johngardner.winloseordie-第4部分

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　'Yes。　I　saw　the　file。'
　'Then　you　know　the　file　said　it　was　co…ordinated；　but　nobody
　had　taken　responsibility。'
　Bond　nodded。
　The　file　was　lying　by　omission；'　Tanner　sounded　grave　now。　'There　was　a　long　letter；　circulated　to　all　the　countries　concerned。　In　brief　it　said　the　incidents　had　been　co…ordinated　by　the　Brotherhood　of　Anarchy　and　Secret　Terror；　to　be　referred　to　as　BAST。　Everyone　did　some　back…tracking；　because　these　kinds　of　groups　do　have　a　tendency　to　choose　high…l'alutin　names。　The　damage　from　ihose　first　incidents　was　small　and　there　were　no　deaths；　but　those　who　advise　on　international　terrorism　told　us　to　take　them　damned　seriously；　if　only　because　BAST　is　a　demonic　name。　BAST；　it　seems；　is　a　word　that　es　from　Ancient　Egypt：　sometimes　known　as　Aini　or　Aym。　BAST　is　said　to　appear　as　a　three…headed　demon　…　head　of　a　snake；　head　of　a　cat；　head　of　a　man　…　mounted　on　a　viper。　The　demon　BAST　is　connected　with　incendiarism；　and　we　now　have　little　doubt　that　the　Brotherhood　chose　the　name　because　of　its　demonic　connotations。'
　'Demons？'　Bond　raised　his　eyes　towards　the　ceiling。
　'Yes。　demons。〃　M；　who　was　far　from　being　a　superstitious　man；　appeared　to　be　taking　the　entire　thing　very　seriously。　'A　lot　of　research　has　been　done　on　this。　Now；　we　know　that　there　are　indeed　three　leaders…　like　the　snake；　man　and　cat…and　a　prime　leader　upon　which　they　all　ride　and　exist。　The　viper；　if　you　like；　es　by　the　name　of　Biissam　Baradj。　a　former　ranking　member　of　the　PLO；　a　former　friend　of　Arafat's；　and　a　wealthy　man　in　his　own　right。　Baradj　is　certainly　paymaster　and　mastermind。〃
　Tanner　nodded　and　said　that　other　intelligence　had　pinpointed　three　associates　of　Baradj；　all　one…time　members　of　Middle…Eastern　paramilitary　political　groups。　'Abou　Hamarik；　Ali　Al　Adwan；　and　a　young　woman；　Saphii　Boudai　…　the　man。　the　snake　and　the　cat。　Apparently　those　are　their　key　names：　street　names。　They're　all　experienced　in　the　arts　of　lerrorism。　they're　also　disenchanted　with　all　the　old　causes。
　They've　embraced　the　idea　of　anarchy　with　one　thought　only。　They　believe　that　Napoleon's　definition　of　anarchy　is　the　one　and　only　true　definition　…　〃Anarchy　is　the　stepping　stone　to　absolute　power〃。'
　Bond　fell　a　tingling　chill　down　his　spine。　He　had　fought　against　fanatical　shadows　before。
　'Y'see。　James；'　M　appeared　to　have　softened；　'these　people　who　sound　so　childish　with　their　BAST　signature；　are　far　from　childish。　Baradj　can　lay　his　hands　on　billions；　he　is　also　a　shrewd　and　cunning　strategist。　The　other　leaders　are　trained　soldiers　in　the　terrorist　wars。　They　can　teach　skills；　and；　through　Baradj；　they　can　buy　and　sell　as　many　mercenaries　as　they　need。　Mad　as　it　might　seem；　these　people　are　pledged　against　practically　all　political　and　religious　ideologies。　They　have　their　own　ideal　…　to　gain　absolute　power。　What　they　do　with　that　power　once　they've　got　it；　heaven　only　knows。　But　that's　what　they're　after；　and。　if　recent　activities　are　anything　ю　go　by；　they're　going　to　be　a　nasty　poisoned　thorn　in　the　sides　of　all　nations　and　all　types　and　conditions　of　government　for　some　time　to　e。'
　'And　how　do　we　know　they're　after　the　little　band　of　naval　brass？'　Bond　asked。
　M　explained。　He　spoke　at　length　about　the　voice　prints　they　had　on　three　of　the　leading　members　of　BAST；　how　they　had　also　stumbled　across　the　organisation's　call…sign　or　password；　'Health　depends　on　strength。'
