tc.redstormrising-第143部分

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ency　ping　of　its　homing　sonar。　It　continued　to　circle　for　five　minutes；　then　switched　over　to　continuous　pinging…and　exploded。
〃Explosion　sounded　funny；　sir；〃　Willy　said。
〃Hammer；　Romeo…report。〃
〃Romeo；　Hammer；　I　think　we　just　killed　a　rock。〃　O'Malley　paused。
〃Romeo；　there's　a　sub　here；　but　I　can't　prove　it　just　yet。〃
〃What　makes　you　think　that；　Hammer？〃
〃Because　it's　one　damned　fine　place　to　hide；　Romeo。〃
〃Concur。〃　Morris　had　learned　to　trust　O'Malley's　hunches。　He　called　up　the　amphibious　mander　on　Nassau。　〃November；　this　is　Romeo；　we　have　a　possible　contact。　Remend　you　maneuver　north　while　we　prosecute。〃
〃Negative；　Romeo；〃　the　modore　replied　at　once。　〃India　is　working　a　probable；　repeat　probable　contact　that's　acting　like　a　missile　boat。
We're　heading　for　our　objective　at　max　speed。　Get　him　for　us；　Romeo。〃
〃Roger。　Out。〃　Morris　set　the　phone　back　in　place。　He　looked　at　his　tactical　action　officer。　〃Continue　to　close　the　datum　point。〃
〃Isn't　this　dangerous；　rushing　after　a　submarine　contact？〃　Calloway　asked。　〃Don't　you　have　your　helicopter　to　keep　them　at　arm's　length？〃
〃You're　learning；　Mr。　Calloway。　It's　dangerous；　all　right。　I　think　they　mentioned　that　the　job　could　get　that　way　when　I　was　at　Annapolis　。　。　。　〃
Both　her　jet　turbines　were　running　flat…out；　and　the　frigate's　knife…edge　bow　sliced　through　the　water　at　over　thirty　knots。　The　torque　from　her　single　screw　gave　the　ship　a　four…degree　list　to　port　as　she　raced　to　close　the　submarine。
〃This　is　getting　nasty。〃　O'Malley　could　see　the　frigate's　mast　clearly　now；　the　distinctive　crosstrees　well　above　the　horizon　as　he　covered　fifty　feet　over　the　water。　〃Talk　to　me；　Willy！〃
〃Lots　of　bottom　echoes；　sir。　The　bottom　must　look　like　a　city；　all　these　damned　things　sticking　up。　We　got　eddies…we　got　too　many　things　here；　sir。　Sonar　conditions　suck！〃
〃Go　passive。〃　The　pilot　reached　up　and　flipped　the　switch　to　listen　in。
Willy　was　right。　Too　much　flow　noise。　Think！　he　told　himself　The　pilot　looked　at　his　tactical　display。　The　amphibs　were　a　scant　ten　miles　away。　He　couldn't　hear　them　on　his　sonar；　but　there　was　about　a　30…percent　chance　that　a　submarine　could。　If　we　had　him　at　antenna　depth　before；　he　probably　has　a　fair　idea　where　they　are　。　。　。　but　not　good　enough　to　shoot。
〃Romeo；　Hammer；　can　you　warn　the　'phibs　off？　Over。〃
〃Negative；　Hammer。　They　are　running　away　from　a　probable　contact　to　seaward。〃
〃Great！〃　O'Malley　growled　over　the　inter。　〃Prepare　to　raise　dome；　Willy。〃　A　minute　later　they　were　heading　west。
〃This　sub…driver's　got　real　balls；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃He's　got　brains；　too　O'Malley　keyed　his　radio。
〃Romeo；　Hammer；　put　November's　course　track　on　your　tactical　display　and　transmit　to　my　gadget。〃
It　took　a　minute。　O'Malley　blessed　the　unknown　engineer　who'd　built　this　feature　into　the　Seahawk's　tactical　puter。　The　pilot　drew　an　imaginary　line　from　their　only　contact　on　the　sub　and　Nassau's　projected　course。　Figure　the　sub　is　going　at　twenty…　to　twenty…five　knots　。　。　。　The　pilot　reached　down　and　stabbed　his　finger　on　the　glass　tube。
〃That's　where　the　bastard　is！〃
〃How　do　you　know？〃　Ralston　asked。　O'Malley　already　had　the　Seahawk　heading　that　way。
〃'Cause　if　I　was　him；　that's　where　I'd　be！　Willy；　next　time　we　dip；　keep　the　dome　at　exactly　one　hundred　feet。　Tell　you　one　other　thing；　Mr。　Ralston…this　guy　thinks　he's　beat　us。〃　Nobody　beats　the　Hammer！　O'Malley　circled　over　the　spot　he'd　selected　and　brought　the　Seahawk　into　hover。
