johngardner.goldeneye-第11部分

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　〃Making　an　unnecessary　ment　on　a　nickname　I　have　already　heard；　Mr。　Tanner。　　I　happen　to　believe　in　numbers。　　Numbers　are　more　accurate　than　human　beings。〃
　〃With　respect；　Ma'am；　numbers　are　only　as　pure　and　accurate　as　the　person　who's　inputting　them。〃
　〃That　goes　without　saying。〃　She　gave　Tanner　a　look　that　would　cause　concern　to　the　toughest　of　men。　　〃Now；　the　Prime　Minister's　waiting　for　an　update　on　the　situation；　so　please　proceed　with　your　briefing；　Mr。　Tanner。〃　Bill　Tanner　paused　for　a　moment；　then　walked　across　to　the　video　wall。　　Bond　had　never　seen　Bill　Tanner　fazed　by　anyone；　and　the　new　M；　hard　as　she　was；　seemed　to　have　little　effect　on　him。
　
　〃After　the　distress　signal；　James；　the　helicopter　took　off。
　
　Seconds　later　the　Russians　scrambled　three　〃Flogger…Ks〃　from　the　Anadyr　base。　　They're　heading　towards　Severnaya；　as　is　some　unidentified　piece　of　space　junk　…　at　least　that's　what　we've　always　thought　it　to　be。'　〃Severnaya's　supposed　to　have　been　dormant　since　〃90；　you　think　it's　operative　again？〃
　〃I　think　it's　been　operative　all　the　time。　　The　ruins　and　general　mess　around　it　are；　I　believe；　merely　cosmetic。〃
　〃So　what're　they　using　it　for？〃
　〃There　was　a　time；'　Tanner　looked　very　troubled　as　he　spoke；　〃when　we　suspected　that　Severnaya　might　just　be　the　ground　control　station　for　that　secret　space…based　weapons　programme　they　coded　GoldenEye。　　But　M　chipped　in。　　〃But　our　statistical　analysis；　our　electronic　and　satellite　intelligence　could　see　they　had　neither　the　funds　nor　the　technology　to　implement　it。〃
　〃Statistics；　Ma'am；　were　never　my　strong　point。　　Elint　and　Satint　only　go　so　far。　　With　respect；　you　can　read　numbers　from　these　sources；　you　can　analyse　them；　but　you　can't　get　into　the　heads　and　hearts　of　the　people　operating　whatever　your　target　happens　to　be。　　These　pictures　live？〃　M　gave　a　short；　dismissive　laugh。　　〃Unlike　the　American　government　we　prefer　not　to　get　bad　news　from　CNN。　　Of　course　they're　live。〃　She　looked　up　and；　like　the　rest；　saw　the　pulsing　red　icon；　the　highlit　area　of　Severnaya；　and　the　moving　pinpoints　of　light　that　were　the　Russian　aircraft；　heading　towards　the　facility。
　
　Below　the　ground　at　Severnaya；　Natalya　stood　in　the　doorway；　looking　at　the　ripped　and　sprawled　bodies　of　her　friends。　　She　felt　shock　and　disgust；　also　a　terrible　fear　seemed　to　clutch　at　her；　icing　her　heart　and　sending　her　into　a　momentary　depression。
　
　She　looked　up　at　the　map；　saw　the　counters　below　it　ticking　off　their　numbers；　took　in　the　various　icons　and　symbols；　knowing　what　it　meant。　With　that　knowledge　came　action。　　She　turned　and　dashed　for　the　door　that　led　towards　the　sleeping　quarters。　　She　had　to　get　out　of　here　very　quickly　indeed；　and；　if　she　had　to　face　the　snow　and　ice　above　ground；　she　needed　more　than　the　black　skirt；　the　shirt　and　the　skimpy　underwear　she　wore　with　fort　in　the　air　conditioned；　underground　facility　which　had　been　her　natural　habitat。
　
　In　her　room　she　quickly　changed　into　thermal　underwear；　jeans　and　her　stout　leather　boots　which　she　had　bought　during　her　last　leave。
　
　She　shrugged　herself　into　a　thick　fur　coat；　jammed　a　fur　hat　onto　her　head　and　was　already　drawing　on　fur…lined　gloves　as　she　ran　back　to　the　charnel　house　that　had　been　the　work　area。
　
