p&c.icelimit-第60章

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in　into　the　moonlight；　the　tumbling　white　water；　and　the　banshee　winds。
　An　abrupt　report；　faint　but　audible　above　the　storm；　shook　the　bridge　windows。　Others　followed　in　measured　cadence。　Britton　saw　a　row　of　geysers　climbing　down　the　face　of　a　wave　to　the　north；　one　after　another；　heading　toward　the　Rolvaag　along　the　line　of　its　former　course。
　The　great　ship's　head　labored　and　wallowed　in　the　seas。　Turn；　you　bitch；　she　thought。
　Suddenly；　the　ship　bucked　and　shuddered。　A　great　billow　of　ugly　yellow　smoke　shot　from　the　bow；　hot　metal　whining　upward；　trailing　streamers。　A　thunderous　report　immediately　followed。　One　of　the　king　posts　jerked　into　the　air；　twisting　as　it　fell　back；　the　guy　wires　whiplashing　across　the　deck。　Then　the　geysers　were　erupting　ahead　of　them　and　turning　wide　as　the　fire　passed　their　position。
　There　was　a　deathly　moment　of　stasis。
　Britton　was　the　first　to　recover。　She　raised　her　glasses　and　examined　the　bow　area。　It　appeared　that　at　least　one　shell　had　ripped　through　the　forecastle。　The　great　ship　rose　on　the　next　wave；　in　the　bright　moonlight；　she　could　see　water　running　into　the　exposed　chain　locker　and　out　a　ragged　hole；　well　above　the　waterline。
　〃General　alarm；〃　she　said。　〃Mr。　Howell；　send　a　damagecontrol　team　forward。　Assemble　a　fire　team　with　AFFF　foam　and　an　Explosimeter。　And　I　want　a　lifeline　rigged　up　along　the　maindeck；　bow　to　stern。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　ma'am。〃
　Almost　involuntarily；　she　glanced　at　Glinn。
　〃Cut　the　engines；〃　he　murmured。　〃Veer　away　from　the　wind。　Cut　ECM。　Pretend　we're　crippled。　That　will　stop　his　firing　for　now。　Give　it　just　five　minutes；　then　we'll　run　again。　That　will　force　him　to　repeat　his　range…finding。　We　must　make　those　ice　islands。〃
　She　watched　him　step　away　to　confer　with　his　operative　in　low　tones。
　〃Mr。　Howell；〃　she　said。　〃All　engines　stop。　Left　thirty　degree　rudder。〃　The　ship　continued　forward　under　its　immense　inertia；　slowly　turning。
　She　looked　at　Lloyd。　His　face　had　gone　gray；　as　if　the　firing　had　shocked　him　to　the　core。　Perhaps　he　believed　he　was　about　to　die。　Perhaps　he　was　thinking　about　what　it　would　be　like　to　be　sinking　in　the　cold；　black；　two…mile…deep　water。　She　had　seen　that　look　before；　on　other　ships　in　other　storms。　It　was　not　a　pretty　sight。
　She　dropped　her　gaze　to　the　radar。　It　was　getting　a　lot　of　sea　return；　but　it　cleared　every　time　the　Rolvaag　rose。　They　were　now　twenty…five　miles　from　the　Ice　Limit　and　the　pair　of　ice　islands。　The　beam　sea　was　slowing　down　the　Chilean　ship　by　as　much　as　a　knot；　but　it　was　still　closing　the　gap　steadily；　relentlessly。　As　she　looked　out　over　the　boiling　seas；　she　wondered　how　the　destroyer　could　possibly　be　surviving。
　Suddenly　the　door　to　the　bridge　burst　open。　And　there；　framed　in　the　doorway；　was　McFarlane。　He　took　a　step　forward；　Rachel　following　close　behind。
　〃The　meteorite；〃　McFarlane　said　as　he　struggled　for　air；　his　face　wild。
　〃What　about　the　meteorite？〃　Glinn　asked　sharply。
　〃It's　breaking　free。〃
　
　Rolvaag；
　3：55　P。M。
　
　GLINN　LISTENED　as　McFarlane　gasped　out　his　story；　feeling　an　unfamiliar　…　and　unpleasant　…　sensation　of　surprise　drift　over　him。　But　it　was　with　his　usual；　unhurried　economy　of　motion　that　he　turned　toward　a　telephone。　〃Sick　bay？　Get　Garza　on　the　horn。〃
　In　a　moment；　Garza's　weakened　voice　came　across　the　line。　〃Yes？〃
　〃Glinn　here。　The　meteorite's　breaking　its　welds。　Get　Stonecipher　and　the　backup　team　down　there　at　once。　You　lead　it。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃There's　something　else；〃　said　McFarlane。　He　was　still　struggling　for　breath。
　Glinn　turned。
