mreilly.icestation-第30章

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　〃Sir；　at　the　end　of　that　transmission　we　just　heard；　they　said　'c'est　moi；　le　requin'。　Now；　I　missed　the　start　of　the　transmission。　Did　they　say　that　at　the　very　beginning？　'C'est　moi；　le　requin'？〃　
　Schofield　didn't　know；　he　didn't　speak　French。　It　had　all　sounded　the　same　to　him。　He　tried　to　replay　the　radio　message　in　his　head。　〃They　may　have；〃　he　said。　〃No；　wait；　yes。　Yes；　I　think　they　did　say　that。　Why？〃　
　Rebound　said；　〃Sir；　le　requin　is　French　for　'shark。'　'C'est　moi　le　requin'　means　'this　is　Shark。'　You　know；　like　a　military　code　name。　The　French　unit　here　at　the　station　was　called　Hyena　and　that　one　we　just　heard　was　called　Shark。　You　know　what　I'm　thinking；　sir…〃　
　〃Oh；　damn；〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃That's　right。　I'm　thinking　they're　out　on　the　water　somewhere。　Somewhere　off　the　coast。　I'll　bet　you　a　million　bucks　that　Shark　is　a　warship　or　something　sailing　off　the　coast　of　Antarctica。〃　
　〃Oh；　damn；〃　Schofield　said　again；　this　time　with　feeling。　
　It　made　sense　that　whoever　sent　that　message　was　a　ship　of　some　kind。　And　not　just　because　of　its　code　name。　As　Schofield　knew；　because　of　their　extraordinarily　long　wavelengths；　VLF　transmissions　were　monly　used　by　surface　vessels　or　submarines　out　in　the　middle　of　the　ocean。　That　was　why　the　French　mandos　had　brought　the　VLF　transmitter　with　them。　To　keep　in　contact　with　their　warship　off　the　coast。　
　Schofield　started　to　feel　ill。　
　The　prospect　of　a　frigate　or　a　destroyer　patrolling　the　ocean　a　hundred　miles　off　the　coast　was　bad。　Very　bad。　Especially　if　it　was　aiming　some　kind　of　weapon…in　all　likelihood；　a　battery　of　nuclear…tipped　cruise　missiles…at　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　
　It　had　never　occurred　to　him　that　the　French　might　not　bring　an　erasing　device　with　them　but　would　rather　leave　it　with　an　outside　agent…like　a　destroyer　off　the　coast…with　instructions　to　fire　upon　the　station　if　that　destroyer　did　not　receive　a　report　by　a　given　time。　
　Shit；　Schofield　thought。　Shit。　Shit。　Shit。　
　There　were　only　two　things　in　the　world　that　could　stop　the　launch　of　that　erasing　device。　One；　a　report　ing　in　from　twelve　dead　Frenchmen　sometime　within　the　next　three　hours。　That　wasn't　going　to　happen。　
　Which　meant　the　second　option　was　the　only　option。　
　Schofield　had　to　get　in　contact　with　the　U。S。　forces　at　McMurdo　Station。　And　not　just　to　find　out　when　American　reinforcements　would　be　arriving　at　Wilkes。　No；　now　he　had　to　tell　the　Marines　at　McMurdo　about　a　French　warship　sailing　somewhere　off　the　coast　with　a　phalanx　of　cruise　missiles　trained　on　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　It　would　then　be　up　to　the　people　at　McMurdo　to　take　out　that　warship…within　three　hours。　
　Schofield　keyed　his　mike　again。　〃Book；　you　hear　all　that？〃　
　〃Yeah；〃　Buck　Riley's　voice　said。　
　〃Any　luck　with　McMurdo？〃　
　〃Not　yet。〃　
　〃Keep　trying；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Over　and　over。　Until　you　get　them　on　the　line。　Gentlemen；　the　stakes　in　this　game　have　just　been　raised。　If　we　don't　get　through　to　McMurdo　in　less　than　three　hours；　we're　all　gonna　be　vaporized。〃　
　
　
　
　〃Scarecrow；　this　is　Fox；〃　Gant's　voice　said。　〃I　repeat。　Scarecrow；　this　is　Fox。　Hey；　Scarecrow？　Are　you　out　there？〃　
　Schofield　was　out　on　the　pool　deck　on　E…deck；　watching　the　cable　descend　into　the　pool；　thinking　about　cruise　missiles。　It　had　been　about　ten　minutes　since　he　had　heard　the　transmission　from　the　French　vessel；　Shark。　Book；　Rebound；　and　Snake　were　all　still　outside　trying　to　raise　McMurdo。　
　Schofield　keyed　his　mike。　〃I　hear　you；　Fox。　How　are　you　doing　down　there？〃　
　〃We　are　ing　to　three　thousand　feet。　Preparing　to　stop　the　cable。〃　
　There　was　a　short　pause。　
