alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第42部分
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past the navigator's chart desk and ice machine to the heavy door opening on the passage that led to the engine room over the top of the reactor partment。 They unlatched the door； pushed it open。 A dense； blinding cloud of dark smoke rolled into the room as the masked man stepped quickly into the passageway and swung the door to behind him。 Swanson clamped the door shut； walked； temporarily blinded； back to the control position； and fumbled down a roof microphone。
〃Captain speaking。〃 His voice echoed emptily through the control center。 〃The fire is located in the engine room。 We do not know yet whether it is electrical； chemical； or fuel oil： the source of the fire has not been pinpointed。' Acting on the principle of being prepared for the worst； we are now testing for a radiation leak。〃 So that was what the masked man had been carrying； a Geiger counter。 〃If that proves negative； we shall try for a steam leak； and if' that is negative； we shall carry out an intensive search to locate the fire。 It will not be easy； as I'm told visibility is almost zero。 We have already shut down all electrical circuits in the engine room； lighting included； to prevent an explosion in the event of atomized fuel being present in the atmosphere。 We have closed the oxygen…intake valves and isolated the engine room from the air…cleaning system in the hope that the fire will consume all available oxygen and burn itself out。
〃All smoking is prohibited until further notice。 Heaters； fans； and all electrical circuits other than munication lines to be switched offand that includes the juke box and the ice…cream machine。 All lights to be switched off except those absolutely essential。 All movement is to be restricted to a minimum。 I shall keep you informed of any progress we may make。〃
I became aware of someone standing by my side。 It was Dr。 Jolly； his normally jovial face puckered and woe…begone； the tears flowing down his face。 Plaintively he said to me； 〃This 〃is〃 a bit thick； old boy； what？ I'm not sure that I'm so happy now about being rescued。 And all those prohibitionsno smoking； no power to be used； no moving arounddo those mean what I take them to mean？〃
〃I'm afraid they do indeed。〃 It was Swanson who answered Jolly's question for him。 〃This； I'm afraid； is every nuclearsubmarine captain's nightmare e truefire under the ice。 At one blow we're not only reduced to the level of a conventional submarinewe're two stages worse。 In the first place； a conventional submarine wouldn't be under the ice anyway。 In the second place； it has huge banks of storage batteries； and even if it were beneath the ice； it would have sufficient reserve power to steam far enough south to get clear of the ice。 Our reserve storage battery is so small that it wouldn't take us a fraction of the way。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 Jolly nodded。 〃But this no smoking； no moving〃
〃That same very small battery； I'm afraid； is the only source left to us for power for the air…purifying machines； for lighting； ventilation； heatingI'm afraid the Dolphin is going to get very cold in a short time…so we have to curtail its expenditures of energy on those things。 So no smoking； minimum movementthe less carbon dioxide breathed into 'the atmosphere； the better。 But the real reason for conserving electric energy is that we need it to power the heaters； pumps and motors that have to be used to start up the reactor again。 If that battery exhausts itself before we get the reactor goingwell； I don't have to draw a diagram。〃
〃You're not very encouraging； are you； mander？〃 Jolly plained。
〃No； not very。 I don't see any reason to be；〃 Swanson said dryly。
〃I'll bet you'd trade in your pension for a nice open lead above us just now；〃 I said。
〃I'd trade in the pension of every flag officer in the U。 S。 Navy；〃 he said matter…of…factly。 〃If we could find a polynya I'd surface； open the engine…room hatch to let most of the contaminated air escape； start up our dieselit takes its air direct from the engine roomand have the rest of the smoke sucked out in nothing flat。 As it is； that diesel is about as much use to me as a grand piano。〃
〃And the passes？〃 I asked。
〃That's another interesting thought；〃 Swanson agreed。 〃If the power out…put from our reserve battery falls below a certain level； our three Sperry gyropass systems and the N6Athat's the inertial…guidance machinejust go out of business。 After that we're lost； pletely。 Our magnetic pass is quite useless in those latitudesit just walks in circles。〃
〃So we would go round and round in circles； too；〃 Jolly said thoughtfully。 〃Forever and ever under the jolly old ice cap； what？ By Jove； mander； I'm really beginning to wish we'd stayed up at Zebra。〃
〃We're not dead yet； Doctor。 。 。 。 Yes； John？〃 This to Hansen； who had just e up。
〃Sanders； sir。 On the ice machine。 Can he have a smoke mask？ His eyes are watering pretty badly。〃
