p&c.icelimit-第70部分

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e　threatened　to　suck　them　out　into　the　darkness。　No　storm　could　keep　up　this　kind　of　violence　for　long。　Soon；　Britton　hoped；　it　would　begin　to　break。　It　had　to。
　She　kept　checking　the　surface　scopes；　irrationally；　looking　for　a　contact　that　might　indicate　a　rescue。　But　they　were　streaked　with　grass；　giving　mostly　sea　return。　At　the　crest　of　each　wave；　they　cleared　long　enough　to　show　a　growler　field　…　small　bergs　…　about　eight　miles　ahead。　Between　the　ship　and　the　growler　field　lay　a　single　ice　island；　smaller　than　those　they　had　passed　but　several　miles　long　nevertheless。　As　the　ship　was　pushed　deeper　into　the　ice；　the　waves　would　mitigate；　but；　of　course；　then　there　would　be　more　ice　to　deal　with。
　The　GPS；　at　least；　was　steady　and　clear。　They　were　about　one　hundred　and　fifty　miles　northwest　of　the　South　Shetland　Islands；　an　uninhabited　row　of　fanglike　mountains　sticking　up　from　the　Antarctic　seas；　surrounded　by　reefs　and　ripping　currents。　Beyond　lay　the　Bransfield　Strait；　and；　beyond　that；　pack　ice　and　the　brutal　coast　of　Antarctica。　As　they　drew　closer　to　the　coast；　the　seas　would　drop　but　the　currents　would　get　worse。　One　hundred　and　fifty　miles。。。　if　South　Georgia　could　launch　a　rescue　at　6　A。M。。。。　It　all　depended　on　that　thing　down　in　the　hold。
　She　thought　of　asking　Glinn　for　a　progress　report。　But　then　she　realized　she　did　not　want　a　report。　Glinn　had　been　as　silent　as　she；　and　she　wondered　just　what　was　going　through　his　mind。　She；　at　least；　could　read　the　movement　of　the　ship。　For　the　others　it　must　be　simple；　sheer　terror。
　The　ship　rolled；　a　frightening　roll。　But　as　the　roll　approached　the　apex；　she　felt　an　odd　hitch；　a　catch；　to　it。　At　the　same　time；　Glinn　raised　his　radio　to　his　ear；　listening　intently。　He　saw　her　look。
　〃It's　Garza；〃　he　said。　〃I　can't　hear　him　over　the　storm。〃
　She　turned　to　Howell。　〃Patch　him　through。　Maximum　gain。〃
　Suddenly　Garza's　voice　boomed　through　the　bridge。　〃Eli！〃　he　was　calling。　The　amplification　gave　the　panic　in　his　voice　a　ragged；　desperate　edge。　In　the　background；　Britton　could　hear　the　groan　and　screech　of　tortured　metal。
　〃Here。〃
　〃We're　losing　the　primary　crosspieces！〃
　〃Stick　with　it。〃
　Britton　wondered　at　Glinn's　calm；　steady　voice。
　The　ship　began　to　heel　again。
　〃Eli；　the　whole　thing's　unraveling　faster　than　we　can　keep　up　with　…　〃　The　ship　heeled　farther；　and　another　scream　of　metal　drowned　out　Garza's　voice。
　〃Manuel；〃　said　Glinn。　〃Rochefort　knew　what　he　was　doing　when　he　designed　that　web。　It's　much　stronger　than　you　think。　Take　it　one　step　at　a　time。〃
　Still　the　ship　slanted。
　〃Eli；　the　rock　…　It's　moving！　I　can't　…　〃　The　radio　went　dead。
　The　ship　paused；　shuddered　throughout　its　frame；　then　slowly　began　to　right　itself。　Britton　felt　that　little　hitch　again；　like　a　pause；　almost　as　if　the　ship　had　caught　on　something　for　a　moment。
　Glinn　kept　his　eyes　to　the　speaker。　After　a　moment；　it　crackled　once　again。　Garza's　voice　came　back　on。　〃Eli？　Are　you　there？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃I　think　the　thing　shifted　slightly；　but　it　came　back　into　place。〃
