johngardner.goldeneye-第10部分

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　〃Status　normal；　sir。　　Two　operational　satellites：　Petya　and　Mischa；　both　in　ninety…minute　earth　orbit　at　one　hundred　kilometres。〃
　〃Good。　　Here's　the　authorisation　code。　　Hand　me　the　GoldenEye；　today's　access　numbers　and　the　key；　please。　　I　am　timing　you　as　from　now。〃　He　had　already　thrown　a　plastic　card　down　on　the　small　counter；　now　he　ostentatiously　brought　his　left　arm　up　and　studied　his　watch。
　
　The　major　almost　fell　over　himself　trying　to　get　things　done　correctly；　punching　in　the　numbers　to　unlock　the　metal　gate　in　front　of　the　safe；　using　the　palm　print　pad　to　ID　himself；　them　tapping　in　the　safe's　code　of　the　day。
　
　The　lock　beeped　different　tones　…　like　a　digital　telephone；　then　clicked　open。
　
　Xenia　gestured　to　the　other　officer　and　said　that　he　should　open　the　safety　door　through　to　the　technical　area。
　
　〃On　a　wartime　basis；　Captain；　this　entire　facility　must　be　open　in　case　there　is　need　to　evacuate　with　little　warning。〃　The　captain　did　not　argue。
　
　〃Today's　codes；　sir。　　The　electronic　firing　key　and　GoldenEye。〃　The　Duty　Officer　brought　the　items　from　the　safe：　the　key；　a　plastic　card；　and　a　small　golden　disk　in　the　centre　of　which　was　an　engraved　eye。
　
　〃Good。　　Now；　make　the　blind　see。〃　The　major　looked　down　at　the　disk　and　removed　a　piece　of　golden　tape　from　the　centre　of　the　eye；　revealing　a　circle　where　the　pupil　would　have　been。
　
　〃You　know　how　the　GoldenEye　works？〃
　〃Yes；　General。　　When　positioned　correctly　the　disk　allows　a　laser　beam　to　lance　through　its　centre；　thus　initiating　the　firing　mechanism　of　the　satellite。〃
　〃Good。
　
　You　have　done　well；　Major。　　I　think　that　will　be　all　we　require。〃　He　turned　to　Xenia。　　〃Colonel。　　You　take　over。
　
　Xenia　almost　lazily　unslung　her　Uzi　and　put　two　quick　bursts　in　the　direction　of　the　two　officers。　　Then　she　walked　unhurriedly　to　the　door　leading　to　the　technicians'　area　and　sprayed　everything　in　sight；　changing　magazines　with　an　almost　robot…like　perfection。
　
　Bodies　were　thrown　back　against　equipment　or　spun　violently；　showers　of　sparks　and　smoke　leaped　from　puter　work…stations。　　The　entire　business　took　less　than　thirty　seconds。
　
　In　the　small　kitchen；　Natalya　Simonova　spilled　her　coffee　and　looked　up；　horror　in　her　eyes。
　
　Back　in　the　main　control　room　Xenia　bent　down　and　removed　a　second　firing　key　hanging　on　a　silver　chain　from　around　the　dead　Duty　Officer's　neck　and　went　over　to　the　long　console　at　which　Ourumov　had　already　taken　his　place；　throwing　switches　and　watching　the　long　screen　light　up　high　above　the　instruments。
　
　With　great　precision　Ourumov　slid　the　GoldenEye　disk　into　a　slot；　not　unlike　a　CD　player。　　He　placed　the　day's　code　card　in　front　of　him　and　inserted　the　key　into　a　lock　to　the　right　of　the　point　where　the　golden　disk　had　slid　into　place。　　Xenia　had　already　inserted　the　key　taken　from　the　Duty　Officer。　　〃On　my　count；'　he　rapped。　　〃Three；　Two；　One；　Zero。'　They　turned　their　keys　in　unison　and　the　rest　of　the　console　lit　up；　needles　flicked　and　the　screen　above　them　showed　a　segment　of　the　earth　with　one　of　the　satellites　in　orbit。
　
　〃Set　target　acquisition　for　Petya。　　Severnaya；'　the　general　ordered。
　
　High　above　the　earth's　surface；　a　piece　of　what　appeared　to　be　space　junk　…　possibly　the　burned　out　stage　of　a　rocket　…　seemed　to　be　tumbling　around　in　orbit；　but；　as　the　mand　from　Severnaya　leaped　silently　through　space　to　wake　it　up；　so　the　satellite　coded　Petya　emitted　blasts　from　hidden　propulsion　units　and　began　to　change　course。