〃Down　dome；　Willy。　Passive　search　only。〃
〃One　hundred　feet；　listening；　skipper。〃　Seconds　stretched　out　into　minutes　while　the　pilot　worked　his　controls　to　keep　the　helicopter　stationary。　〃Possible　contact　bearing　one…six…two。〃
〃Go　active？〃　Ralston　asked。
〃Not　yet。〃
〃Bearing　is　changing　slowly；　now　one…five…nine。〃
〃Romeo；　Hammer；　we　have　a　possible　submarine　contact。〃　The　helicopter's　onboard　puter　transmitted　the　data　to　Reuben　James。　Morris　altered　course　to　bear　down　on　the　contact。　O'Malley　raised　his　sonar　dome　and　deployed　a　sonobuoy　to　mark　the　position　and　hold　the　contact　while　he　moved　to　another　position。　The　frigate　was　now　four　miles　from　the　helicopter。
〃Down　dome！〃　Another　minute's　wait。
〃Contact；　bearing　one…nine…seven。　Buoy　six　shows　contact　bearing　one…four…two。〃
〃Gotcha；　sucker！　Up　dome；　let's　go　get　him！〃
Ralston　worked　the　attack　system　as　O'Malley　moved　south　to　get　right　behind　the　target。　He　set　their　last　torpedo　for　a　search　depth　of　two　hundred　feet；　and　a　snake　course。
〃Down　dome！〃
〃Contact；　bearing　two…nine…eight。〃
〃Hammer！〃
Willy　punched　the　active　sonar　button。　〃Positive　contact；　bearing　two…nine…eight；　range　six　hundred。〃
〃Set！〃　Ralston　said　immediately；　and　the　pilot　jammed　his　thumb　on　the　red　release　button。　The　burnished　green　torpedo　dropped　into　the　water。
And　nothing　happened。
〃Skipper；　the　torp　didn't　activate…dead　torp；　sir。〃
There　wasn't　time　to　curse。　〃Romeo；　Hammer；　we　just　dropped　on　a　positive　contact…bad　torpedo；　negative　function　on　the　torp。〃
Morris　clenched　his　fist　on　the　radiotelephone　receiver。　He　gave　course　and　rudder　orders。　〃Hammer；　Romeo；　can　you　continue　to　track　the　target？〃
〃Affirmative；　he's　running　hard　on　course　two…two…zero…wait；　turning　north　。　。　。　seems　to　be　slowing　down　now。〃
Reuben　James　was　now　six　thousand　yards　from　the　submarine。　The　ships　were　on　converging　courses；　with　each　in　firing　range　of　the　other。
〃Crash　stop！〃　Morris　ordered。　In　seconds　the　entire　ship　was　vibrating　from　the　reverse　power。　The　frigate　slowed　to　five　knots　inside　a　minute；　and　Morris　ordered　a　speed　of　three　knots；　bare　steerageway。　〃Prairie/　Masker？〃
〃Operating；　sir；〃　the　ship　control　officer　confirmed。
Calloway　had　kept　out　of　the　way　with　his　mouth　shut…but　this　was　too　much。　〃Captain　Morris；　aren't　we　a　sitting　duck？〃
〃Yep。〃　Morris　nodded。　〃But　we　can　stop　faster　than　he　can。　His　sonar　should　just　be　ing　back　on　line…and　we're　not　making　enough　noise　to　hear。　Sonar　conditions　are　bad　for　everybody。　It's　a　gamble；〃　the　captain　admitted。　He　radioed　for　another　helicopter。　Illustrious　would　have　one　to　him　in　fifteen　minutes。
Morris　watched　O'Malley's　helicopter　on　radar。　The　Russian　sub　had　slowed　and　gone　deep　again。
〃Vampire；　vampire！〃　the　radar　technician　called。　〃Two　missiles　in　the　air…〃
〃Bravo　reports　her　helo　just　dropped　on　an　SSGN；　sir！〃　the　ASW　officer　sang　out。
〃This　is　getting　plicated；〃　Morris　observed　coolly。　〃Weapons　free。〃
〃Bravo　has　splashed　one　missile；　sir！　The　other　one's　heading　for　the　India！〃
Morris's　eyes　focused　on　the　main　display。　A　^　symbol　was　marching　toward　HMS　Illustrious…moving　very　fast。
〃Evaluate　vampire　as　SS…N…19…Bravo　evaluates　her　contact　as　Oscar…class。　She　reports　a　hit；　sir。〃　Four　helicopters　were　swarming　around　the　submarine　contact　symbol　now。
〃Romeo；　Hammer；　the　bastard's　right　underneath　us…bearing　just　reversed　on　us。〃
