alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第7章

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ember。　The　weather　being　what　it　is；　it　may　have　been　days　since　they　got　their　last　fixes；　and　for　all　we　know；　their　sextants；　chronometers　and　radio　direction　finders　have　been　lost　in　the　fire。〃
　 〃They　must　know　what　their　latest　fix　was；　even　though　it　was　a　week　ago。　They　must　have　a　fairly　accurate　idea　of　the　speed　and　direction　of　their　drift。　They'll　be　able　to　provide　approximate　data。　The　〃Morning　Star〃　must　be　told　to　keep　transmitting　non…stop　with　a　continuous　request　for　their　position。　If　you　surface　now；　can　you　contact　the　〃Morning　Star？〃〃
　 〃I　doubt　it。　The　trawler　must　be　the　best　part　of　a　thousand　miles　north　of　us。　His　receiver　wouldn't　be　big　enough　to　pull　us　inwhich　is　another　way　of　saying　that　our　transmitter　is　too　small。〃
　 〃The　B。B。C。　have　…plenty　of　transmitters　that　are　big　enough。　So　have　the　Admiralty。　Please　ask　one　or　the　other　to　contact　the　〃Morning　Star〃　and　ask　it　to　make　a　continuous　send　for　Zebra's　position。〃
　 〃They　could　do　that　themselves　direct。〃
　 〃Sure　they　could。　But　they　couldn't　hear　the　reply。　The　〃Morning　Star〃　canif　there's　any　reply。　And　she's　getting　closer　to　them　all　the　time。〃
　 〃We'll　surface　now；〃　Swanson　nodded。　He　turned　away　from　the　chart　table　we'd　been　standing　beside　and　headed　for　the　diving　stand。　As　he　passed　the　plotting　table　he　said　to　the　navigator：　〃What　was　it　you　wanted；　Will？〃
　 Lieutenant　Raeburn　turned　his　back　on　me　and　lowered　his　voice；　but　my　hearing　has　always　been　a　little　abnormal。　He　whispered：　〃Did　you　see　his　face；　Captain？　I　thought　he　was　going　to　haul　off　and　sock　you。〃
　 〃I　thought　the　same　thing　myself；〃　Swanson　murmured。　〃For　a　moment。　But　I　think　I　just　happened　to　be　in　his　line　of　vision；　that's　all。〃
　 I　went　forward　to　my　cabin　and　lay　down　in　the　cot。
　
　
　3
　
　 〃There　it　is；　then；〃　said　Swanson。　〃That's　the　Barrier。〃
　 The　〃Dolphin〃；　heading　due　north；　her　great　cylindrical　bulk　at　one　moment　pletely　submerged；　the　next　showing　clear　as　she　rolled　heavily　through　the　steep　quartering　seas；　was　making　less　than　three　knots　through　the　water；　the　great　nuclear…powered　engines　providing　just　enough　thrust　to　the　big　twin　eight…foot　propellers　to　provide　steerage　way　and　no　more。　Thirty　feet　below　where　we　stood　on　the　bridge　the　finest　sonar　equipment　in　the　world　was　ceaselessly　probing　the　waters　all　around　us　but　even　so　Swanson　was　taking　no　chances　on　the　effects　of　collision　with　a　drifting　ice　block。　The　noon…day　Arctic　sky　was　so　overcast　that　the　light　was　no　better　than　that　of　late　dusk。　The　bridge　thermometer　showed　the　sea　temperature　to　be　28°F。；　the　air　temperatureI　6°F。　The　gale…force　wind　from　the　northeast　was　snatching　the　tops　off　the　rolling　steel…gray　waves　and　subjecting　the　steep…walled　sides　of　the　great　conning　tower〃sail；〃　the　crew　called　itto　the　ceaseless　battering　of　a　bullet…driven　spray　that　turned　to　solid　ice　even　as　it　struck。　The　cold　was　intense。
　 Shivering　uncontrollably；　wrapped　in　a　heavy　duffel　coat　and　oilskins　and　huddled　against　the　illusory　shelter　of　the　canvas　wind…dodger；　I　followed　the　line　of　Swanson's　pointing　ann；　even　above　the　high；　thin；　shrill　whine　of　the　wind　and　the　drum…fire　of　the　flying　spray　against　the　sail；　I　could　hear　the　violent　chattering　of　his　teeth。　Less　than　two　miles　away　a　long；　thin；　grayish…white　line；　at　that　distance　apparently　smooth　and　regular；　seemed　to　stretch　the　entire　width　of　the　northern　horizon。　Fd　seen　it　before　and　it　wasn't　much　to　look　at　but　it　was　a　sight　a　man　never　got　used　to；　not　because　of　itself　but　because　of　what　it　represented：　the　beginning　of　the　polar　ice　cap　that　covered　the　top　of　the　world；　at　this　time　of　year　a　solid；　pacted　mass　of　ice　that　stretched　clear　from　where　we　lay　right　across　to　Alaska　on　the　other　side　of　the　world。　And　we　had　to　go　under　that　mass。　We　had　to　go　under　it　to　find　men　hundreds　of　miles　away；　men　who　might　be　already　dying；　men　who　might　be　already　dead。　Who　probably　were　dead。　Men；　dying　or　dead；　whom　we　had　to　seek　out　by　guess　and　by　God　in　that　great　wasteland　of　ice　stretching　out　endlessly　before　us；　for　we　did　not　know　where　they　were。