　Glinn　almost　smiled。　〃Manuel；　do　you　see　how　you're　overreacting？　Don't　panic。　Focus　on　the　critical　points　and　let　the　others　go。　Triage　the　situation。　There's　a　tremendous　amount　of　redundancy　built　into　that　web。　Double　overage。　Remember　that。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　The　ship　began　another　roll；　a　slow；　screeching；　agonizing　motion。　Again　she　felt　the　pause；　and　then　she　felt　something　new；　different　in　the　motion。。。　Something　ugly。　Britton　looked　at　Glinn；　then　at　Lloyd。　She　could　see　that　they　hadn't　noticed。　When　the　meteorite　had　moved；　she　could　feel　how　it　affected　the　entire　ship。　The　massive　Rolvaag　had　almost　pivoted　on　the　crest　of　that　last　wave。　She　wondered　if　it　was　her　imagination。　She　waited　while　the　ship　sank　down　into　the　unnatural　peace　of　the　trough；　then　began　to　rise　again。　She　turned　on　the　maindeck　lights　and　sealights：　she　wanted　to　see　the　conformation　of　the　ship　on　the　water。　It　was　rising；　shuddering　as　if　to　shake　off　its　burden；　the　heavy　black　water　surging　off　its　sides　and　out　the　scuppers。　As　they　came　up　the　thing　in　the　hold　began　to　groan　again；　slowly；　the　ship　reared　up　the　long　face　of　the　wave；　shivering　as　it　rose　into　the　wind。　The　bow　broke　through　the　topmost　b　of　water；　and　the　groaning　became　a　shriek　of　protesting　metal　and　timber；　echoing　through　the　bones　of　the　ship。　There　it　was：　the　Rolvaag　made　that　same　ugly　motion　at　the　top；　a　yaw　that　almost　became　a　pivot；　then　a　lying　back　down　in　the　water。　There　was　a　hesitation　before　it　recovered　…　and　that　was　the　worst　of　all。
　Once；　on　a　terrible　storm　off　the　Grand　Banks；　she　had　seen　a　ship　break　its　back。　The　hull　had　e　apart　with　a　horrific　noise；　black　water　had　boiled　in；　instantly　flooding　the　ship's　deepest　partments。　Nobody　had　a　chance　to　get　off：　all　were　sucked　down　into　the　deep。　It　was　a　sight　that　still　disturbed　her　sleep　to　this　day。
　She　glanced　at　Howell。　He　had　noticed　the　slow　recovery；　too：　he　was　staring　at　her；　frame　rigid；　round　eyes　white　in　a　deathly　pale　face。　She　had　never　seen　him　so　frightened。　〃Captain。。。〃　he　began；　his　voice　breaking。
　She　gestured　him　silent。　She　knew　what　he　was　going　to　say。　It　was　her　duty　to　say　it。
　She　glanced　at　Glinn。　His　face　remained　strangely　confident　and　serene。　She　had　to　look　away。　For　all　his　knowledge；　the　man　did　not　know　the　feel　of　a　ship。
　The　Rolvaag　was　on　the　verge　of　breaking　up。
　They　began　to　subside　into　another　trough；　the　wind　abruptly　dropping　to　zero。　She　took　the　opportunity　to　look　around　the　bridge：　Lloyd；　McFarlane；　Amira；　Glinn；　Howell；　Banks；　the　other　officers　of　the　watch。　All　silent。　All　watching　her。　All　waiting　for　her　to　do　something；　to　keep　them　alive。
　〃Mr。　Lloyd；〃　she　said。
　〃Yes？〃　He　stepped　over；　eager　to　help。
　This　was　going　to　be　hard。
　A　hideous　shudder　rattled　the　consoles　and　windows　as　the　ship　took　a　major　cross…swell。　When　the　sound　eased　as　the　ship　slipped　back　down；　Britton　could　breathe　again。
　〃Mr。　Lloyd；〃　she　said　again。　〃The　meteorite　must　go。〃
　
　Rolvaag；
　7：00　P。M。
　
　ON　THESE　words；　McFarlane　felt　a　queer　feeling　in　his　gut。　A　galvanic　charge　seemed　to　spread　through　his　body。　Never。　It　was　impossible。　He　tried　to　shake　off　the　seasickness　and　fear　of　the　last　harrowing　minutes。
　〃Absolutely　not；〃　he　heard　Lloyd　say。　The　words　were　quiet；　barely　audible　above　the　roar　of　the　sea。　Nevertheless；　they　carried　a　tremendous　force　of　conviction。　A　hush　fell　on　the　bridge　as　the　ship　went　deeper　into　the　preternatural　calm　of　the　trough。
　〃I　am　the　captain　of　this　ship；〃　Britton　said　quietly。　〃The　lives　of　my　crew　depend　on　it。　Mr。　Glinn；　I　order　you　to　trigger　the　dead　man's　switch。　I　order　it。〃
　After　the　briefest　of　hesitations；　Glinn　turned　toward　the　EES　console。　