　〃The　rock　reacts　to　salt。　Salt；　not　touch。　That's　what　sets　it　off；　what　killed　Garza's　team。　Rachel　and　I　strapped　tarps　over　the　web。　But　whatever　you　do；　for　God's　sake　keep　salt　water　off　it。　And　it's　still　throwing　off　a　lot　of　radio　noise。　Radio　munication　will　be　spotty；　at　least　for　an　hour　or　so。
　Glinn　took　this　in；　then　raised　the　phone　and　spoke　again　to　Garza。　As　he　was　finishing；　he　heard　a　fumbling　sound　on　the　other　end；　followed　by　the　nasal；　angry　voice　of　Brambell。　〃What's　this　devilment？　I　forbid　this　man　leaving　sick　bay。　He　has　head　trauma；　concussion；　a　hyperextended　wrist；　and　…　〃
　〃No　more　talk；　Dr。　Brambell。　I　must　have　Garza's　expertise　at　whatever　cost。〃　
　〃Mr。　Glinn　…　〃
　〃The　life　of　the　ship　depends　on　it。〃　He　lowered　the　phone　and　looked　at　Britton。　〃Is　there　any　way　to　reduce　the　ship's　list　in　these　waves？〃
　Britton　shook　her　head。　〃In　seas　this　heavy；　ballast　shifting　would　only　make　the　ship　more　unstable。〃
　The　Rolvaag　continued　driving　southward；　the　raging　sea　alternately　burying　its　maindeck　in　the　water；　then　forcing　it　skyward；　water　thundering　out　the　scuppers。　Two　of　the　containers　had　torn　free　and　washed　overboard；　and　several　others　were　now　shifting　in　their　lashings。
　〃What　the　hell　were　those　explosions？〃　McFarlane　asked　Glinn。
　〃We　were　fired　on　by　the　Chilean　ship。〃　He　looked　first　at　McFarlane；　and　then　at　Amira。　〃Do　you　have　any　idea　why　salt　affects　the　meteorite？〃
　〃It　doesn't　seem　like　a　chemical　reaction；〃　McFarlane　said。　〃None　of　the　meteorite　was　consumed　in　the　explosions；　and　there　sure　as　hell　wasn't　enough　salt　to　generate　that　kind　of　energy。〃
　Glinn　looked　at　Amira。
　〃It　was　too　big　an　explosion　to　be　either　a　chemical　or　catalytic　reaction；〃　she　said。
　〃What　other　kind　of　reaction　is　there？　Nuclear？〃
　〃That's　one　unlikely　possibility。　But　I　think　we're　not　looking　at　this　problem　from　the　right　perspective。〃
　Glinn　had　seen　this　before。　Amira's　mind　had　a　tendency　to　jump　out　of　everyone　else's　groove。　What　resulted　was　either　genius　or　idiocy。　It　was　one　of　the　reasons　he　had　hired　her；　and　even　at　this　extremity　he　knew　better　than　to　ignore　it。　〃How　so？〃　he　asked。
　〃It's　just　a　feeling。　We　keep　trying　to　understand　it　from　our　point　of　view；　thinking　of　it　as　a　meteorite。　What　we　need　to　do　is　look　at　it　from　its　point　of　view。　Salt　is　important　to　it；　somehow　…　something　either　dangerous；　or。。。　necessary。〃
　Howell's　voice　filled　the　resulting　silence。　〃Captain；　more　ranging　shots　being　fired　from　the　Ramirez。〃　The　chief　mate　hunched　over　the　Doppler　radar。　There　was　a　long　moment　of　silence；　and　he　looked　up；　a　grin　on　his　face。　〃A　snowsquall　just　cut　us　off　from　the　Ramirez。　The　bastards　can't　see　us；　Captain。　They're　running　blind。〃
　〃e　right；　steady　on　one　nine　zero；〃　said　Britton。
　Glinn　moved　to　the　GPS　chart；　staring　at　its　arrangement　of　green　dots。　The　chess　game　was　drawing　to　a　close；　the　board　was　cleared　of　all　but　a　few　pieces。　Their　fate　had　been　reduced　to　a　bination　of　four　factors：　two　ships；　the　storm；　the　ice。　He　examined　them　intently　for　thirty　minutes；　the　positions　of　the　two　ships　changing　ever　so　slightly；　his　mind　intensely　concentrated。　He　closed　his　eyes；　retaining　the　image　of　the　green　dots　in　his　mind。　In　that　simplicity　lay　a　deadly　lack　of　options。　Like　a　chess　master；　he　had　played　out　in　his　mind　each　possible　sequence　of　moves。　All　but　one　led　to　one　hundred　percent　probability　of　failure。　And　the　probability　of　success　on　the　last　option　remained　exceedingly　low。　For　this　last　play　to　succeed；　everything　would　have　to　happen　perfectly　…　and　on　top　of　that；　they　would　need　luck。　Glinn　hated　luck。　A　strategy　that　required　luck　was　often　fatal。　And　now　that　which　he　hated；　he　needed　most　of　all。
　He　opened　his　eyes；　focusing　immediately　on　the　chart。　The　green　dot　representing　the　Rolvaag　was　now　thirty　minutes　from　the　Ice　Limit　and　a　few　minutes　more　from　the　two　gigantic　ice　islands。