　
　Inside　the　control　room；　both　Ourumov　and　Xenia　looked　at　the　screen　above　them　and　saw　what　Natalya　had　been　watching；　less　than　half…an…hour　before。　　The　red　symbol　that　was　the　Petya　began　to　move　rapidly；　shifting　from　its　position　over　the　Middle　East　and　heading　at　an　unthinkable　speed　towards　northern　Russia。
　
　On　a　lower　display　screen　information　started　to　ribbon　out：　PETYA　LOCATION：　80。31。160。17　TARGET：　78。08。107。58。
　
　Then：　TIME　TO　TARGET：　15。43。21　Ourumov；　consulting　the　card　containing　the　codes；　began　to　punch　in　a　series　of　numbers。　　The　display　now　flashed　a　further　message：　WEAPON　ARMED。
　
　At　that　very　moment；　panic　stricken　at　what　she　could　hear；　Natalya　knocked　over　her　cup。　　In　the　sterile　silence　the　noise　was　like　a　hand…grenade　exploding。
　
　Both　Ourumov　and　Xenia　jerked　back。
　
　〃Check　it；'　the　general　said　in　a　low　voice　and；　as　Xenia　walked　away；　so　the　second…in…mand；　sprawled　in　his　own　blood　on　the　floor；　moved。　Close　to　death　it　was　almost　a　reflex　action。　　His　hand　shot　up　and　punched　one　of　the　many　alarm　buttons　in　the　room。　　Xenia　whirled　around；　giving　him　a　quick　final　burst　from　the　Uzi；　but　it　came　a　fraction　too　late；　and　their　ears　were　assaulted　by　a　sudden　shrieking　of　warning　sirens　and　alarms。
　
　Xenia；　pausing；　looked　anxiously　at　the　general　who　said；　〃Get　on　with　it。　　Their　best　response　time　is　seventeen　minutes。　　This　place　will　be　hit　in　less　than　fifteen　now。　Go。〃
　In　the　kitchen；　Natalya　pulled　a　chair　to　a　point　directly　under　the　maintenance　grille　in　the　room's　ceiling；　and　started　to　work　on　loosening　the　metal。　　She　had　pulled　it　I；　halfway　down　when　she　heard　the　rapid　footsteps　of　Xenia　ing　hell　for　leather　down　the　passageway。
　
　Miles　away；　at　the　Anadyr　air　base　in　Siberia；　three　MiG23MDL　〃Flogger…Ks'　…　hurtled　off　the　main　runway。　　The　pilots　had　only　just　e　on　duty　when　the　alarm　sounded；　and　they　received　the　target　information　literally　as　they　were　taxiing　from　their　bunkers。　　In　seconds　they　would　be　on　their　way　to　Severnaya　Station。
　
　Below　the　earth；　in　the　small　kitchen；　one　of　the　cupboard　doors　squeaked　and　opened　as　Natalya　crawled　out。
　
　In　London；　James　Bond　was　just　entering　the　Operations　Room　below　the　Secret　Intelligence　Service's　headquarters。
　
　Xenia　kicked　the　kitchen　door　open；　saw　the　broken　cup　and　the　spillage　of　coffee；　then　looked　at　the　chair　and　the　metal　grille　above　it；　now　dangling；　ripped　from　its　setting。
　
　She　smiled　grimly　and　lifted　the　Uzi　spraying　the　entire　ceiling；　changing　magazines　and　blasting　away　again。
　
　Nobody　hiding　up　there　could　possibly　live。
　
　Back　at　the　console；　she　told　Ourumov　that　she　had　dealt　with　the　matter。　　He　nodded　with　a　tiny　smile　on　his　lips；　then　gestured　towards　the　timers　ticking　down　at　what　appeared　to　be　a　very　fast　pace。
　
　〃Time　flies；　Colonel。〃
　〃They　have　a　saying　in　the　West〃　She　grinned　~　at　him。
　〃Time　flies；　particularly　when　you're　having　fun。〃　He　nodded　again；　slipped　the　GoldenEye　disk　from　the　console　and　placed　it　in　his　briefcase　which　he　closed　with　the　finality　of　a　coffin　lid。
　〃I　think　we　should　get　out　of　here。〃　Using　the　voice　print　security　system　again；　they　left；　once　more　marching　in　step；　up　the　concrete　stairs　and　out　into　the　cold。
