cc.fireice-第40部分

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　〃We're　on　target。　Our　mystery　ship　should　be　right　below　our　radio　antenna。〃
　
　Gunn　said；　〃Remind　me　to　send　a　bouquet　of　flowers　to　the　young　woman　who　gave　her　sailor　boy　a　GPS　watch。〃
　
　Austin　looked　out　at　the　sea　stretching　to　the　horizon　and　thought　of　the　wasted　time　that　could　have　been　spent　in　a　fruitless　search　for　the　ship。　〃I've　got　a　better　idea；〃　Austin　said。　〃Let's　send　her　a　whole　greenhouse。〃
　
　Zavala　arrived　and　they　went　down　to　the　starboard　deck；　where　sunlight　gleamed　off　the　metal　skin　of　a　small　torpedo　that　rested　in　an　aluminum　rack。　The　tall　man　disconnecting　a　puter　modem　attached　to　the　device　was　Mark　Murphy；　the　Argo's　expert　in　remote…operated　undersea　vehicles。
　
　Murphy　was　a　nonconformist　who　scorned　the　NUMA　work　coveralls　for　his　own　uniform：　faded　jean　cutoffs；　chamois　shirt　worn　over　a　T…shirt；　scuffed　work　boots　and　a　short…billed　baseball　cap。　Both　his　cap　and　T…shirt　had　the　word　Argonaut　printed　on　them。　He　was　in　his　early　fifties；　and　a　thick　salt…and…pepper　beard　covered　his　chin；　but　his　ruddy　sunburned　face　glowed　with　boyish　enthusiasm。
　
　He　saw　Zavala　gazing　at　the　torpedo　and　said；　〃Be　my　guest。〃
　〃Thanks。〃　Zavala　ran　his　fingertips　lightly　over　the　wide　stripes　of　green；　yellow　and　black　painted　on　the　metal　skin。　〃Sexy；〃　he　said　with　a　low　whistle。　〃Very　sexy。〃
　〃You'll　have　to　excuse　my　friend；〃　Austin　said。　〃He　hasn't　had　shore　leave　for　at　least　twenty…four　hours。〃
　〃I　understand　perfectly；〃　Murphy　replied。　〃This　baby　is　hot。　Wait'll　you　see　the　way　she　performs。〃
　
　Austin　was　amused　but　not　surprised　to　hear　the　two　men　fawn　over　the　device。　Zavala　was　a　brilliant　marine　engineer　who　had　designed　or　directed　construction　of　many　underwater　vehicles。　Murphy　was　the　Argo's　expert　in　their　use。　To　them；　the　clean　lines　of　the　pact　object　cradled　in　its　aluminum　rack　were　as　sensual　as　the　curves　of　the　female　body。
　
　Austin　could　understand　their　passion。　The　UUV　was　only　62　inches　long；　7。5　inches　in　diameter　and　weighed　a　mere　eighty　pounds。　But　the　bantam…sized　device　represented　the　cutting　edge　of　undersea　exploration；　a　vehicle　that　could　operate　almost　independently　of　its　shipboard　controllers。　This　model　was　developed　by　the　Woods　Hole　Oceanographic　Institution；　which　had　dubbed　it　SAHRV；　for　Semi…Autonomous　Hydrographic　Reconnaissance　Vehicle。
　
　〃We're　about　ready　to　launch；〃　Murphy　said。　〃We've　dropped　two　separate　transducers　over　the　side；　one　at　each　er　of　the　survey　area。　That　sets　up　the　navigational　net。　The　vehicle　talks　constantly　with　the　transducers　that　tell　it　where　it　is　at　all　times。　The　data　she　picks　up　will　be　recorded　on　a　hard　drive　and　downloaded　later。〃
　〃Why　not　telemeter　the　information　directly　back　to　the　ship？〃　Austin　asked。
　
　〃We　could；　but　the　data　would　take　too　long　to　make　it　through　the　water。　I've　told　the　vehicle　to　survey　ten　one…hundred…foot　lanes　at　high　resolution　for　a　start。　She'll　run　at　five　point　five　knots　around　ninety　feet　off　the　bottom。　The　collision　avoidance　sonar　will　make　sure　she　goes　over　or　around　any　big　obstacles。〃
　
　Murphy　reached　over　and　pressed　a　magnetic　switch　on　the　side　of　the　vehicle。　The　battery…powered　stainless　steel　propeller　whirred　softly。　With　the　help　of　another　crewman；　Murphy　gently　lowered　the　rack　into　the　water。
　
