cc.fireice-第6部分

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the　last。　Thirty　feet；　maybe。　They　whacked　the　motel　and　pier　and　flooded　Main　Street。〃　He　shrugged。　〃I　know　you're　a　professor；　Roy；　but　how　exactly　did　you　know　this　was　going　to　happen？〃
　〃I've　seen　it　before　off　New　Guinea。　We　were　doing　some　research　when　an　undersea　slide　generated　a　tsunami　thirty　to　sixty　feet　tall；　and　a　series　of　waves　lifted　our　boat　off　the　water　just　like　what　I　felt　today。　The　people　were　warned　and　many　made　it　to　high　ground　when　the　waves　hit；　but　even　so；　more　than　two　thousand　people　were　lost。〃
　
　The　chief　gulped。　〃That's　more　than　live　in　this　town。〃　He　pondered　the　professor's　words。　〃You　think　that　an　earthquake　caused　this　mess？　I　thought　that　was　something　that　happened　in　the　Pacific。〃
　〃Normally；　you'd　be　right。〃　Jenkins　furrowed　his　brow　and　stared　out　to　sea。　〃This　is　absolutely　inprehensible。〃
　〃I'll　tell　you　something　else　that's　going　to　be　hard　to　figure。　How　am　I　going　to　explain　that　I　evacuated　the　motel　for　a　bomb　scare？〃
　〃Do　you　think　anyone　will　care　at　this　point？〃
　
　Chief　Howes　surveyed　the　town　and　the　crowds　of　people　cautiously　making　their　way　down　the　hill　to　the　harbor　and　shook　his　head。　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　guess　they　will。〃
　
　…2…
　THE　AEGEAN　SEA
　
　THE　MINIATURE　RESEARCH　submarine　NR…1　rocked　gently　in　the　waves　off　the　coast　of　Turkey；　almost　invisible　except　for　the　bright　tangerine　color　of　the　conning　tower。　Captain　Joe　Logan　stood　with　his　legs　wide　apart　on　the　sea…washed　deck；　holding　on　to　one　of　the　horizontal　wings　that　protruded　from　the　sides　of　the　conning　tower。　As　was　his　custom　before　a　dive；　the　captain　was　making　a　last　minute　visual　check。
　
　Logan　let　his　eye　range　along　the　145…foot　length　of　the　slender　black　hull　whose　deck　was　only　inches　above　the　surface　of　the　water。　Satisfied　all　was　shipshape；　he　removed　his　navy　baseball　cap　and　waved　at　the　cream…and…orange　Carolyn　Chouest　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away。　The　superstructure　of　the　muscular　support　ship　rose　several　levels；　like　the　floors　in　an　apartment　house。　A　massive　crane　capable　of　lifting　several　tons　jutted　out　at　an　angle　from　the　port　side。
　
　The　captain　climbed　to　the　top　of　the　tower　and　squeezed　through　the　thirty…one…inch…diameter　opening。　His　flotation　vest　made　for　a　tight　fit　and　he　had　to　wriggle　to　get　through。　He　ran　his　fingers　along　the　seal　to　make　sure　it　was　clean；　then　secured　the　hatch　cover　and　descended　into　the　confined　control　area。　The　space　was　made　even　more　cramped　by　the　dials；　gauges　and　instruments　that　covered　every　square　inch　of　the　walls　and　overhead。
　
　The　captain　was　a　man　of　unassuming　appearance　who　could　have　passed　for　an　Ivy　League　college　professor。　A　nuclear　engineer　by　training；　Logan　had　manded　surface　ships　before　being　assigned　as　the　officer　in　charge　of　the　NR…1。　He　was　of　medium　height　and　build；　with　thinning　blond　hair　and　a　slight　fleshiness　around　the　jaw。　The　navy　had　long　ago　dispensed　with　the　rawboned　John　Wayne　type　who　ran　a　ship　by　the　seat　of　his　pants。　With　puterized　firing　controls；　laser　guidance　and　smart　missiles；　navy　vessels　were　too　plicated　and　expensive　to　entrust　to　cowboys。　Logan　had　a　sharp　mind　and　the　ability　to　make　a　lightning…quick　analysis　of　the　most　plex　technical　problem。
　