　〃No！〃　screamed　Lloyd；　seizing　Glinn's　arm　in　a　powerful　grip。　〃You　touch　that　puter　and　I'll　kill　you　with　my　bare　hands。〃
　With　a　short；　sharp　motion；　Glinn　twisted　out　of　the　grip；　throwing　Lloyd　off　balance。　The　big　man　stumbled；　then　drew　himself　up；　panting。　The　ship　slanted　again　and　a　metallic　groan　ran　through　the　length　of　the　hull。　All　movement　stopped　as　everyone　clung　to　the　nearest　handhold。
　〃You　hear　that；　Mr。　Lloyd？〃　Britton　cried　over　the　sound　of　protesting　metal。　〃That　son　of　a　bitch　down　there　is　killing　my　ship！〃
　〃Glinn；　stay　away　from　that　keyboard。〃
　〃The　captain　has　given　an　order；〃　Howell　shouted；　his　voice　high。　
　〃No！　Only　Glinn　has　the　key；　and　he　won't　do　it！　He　can't；　not　without　my　permission！　Eli；　do　you　hear　me？　I　order　you　not　to　initiate　the　dead　man's　switch。〃　Lloyd　moved　suddenly　to　the　EES　puter；　blocking　it　with　his　body。
　Howell　turned。　〃Security！　Seize　this　man　and　remove　him　from　the　bridge。〃
　But　Britton　held　up　a　hand。　〃Mr。　Lloyd；　step　away　from　the　puter。　Mr。　Glinn；　execute　my　mand。〃　The　vessel　had　begun　to　heel　still　farther；　and　a　terrifying　crackle　shot　through　the　ship's　steel；　rising　in　pitch　to　a　muffled　howl　of　tearing　metal；　abruptly　cut　off　as　they　began　to　right。
　Lloyd　gripped　the　puter；　his　eyes　wild。　〃Sam！〃　he　cried；　his　wild　eyes　seizing　on　McFarlane。
　McFarlane　had　been　watching；　dumbstruck；　almost　paralyzed　with　conflicting　emotions：　terror　for　his　life；　desire　for　the　rock　and　its　boundless　mysteries。　He　would　rather　go　down　with　it　than　give　it　up　now。　Almost。
　〃Sam！〃　Lloyd　was　almost　pleading　now。　〃You're　the　scientist　here。　Tell　them　about　all　the　research　you　did；　the　island　of　stability；　the　new　element。。。〃　He　was　being　incoherent。　〃Tell　them　why　it's　so　important。　Tell　them　why　they　can't　dump　the　rock！〃
　McFarlane　felt　his　throat　constrict　…　and　realized；　for　the　first　time；　how　utterly　irresponsible　it　had　been　to　take　the　rock　to　sea。　If　it　sank　now；　it　would　drive　itself　deep　into　the　abyssal　mud　of　the　ocean　bottom；　two　miles　down；　never　to　be　seen　again。　The　loss　to　science　would　be　catastrophic。　It　was　unthinkable。
　He　found　his　voice。　〃Lloyd's　right。　It　might　be　the　most　important　scientific　discovery　ever　made。　You　can't　let　it　go。〃
　Britton　turned　to　him。　〃We　no　longer　have　a　choice。　The　meteorite　is　going　to　the　bottom　…　no　matter　what　we　do。　So　that　leaves　us　with　only　one　question。　Are　we　going　to　let　it　take　us　with　it？〃
　
　Rolvaag；
　7：10　P。M。
　
　MCFARLANE　LOOKED　at　the　faces　around　him：　Lloyd；　tense　and　expectant；　Glinn；　veiled　and　unreadable；　Rachel；　clearly　as　conflicted　as　he　was；　Britton；　an　expression　of　utter　conviction　on　her　face。　It　was　a　haggard　group；　ice　crystallizing　in　their　hair；　faces　raw　and　bleeding　with　the　cuts　of　the　flying　ice。
　〃We　can　abandon　ship　instead；〃　Lloyd　said；　his　voice　panicky。　〃Hell；　let　the　ship　drift　without　us。　It's　drifting　anyway。　Maybe　it'll　survive　on　its　own。　We　don't　have　to　jettison　the　rock。〃
　〃It's　close　to　suicide　to　launch　lifeboats　in　this　sea；〃　Britton　replied。　〃It's　below　zero　out　there；　for　God's　sake。〃　〃We　can't　just　drop　it；〃　Lloyd　continued；　desperate　now。　〃It　would　be　a　crime　against　science。　This　is　all　an　overreaction。　We've　already　been　through　so　much。　Glinn；　for　God's　sake；　tell　her　she's　overreacting。〃
　But　Glinn　said　nothing。
　〃I　know　my　ship；〃　was　all　Britton　said。
　Lloyd　veered　wildly　between　threats　and　plea