mreilly.icestation-第70部分

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　The　British　pilot　gave　himself　one　minute　at　the　most。　
　〃General　Barnaby！　General　Barnaby！　Report！〃　
　There　was　no　reply。　
　Which　was　strange；　because　Brigadier　General　Barnaby　knew　that　this　time…2200　hours　to　2225　hours…was　a　designated　contact　time；　one　of　only　two　times　a　break　in　the　solar　flare　would　permit　radio　contact。　Barnaby　had　reported　in　at　1930；　another　designated　contact　time；　right　on　schedule。　
　The　British　pilot　tried　the　secondary　frequency。　Still　no　luck。　He　tried　to　hail　Nero；　Barnaby's　second　in　mand。　
　Still　no　luck。　
　〃General　Barnaby！　This　is　Backstop。　I　am　under　attack！　I　repeat；　I　am　under　attack！　If　you　do　not　answer　me　in　the　next　thirty　seconds；　I　will　have　to　assume　that　you　are　dead　and　pursuant　to　your　orders　I　will　have　no　choice　but　to　fire　upon　the　station。〃　
　The　British　pilot　looked　at　his　missile　light…it　was　blinking。　He　had　already　preset　the　coordinates　of　Wilkes　Ice　Station　into　the　guidance　puter　of　his　AGM…88/HLN　cruise　missile。　
　The　designator　letters　on　the　missile　said　it　all。　
　AGM　stood　for　air…to…ground　missile；　H　for　high…speed；　and　L　for　long…range。　N　however；　had　a　special　meaning。　
　It　stood　for　nuclear。　
　Thirty　seconds　expired。　Still　no　word　from　Barnaby。　
　〃General　Barnaby！　This　is　Backstop！　I　am　launching　the　eraser。。。　now/〃　The　British　pilot　hit　his　trigger；　and　a　split　second　later　the　nuclear…tipped　cruise　missile　attached　to　the　end　of　his　wing　streaked　away　from　his　plane。　
　The　missile　only　just　got　away；　for　a　bare　two　seconds　later…just　as　the　British　pilot　was　reaching　for　his　ejection　lever…the　American　AMRAAM　missile　slammed　into　the　back　of　the　E…2000　and　blew　it　and　its　pilot　out　of　the　sky。　
　
　The　American　pilots　saw　the　bright　orange　explosion　on　the　night　horizon；　saw　the　blip　on　their　scopes　disappear。　
　A　couple　of　them　cheered。　
　The　squadron　leader　smiled　as　he　looked　at　the　orange　fireball　on　the　horizon。　〃SEAL　team；　this　is　Blue　Leader。　The　bogey　has　been　eliminated。　I　repeat；　the　bogey　has　been　eliminated。　You　are　free　to　enter　the　station。　You　are　free　to　enter　the　station。〃　
　
　Inside　the　SEAL　hovercraft；　the　squadron　leader's　voice　echoed　through　the　speaker：　〃You　are　free　to　enter　the　station。　You　are　free　to　enter　the　station。〃　
　The　SEAL　mander　said；　〃Thank　you；　Blue　Leader。　All　units；　be　aware。　SEAL　team　is　switching　over　to　closed…circuit　channels　for　the　assault　on　the　station。〃　
　He　clicked　off　his　radio；　turned　to　his　men。　
　〃All　right；　people。　Let's　go　fuck　somebody　up。〃　
　
　Out　over　the　Southern　Ocean；　the　F…22　squadron　leader　continued　to　look　out　through　his　canopy　at　the　remains　of　the　British　E…2000。　Thin　orange　firetrails　descended　slowly　down　to　earth　like　cheap　fireworks。　
　Consumed　as　he　was　with　this　sight；　the　squadron　leader　didn't　notice　a　new；　smaller　blip　appear　on　his　radar　screen…　a　blip　heading　south；　toward　Antarctica…until　almost　thirty　seconds　later。　
　〃What　the　hell　is　that？〃　he　said。　
　〃Oh；　Jesus；〃　someone　else　said。　〃It　must　have　got　a　missile　off　before　it　was　hit！〃　
　The　squadron　leader　tried　to　raise　the　SEAL　team　again；　but　this　time　he　couldn't　get　through。　They'd　already　switched　over　to　closed…circuit　channels　for　their　assault　on　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　
　
　The　main　doors　to　the　station　exploded　inward　and　the　SEAL　team　stormed　inside　with　their　guns　blazing。　