　She　could　not　hear　the　three　jets；　now　in　tight　formation；　at　four　thousand　feet　above　the　plex；　their　leader　talking　to　base；　saying　that　all　seemed　normal。
　
　Above　the　aircraft；　things　were　far　from　normal。　　The　piece　of　space　junk　was　changing　shape；　a　hundred　kilometres　up。　　It　appeared　to　detach　pieces　of　charred　and　blackened　metal　that　were　merely　outer　covering。　Petya　was　revealing　itself　as　a　hard　steel　core；　while　around　it；　a　series　of　shields　fanned　out；　like　the　ruff　which　opens　up　on　some　threatened　reptile。　　Then；　as　it　rolled　slightly　downwards；　it　detonated。
　
　The　immediate　area　around　Severnaya　was　suddenly　lit　up　by　a　cone…shaped　blinding　light。　　Within　the　light　there　were　hundreds　of　writhing　electrical　charges；　like　long　blue　snakes。
　
　Two　of　the　〃Flogger…Ks'　…　one　stationed　just　above　the　other　were　immediately　engulfed　in　coils　of　electricity。
　
　The　upper　aircraft　seemed　to　be　slammed　down　by　the　charge。　　The　two　aircraft　merged　together　as　one　in　a　brilliant　flash　and　explosion。
　
　The　lead　〃Flogger…K'　was　hit　by　a　similar　bolt　of　electricity。　　It　simply　turned　on　its　back　and　began　to　plunge　earthwards；　the　pilot　desperately　pulling　on　the　eject　handle。　　He　was　still　pulling　when　the　machine　bulleted　into　the　huge　radio　telescope　dish　and　burst　into　a　fireball。
　
　Below　ground；　Natalya　Fyodorova　Simonova　thought　there　had　been　an　earthquake。　　The　entire　plex　shook　violently　and　was　plunged　into　darkness　so　that　she　found　herself　in　the　middle　of　the　technical　area　with　crackling　blue　lights　circling　and　in　constant　movement　around　the　masses　of　electronics　which　were　scattered　across　the　once　pristine；　hygienic　puter　room。
　
　Her　fear　fed　on　the　already　obvious　need　to　escape；　and　by　the　flickering　deadly　lights　she　dodged　across　the　room；　through　what　had　been　the　main　control　section；　stepping　over　the　Duty　Officer's　body；　then　running　to　the　voice　recognition　unit。　　Twice　she　called　out　her　name；　but　nothing　happened。　　She　thought　of　Boris　and　again　crossed　the　minefield　of　ceaseless　electrical　charges；　making　her　way　towards　the　now　blocked　utility　escape　door。
　
　At　one　point；　when　she　had　almost　reached　the　door；　Natalya　screamed　as　a　great　creaking　started　above　her。
　
　She　leaped　to　one　side　as　two　wall…mounted　monitors　came　hurtling　down。　Then　the　creaking　began　in　earnest　and　she　saw　in　the　dim　light　that　the　ceiling　had　begun　to　cave　in。
　
　She　had　never　known　dread　or　claustrophobia　like　this　before。　　Her　years　of　working　in　closed　off　facilities　had　never　once　produced　anxiety　or　the　horrible　vision　of　being　buried　alive。　　Now　it　had　changed。　　If　she　had　to　claw　her　way　out；　she　would　do　it。　　Above　her　the　groaning　of　weight　against　stressed　concrete　became　louder；　grit　began　to　fill　the　air；　stinging　her　eyes　and　drying　her　throat。　　She　clasped　a　hand　over　nose　and　mouth；　and　when　the　final　crash　came　she　pushed　her　back　against　the　wall　as　though　it　might　be　possible　to　physically　penetrate　the　brick；　steel　and　concrete。
　
　Blood　pounded　in　her　ears　and　the　rending；　tearing；　sliding　sound　of　a　whole　section　of　the　bunker　finally　giving　way　removed；　for　a　moment；　all　her　senses。
　
　With　a　final　grinding　explosion　half　the　roof　collapsed；　and　with　it　the　electronics　and　part　of　the　huge　radio　telescope　dish；　mingled　with　pieces　of　the　aircraft。
　
