mreilly.icestation-第4章

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　hovercraft。　
　〃Rebound？〃　Riley's　voice　came　in　over　his　helmet　inter。　〃Anybody　alive　down　there？〃　
　〃Don't　look　like　it；　sir；〃　Rebound　said。　
　〃Do　an　infrared；〃　Riley　instructed。　〃We　got　twenty　minutes　before　we　gotta　hit　the　road；　and　1　wouldn　't　want　to　leave　and　find　out　later　that　there　were　some　survivors　down　there。〃　
　Rebound　snapped　his　infrared　visor　into　place。　It　hung　down　from　the　brow　of　his　helmet；　covering　both　of　his　eyes　like　a　fighter　pilot's　visor。　
　Now　he　saw　the　crashed　hovercraft　through　a　wash　of　electronic　blue　imagery。　The　cold　had　taken　effect　quickly。　The　whole　crash　site　was　depicted　as　a　blue…on…black　outline。　Not　even　the　engine　glowed　yellow；　the　color　of　objects　with　minimal　heat　intensity。　
　More　important；　however；　there　were　no　blobs　of　orange　or　yellow　within　the　image　of　the　vehicle。　Any　bodies　that　were　still　inside　the　hovercraft　were　ice　cold。　Everyone　on　board　was　most　certainly　dead。　
　Rebound　said；　〃Sir；　infrared　reading　is　nega…〃　
　The　ground　gave　way　beneath　him。　
　There　was　no　warning。　No　preemptive　cracking　of　the　ice。　No　sense　of　it　weakening。　
　Rebound　Simmons　dropped　like　a　stone　into　the　crevasse。　
　
　It　happened　so　fast　that　Buck　Riley　almost　missed　it。　One　second；　he　was　watching　Rebound　as　he　peered　out　over　the　edge　of　the　crevasse。　The　next　second；　Rebound　simply　dropped　out　of　sight。　
　The　black　rope　slithered　out　over　the　edge　after　the　young　private；　uncoiling　at　a　rapid　rate；　shooting　out　over　the　rim。　
　〃Hold　fast！〃　Riley　yelled　to　the　two　Marines　anchoring　the　rope。　They　held　the　rope　tightly；　taking　the　strain；　waiting　for　the　jolt。　
　The　rope　continued　to　splay　out　over　the　edge　until　whack！；　it　went　instantly　taut。　
　Riley　stepped　cautiously　over　to　the　right；　away　from　the　edge　of　the　crevasse；　but　close　enough　so　that　he　could　peer　down　into　it。　
　He　saw　the　wrecked　hovercraft　down　at　the　bottom　of　the　hole　and　the　two　bloodied　and　broken　bodies　pressed　up　against　the　ice　wall　in　front　of　it。　And　he　saw　Rebound；　hanging　from　his　rope；　two　feet　above　the　hovercraft's　banged…open　starboard　door。　
　〃You　OK？〃　Riley　said　into　his　helmet　mike。　
　〃Never　doubted　you　for　a　second；　sir。〃　
　〃Just　hold　on。　We'll　have　you　up　in　a　minute。〃　
　〃Sure。〃　
　
　Down　in　the　crevasse；　Rebound　swung　stupidly　above　the　destroyed　hovercraft；　From　where　he　hung　he　could　see　in　through　the　open　starboard　door　of　the　hovercraft。　〃Oh；　Jesus。。。；〃　he　breathed。　
　
　Schofield　knocked　loudly　on　the　big　wooden　door。　
　The　door　was　set　into　the　square…shaped　base　structure　that　supported　the　main　dome　of　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　It　lay　at　the　bottom　of　a　narrow　ramp　that　descended　about　eight　feet　into　the　ice。　
　Schofield　banged　his　fist　on　the　door　again。　
　He　was　lying　flat　on　the　parapet　of　the　base　structure；　reaching　down　from　above　the　door　to　knock　on　it。　
　Ten　yards　away；　lying　on　his　belly　in　the　snow　at　the　top　of　the　ramp　with　his　legs　splayed　wide；　was　Gunnery　Sergeant　Scott　〃Snake〃　Kaplan。　His　M…16E　assault　rifle　was　trained　on　the　unopened　door。　
　There　came　a　sudden　creak；　and　Schofield　held　his　breath　as　a　sliver　of　light　stretched　out　onto　the　snow　beneath　him　and　the　door　to　the　station　slowly　began　to　open。　
　A　figure　stepped　out　onto　the　snow　ramp　beneath　him。　It　was　a　man。　Wrapped　in　about　seven　layers　of　clothing。　Unarmed。　
　Suddenly　the　man　tensed；　presumably　as　he　saw　Snake　lying　in　the　snow　in　front　of　him；　with　his　M…16　pointed　right　at　the　bridge　of　the　man's　nose。　
　〃Hold　it　right　there〃　Schofield　said　from　above　and　behind　the　man。　〃United　States　Marines。〃　
　The　man　remained　frozen。　
　〃Unit　Two　is　in。　Secure；〃　a　woman's　voice　whispered　over　Schofield's　earpiece。　
