mreilly.icestation-第73部分

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ike　an　amazing　high…tech　jigsaw　puzzle。　Schofield　felt　a　sudden　panic　sweep　over　him。　
　He　would　never　be　able　to　figure　out　how　to　fly　this　plane。　Not　in　eighteen　minutes。　
　But　then；　as　he　looked　at　the　console　more　closely；　he　began　to　see　that　it　wasn't　actually　that　much　different　from　the　consoles　on　the　Harriers　he　had　flown　in　Bosnia。　This　was　a　man…made　aircraft；　after　all…why　should　it　be　different？　
　He　found　the　ignition　switch；　keyed　it。　
　Nothing　happened。　Fuel　feed；　he　thought。　Got　to　pump　the　fuel　feed。　
　He　searched　for　the　fuel　feed　button。　Found　it；　pumped　it。　Then　he　hit　the　ignition　switch　again。　
　Nothing　hap…　
　VRRRROOOOM！　
　The　twin　turbines　of　the　Silhouette's　jet　engines　roared　to　life　and　Schofield　felt　his　blood　rush。　The　sound　of　the　engines　blasting　to　life　was　like　nothing　he　had　ever　heard。　
　He　revved　the　engines。　He　had　to　warm　her　up　fast。　
　Time；　he　thought。　
　10：45　p。m。　
　Fifteen　minutes　to　go。　
　He　kept　revving　the　engines。　Usually　such　a　warm…up　routine　would　take　upward　of　twenty　minutes。　Schofield　gave　himself　ten。　
　God；　this　was　going　to　be　close。　
　As　he　revved　the　engines　whole　sections　of　the　cavern's　ice　walls　began　to　collapse　around　the　big　black　plane。　After　five　minutes　of　revving；　he　looked　for　the　vertical　takeoff　switch。　
　〃Gant！　Where's　the　vectored　thrust？〃　On　modern　vertical…takeoff…and…landing…capable　fighters　like　the　Harrier；　vertical　lift…off　is　achieved　through　directable；　or　〃vectored；〃　thrusters。　
　〃There　aren't　any；〃　Gant　called　from　the　missile　bay。　〃It　has　retrofiring　jets　instead！　Look　for　the　button　that　starts　the　retros！〃　
　Schofield　searched　for　it。　As　he　did　so；　however；　he　came　across　another　button。　It　was　marked：　cloak　mode。　Schofield　frowned。　
　What　the　hell…　
　And　then　suddenly　he　saw　the　button　he　was　looking　for：　
　RETROS。　
　He　hit　it。　
　The　Silhouette　responded　immediately　and　began　to　rise　into　the　air。　But　then　abruptly　it　jolted　to　a　sudden　halt。　There　came　a　loud　grinding　noise　from　behind　it。　
　〃Huh？〃　Schofield　said。　
　He　looked　out　through　the　back　of　the　cockpit　canopy；　and　he　saw　that　the　two　tail　fins　of　the　Silhouette　were　still　firmly　embedded　within　the　ice　wall　behind　it。　
　Schofield　found　the　button　marked　afterburner。　Punched　it。　
　Immediately　a　white…hot　spray　of　pure　heat　burst　out　from　the　twin　thrusters　at　the　back　of　the　Silhouette　and　began　to　melt　the　ice　holding　the　rear　of　the　plane　captive。　
　The　ice　melted　quickly；　the　tail　fins　soon　came　free。　
　Schofield　checked　his　watch。　
　10：53　p。m。　
　The　entire　cavern　lurched　downward　again。　
　e　on；　now；　don't　go　yet。　1　just　need　a　couple　more　minutes。　Just　a　couple　more　minutes。。。。　
　Schofield　kept　warming　the　engine。　He　looked　down　at　his　watch　as　it　ticked　over　to　10：54。　Then　10：55。　
　All　right；　time's　up。　Time　to　go。　
　He　hit　the　button　marked　retros　again　and　the　eight　retro　jets　on　the　underside　of　the　big　black　ship　fired　as　one；　shot　out　long　white　puffs　of　gas。　
　This　time；　the　Silhouette　rose　off　the　icy　ground；　and　began　to　hover　inside　the　enormous　underground　cavern。　The　cavern　around　it　rumbled　and　shuddered。　Chunks　of　ice　rained　down　from　the　ceiling；　banged　down　on　the　back　of　the　big　black　plane。　
　Chaos。　Absolute　chaos。　
　10：56　P。M。　