　〃OK。　We　are　stopping　the　cable。。。　now。〃　
　As　Gant　said　the　word　〃now；〃　the　cable　plunging　into　the　water　suddenly　jolted　to　a　stop。　She　had　stopped　its　descent　from　inside　the　diving　bell。　
　〃Scarecrow；　I　have　the　time　as　1410　hours；〃　Gant　said。　〃Please　confirm。〃　
　〃I　confirm　the　time　as　1410　hours；　Fox；〃　Schofield　said。　It　was　standard　deep…diving　practice　to　confirm　the　time　at　which　a　dive　was　to　start。　Schofield　didn't　know　that　he　was　following　exactly　the　same　procedure　that　the　scientists　from　Wilkes　had　followed　only　two…and…a…half　days　earlier。　
　〃Copy　time　at　1410　hours。　Turning　over　to　self…contained　air。　Preparing　to　leave　the　diving　bell。〃　
　
　Gant　kept　Schofield　updated　on　the　dive。　
　The　four　divers…Gant；　Montana；　Santa　Cruz；　and　Sarah　Hensleigh…turned　over　to　self…contained　air　without　incident　and　left　the　diving　bell。　A　few　minutes　later；　Gant　reported　that　they　had　found　the　entrance　to　the　underwater　ice　tunnel　and　that　they　were　beginning　their　ascent。　
　Schofield　continued　to　pace　around　the　deck；　deep　in　thought。　
　He　thought　about　the　divers　from　Wilkes　who　had　disappeared　down　in　the　cavern；　about　the　cavern　itself　and　what　was　in　it；　about　the　French　and　their　snatch…and…grab　effort　to　seize　whatever　was　down　there；　about　erasing　devices　being　fired　from　warships　off　the　coast；　about　the　possibility　that　one　of　his　own　men　had　killed　Samurai；　and　about　Sarah　Hensleigh's　smile。　It　was　all　too　much。　
　His　helmet　inter　crackled　to　life。　〃Sir；　Book　here。〃　
　〃Any　luck？〃　
　〃Not　a　goddam　thing；　sir。〃　
　For　the　last　quarter　of　an　hour；　Book；　Snake；　and　Rebound　had　been　trying　to　raise　McMurdo　Station　on　the　unit's　portable　radio。　They　were　doing　it　from　just　outside　the　main　entrance　to　the　station；　as　if　being　outside　the　structure　might　somehow　help　the　signal　get　through。　
　〃Interference？〃　Schofield　asked。　
　〃Mountains　of　it；〃　Book　said　sadly。　
　Schofield　thought　for　a　moment。　Then　he　said；　〃Book。　Cancel　that　option　and　e　back　inside。　I　want　you　to　go　and　find　the　scientists　who　are　still　here。　I　think　they're　in　that　mon　room　on　B…deck。　See　if　you　can　find　out　if　any　of　them　are　familiar　with　the　radio　system　here。〃　
　〃I　copy　that；　sir。〃　
　Book's　voice　switched　off　and　Schofield's　inter　was　silent　again。　Schofield　stared　at　the　pool　of　water　at　the　base　of　the　station　and　resumed　his　thoughts。　
　He　thought　about　Samurai's　death　and　who　could　have　done　it。　At　the　moment；　he　trusted　only　two　people：　Montana　and　Sarah　Hensleigh；　since　they　had　been　with　him　when　Samurai　had　been　murdered。　They　were　the　only　two　people　who　Schofield　knew　for　certain　were　not　involved　in　Samurai's　murder。　As　far　as　everybody　else　was　concerned；　they　were　all　under　suspicion。　
　Which　was　why　Schofield　had　decided　to　keep　Book；　Snake；　and　Rebound　all　together。　If　one　of　them　was　the　killer；　he　wouldn't　be　able　to　kill　again　with　the　other　two　around。。。。　
　Suddenly　a　new　thought　hit　Schofield　and　he　keyed　his　mike　again。　〃Book；　you　still　out　there？〃　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　
　〃Book；　while　you're　down　on　B…deck；　I　want　you　to　ask　those　scientists　something　else；〃　Schofield　said。　〃I　want　you　to　ask　if　any　of　them　knows　anything　about　weather。〃　
　
　The　radio　room　at　Wilkes　Ice　Station　is　situated　in　the　southeast　corner　of　A…deck；　directly　across　the　shaft　from　the　dining　room。　It　houses　the　station's　satellite　telemunications　gear　and　short…range　radio　transmitters。　Four　radio　consoles…　each　consisting　of　a　microphone；　a　puter　screen　and　keyboard；　and　some　frequency　dials…were　in　the　room；　two　to　each　side。　
　Abby　Sinclair　was　sitting　at　one　of　the　radio　consoles　when　Schofield　entered　the　radio　room。　