　〃Unit　Three。　In　and　secure。〃　
　〃All　right。　We're　ing　in　through　the　front　door。〃　
　Schofield　slid　down　from　his　perch　and　landed　next　to　the　man　on　the　snow　ramp　and　began　to　pat　him　down。　
　Snake　strode　down　the　ramp　toward　them；　his　rifle　up；　pointed　at　the　man。　
　Schofield　said　to　the　man；　〃You　American？　What's　your　name？〃　
　The　man　spoke。　
　〃Non。　Je　suis　Fran？ais。〃　
　And　then　in　English；　〃My　name　is　Luc。〃　
　
　
　
　There　is　a　tendency　among　academic　observers　to　view　Antarctica　as　the　last　neutral　territory　on　earth。　In　Antarctica；　so　it　is　said；　there　are　no　traditional　or　holy　sites　to　fight　over；　no　historical　borders　to　dispute。　What　remains　is　something　of　a　terra　munis；　a　land　belonging　to　the　munity。　
　Indeed；　by　virtue　of　the　Antarctic　Treaty；　since　1961　the　continent　has　been　divided　up　into　what　looks　like　an　enormous　pie　chart；　with　each　party　to　the　treaty　being　allocated　a　sector　of　the　pie。　Some　sectors　overlap；　as　with　those　administered　by　Chile；　Argentina；　and　the　United　Kingdom。　Others　cover　monumentally　vast　tracts　of　land…Australia　administers　a　sector　of　the　pie　that　covers　nearly　a　whole　quarter　of　the　Antarctic　landmass。　There　is　even　one　sector…that　which　covers　the　Amundsen　Sea　and　Byrd　Land…that　belongs　to　no　one。　
　The　general　impression　is　one　of　a　truly　international　land…mass。　Such　an　impression；　however；　is　misguided　and　simplistic。　
　Advocates　of　the　〃politically　neutral　Antarctica〃　fail　to　acknowledge　the　continuing　animosity　between　Argentina　and　Great　Britain　as　to　their　respective　Antarctic　claims；　or　the　staunch　refusal　of　all　of　the　parties　to　the　Antarctic　Treaty　to　vote　on　the　1985　UN　Resolution　that　would　have　dedicated　the　Antarctic　landmass　to　the　benefit　of　the　entire　international　munity；　or　the　mysterious　conspiracy　of　silence　among　the　Treaty　nations　that　followed　a　little…known　Greenpeace　report　in　1995　that　accused　the　French　government　of　conducting　secret　underground　nuclear　detonations　off　the　coast　of　Victoria　Land。　
　More　important；　however；　such　advocates　also　fail　to　recognize　that　a　land　without　clearly　defined　borders　has　no　means　of　dealing　with　hostile　foreign　incursions。　
　Research　stations　can　often　be　a　thousand　miles　apart。　Sometimes　those　research　stations　discover　items　of　immense　value…uranium；　plutonium；　gold。　It　is　not　impossible　that　a　foreign　state；　desperate　for　resources；　would；　upon　learning　of　such　a　discovery；　send　an　incursionary　force　to　appropriate　that　discovery　before　the　rest　of　the　world　even　knew　it　existed。　
　Such　an　incident…insofar　as　it　could　be　known…had　never　happened　in　Antarctica　before。　
　There's　always　a　first　time；　Schofield　thought　as　he　was　led　into　Wilkes　Ice　Station　by　the　Frenchman　named　Luc。　
　Schofield　had　heard　a　recording　of　Abby　Sinclair's　distress　signal；　heard　her　mention　the　discovery　of　a　spacecraft　buried　within　the　ice　underneath　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　If　the　scientists　at　Wilkes　had；　in　fact；　discovered　an　extraterrestrial　spacecraft；　it　would　definitely　be　something　other　parties　would　be　interested　in。　Whether　or　not　they　had　the　nerve　to　send　a　strike　team　in　to　get　it　was　another　question。　
　In　any　case；　it　made　him　more　than　a　little　uneasy　to　be　greeted　at　the　doors　of　an　American　research　station　by　a　French　national；　and　as　he　walked　down　the　dark；　ice…walled　entrance　tunnel　behind　Luc；　Schofield　found　himself　gripping　his　automatic　pistol　a　little　more　tightly。　
　
　The　two　men　emerged　from　the　darkened　entry　tunnel　into　brightly　lit；　wide　open　space。　Schofield　found　himself　standing　on　a　thin　metal　catwalk　overlooking　a　wide；　cylindrical　chasm　of　empty　space。　