　 The　relayed　radio　message　we　had　received　just　fortynine　hours　ago　had　been　the　last。　Since　then；　there　had　been　only　silence。　The　trawler　〃Morning　Star〃　had　been　sending　almost　continuously　in　the　intervening　two　days；　trying　to　raise　Drift　Station　Zebra；　but　out　of　that　bleak　desert　of　ice　to　the　north　had　e　nothing　but　silence。　No　word；　no　signal；　no　faintest　whisper　of　sound　had　e　out　of　that　desolation。
　 Eighteen　hours　before；　the　Russian　atomic…engined　〃Dvina〃　had　reached　the　Barrier　and　had　started　on　an　all…out　and　desperate　attempt　to　smash　its　way　into　the　heart　of　the　ice　cap。　In　this　early　stage　of　winter　the　ice　was　neither　so　thick　nor　so　pacted　as　it　would　be　at　the　time　of　its　maximum　density；　in　March；　and　the　very　heavily　armored　and　powerfully　engined　〃Dvina〃　was　reputed　to　be　able　to　break　through　ice　up　to　a　thickness　of　eighteen　feet：　given　fair　conditions；　the　〃Dvina〃　was　widely　believed　to　be　capable　of　battering　its　way　to　the　North　Pole。　But　the　conditions　of　the　rafted　ice　had　proved　abnormal　to　a　degree　and　the　attempt　a　hopeless　one。　The　〃Dvina〃　had　managed　to　crash　its　way　over　forty　miles　into　the　ice　cap　before　being　permanently　stopped　by　a　thick　wall　of　rafter　ice　over　twenty　feet　in　height　and　probably　more　than　a　hundred　deep。　The　〃Dvina〃；　according　to　reports；　had　sustained　heavy　damage　to　its　bows　and　was　still　in　the　process　of　extricating　itself；　with　the　greatest　difficulty；　from　the　pack。　A　very　gallant　effort　that　had　achieved　nothing　except　an　improvement　in　East…West　relations　to　an　extent　undreamed　of　for　many　years。
　 Nor　had　the　Russians'　efforts　stopped　there。　Both　they　and　the　Americans　had　made　several　flights　over　the　area　with　front…line　long…range　bombers。　Through　the　deep　overcast　and　driving　ice…　and　snow…filled　winds；　those　planes　had　criss…crossed　the　suspected　area　a　hundred　times　searching　with　their　fantastically　accurate　radar。　But　not　one　single　radar　sighting　had　been　reported。　Various　reasons　had　been　put　forward　to　explain　the　failure；　especially　the　failure　of　the　Strategic　Air　mand's　B52　bomber　whose　radar　was　known　to　be　easily　capable　of　picking　out　a　hut　against　contrasting　background　from　ten　thousand　feet　and　in　pitch　darkness。　It　had　been　suggested　that　the　huts　were　no　longer　there：　that　the　radar's　eye　was　unable　to　distinguish　between　an　ice…sheathed　hut　and　the　thousands　of　ice　hummocks　that　dot　the　polar　cap　in　winter：　and　that　they　had　been　searching　in　the　wrong　area　in　the　first　place。　The　most　probable　explanation　was　that　the　radar　waves　had　been　blurred　and　deflected　by　the　dense　clouds　of　ice　spicules　blowing　over　the　area。　Whatever　the　reason；　Drift　Ice　Station　Zebra　remained　as　silent　as　if　no　life　bad　ever　been　there；　as　lost　as　if　it　had　never　existed。
　 〃There's　no　percentage　in　staying　up　here　and　getting　frozen　to　death。〃　mander　Swanson's　voice　was　a　half…shout；　it　had　to　be　to　make　him　heard。　〃If　we're　going　under　that　ice；　we　might　as　well　go　now。〃　He　turned　his　back　to　the　wind　and　stared　out　to　the　west　where　a　big；　broad…beamed　trawler　was　rolling　heavily　and　sluggishly　in　the　seas　less　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away。　The　〃Morning　Star〃；　which　had　closed　right　up　to　the　edge　of　the　ice　pack　over　the　last　two　days；　listening；　waiting；　and　all　in　vain；　was　about　to　return　to　Hull：　her　fuel　reserves　were　running　low。