　The　Argo　bristled　with　an　amazing　array　of　winches　and　cranes　to　handle　the　variety　of　electronic　eyes　and　ears　and　hands；　manned　and　unmanned　submersibles　the　scientists　on　board　dropped　into　the　ocean。　One　crane；　so　powerful　it　could　lift　a　house；　also　had　weak　links　that　would　deliberately　break　under　undue　stress　…　that　was　to　prevent　them　from　sinking　in　case　the　ship　hooked　onto　an　undersea　mountain。
　
　Most　of　the　heavy　equipment　was　lowered　through　the　moon　pool；　a　center　section　of　the　Argo's　hull　that　opened　to　the　sea　through　huge　sliding　doors。　With　the　UUV；　however；　it　was　only　a　matter　of　lowering　it　over　the　side。　The　propeller　grabbed　water　and　the　vehicle　took　off　like　a　fish　released　from　a　hook。　It　headed　away　from　the　ship　and　arced　into　a　preprograrnmed　thirty…foot　circle　when　it　hit　open　sea。
　
　〃She'll　go　around　four　times　to　calibrate　the　pass；〃　Murphy　explained。　〃The　vehicle　is　talking　to　the　navigational　net　now；　getting　its　bearings　through　triangulation。〃　As　they　watched；　the　vehicle　made　a　small　circle　and　disappeared　below　the　surface。　〃She's　heading　off　to　do　her　first　lane。〃
　〃What　do　we　do　now？〃　Austin　said。
　
　Murphy　gave　them　his　big…toothed　grin。　〃We　go　have　some　coffee　and　doughnuts。〃
　
　…21…
　THE　UNDERSEA　VEHICLE　moved　back　and　forth　above　the　ocean　floor　in　a　lawn…mowing　pattern；　its　path　on　the　ocean　floor　displayed　on　the　puter　screen。　When　its　task　was　finished；　the　UUV　homed　in　on　a　third　transducer　like　a　puppy　who'd　heard　the　word　bone。　The　vehicle　nosed　up　to　the　side　of　the　ship；　where　it　was　snagged　in　a　special　pickup　rack　and　lifted　back　on　deck。　Murphy　hooked　up　a　modem　and　transferred　all　the　data　from　the　dripping　vehicle　to　his　laptop　puter。　Then　he　disconnected　the　puter。
　
　Tucking　the　laptop　under　his　arm；　Murphy　led　the　way　to　the　conference　room；　where　he　set　the　laptop　down　on　a　table　and　connected　it　to　a　large…screen　monitor。　The　puter's　SeaSone　software　began　to　generate　high…resolution　sonar　images　in　slow　motion　onto　the　screen；　and　the　pictures　of　the　seafloor　as　recorded　by　the　UUV　flowed　down　from　the　top　of　the　monitor　like　twin　waterfalls。　Latitude；　longitude　and　position　were　displayed　to　the　right　of　the　screen。　Murphy　adjusted　the　screen's　color　control　to　a　yellow…brown　that　was　easy　on　the　eyes。
　
　The　seafloor　was　largely　unmarked。　Occasionally；　a　boulder　showed　up　or　dark　and　light　patches　indicated　differences　in　sediment。　Halfway　through　its　fourth　track；　the　sonar　caught　two　straight　lines　joined　at　an　angle。　All　eyes　were　focused　on　the　monitor　as　the　vehicle　finished　the　track；　turned　and　came　back。　Murphy　froze　the　picture。
　
　〃Bingo！〃　he　said。　The　unmistakable　image　of　a　ship　stood　out　in　sharp　relief。　With　a　click　of　the　puter　mouse；　Murphy　zoomed　in　the　picture。　The　darks　and　lights　became　doors；　hatches　and　portholes。　The　puter　piled　the　ship's　measurements。　〃She's　two　hundred　fifty　feet　long；〃　Murphy　said。
　
　Austin　pointed　to　a　shadow　on　the　hull。　〃Can　you　zoom　in　on　that　section？〃
　
　Murphy　obliged　with　a　click　of　the　mouse；　and　the　section　Austin　had　noticed　appeared　as　a　small　box　to　one　side　of　the　screen。　The　scientist　played　around　with　the　resolution　until　the　hole　in　the　side　of　the　hull　near　the　waterline　was　clearly　visible。
　