　The　first　thing　Schofield　noticed　was　that　Abby　Sinclair　had　not　borne　the　recent　events　at　Wilkes　Ice　Station　at　all　well。　Abby　was　a　pretty　woman　in　her　late　thirties；　with　long；　frizzy　brown　hair　and　large　brown　eyes。　Long　vertical　streaks　of　black　mascara　ran　down　from　beneath　both　of　her　eyes。　They　reminded　Schofield　of　the　two　scars　that　cut　down　across　his　own　eyes…now　hidden　once　again；　behind　his　opaque　silver　glasses。　
　Next　to　Abby　stood　the　three　other　Marines…Riley；　Rebound；　and　Snake。　Abby　Sinclair　was　the　only　scientist　in　the　room。　
　Schofield　turned　to　Book。　〃Nobody　knows　anything　about　weather？〃　
　〃On　the　contrary；〃　Book　said。　〃You're　in　luck。　Lieutenant　Shane　Schofield；　I'd　like　you　to　meet　Miss　Abby　Sinclair。　Miss　Sinclair　is　both　the　radio　expert　at　this　station　and　its　resident　meteorologist。〃　
　Abby　Sinclair　said；　〃Actually；　I'm　not　the　real　radio　expert。　Carl　Price　was；　but　he。。。　disappeared　down　in　the　cave　before。　I　just　help　him　out　with　the　radio　gear；　so　I　guess　I'm　it　now。〃　
　Schofield　smiled　reassuringly　at　her。　〃That's　good　enough　for　me；　Miss　Sinclair。　Is　it　OK　if　I　call　you　Abby？〃　
　She　nodded。　
　Schofield　said；　〃All　right。　Abby；　I　have　two　problems；　and　I'm　hoping　that　you　can　help　me　with　both　of　them。　I　need　to　get　in　contact　with　my　superiors　at　McMurdo　as　soon　as　possible。　I　need　to　tell　them　what's　happened　here　so　that　they　can　send　in　the　cavalry；　if　they　haven't　done　so　already。　Now；　we've　been　trying　to　raise　McMurdo　on　our　portable　radio；　but　we　can't　get　through。　Question　One：　does　the　radio　system　here　work？〃　
　Abby　smiled　weakly。　〃It　was　working。　I　mean；　before　all　this　started。　But　then　the　solar　flare　kicked　in　and　disrupted　all　our　transmissions。　In　the　end；　though；　that　didn't　matter　because　our　antenna　went　down　in　the　storm　and　we　never　got　a　chance　to　fix　it。〃　
　〃That's　OK；〃　Schofield　said。　〃We　can　fix　that。〃　
　Something　else　that　she　had　said；　however；　troubled　him。　Schofield　had　been　told　about　the　〃solar　flare〃　phenomenon　on　his　way　to　Wilkes；　but　he　didn't　know　exactly　what　it　was。　All　he　knew　was　that　it　disrupted　the　electromagnetic　spectrum　and；　in　doing　so；　prevented　any　sort　of　radio　munication。　
　〃Tell　me　about　solar　flares；〃　he　said　to　Abby。　
　〃There　isn't　really　much　to　tell；〃　Abby　replied。　〃We　don't　really　know　that　much　about　them。　Solar　flare　is　actually　the　term　used　to　describe　a　brief　high…temperature　explosion　on　the　surface　of　the　sun；　what　most　people　would　call　a　sunspot。　When　a　sunspot　occurs；　it　emits　a　huge　amount　of　ultraviolet　radiation。　A　huge　amount。　Like　ordinary　heat　from　the　sun；　this　radiation　travels　through　space　toward　the　Earth。　When　it　gets　here；　it　contaminates　our　ionosphere；　turning　it　into　a　thick　blanket　of　electromagnetic　mayhem。　Satellites　bee　useless　because　radio　signals　from　the　Earth　can't　penetrate　the　contaminated　ionosphere。　Similarly；　signals　ing　from　satellites　down　to　the　Earth　can't　get　through　the　ionosphere　either。　Radio　munication　bees　impossible。〃　
　Abby　suddenly　looked　about　her。　Her　eyes　fell　on　one　of　the　puter　screens　next　to　her。　〃Actually；　we　have　some　weather…monitoring　gear　in　here。　If　you'll　just　give　me　a　minute；　I　might　be　able　to　show　you　what　I　mean。〃　
　〃Sure；〃　Schofield　said　as　Abby　switched　on　the　puter　next　to　her。　
　The　puter　hummed　to　life。　Once　it　was　up　and　running；　Abby　clicked　through　various　screens　until　she　came　to　the　one　she　wanted。　It　was　a　satellite　map　of　southeastern　Antarctica；　overlaid　with　multicolored　patches。　A　barometric　weather　map。　Like　the　ones　on　the　evening　news。　
　〃This　is　a　snapshot　of　the　eastern　Antarctic　weather　system　for〃…Abby　looked　at　the　date　in　the　corner　of　the　screen…　〃two　days　ago。〃　She　looked　around　at　Schofield。　〃It　was　probably　one　of　the　last　ones　we　got　before　the　solar　flare　moved　in　and　cut　us　off　from　the　weather　satellite。〃　
　She　clicked　her　mouse。　Another　screen　came　up。　〃Oh；　wait；　here's　another　one。　There　it