　His　previous　mands　had　been　much　bigger；　yet　none　came　close　to　the　NR…1　in　the　sophistication　of　her　electronics。　Although　the　boat　had　been　built　in　1969；　she　was　constantly　upgraded。　Despite　her　cutting　edge　technology；　the　sub　still　used　some　older　but　time…tested　techniques。　A　thick　twelve…hundred…foot　towline　ran　from　the　support　vessel's　deck　to　a　large　metal　ball　clutched　by　metal　jaws　on　the　submarine's　bow。
　
　Logan　gave　the　order　to　release　the　towrope；　then　he　turned　to　a　thickset　bearded　man　in　his　fifties　and　said；　〃Wele　aboard　the　smallest　nuclear　submarine　in　the　world；　Dr。　Pulaski。　Sorry　we　don't　have　more　elbowroom。　The　shielding　for　the　nuclear　reactor　takes　up　most　of　the　sub。　My　guess　is　that　you'd　prefer　claustrophobia　to　radiation。　I　assume　you've　had　a　tour。〃
　
　Pulaski　smiled。　〃Yes；　I've　been　checked　out　on　the　proper　procedure　for　using　the　head。〃　He　spoke　with　a　slight　accent。
　
　〃You　might　have　to　stand　in　line；　so　I'd　go　easy　on　the　coffee。　We've　got　a　ten…man　crew；　and　our　facilities　can　get　busy。〃
　〃I　understand　you　can　stay　submerged　for　up　to　days；〃　Pulaski　said。　〃I　can't　imagine　what　it　must　be　like　sitting　on　the　bottom　a　half…mile　down　for　that　length　of　time。〃
　〃I'd　be　the　first　to　admit　that　even　the　simplest　task；　such　as　taking　a　shower　or　cooking　a　meal；　can　be　a　challenge；〃　Logan　said。　〃Luckily　for　you；　we'll　only　be　down　a　few　hours。〃　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃We'll　descend　one　hundred　feet　to　make　sure　all　systems　are　working。　If　everything　checks　out；　we'll　dive。〃
　
　Logan　stepped　through　a　short　passageway　slightly　wider　than　his　shoulders　and　indicated　a　small　padded　platform　behind　the　two　chairs　in　the　control　station。　〃That's　normally　where　I　sit　during　operations。　It's　all　yours　today。　I'll　take　the　copilot's　seat。　You've　met　Dr。　Pulaski；〃　he　said　to　the　pilot。　〃He's　a　marine　archaeologist　from　the　University　of　North　Carolina。〃
　
　The　pilot　nodded　and　Logan　slid　into　the　right…hand　chair　beside　him。　In　front　of　him　was　a　formidable　array　of　instruments　and　video　display　screens。　〃Those　are　our　'eyes；'　〃　he　said；　pointing　to　a　row　of　television　monitors。　〃That's　the　bow　view　from　the　sail　cam　on　the　front　of　the　sail。〃
　
　The　captain　studied　the　glowing　control　panel　and　after　conferring　with　the　pilot；　he　radioed　the　support　ship　and　said　the　sub　was　ready　to　dive。　He　gave　the　order　to　submerge　and　level　off　at　one　hundred　feet。　The　pump　motors　hummed　as　water　was　introduced　into　the　ballast　tanks。　The　rocking　motion　of　the　sub　ceased　as　she　sank　below　the　waves。　The　sharp　bow　pictured　on　the　monitors　disappeared　in　a　geyser　of　spray；　then　reappeared；　looming　dark　against　the　blue　water。　The　crew　checked　out　the　sub's　systems　while　the　captain　tested　the　UQC；　an　underwater　wireless　telephone　that　connected　the　sub　with　the　support　ship。　The　voice　from　the　ship　had　a　drawling；　metallic　quality　but　the　words　were　clear　and　distinct。
　
　When　the　captain　was　assured　all　systems　were　go；　he　said；　〃Dive；　dive！〃
　
　There　was　little　sensation　of　movement。　The　monitor　pictures　went　from　blue　to　black　water　as　the　sunlight　faded；　and　the　captain　ordered　the　exterior　lights　on。　The　descent　was　practically　silent；　the　pilot　using　a　joystick　to　operate　the　diving　planes；　the　captain　keeping　a　close　eye　on　the　deep…depth　gauge。　When　the　sub　was　fifty　feet　above　the　bottom；　Logan　ordered　the　pilot　to　hover。
　