　Schofield　looked　out　through　the　tinted…glass　canopy　of　the　Silhouette。　The　whole　cavern　was　tilting　crazily。　It　was　almost　as　if　the　whole　ice　shelf　was　lurching　forward；　moving　into　the　ocean。。。。　
　It's　falling　off　the　mainland；　he　thought。　
　〃What　are　you　doing！〃　Renshaw　called　from　the　missile　bay。　
　〃I'm　waiting　for　it　to　flip　over！〃　Schofield　called　back。　
　Suddenly　Schofield　heard　Gant　groan　with　pain。　〃Renshaw！　Help　her！　Fix　that　wound！　Kirsty！　Get　up　here！　I　need　you！〃　
　Kirsty　came　forward　into　the　cockpit　and　climbed　up　into　the　high　rear　chair。　〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃　
　〃See　that　stick　there？〃　Schofield　said。　'The　one　with　the　trigger　on　it？〃　
　Kirsty　saw　a　control　stick　in　front　of　her。　〃Yeah。〃　
　〃Pull　that　trigger　for　me；　will　you？〃　
　Kirsty　pulled　the　trigger。　
　As　soon　as　she　did　so；　two　dazzling…white　pulses　of　light　shot　out　from　both　wings　of　the　big　black　fighter　plane。　
　The　two　tracer　bullets　slammed　into　the　ice　wall　in　front　of　the　Silhouette　and　exploded　in　twin　clouds　of　white。　When　the　two　clouds　dissipated；　Schofield　saw　a　large　hole　in　the　ice　wall。　
　〃Nice　shootin；〃　Tex；〃　he　said。　
　He　pulled　back　on　his　stick；　and　the　Silhouette　rose　higher　in　the　middle　of　the　collapsing　ice　cavern。　
　〃All　right；　everybody；　hold　on；　this　thing　is　gonna　go　any　second　now；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Kirsty；　when　I　say　so；　I　want　you　to　press　down　on　that　trigger　and　hold　it　down；　OK？〃　
　〃OK。〃　
　Schofield　peered　out　through　the　canopy；　looked　out　at　the　crumbling　ceiling　of　the　ice　cavern；　looked　out　at　the　pool　of　water　through　which　they　had　all　entered　the　cavern…the　water　in　the　pool　was　sloshing　madly　against　the　ice　walls。　
　And　then　at　that　moment；　it　happened。　The　whole　cavern　just　dropped…straight　down…and　then　tilted　dramatically。　In　that　instant；　Schofield　knew　that　the　whole　of　the　ice　shelf　containing　Wilkes　Ice　Station　had　e　pletely　free　of　the　mainland。　
　It　had　bee　an　iceberg。　
　Wait　for　it；　Schofield　told　himself。　Wait　for　it。。。。　
　And　then；　abruptly；　the　whole　cavern　tilted　again。　
　Only　this　time；　the　tilting　was　much　more　dramatic。　This　time　the　whole　cavern　rotated　a　full　180　degrees；　right　around　the　hovering　Silhouette！　
　The　iceberg　had　flipped　over！　
　The　whole　cavern　was　now　upside…down。〃　
　Suddenly　a　torrent　of　water　came　rushing　out　of　a　wide　hole　in　the　〃ceiling〃　of　the　cavern…the　hole　that　only　moments　before　had　been　the　mouth　of　the　underwater　ice　tunnel　that　had　led　up　into　the　cavern。　
　The　underwater　ice　tunnel　no　longer　led　to　the　depths　of　the　ocean。　Now　it　led　upward。　Now　it　led　to　the　surface。　
　Schofield　maneuvered　the　Silhouette　so　as　to　avoid　the　cascade　of　water　pouring　out　of　the　ice　tunnel。　After　a　good　twenty　seconds；　the　rush　of　water　abated　and　he　pulled　back　on　his　stick。　The　Silhouette　responded　by　rocking　backwards　in　the　air　and　pointing　itself　up　at　the　wide　hole　in　the　ceiling。　
　〃All　right；　Kirsty；　now！〃　
　Kirsty　jammed　down　on　her　trigger。　
　Immediately　the　Silhouette's　wings　spewed　forth　a　devastating　burst　of　tracer　fire。　The　relentless　wave　of　bullets　disappeared　inside　the　hole　in　the　ceiling　and　assaulted　any　icy　crags　or　outcroppings　that　dared　to　jut　out　of　the　walls　of　the　ice　tunnel。　
　At　that　moment；　Schofield　hit　the　thrusters　and　the　Silhouette　shot　up　into　the　tunnel；　just　as；　behind　it；　the　ceiling　of　the　enormous　cavern　spectacularly　collapsed　in　on　itself。　
　