　He　ran　off　a　full…color　copy　of　the　survey　area；　showing　the　target　hits；　and　spread　it　out　on　a　table。　〃She's　at　four　hundred　fifty　feet；〃　he　said。　〃Here's　where　the　three…hundred…foot　bottom　begins　to　fall　away　into　a　canyon。　The　ship　is　on　the　slope；　just　past　the　lip　of　the　cut。　We're　lucky。　A　few　hundred　feet　farther　and　the　wreck　would　have　been　lost　forever　from　metal　deterioration。〃
　〃Good　job；　Murphy；〃　Captain　Atwood　said。　Turning　to　the　others；　he　said；　〃I've　got　a　crew　ready　to　launch　an　ROV　from　the　moon　pool。〃　A　robotic　vehicle。　They　all　moved　to　a　small　room　that　contained　the　control　consoles　for　vehicles　operating　out　of　the　moon　pool。　Gesturing　toward　a　puter　console；　the　captain　said　to　Gunn；　〃Would　you　care　to　handle　the　controls；　mander？〃
　
　Gunn's　academic　demeanor　cloaked　a　personality　that　enjoyed　action；　and　he　had　been　charming　in　his　role　as　a　by…stander　since　boarding　the　ship。　He　was　an　experienced　hand　at　running　an　ROV　and　needed　no　prodding。　〃I'd　like　that　very　much。　Thank　you；　Captain。〃
　〃Whenever　you're　ready。〃
　
　Gunn　sat　behind　the　control　console　and　familiarized　himself　with　the　instruments　and　the　feel　of　the　joystick　that　controlled　the　ROV。　Then　he　grinned　and　rubbed　his　hands　together。　〃Drop　'er　in。〃
　
　The　captain　unclipped　a　small　radio　from　his　belt　and　gave　a　mand。　A　moment　later；　the　screen　flickered　to　life　and　projected　a　view　of　the　cavernous　moon　pool　through　the　video　camera　in　the　nose　of　the　ROV。　The　camera　seemed　to　flood　as　the　ROV　was　lowered　into　the　pool。　A　diver　wearing　a　wet　suit　came　into　view　as　he　uncoupled　the　line　attached　to　the　lifting　crane。　Then　he　was　gone；　replaced　by　a　cloud　of　bubbles　and　the　deepening　blue　of　the　sea；　as　the　ROV　sank　slowly　beneath　the　open　bottom　of　the　ship。
　
　A　thousand…foot　Kevlar…jacketed　tether　connected　the　Benthos　Stingray　ROV　to　the　ship。　The　tether　transmitted　Gunn's　mands　to　the　operating　system　and　relayed　the　video　picture　back　to　the　screen。　The　Argo　carried　larger　and　more　powerful　ROVs；　but　after　hearing　the　NR…1　story；　the　captain　had　thought　they　would　need　a　smaller　vehicle　that　could　be　maneuvered　into　tight　spaces。　The　vehicle　was　the　size　and　shape　of　a　large　suitcase。　Although　the　ROV　was　relatively　small；　it　carried　video　and　digital　cameras　and　a　manipulator　arm。
　
　Moving　the　joystick　with　a　skilled　hand；　Gunn　angled　the　ROV　into　a　long　dive。　The　vehicle　used　the　navigational　net　established　for　the　UUV　to　find　its　way　directly　to　the　target。　Color　faded　from　the　water；　as　each　descending　fathom　took　the　ROV　farther　from　the　dappled　surface　light。　Gunn　switched　on　the　twin　150…watt　quartz　halogen　lights；　but　even　their　powerful　beams　were　swallowed　by　the　thickening　gloom。
　
　The　ROV　smoothly　descended　to　three　hundred　feet；　then　leveled　out　a　few　yards　above　the　ocean　floor。　The　vehicle　bucked　a　slight　bottom　current　that　kept　its　speed　under　a　knot　as　it　moved　forward　above　the　black　mud。　Then　the　bottom　dropped　away　and　the　ROV　soared　over　the　lip　of　the　undersea　canyon　so　suddenly　that　everyone　in　the　room　felt　a　slight　wave　of　queasiness。　Gunn　nosed　the　ROV　downward；　keeping　the　vehicle　parallel　to　the　sharp　slope。
　
　The　ROV's　side…scan　sonar　painted　the　target　on　a　separate　monitor　until　it　was　close　enough　for　visual　inspection。　Gunn　goosed　the　vertical　thrusters；　and　the　vehicle　rose　slowly　above　the　vessel。
　
　The　ship　lay　at　an　angle　on　the　sloping　side　of　the　canyon；　the　bottom　section　of　hull　embedded　in　mud。　The　ROV　descended　several　yards　and　moved　alongside　the　hulk　at　main…deck　level；　past　a