　 〃Send　them　this　message；〃　Swanson　said　to　the　seaman　by　his　side。　〃'We　are　about　to　dive　and　proceed　under　the　ice。　We　do　not　expect　to　emerge　for　minimum　four　days；　are　prepared　to　remain　maximum　fourteen。'〃　He　turned　to　me　and　said；　〃If　we　can't　find　them　in　that　time〃　and　left　the　sentence　unfinished。
　 I　nodded；　and　he　went　on　with　the　message：　〃'Many　thanks　for　your　splendid　co…operation。　Good　luck　and　a　safe　trip　home。'〃　As　the　signalman's　lamp　started　chattering　out　its　message；　he　said　wonderingly；　〃Do　those　fishermen　trawl　up　in　the　Arctic　the　entire　winter？〃
　 〃They　do。〃
　 〃The　whole　winter。　Fifteen　minutes　and　I'm　about　dead。　Just　a　bunch　of　decadent　limeys；　that's　what　they　are。〃　A　lamp　aboard　the　〃Morning　Star〃　flickered　for　some　seconds；　and　Swanson　said；　〃What　reply？〃
　 〃Mind　your　heads　under　that　ice。　Good　luck　and　goodby。〃
　 〃Everybody　below；〃　Swanson　said。　As　the　signalman　began　to　strip　the　canvas　dodger；　I　dropped　down　a　ladder　into　a　small　partment　beneath；　wriggled　through　a　hatch　and　down　a　second　ladder　to　the　pressure　hull　of　the　submarine；　another　hatch；　a　third　ladder；　and　then　I　was　on　the　control　deck　of　the　〃Dolphin〃。　Swanson　and　the　signalman　followed；　then　last　of　all　Hansen；　who　had　to　close　the　two　heavy　water…tight　doors　above。
　 mander　Swanson's　diving　technique　would　have　proved　a　vast　disappointment　to　those　brought　up　on　a　diet　of　movie　submarines。　No　frenzied　activity；　no　tense；　steely…eyed　men　hovering　over　controls；　no　dramatic　calls　of　〃Dive；　dive；　dive；〃　no　blaring　of　kiaxons。　Swanson　reached　down　a　steel…spring　microphone；　said　quietly；　〃This　is　the　captain。　We　are　about　to　move　under　the　ice。　Diving　now；〃　hung　up　and　said：　〃Three　hundred　feet。〃
　 The　chief　electronics　technician　leisurely　checked　the　rows　of　lights　indicating　all　hatches；　surface　openings；　and　valves　closed　to　the　sea。　The　disc　lights　were　out：　the　slot　lights　burned　brightly。　Just　as　leisurely　he　rechecked　them；　glanced　at　Swanson　and　said；　〃Straight　line　shut；　sir。〃　Swanson　nodded。　Air　hissed　loudly　out　of　the　ballast　tanks；　and　that　was　it。　We　were　on　our　way。　It　was　about　as　wildly　exciting　as　watching　a　man　push　a　wheelbarrow。　And　there　was　something　oddly　reassuring　about　it　all。
　 Ten　minutes　later　Swanson　came　up　to　me。　In　the　past　two　days　I'd　e　to　know　mander　Swanson　fairly　well；　like　him　a　lot；　and　respect　him　tremendously。　The　crew　had　plete　and　implicit　faith　in　him。　I　was　beginning　to　have　the　same　thing。　He　was　a　kindly；　genial　man　with　a　vast　knowledge　of　every　aspect　of　submarining；　a　remarkable　eye　for　detail；　an　even　more　remarkably　acute　mind　and　an　imperturbability　that　remained　absolute　tinder　all　conditions。　Hansen；　his　executive　officer　and　clearly　no　respecter　of　persons；　had　said　flatly　that　Swanson　was　the　best　submarine　officer　in　the　Navy。　I　hoped　he　was　right；　that　was　the　kind　of　man　I　wanted　around　in　conditions　like　these。
　 〃We're　about　to　move　under　the　ice　now；　Dr。　Carpenter；〃　he　said。　〃How　do　you　feel　about　it？〃
　 〃I'd　feel　better　if　I　could　see　where　we　were　going。〃
　 〃We　can　see；〃　he　said。　〃We've　got　the　best　eyes　in　the　world　aboard　the　〃Dolphin〃。　We've　got　eyes　that　look　down；　around；　ahead；　and　straight　up。　Our　downward　eye　is　the　fathometer；　or　echo…sounder；　which　tells　us　just　how　deep　the　water　below　our　keel　is　and　as　we　have　about　five　thousand　feet　of　water　below　our　keel　at　this　particular　spot；　we're　hardly　likely　to　bump　into　underwater　projections　and　its　use　right　now　is　purely　a　formality。　But　no　responsible　navigation　officer　would　ever　think　of　switching　it　off。　We　have　two　sonar　eyes　for　looking　around　and　ahead；　one　sweeping　the　ship；　another　searching　out　a　fifteen…degree　path　on　either　side　of　the　bow。　Sees　everything；　he