〃Give him anything you like in the ship；〃 Swanson said； 〃just so long as he can keep his eyes clear to read that graph。 And double the watch on the ice machine。 If there's a lead up there only the size of a hair； I'm going for it。 Immediate report if the ice thickness fails below； say； eight or nine feet。〃
〃Torpedoes？〃 Hansen asked。 〃There hasn't been ice thin enough for that in three hours。 And at the speed we're drifting； there won't be for three months。 I'll go keep the watch myself。 I'm not much good for anything else； this hand of mine being the way it is。〃
〃Thank you。 First you might tell engineman Harrison to turn off the CO2 scrubber and monoxide burners。 Must save every amp of power we have。 Besides； it will do this pampered bunch of ours a world of good to sample a little of what the old…time submariners had to experience when they were forced to stay below maybe twenty hours at a time。〃
〃That's going to he pretty rough on our really sick men；〃 I said。 〃Benson and Folsom in the sick bay； the Harrington twins； Brownell and Bolton in the nucleonics lab right aft。 They've got enough to contend with without foul air as well。〃
〃I know；〃 Swanson admitted。 〃I'm damned sorry about it。 Later on； whenand ifthe air gets really bad； we'll start up the air…purifying systems again but blank off every place except the lab and the sick bay。〃 He broke off and turned around as a fresh wave of dark smoke rolled in from the suddenly opened after door。 The man with the smoke mask was back from the engine room； and even with my eyes streaming in that smoke…filled； acrid atmosphere； I could see he was in a pretty bad way。 Swanson and two others rushed to meet him； two of them catching him as he staggered into the control room； the third quickly swinging the heavy door shut against the darkly evil clouds of smoke。
Swanson pulled off the man's smoke mask。 It was Murphy； the man who had acpanied me when we'd closed the torpedo tube door。 People like Murphy and Rawlings； I thought； always got picked for jobs like this。
His face was white and he was gasping for air； his eyes upturned in his head。 He was hardly more than half conscious； but even that foul atmosphere in the control center must have seemed to him like the purest mountain air pared to what he' had just been breathing； for within thirty seconds his head had begun to clear and he was able to grin up painfully from where he'd been lowered into a chair。
〃Sorry； Captain；〃 he gasped。 〃This smoke mask was never meant to cope with the stuff that's in the engine room。 Pretty hellish in there； I tell you。〃 He grinned again。 〃Good news； Captain。 No radiation leak。〃
〃Where's the Geiger counter？〃 Swanson asked quietly。
〃It's had it； I'm afraid； sir。 I couldn't see what I was doing in there。 Honest； sir； you can't see three inches in front of your face。 I tripped and damn near fell down into the machinery space。 The counter did fall down。 But I'd a clear check before then。 Nothing at all。〃 He reached up to his shoulder and unclipped his ifim badge。 〃This'll show； sir。〃
〃Have that developed immediately。 That was very well done； Murphy；〃 he said warmly。 〃Now get for'ard to the mess room。 You'll find some really clear air there。〃
The film badge was developed and brought back in minutes。 Swanson took it； glanced at it briefly； smiled； and let out his breath in a long； slow whistle of relief。 〃Murphy was right。 No radiation leak。 Thank God for that； anyway。 If there had beenwell； that was that； I'm afraid。〃
The for'ard door of the control room opened； a man came in； and the door was as quickly closed。 I guessed who it was before I could see him properly。
〃Permission from chief torpedoman Patterson to approach you； sir；〃 Rawlings said with brisk formality。 〃We've just seen Murphy。 He's pretty groggy； and both the chief and I think that youngsters like that shouldn't be〃
〃Am I to understand that you are volunteering to go next； Rawlings？〃 Swanson asked。 The screws of responsibility and tension were turned down hard on him； but I could see that it cost him some effort to keep his face straight。
〃Well； not exactly volunteering； sir。 But； wellwho else is there？〃
〃The torpedo department aboard this ship；〃 Swanson observed acidly； 〃always did have a phenomenally high opinion of itself。〃
〃Let him try an underwater oxygen set；〃 I said。 〃Those smoke masks seem to have their limitations。〃
〃A steam leak； Captain？〃 Rawlings asked。 〃That what you want me to check on？〃
〃Well； you seem to have been nominated； voted for； and elected by yourself；〃 Swanson said。 〃Yes； a steam leak。〃
〃That the suit Murphy was wearing？〃 Rawlings pointed to the clothes on the deck。
〃Yes。 Why？〃
〃You'd have thought there would be some signs of moisture or condensation if there had been a steam leak； sir。〃
〃Maybe。 Maybe soot and smoke particles are holding the condensing steam in suspension。 Maybe… it was hot enough in there to dry off any moisture that did reach his suit。 Maybe a lot of things。 Don't stay too long in there。〃
〃Just as long as it takes me to get things fixed up；〃 Rawlings said confidently。 He turned to Hansen and grinned。 〃You stopped me once back out there on the ice cap； Lieutenant； but sure as little apples I'm going to get that little old medal this time。 Bring undying credit to the whole ship； I will。〃