　Wilkes　Ice　Station　opened　in　front　of　him；　a　giant　subterranean　structure。　Narrow　black　catwalks　ran　around　the　circumference　of　the　underground　cylinder；　surrounding　the　wide　central　shaft。　At　the　base　of　the　enormous　cylinder　Schofield　saw　a　circular　pool　of　water；　in　the　middle　of　which　sat　the　station's　diving　bell。　
　〃This　way；〃　Luc　said；　guiding　Schofield　to　the　right。　〃They're　all　in　the　dining　room。〃　
　As　he　entered　the　dining　room　preceded　by　Luc；　Schofield　felt　like　an　adult　entering　a　preschool　classroom：　a　stranger　who　by　the　simple　fact　of　his　size　and　bearing　just　doesn't　fit　in。　
　The　group　of　five　survivors　sat　in　a　tight　circle　around　the　table。　The　men　were　unshaven；　the　women　unkempt。　They　all　looked　exhausted。　They　looked　up　wearily　as　Schofield　entered　the　room。　
　There　were　two　other　men　in　the　room；　standing　behind　the　table。　Unlike　the　people　seated　at　the　table；　these　two；　like　Luc；　seemed　alert；　clean；　and　fresh。　One　of　them　was　holding　a　tray　of　steaming　drinks。　He　froze　in　midstep　as　soon　as　he　saw　Schofield　walk　into　the　room。　
　French　scientists　from　d'Urville；　Schofield　thought。　Here　in　response　to　the　distress　signal。　
　Probably。　
　At　first；　no　one　said　anything。　
　Everyone　in　the　room　just　looked　at　Schofield；　taking　in　his　helmet　and　his　silver　antiflash　glasses；　his　body　armor　and　his　snow　fatigues；　the　MP…5　machine　pistol　slung　over　his　shoulder；　the　。44　automatic　in　his　hand。　
　Snake　came　in　behind　Schofield；　and　all　eyes　switched　to　him：　similarly　garbed；　similarly　armed。　A　clone。　
　〃It's　OK；〃　Luc　said　gently　to　the　others。　〃They　are　Marines。　They　are　here　to　rescue　you。〃　
　One　of　the　women　let　out　a　gasp　of　air。　〃Oh；　Jesus；〃　she　said。　Then　she　started　to　cry。　〃Oh；　thank　God。〃　
　American　accent；　Schofield　noted。　The　woman　pushed　back　her　chair　and　came　toward　him；　tears　pouring　down　her　cheeks。　〃I　knew　you'd　e；〃　she　said。　〃I　knew　you'd　e。〃　
　She　clutched　Schofield's　shoulder　plate　and　began　sobbing　into　his　chest。　Schofield　showed　no　emotion。　He　held　his　pistol　clear　of　her；　as　he'd　been　trained　to　do。　
　〃It's　OK；　ma'am；〃　was　all　he　said　as　he　guided　her　gently　to　a　nearby　seat。　〃It's　OK。　You're　all　right　now。〃　
　Once　she　was　seated；　he　turned　to　face　the　others。　〃Ladies　and　gentleman。　We　are　Reconnaissance　Unit　Sixteen　of　the　United　States　Marine　Corps。　My　name　is　Lieutenant　Shane　Schofield；　and　this　is　Sergeant　Scott　Kaplan。　We　are　here　in　response　to　your　distress　signal。　We　have　instructions　to　secure　this　station　and　ensure　that　each　of　you　is　unharmed。〃　
　One　of　the　men　at　the　table　let　out　a　sigh　of　relief。　
　Schofield　went　on。　〃So　that　you're　under　no　illusions；　I　will　tell　you　now　that　we　are　a　Reconnaissance　Unit。　We　will　not　be　extracting　you。　We　are　a　front…line　unit。　We　travel　fast；　and　we　travel　light。　Our　task　is　to　get　here　quickly　and　make　sure　that　you　are　all　OK。　If　there's　an　emergency　situation；　we　will　extract　you；　if　not；　our　orders　are　to　secure　this　station　and　wait　for　a　fully　equipped　extraction　team　to　arrive。〃　
　Schofield　turned　to　face　Luc　and　the　other　two　men　standing　behind　the　table。　〃Now；　I　presume　you　gentlemen　are　from　d'Urville。　Is　that　correct？〃　
　The　man　with　the　tray　in　his　hands　swallowed　loudly；　his　eyes　wide。　
　〃Yes；〃　Luc　said。　〃That　is　correct。　We　heard　the　message　on　the　radio；　and　we　came　as　soon　as　we　could。　To　help。〃　
　As　Luc　spoke；　a　woman's　voice　crackled　over　Schofield's　earpiece。　〃Unit　Two；　sweep　is　clear。〃　
　〃Unit　Three。　We　have　found　three…no；　actually；　make　that　four…contacts　in　the　drilling　room。　We're　on　our　way　up　now。〃　
　Schofield　nodded　at　Luc。　〃Your　names？〃　
　〃I　am　Professor　Luc　Champion；〃　Luc　said。　〃This　is　Professor　Jean…Pierre　Cuvier；　and　holding　the　tray　there　is　Dr。　Henri　Rae。〃　
　Schofield　nodded　slowly；　taking　the　names　in；　paring　them　to　a　list　he'd　seen　on　the　Shreveport　two　days　previo