　The　pilot　turned　to　Pulaski。　〃We're　in　shouting　distance　of　the　site　we　picked　up　with　remote　sensing。　We'll　run　a　search　using　our　side…scan　sonar。　We　can　program　a　search　pattern　into　the　puter。　The　sub　will　automatically　run　the　course　on　its　own　while　we　sit　back　and　relax。　Saves　wear　and　tear　on　the　crew。〃
　〃Incredible；〃　Pulaski　said。　〃I'm　surprised　this　remarkable　boat　won't　analyze　our　findings；　write　a　report　and　defend　our　conclusions　against　the　criticism　of　jealous　colleagues。〃
　〃We're　working　on　that；〃　Logan　said；　with　a　poker　face。　Pulaski　shook　his　head　in　mock　dismay。　〃I'd　better　find　another　line　of　work。　At　this　rate；　marine　archaeologists　will　be　doomed　to　extinction　or　to　simply　staring　at　television　monitors。〃
　〃Something　else　you　can　blame　on　the　Cold　War。〃
　
　Pulaski　looked　around　in　wonderment。　〃I　never　would　have　guessed　that　I'd　be　doing　archaeological　research　in　a　sub　designed　to　spy　on　the　Soviet　Union。〃
　〃There's　no　way　you　could　have　known。　This　vessel　was　as　hush…hush　as　it　gets。　The　amazing　part　is　that　the　ninety…million…dollar　price　tag　was　kept　a　secret。　It　was　money　well…spent　in　my　opinion。　Now　that　the　navy　has　allowed　her　to　be　used　for　civilian　purposes；　we　have　an　incredible　tool　for　pure　research。〃
　〃I　understand　the　sub　was　used　in　the　Challenger　space　shuttle　disaster；〃　Pulaski　said。
　
　Logan　said；　〃She　retrieved　critical　parts　so　NASA　could　determine　what　went　wrong　and　make　the　shuttle　safe　to　fly。　She　also　salvaged　a　sunken　F…14　and　a　missing　Phoenix　air…to…air　missile　we　didn't　want　anyone　getting　their　hands　on。　Some　of　the　stuff　involving　the　Russians　is　still　classified。〃
　〃What　can　you　tell　me　about　the　mechanical　arm？〃
　〃The　manipulator　works　like　a　human　arm；　with　rotation　at　all　the　joints。　The　sub　has　two　rubber　wheels　in　the　keel。　It's　not　exactly　a　Harley…Davidson　motorcycle；　but　it　allows　us　to　move　along　on　the　seabed。　While　the　sub　rests　on　the　ocean　floor；　the　arm　can　work　a　nine…foot　radius。〃
　〃Fascinating；〃　Pulaski　said。　〃And　its　capacity？〃
　〃It　can　lift　objects　up　to　two　hundred　pounds。〃
　〃What　about　cutting　tools？〃
　〃Its　jaws　can　cut　rope　or　cable；　but　they　can　also　hold　a　torch　if　the　job　is　tough。　As　I　said；　very　versatile。〃
　〃Yes；　evidently；〃　Pulaski　said。　He　seemed　pleased。
　
　The　sub　had　been　moving　in　a　classic　search　pattern；　back　and　forth　in　a　series　of　parallel　lines；　like　mowing　a　lawn。　The　monitors　showed　the　seafloor　moving　beneath　the　submarine。　Vegetation　was　nonexistent。
　
　Logan　said；　〃We　should　be　closing　in　on　the　location　we　spotted　from　above。〃　He　gestured　at　a　screen。　〃Hul…lo。　Looks　like　the　side　scan　picked　up　a　hit。〃　He　turned　to　the　pilot。　〃Resume　manual　control　and　bring　her　down　around　twenty　degrees　to　port。〃
　
　With　gentle　bursts　of　the　thrusters；　the　NR…1　glided　on　a　shallow　angle。　The　battery　of　two　dozen　exterior　lights　illuminated　the　sea　bottom　with　a　sun…bright　intensity。　The　pilot　adjusted　ballast　tanks　until　the　sub　achieved　neutral　buoyancy。
　
　〃Hold　steady；〃　Logan　said。　〃We're　ing　into　visual　contact　with　our　target。〃　He　leaned　forward　and　peered　intently　at　the　screen；　his　features　bathed　in　the　blue…green　light。　his　the　sub　moved　forward；　bulbous　shapes　appeared　on　the　screen；　singly　at　first；　then　in　groups。
　
　〃Those　are　concentrations　of　amphorae；〃　Pulaski　said。　The　clay　jars　for　wine　or　other　liquid　cargo　were　often　found　on　ancient　sunken　ships。
　
　〃We've　got　the　still　and　video　cameras　making　a　three…dimensional　record　for　you　to　analyze　later；〃