　It　was　a　textbook…perfect　entrance。　The　only　problem　was；　the　station　was　empty。　
　
　Schofield　looked　at　his　depth　gauge：　1470　feet。　
　He　pushed　on　and　a　few　minutes　later；　he　emerged　from　the　narrow　shortcut　tunnel　and　found　himself　inside　a　wider；　ice…wafted　tunnel。　
　He　knew　where　he　was　instantly；　even　though　he　had　never　been　here　before。　
　On　the　far　side　of　the　underwater　ice　tunnel　he　saw　a　series　of　round　ten…foot　holes　carved　into　the　tunnel　walls。　Sarah　Hensleigh　had　told　him　about　them　before。　And　Gant　had　mentioned　them　as　well；　when　she　had　approached　the　cave。　The　elephant　seals'　caves。　He　was　inside　the　underwater　ice　tunnel　that　led　up　to　the　spacecraft's　cavern。　
　Schofield　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief。　Yes！　
　They　swam　out　into　the　underwater　ice　tunnel。　Beside　him；　Schofield　saw　Kirsty　let　go　of　Wendy's　harness；　saw　the　little　seal　dart　off　toward　the　surface。　Schofield；　Kirsty；　and　Renshaw　followed；　swimming　quickly　upward；　eying　the　holes　in　the　ice　walls　around　them　nervously。　
　Although　the　sight　of　the　holes　in　the　walls　made　him　uneasy；　Schofield　felt　fairly　certain　that　the　elephant　seals　would　not　attack　them。　He　had　a　theory　about　that。　So　far；　the　only　group　of　divers　to　have　approached　the　underwater　ice　cave　unharmed　had　been　Gant's　group…and　they　had　all　been　wearing　LABA　tanks；　low…audibility　breathing　gear。　The　other　groups　to　have　gone　down…the　scientists　from　Wilkes　and　the　British…hadn't。　And　they　had　been　attacked。　The　way　Schofield　figured　it；　the　elephant　seals　hadn't　been　able　to　hear　Gant　and　her　team　when　they　had　approached　the　cavern。　And　so　they　hadn't　been　attacked。　
　At　that　moment；　Schofield　caught　sight　of　the　surface　and　his　thoughts　about　the　elephant　seals　were　forgotten。　
　He　looked　at　his　depth　gauge：　1490　feet。　
　Then　he　looked　at　his　watch。　It　had　taken　them　all　of　eighteen　minutes　to　get　here。　Very　quick　time。　
　And　then　suddenly　a　low　whistle　cut　through　the　water。　
　Schofield　heard　it；　tensed。　
　He　saw　Wendy　hovering　in　the　water　above　him；　saw　her　body　whip　around　suddenly。　She　had　sensed　it；　too。　
　Suddenly　a　second　whistle　answered　the　first　and　Schofield　felt　his　heart　sink。　
　The　seals　knew　they　were　there。。。。　
　〃Go！〃　Schofield　said　to　Renshaw　and　Kirsty。　〃Go！〃　
　Schofield　and　Renshaw　broke　out　into　swift　strokes；　heading　for　the　surface。　Renshaw　was　closest　to　Kirsty；　so　he　just　pushed　up　against　her　LABA　tanks；　pushing　her　up　through　the　water；　forcing　her　to　swim　faster。　
　Schofield　looked　at　the　surface　above　him。　It　looked　beautiful；　glassy；　calm。　Like　a　smooth　glass　lens。　
　The　whistles　around　them　became　more　intense；　and　then　suddenly　he　heard　a　hoarse　bark　cut　across　the　underwater　spectrum。　
　Schofield　spun　in　the　water；　looked　about　himself；　then　snapped　up　to　look　at　the　lens…like　surface　again。　
　And　at　that　moment；　the　lens　shattered。　
　
　Elephant　seals　plunged　into　the　water　from　every　side。　Others　roared　out　of　the　submerged　holes　in　the　walls　and　charged　at　Schofield　and　the　others。　Their　shrieks　and　barks　and　whistles　filled　the　water。　
　Kirsty　and　Renshaw　broke　the　surface　first；　right　near　the　edge　of　the　pool。　Renshaw…still　in　the　water…pushed　hard　against　the　underside　of　Kirsty's　tanks；　forcing　her　out　of　the　water。　