　The　wing…mounted　guns　of　the　Silhouette　blazed　away；　blasting　at　any　imperfections　in　the　ice　tunnel　as　the　big　black　plane　flew　upward　through　what　had　once　been　the　underwater　ice　tunnel。　
　Schofield　guided　the　sleek　black　plane　up　through　the　tunnel；　shooting　through　puffs　of　white　cloud；　rolling　the　big　plane　onto　its　side　when　the　tunnel　narrowed；　praying　to　God　that　the　tracer　bullets　were　clearing　the　way。　
　Up　and　up　the　Silhouette　went；　blasting　away　at　the　tunnel　in　front　of　it。　Explosions　boomed　out　all　around　the　big　black　plane。　The　sound　of　its　wing…mounted　guns　firing　away　was　deafening。　
　And　then　suddenly　the　tunnel　behind　the　Silhouette　began　to　collapse　at　a　phenomenal　rate。　
　Boom！　Boom！　Boom！　
　Massive　chunks　of　ice　began　to　rain　down　from　the　ceiling　of　the　tunnel　behind　the　speeding　plane。　The　Silhouette　raced　upward　through　the　tunnel；　blasting　away　at　the　walls　of　the　tunnel　in　front　of　it　while　at　the　same　time　outrunning　the　collapsing　tunnel　behind　it。　
　Through　the　cockpit　canopy　it　looked　like　some　kind　of　video…game　thrill　ride。　The　tunnel　swept　past　Schofield　at　phenomenal　speed；　and　occasionally　the　world　nipped　upside…down　as　he　rolled　the　big　plane　to　avoid　falling　chunks　of　ice。　
　Schofield　watched　as　the　barrage　of　tracer　bullets　decimated　the　walls　of　the　tunnel　in　front　of　him；　widening　it；　smoothing　it；　and　then　suddenly…voom！…the　walls　of　the　ice　tunnel　vanished　and　in　a　single；　glorious　instant　he　saw　the　sky　open　up　in　front　of　him。　
　The　Silhouette　burst　out　of　the　iceberg　and　flew　up　into　the　clear　open　sky。　
　
　The　Silhouette　shot　up　into　the　air；　almost　vertical；　and　Schofield　looked　back　over　his　shoulder　and　saw　that　the　ice　shelf　that　had　held　Wilkes　Ice　Station　within　it　was　indeed　no　longer　an　ice　shelf。　It　was　now　an　iceberg。　
　An　absolutely　massive　iceberg。　
　It　had　flipped　over　and　Schofield　saw　the　eroded　underbelly　of　what　had　once　been　the　ice　shelf…the　thin；　icy　stalactites；　the　glistening…wet　mountain　peaks…rising　like　spires　above　the　new　berg。　He　also　saw　the　jagged　black　hole　through　which　the　Silhouette　had　blasted　out　of　the　berg。　
　And　then　suddenly　movement　caught　his　eye：　a　thin　white　object　racing　over　the　ocean；　heading　toward　the　newly　formed　iceberg。　
　The　missile。　
　And　as　the　Silhouette　roared　into　the　sky；　Schofield　watched　in　silent　awe　as　the　nuclear…tipped　missile　slammed　into　the　iceberg　and　burrowed　into　it。　There　was　about　a　three…second　delay　。。。　
　And　then　the　nuclear　device　detonated。　
　
　
　
　Armageddon。　
　The　white…hot　flash　of　the　nuclear　explosion…directly　beneath　the　Silhouette　as　it　shot　up　into　the　sky…was　absolutely　blinding。　
　Solid　cliffs　of　ice　were　turned　instantly　to　powder　as　every　side　of　the　iceberg　containing　Wilkes　Ice　Station　and　the　underground　cavern　blew　out　with　the　blast　wave。　
　The　blast　wave　shot　underwater；　vaporizing　everything　in　its　path；　creating　huge　waves　of　water　that　expanded　out　from　the　coast；　rocking　the　massive　icebergs　that　lined　the　cliffs　as　if　they　were　a　child's　bath　toys。　Truth　be　told；　it　wasn't　a　large　nuclear　blast…three　kilotons；　with　a　blast　radius　of　half　a　kilometer。　But　then　again；　there　really　was　no　such　thing　as　a　small　nuclear　explosion。　
　But　it　wasn't　over　yet。　
　Suddenly　a　monstrous　black　mushroom　cloud　began　to　form；　shooting　up　into　the　air　at　incredible　speed；　chasing　the　Silhouette　as　it　shot　skyward。　
　Schofield　went　vertical；　tried　to　outrun　the　burgeoning　mushroom　cloud。　The　mus