　It　was　only　when　the　dust　started　to　clear　and　she　felt　the　cold　night　air　descending　into　what　could　have　been　her　tomb；　that　Natalya　began　to　move　forward。　　Slowly　at　first；　and　then；　as　some　of　her　courage　returned；　more　surefooted。　　She　climbed　and　thought　of　her　grandfather's　big　old　apple　tree　she　had　climbed　as　a　child。　　For　a　few　moments　she　seemed　to　be　fantasising　that　it　was　the　tree　itself；　not　flat　and　unstable　concrete　slabs；　that　it　was　summer　again　and　her　grandfather　was　chuckling；　calling　her　a　little　monkey　as　she　went　upwards　through　the　branches　and　leaves。
　
　Then　she　remembered　Boris；　and　recalled　he　was　going　out　for　an　illegal　smoke。　　She　began　to　call；　as　she　climbed　into　winter　high　above　her　…〃Boris！　。。。　Boris　Ivanovich！
　
　Boris；　can　you　hear　me？〃　She　was　out　in　the　cold；　fresh；　clear　night　air；　standing　alone　in　the　snow。
　
　Tanner　was　still　standing　with　M　and　Bond　when　the　screens　went　blank　with　a　searing　white　flash。
　
　〃What　the　bloody　hell　was　that？〃　Tanner　jumped　visibly；　M　flinched；　and　Bond　moved；　as　though　ready　to　throw　himself　to　one　side。
　
　Seconds　later　both　M　and　Tanner　had　grabbed　telephones。
　
　（Far　away；　Xenia　Onatopp　and　General　Ourumov；　in　the　Tigre；　felt　themselves　thrown　from　side　to　side　as　the　machine　bucked　to　the　snarling　rhythms　of　the　dancing　snakes　of　blue　electrical　fire　which　reached　them；　even　fifty　miles　away。　　Xenia　thought　to　herself　that　the　French　had　done　well。　　The　Tigre　was　indeed　invincible。）　Bill　Tanner　called　out　from　the　telephone　…〃Our　satellite's　been　knocked　out；　so　have　two　of　the　Americans'。
　
　We've　got　one　ing　into　range　any　second。〃　The　screens　cleared　and　the　satellite　images　were　replaced　on　the　screen。　　Severnaya　dark；　except　for　odd　spot　fires。　　Then　the　dish；　tilted　and　askew；　with　the　wreckage　of　the　burning　〃Flogger…K'。
　
　〃Good　God；'　someone　said。
　
　〃Two　of　the　〃Floggers〃　are　down。　　Power's　out。
　
　M　moved　closer。　　〃Looks　as　though　the　third　aircraft　went　into　the　dish。〃　She　turned　her　head　and　asked　Bond；　〃What　do　you　think；　007？〃　He　had　been　standing　calmly　trying　to　analyse　what　he　could　see。　　〃Well；　the　buildings　are　standing。　　No　car　or　truck　movement。　　Not　even　a　headlamp。　　I'd　say　EMP。〃　Tanner　nodded。　　〃That　would　account　for　the　aircraft　and　satellites。。
　
　〃And　the　cars；'　Bond　added。
　
　Bill　Tanner　turned　to　M。　〃EMP；　Ma'am。　　ElectroMagnetic…Pulse。　　A　first　strike　weapon　developed　by。
　
　M　cut　in；　〃I　know　what　EMP　is；　Mr。　Tanner。　　Developed　by　both　the　Americans　and　the　Soviets　during　the　Cold　War。　　Someone　wrote　about　the　theory　after　Hiroshima。
　
　Set　off　a　nuclear　device　in　the　upper　atmosphere；　this　creates　a　pulse　…　a　radiation　surge　actually　…　that　destroys　anything　with　an　electronic　circuit。〃　As　she　paused；　so　Tanner　spoke　again；　〃The　idea　was　a　weapon　with　which　to　knock　out　the　enemy's　munications　before　he。。。　she　。。。　they　　…　could　retaliate。〃　M　turned　to　Bond。
　
　〃So；　is　this　GoldenEye？　　Does　this　mean　GoldenEye　actually　exists？'　〃Yes。
　
　〃Is　there　any　chance　this　could　be　an　accident？〃
　〃Absolutely　not；　Ma'am；　and　this　would　explain　the　theft　of　the　helicopter。　　It's　the　perfect　get…away　vehicle　if　you　wanted　to　steal　a　GoldenEye。　　You　set　the　thing　in　motion；　so　that　nobody　can　stop　it。　This；　in　turn；　poses　a　problem。　You　have　to　get　clear　and　wipe　out　all　the　evidence　at　the　same　time。　　i　suspect　GoldenEye　is　a　unique　triggering　and　guidance　device。　　If　you　want　to　steal　it；　clean　the　place　of　any　traces；　you　get　out　in　something　like　Tigre。〃
　〃So；　you　think　its's　your　wretch