　Kirsty　stumbled　frantically　up　onto　dry　land；　slipped　and　fell；　flat　onto　her　face；　and　turned　just　in　time　to　see　Renshaw　get　one　arm　out　of　the　water　and　begin　to　haul　himself　out　when…yank…Renshaw　was　suddenly　wrenched　violently　under　the　churning　surface。　
　Kirsty　screamed　but　cut　herself　off　when　she　saw　an　enormous　shape　rise　up　out　of　the　water　in　front　of　her。　
　She　dived　away　from　the　water's　edge　just　as　one　of　the　elephant　seals　launched　itself　out　of　the　water　and　crashed　down　onto　the　ice　in　front　of　her。　Kirsty　staggered　and　stumbled　away　from　the　edge；　turned；　and　saw　that　the　giant　seal　was　loping　across　the　flat　floor　of　the　cavern；　chasing　her！　
　Kirsty　clawed　at　the　icy　ground；　lost　her　footing；　slipped；　and　fell。　
　The　elephant　seal　charged。　Kirsty　lay　sprawled　on　the　floor　of　the　cavern；　totally　exposed；　staring　up　at　the　gigantic　demon　bearing　on　her　and…　
　And　then　suddenly　boom！　the　elephant　seal's　face　exploded　in　a　fountain　of　blood　and　the　big　seal　went　crashing　headfirst　to　the　ground。　
　Kirsty　stared　in　awe　as　the　elephant　seal　dropped　to　the　floor；　revealing　behind　it：　Schofield；　hovering　in　the　pool　thirty　feet　away；　with　his　pistol　extended。　
　He　had　just　shot　the　seal　through　the　back　of　the　head！　
　Kirsty　almost　fainted。　
　
　Under　the　surface；　James　Renshaw　was　absolutely　panic…stricken。　
　One　of　the　seals　had　pulled　him　under　and　now　it　had　him；　had　his　foot　in　its　mouth！　
　Renshaw　looked　down　in　desperation；　and　then　suddenly　he　frowned。　The　seal　that　had　him　looked　smaller　than　the　others；　and　it　had　those　distinctive　lower　fangs　that　he　had　seen　on　the　larger　male　before。　
　A　juvenile　male？　Renshaw　thought。　
　And　then　another　thought　hit　him。　
　If　it's　young；　you　might　have　a　chance　to　get　out　of　this。　
　So；　with　his　spare　foot；　Renshaw　kicked　the　small　seal　hard　in　the　snout。　
　The　seal　instantly　squealed　with　pain　and　released　his　foot；　and　Renshaw　bolted　for　the　surface。　
　He　burst　up　out　of　the　water　a　second　later　and　saw　the　edge　of　the　pool　right　in　front　of　him。　Then　he　grabbed　the　nearest　rock　and　hauled　himself　out　of　the　water　just　as　another；　much　larger　seal；　probably　the　juvenile's　mother；　swept　through　the　water　behind　him　and　narrowly　missed　biting　his　feet　clean　off。　
　
　Schofield　was　swimming　madly　for　the　edge　of　the　pool。　
　As　he　swam；　he　caught　fleeting　glimpses　of　the　cave　around　him…he　saw　Kirsty　over　on　one　side　of　the　pool；　saw　Renshaw　over　on　the　other。　And　then　he　saw　the　the　ship；　the　big　black　ship；　standing　like　an　enormous；　silent　bird　of　prey　in　the　middle　of　the　massive　subterranean　cavern。　
　And　then　suddenly　his　view　of　the　big　black　ship　was　obliterated　by　the　sight　of　the　big　bull　seal　rising　up　out　of　the　water　right　in　front　of　him！　
　The　big　seal　was　already　moving　fast　and　it　plowed　into　Schofield　at　phenomenal　speed　and　Schofield　gasped　as　he　felt　the　wind　get　knocked　out　of　him　and　he　went　under。　
　The　bull　seal　had　rammed　into　his　chest　with　its　long　lower　fangs。　Ordinarily；　Schofield　guessed；　this　would　have　been　enough　to　kill　any　would…be　victim；　since　the　big　seal's　fangs　would　pierce　the　victim's　chest　
　But　not　with　Schofield。　
　He　was　still　wearing　his　body　armor；　and　the　bull　seal's　fangs　had　lodged　in　his　Kevlar　breastplate。　
　The　elephant　seal　drove　him　downward；　pushing　against　his　chest。　Schofield　struggled；　but　it　was　no　use。　By　virtue　of　his　breastplate　he　was　practically　impaled　on　the　big　animal's　fangs。　
　The　seal　took　Schofield　down。　Down　and　down；　on　the　end　of　its　nose。　Bubbles　shot　out　from　its