　Glinn's　radio　chirped　and　he　snapped　it　on。
　〃Garza　here；〃　came　the　weakened　voice　over　a　wash　of　static。　〃In　the　tank。　There's　a　lot　of　radio　interference；　don't　know　how　long　we　can　talk。〃
　〃Go　on。〃
　〃There　are　welds　failing　with　each　roll　of　the　ship。〃
　〃Cause？〃
　〃The　meteorite's　discharge　snapped　some　critical　points　on　the　web　and　weakened　others。　Also；　Rochefort　designed　the　cradle　for　a　maximum　thirty…five…degree　roll。　We're　still　ten　degrees　below　the　limit　…　〃　For　a　moment；　the　radio　cut　out。　〃But　of　course　the　meteorite　is　two　hundred　and　fifty　percent　heavier　than　Rochefort　initially　anticipated。　We　might　be　a　bit　short　on　the　engineering。〃
　〃How　short？〃
　〃Hard　to　say　without　…　〃　The　radio　cut　out　a　second　time。　〃Still　a　certain　amount　of　overengineering　was　built　into　the　design；　even　beyond　double…overage。　Stonecipher　thinks　we　might　be　able　to　go　a　long　way　like　this。　On　the　other　hand；　if　some　key　points　go；　the　rest　could　fail　quickly。〃
　〃I　don't　like　these　words　‘might'　and　‘could。'〃
　〃It's　impossible　to　be　more　precise。〃
　〃So　how　quickly　is　‘quickly'？〃
　〃We'd　have　five；　ten　minutes；　maybe。　Maybe　more。〃
　〃And　then？〃
　〃The　meteorite　will　shift。　Even　a　few　inches　might　be　fatal；　cause　hull　failure。〃
　〃Reinforce　those　critical　point　welds。〃
　There　was　a　crackling　pause。　Glinn　knew　what　Garza　was　thinking　about：　what　happened　the　last　time　they　welded　the　cradle。
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Garza　said　finally。
　〃And　keep　the　salt　water　off　it。〃
　The　only　answer　was　another　buzz　of　static。
　The　great　ship　Rolvaag　drove　southward；　ever　southward。
　
　Rolvaag；
　5：00　P。M。
　
　AT　THE　rear　of　the　bridge　was　an　observation　alcove；　a　small　area　sandwiched　between　the　radio　room　and　the　chart　room。　Except　for　the　tall　expanse　of　windows；　it　was　devoid　of　furniture　or　decoration。　At　the　windows　stood　Glinn；　binoculars　to　his　eyes；　looking　aft　between　the　stacks。　The　snowsquall；　a　wavering　gray　line　to　the　north；　was　passing。　It　had　given　them　sixty　minutes。　They　needed　another　twenty。　But　as　the　bright　moonlight　once　again　lay　a　carpet　of　illumination　across　the　raging　seas；　it　became　clear　that　they　were　not　going　to　get　it。
　As　if　on　cue；　the　Ramirez　came　blowing　out　of　the　distant　curtain　of　snow。　It　was　shockingly　close　now；　no　more　than　four　miles　away；　lights　ablaze。　Its　bow　rose　and　fell　in　the　violent　sea；　and　he　thought　he　could　even　see　the　forward　guns　trained　on　them；　etched　against　the　night　sky　behind。　The　Rolvaag　would　be　as　clear　to　them　as　the　Ramirez　was　to　him。　There　was　a　sudden　murmur　on　the　bridge；　followed　by　an　unbearably　tense　silence。　Vallenar　was　wasting　no　time：　the　forward　guns　quickly　adjusted　their　elevation。
　Even　worse；　with　another　gun　the　Ramirez　began　firing　a　string　of　white　phosphorus　〃Willey　Peters；〃　which　popped　on　and　drifted　slowly　down；　brilliantly　lighting　up　the　Rolvaag　and　the　sea　around　it。
　Vallenar　was　methodical；　not　rushed。　He　was　being　careful。　He　knew　he　had　them。　Glinn　glanced　at　his　gold　pocket　watch。　At　four　miles；　the　Ramirez　would　just　fire　away；　not　bothering　to　get　their　range。　The　Rolvaag　was　twenty　minutes　from　the　ice　islands。　They　would　need　twenty　minutes　of　luck。
　〃Crossing　the　Ice　Limit；　ma'am；〃　said　Howell　to　Britton。
　Glinn　glanced　down　to　the　sea。　Even　in　the　moonlight；　he　could　easily　make　out　the　abrupt　color　change　in　the　water。　from　a　deep　green　to　a　clear；　almost　bluish　black。　He　came　to　the　front　of　the　bridge　now；　searching　the　southern　horizon　with　his　binoculars。　He　could　see　thin　patches　of　brash　ice　lifting　and　falling；　and　as　the　ship　rose　he　caught　a　striking　glimpse　of　the　ice　islands　…　two　low；　flat　lines　of　turquoise。　He　raised　his　binoculars　and　examined　the