordered　his　boat　to　close　the　target　at　eight　knots。
Had　Providence　repaired　her　sonar　systems？　Certainly　they'd　try；　McCafferty　thought；　and　if　they　then　detected　a　submarine　approaching　very　cautiously　from　the　rear；　would　they　think　this　was　their　old　friend　Chicago；　or　another　Victor…III？　For　that　matter；　how　sure　were　they　that　their　target　was　Providence？　That　was　why　American　subs　were　trained　to　operate　alone。　Too　many　uncertainties　attached　to　cooperative　operations。
They'd　left　the　Soviet　surface　forces　behind。　McCafferty's　hit…and…run　maneuver　had　fooled　them；　and　before　the　noise　faded　out；　they　listened　to　a　spirited　hunt　involving　aircraft　and　surface　forces；　now　thirty　miles　astern。　That　was　a　positive　development；　but　the　absence　of　any　surface　ships　in　this　area　made　McCafferty　uneasy。　He　might　now　be　in　a　submarine…dedicated　sector；　and　submarines　were　by　far　the　more　dangerous　opponents。　His　earlier　success　against　the　Victor　had　been　pure　luck。　That　Soviet　skipper　had　been　too　interested　in　starting　his　own　hunt　to　check　his　flanks。　It　was　a　mistake　he　did　not　expect　to　be　repeated。
〃Range？〃　McCafferty　asked　his　tracking　party。
〃About　two　miles；　sir。〃
That　was　the　fringe　of　gertrude　range；　but　McCafferty　wanted　to　get　a　lot　closer　than　that。　Patience；　he　told　himself。　Submarining　was　a　continuous　exercise　in　patience。　You　spent　hours　in　preparation　for　a　few　seconds　of　activity。　It's　a　wonder　we　don't　all　have　ulcers。　Twenty　minutes　later；　they　had　closed　to　within　a　thousand　yards　of　Providence。　McCafferty　lifted　the　gertrude　phone。
〃Chicago　calling　Providence；　over。〃
〃You　took　your　time　about　it；　Danny。〃
〃Where's　Todd？〃
〃He　went　off　west　after　something　two　hours　ago。　We　lost　him。　No　noise　at　all　from　that　direction。〃
〃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　r