　
　In　less　than　four　minutes　the　Tigre　helicopter　was　starting　to　lift　off　in　a　cloud　of　snow；　from　which　it　emerged；　black　and　sinister。
　
　Bond　went　down　to　the　Operations　Room　with　Moneypenny　who；　he　had　to　admit；　was　looking　more　than　usually　ravishing　in　a　simple　black　dress　with　a　gold　clasp　just　below　her　right　shoulder。
　
　〃Dressed　to　thrill；'　he　murmured　to　himself　as　they　got　into　the　lift。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃　She　had　just　caught　what　he　had　said。
　
　Moneypenny's　hearing　was　almost　unnaturally　acute。
　
　The　old　M　used　to　say　that　she　could　hear　the　rumours　from　the　powdervine　directly　from　her　office。
　
　〃I　was　observing　that　I've　never　seen　you　look　so　lovely。〃
　〃Well；　thank　you；　James。〃
　〃Got　some　special　assignment　on　tonight？〃
　〃Well；　I　don't　sit　around　all　the　time　waiting　for　you　to　call。　　I　have　a　date；　if　you're　really　interested。　　A　date　with　a　gentleman。　　We're　going　to　the　theatre。〃
　〃Nothing　too　taxing；　I　trust〃
　〃Shakespeare　actually。　Love's　Labours　Lost〃
　〃I'm　devastated。　　What　will　I　ever　do　without　you？〃　She　gave　a　coy　little　smile。　　〃So　far　as　I　recall；　James；　you've　never　had　me。〃　He　gave　her　a　sidelong　glance。　　〃No；　but　it's　often　been　my　midsummer　night's　dream。〃　Moneypenny　turned　her　head　away。　　〃James；　you　know　that　kind　of　talk　could　easily　be　classed　nowadays　as　sexual　harassment。
　
　〃So　what's　the　penalty？〃　The　lift　came　to　a　halt　and　the　doors　opened。　As　she　stepped　out；　Moneypenny　tossed　a　look　over　her　shoulder；　eyes　twinkling。　　〃Some　day；　James；　you　have　to　make　good　on　your　innuendoes。'　She　led　the　way　through　to　the　Operations　Room。
　
　All　the　screens　were　active　and　the　men　and　women　who　work　below　ground　for　the　SIS　sat　at　desks　with　smaller　monitors；　or　listening　through　headphones；　while　senior　officers　examined　maps　and　spoke　quietly　to　each　other。
　
　Bond's　closest　friend　in　the　world　of　secrets；　Bill　Tanner；　the　old　M's　faithful　Chief　of　Staff；　detached　himself　from　the　knot　of　senior　officers　and　headed　for　Bond　and　Moneypenny；　his　hand　stretched　out。　〃Good　to　see　you　again；　James。
　
　〃What's　going　on；　Bill？　　This　looks　like　the　old　days。〃　He　gestured　at　the　satellite　pictures　ing　in　and　the　large　video　wall。
　
　They　all　showed　similar　views　…　barren；　snow…covered　land　with　ruins　and　the　big　radio　telescope　dish。
　
　〃It's　more　than　like　the　old　days。　　This　time　it　looks　very　unpleasant。　About　ten　minutes　ago　we　intercepted　an　alarm　signal　from　the　supposedly　abandoned　radar　station　at　Severnaya。。
　
　〃Right　up　north？〃
　〃Just　about　as　far　north　as　you　get。　　Just　look　at　what　our　satellite　intelligence　picked　up。〃　He　gave　an　order　to　one　of　the　technicians　and　the　picture　on　the　video　wall　rewound　itself；　froze　screen　and　then　enlarged。
　
　〃We've　got　a　match。　　Your　missing　Tigre。〃　There　it　was；　the　black　shape　quite　clear　against　the　snow。　　The　technician　opened　up　a　smaller　screen　next　to　the　video　screen　and　up　came　the　helicopter　again；　shown　in　both　plan　and　section。
　
　〃From　Monte　Carlo　to　the　far　north　of　Russia。　　That's　quite　a　leap。'　〃Personally；　I　think　that　it　pletes　your　own　theory　about　the　Janus　syndicate。　　Pity　the　Evil　Queen　of　Numbers　won't　let　you　run　with　the　ball。〃
　〃You　were　saying？〃　M's　voice　came　from　right　behind　them。
　〃I　was　just
　〃Making　an　unnecessary　ment　on　a　nickname　I　have　already　heard；　Mr。　Tanner。　　I　happen　to　belie