〃Sonar；　Yankee…search　on　bearing　one…one…three！〃　Morris　lifted　the　radiotelephone。　〃November；　turn　north　now！〃　he　ordered　the　Nassau。
〃India　is　hit；　sir。　The　vampire　scored　on　India　。　。　。　wait；　India　helo　reports　he　dropped　another　torp　on　the　contact！〃
Illustrious　would　have　to　look　out　after　herself；　Morris　thought。
〃Sonar　contact；　sir；　bearing　one…one…eight；　range　fifteen　hundred。〃　The　data　went　into　the　fire…control　director。　The　solution　light　blinked　on。
〃Set！〃
〃Shoot！〃　Morris　paused　for　a　moment。　〃Bridge；　bat：　all　ahead　flank！　e　right　to　zero…one…zero。〃
〃Bloody　hell；〃　observed　Mr。　Calloway。
On　the　frigate's　starboard　side；　the　triple　torpedo　tube　mount　swung　out　and　loosed　a　single　fish。　Below；　the　engineers　listened　to　their　engines　go　from　idle　to　maximum　power。　The　frigate　settled　at　the　stem　as　the　propeller　churned　the　water　to　foam。　The　powerful　jet　turbines　accelerated　the　ship　almost　like　an　automobile。
〃Romeo；　Hammer：　warning；　warning；　the　target　just　fired　a　fish　at　you！〃
〃Nixie？〃　Morris　asked。　The　ship　was　moving　too　fast　for　her　own　sonar　to　work。
〃One　in　the　water　and　another　ready　to　stream；　sir；〃　a　petty　officer　responded。
〃That's　it；　then；〃　Morris　said。　He　reached　into　his　pocket　for　a　cigarette；　looked　at　it；　then　tossed　the　whole　pack　into　a　waste　can。
〃Romeo；　Hammer；　this　contact　is　a　Type…Two　engine　plant。　I　evaluate　this　contact　as　a　Victor…class。　Now　at　full　speed；　turning　north。　Your　torp　is　pinging　the　target。　We've　lost　the　fish　he　sent　your　way。〃
〃Roger；　stick　with　the　sub；　Hammer。〃
〃Aren't　you　one　cool　bastard！〃　O'Malley　said　into　the　inter。　He　could　see　smoke　rising　from　HMS　Illustrious。　Idiot；　the　pilot　said　to　himself。　You　shouldn't　have　dropped　the　first　torp！　All　he　could　do　now　was　ping。
〃Skipper；　the　torp　just　went　to　continuous　ping。　It　seems　to　be　closing　the　target；　ping　interval　is　shortening。　Hull…popping　noise；　the　sub　is　changing　depth　again；　ing　up；　I　think。〃
O'Malley　saw　a　disturbance　in　the　water。　Suddenly　the　spherical　bow　of　the　Victor　came　through　the　surface…the　submarine　had　lost　depth　control　trying　to　evade　the　fish。　What　followed　a　moment　later　was　the　first　warhead　explosion　O'Malley　had　ever　really　seen。　The　submarine　was　sliding　back　down　when　a　plume　of　water　appeared　a　hundred　feet　from　where　the　bow　had　poked　up。
〃Romeo；　Hammer；　that　was　a　hit…I　saw　the　sunuvabitch！　Say　again；　that's　a　hit！〃
Morris　checked　with　his　sonar　officer。　They　hadn't　picked　up　the　Russian　torpedo's　homing　sonar。　It　had　missed。
Captain　Perrin　scarcely　believed　it。　The　Oscar　had　taken　three　torpedo　hits　so　far　and　still　there　were　no　breaking…up　noises。　But　the　machinery　noise　had　stopped；　and　he　had　the　submarine　on　his　active　sonar。　Battleaxe　closed　at　fifteen　knots　when　the　black　shape　appeared　amid　a　mass　of　bubbles　on　the　surface。　The　captain　ran　to　the　bridge　and　put　his　binoculars　on　the　Russian　ship。　The　sub　was　a　bare　mile　away。　A　man　appeared　atop　the　submarine's　sail；　waving　wildly。
〃Check　fire！　Check　fire！〃　he　screamed。　〃Ship　Control；　bring　us　alongside　quick　as　you　can！〃
He　didn't　believe　it。　The　Oscar　showed　a　pair　of　jagged　rents　on　her　upper　hull　and　floated　with　a　30…degree　list　from　the　ruptured　ballast　tanks。　Men　were　scrambling　out　of　the　sail　and　the　forward　deck　hatch。
〃Bravo；　Romeo。　We　just　killed　a　Victor…class　inshore。　Please　advise　your　situation；　over。〃
Perrin　lifted　the　phone。　〃Romeo；　we　have　a　wounded　Osc