　The　problem　is；'　M　went　on。　'（hat　these　people　appear　to　be　so　flaky；　as　our　American　brothers…in…arms　would　say。　that　one　is　inclined　not　to　take　them　seriously。　We　have　to　take　them　seriously。　That　strange　and　almost　ridiculous　attack　on　the　Japanese　tanker　was　their　doing；　and　that　was　a　rehearsal；　carried　out　in　cold　blood。　A　supertanker；　James；　is　not　altogether　unlike　an　aircraft…carrier。　They　wanted　to　see　it〃　they　could　take　out　a　tanker；　in　order　to　test　the　feasibility　of　a　similar　assault　on　Invincible。'
　'But　how　do　we　know　that？'　Bond　pressed。
　'We　plucked　two　voices　from　the　air。'　M　smiled　for　the　first　time　since　Bond　had　entered　the　room。　'We　got　voice　prints　on　Baradj　and　Abou　Hamarik。　It　appears　the　latter　organised　the　event　…　they　coded　it　Operation　WIN；　incidentally　…　and　Hamarik's　trying　to　plant；　or　promise　someone　either　already　serving　in　Invincible；　от　on　the　staff　of　one　of　our　visiting　Admirals。　The　ones　to　whom　you；　007；　will　act　as　Nanny。'
　'Delighted；　sir。'　Bond's　tips　curved　into　one　of　the　cruellest　smiles　M　had　ever　seen。　Later　the　Chief　was　to　say　that；　to　use　a　Biblical　expression；　'Iron　had　entered　into　oo7's　soul。'　He　was
　not　far　wrong。
　Bond's　thoughts　lurned　to　Napoleon　again　and　he　remembered　that　he　had　also　said；　LA　love　of　country；　a　spirit　of　enthusiasm；　and　a　sense　of　honour；　will　operate　upon　young　soldiers　with　advantage。'　Not　only　young　soldiers；　James　Bond　considered；　but　Naval　officers　with　a　history　of　matters　secret　as　well。
　Many　people　in　（he　intelligence　world　who　knew　Bond；　were　surprised　a　month　later　to　read　in　the　London　Gazelle　…
　BOND。　James。　mander　RNVR。　Relieved　of　current　liaison　duties　at　the　Foreign　Office。　Promoted　to　the　substantive　rank　of　Captain　RN　and　returned　to　active　service　forthwith。
　
　3
　
　Reflections　in　a　Harrier
　
　The　Sea　Harrier　taxied　to　the　foot　of　the　so…called　ski　ramp　…　a　wide　metal　hill；　sweeping　upwards　at　12°　…　and　the　nose…wheel　rolled　into　perfect　alignment　with　the　dark　painted　strip　that　was　the　centreline。
　The　legendary　V'STOL　（Vertical'Short　Take…Off　&　Landing）　pronounced　'Veestol'　…　aircraft　responded　to　the　tiny　throttle　movement　and　climbed　so　that　the　entire　fuselage　became　positioned　into　ihe　upward　configuration。
　Bond　went　through　the　take…off　checks　for　the　last　time：　brakes　on；　flaps　OUT。　ASI　（Air　Speed　Indicator）　'bug'　to　lift…off　speed。　The　aircraft　was　alive；　trembling　to　the　idling　of　the　Rolls…Royce　（Bristol）　Pegasus　104　turbofan　which　could　generate　an　impressive　21；500　pounds　of　thrust。
　On　the　Sea　Harrier　the　thrust　is　channelled　through　two　engine　propulsion　nozzles；　set　at　port　and　starboard；　capable　of　being　rotated；　from　the　aft　horizontal　position；　through　some　98。5°。　This　is　the　Harrier's　great　advantage　over　conventional　fixed…wing　aircraft；　for　the　jet　nozzles　allow　vertical　lift　plus　horizontal　flight；　together　with　all　the　other　variables　in　between。　such　as　hover　and　backward　flight。
　Bond's　hand　moved　to　the　nozzle　lever；　and　he　glanced　down　to　confirm　that　it　was　set　to　short　take…off　position　at　the　50°　stop　mark。　He　lifted　his　right　hand　into　the　clear　thumbs…up　position；　which　would　be　seen　by　the　deck　control　handling　officer　in　his　'bubble'　on　the　starboard　side；　and　who　Bond；　strapped　into　the　cockpit　and　angled　towards　a　squally　grey　sky。　could　not　see。　At　the　same　moment　he　heard　the　mander　（Air）　give　him　the　'Go'　…　'Bluebird　cleared　for　take…off。'
　Bond　opened　the　throttle　to　55　per　cent　RPM；　released　the　brakes；　then　slammed　the　throttle　hard　into　fully…open。　The　Pegasus　engine　roared　behind　him；　and　he　could　feel　himself　pushed　back　against　the　padded　metal　seat　as　though　a　pair　of　giant　hands　were　pressing　his　chest　and　face。
　The　Sea　Harrier　rocketed　from　the　ramp；　and　as　it　did　so；　Bond　flipped　the　gear　into　the　'up'　position；　hardly　noticing　the　whine　and　thump　as　the　wheels　came　up　into　their　housings；　for　in　the　first　fifteen　seconds　or　so　of　the　ramp　take…off　Ihe　Harrier　was　not　actually　flying；　but　was　shot；　ballistically；　into　a　high。　fast　trajectory。　Only　when　the　ASI　'bug'　flashed　and　beeped　did　Bond　set　the　nozzles　to　horizontal　flight；　and　click　flaps　to　IN。　The　head…up…display　（HUD）　showed　that　he　was　climbing　at　an　angle　of　almost　60°　at　a　speed　in　excess　of　640　knots。
　If　the　take…off　had　been　from　a　carrier；　or　similar　ship；　the　sea　would　lie　directly　below；　but　this。　Bond's　firsl　real　take…off　from　the　ski…ramp；　was　from　the　Royal　Naval　Air　Station。　Yeovilton　in　Somerset；　among　some　of　the　Wesi　Country's　most　beautiful　landscapes。　Not　that　he　had　any　view　of　the　ground　now。　for　his　Harrier　had　shot　above　ihc　mile…high　doudbase　and　was　still　climbing　as　he　set　course　for　the　bombing　range　in　the　Irish　Sea；　not　far　from　the　Isle　of　Man。
　Though　this　was　his　first　real　ski…run　take…off；　Bond　had　already　done　it　a　couple　of　dozen　times　on　the　simulator。　He　was　now　into　Ihe　third　week　of　his　Harrier　conversion　course；　and　eight　months　into　his　return　to　active　duly　with　the　Royal　Navy。
　His　promotion　to　Captain　was　a　quantum　leap；　as　it　is　for　any　Naval　officer。　Not　that　the　new　rank　had　made　much　difference　over　the　past　months。　On　all　the　courses　Bond　had　taken；　rank　was　well…nigh　forgotten；　and　a　Captain　under　inslruction　rated　ai　about　the　same　level　as　a　Sub…Lieutenant。
　Since　starting　the　courses；　he　had　studied　the　new　advanced　strategies　of　naval　warfare　which　seemed　to　aller　at　alarming　speed；　another　course　on　munications；　a　third　on　ciphers　and　an　important　fourth　concerning　advanced　weaponry；　including　hands…on　experience　with　the　latest　3…D　radar。　Sea　Darts　and　SAM　missiles；　together　with　new　electronic　weapons　control　systems　operating　the　American　Phalanx　and　Goalkeeper　CIWS　…　Close　In　Weapon　Systems：　'sea…whizz'　as　they　are　known　…which　have　now　bee　standard　following　the　horrifying　lessons　learned　during　the　Falklands　Campaign。
　Bond　had　always　kepi　up　his　Hying　hours　and　instrument　ratings；　on　jets　and　helicopters；　in　order　to　remain　qualified　as　a　naval　pilot；　but　he　had　now　reached　the　final　and　most　testing　course　…　conversion　to　the　Sea　Harrier。
　After　some　twenty　hours　in　Yeovilton　in　the　flight　simulator；　he　had　flown　Harriers　in　normal　configuration　of　rolling　take…offs　and　landings。　The　ski…jump　take…off　marked　the　beginning　of　the　air　bat　and　tactical　weapons　course。　The　whole　thing　appealed　mightily　to　Bond；　who　revelled　in　learning　and　honing　new　skills。　In　any　case；　the　Sea　Harrier　was　a　wonderful　machine　to　fly：　exciting　and　very　different。
　He　now　checked　the　HUD　which　showed　him　on　course　and　cruising　at　around　6（10　knots　along　the　military　airway。　Glancing　down　at　the　HDD　…　the　Head…Down…Display　…　he　could　see　the　visual　map。　the　magic　eye　which　gives　the　modern　pilot　a　ground　map　view　even　through　the　thickest　and　most