atlantis.found-第80部分

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ica；　transporting　scientists；　equipment；　and　supplies。　This　trip　they　had　been　abruptly　pressed　into　service　to　fly　the　hurriedly　assembled　assault　teams　to　the　Ross　Ice　Shelf　and　drop　them　over　the　Destiny　Enterprises　mining　facility。
　　　　　Stafford　looked　more　like　a　public　relations　director　than　a　pilot。　Graying　hair　neatly　trimmed；　always　ready　with　a　smile；　he　was　always　volunteering　to　help　out　Air　Force　service　and　charity　organizations。　On　most　flights；　he　read　a　book；　while　his　copilot；　Lieutenant　Robert　Brannon；　a　long…boned　Californian　whose　knees　came　halfway　to　his　chin　when　he　was　seated；　tended　the　controls　and　instruments。　Almost　reluctantly；　he　glanced　from　his　book；　The　Einstein　Papery　by　Craig　Dirgo；　out　his　side　window　and　then　at　the　Global　Positioning　System　display。
　　　　　〃Time　to　go　back　to　work；〃　he　announced；　putting　aside　the　book。　He　turned　and　smiled　at　Major　Tom　Cleary；　who　sat　perched　on　a　stool　behind　the　pilots。　〃It's　almost　time　to　begin　prebreathing；　Major；　and　acclimate　yourselves　to　the　oxygen。〃
　　　　　Cleary　stared　through　the　windshield　over　the　pilot's　heads；　but　all　he　saw　was　cloud　cover。　He　assumed　that　a　corner　of　the　Ross　Ice　Shelf　was　looming　unseen　ahead　and　below　the　aircraft。　〃How's　my　time？〃
　　　　　Stafford　nodded　at　the　instrument　panel。　〃We'll　be　over　your　release　point　in　one　hour。　Are　your　men　ready　and　eager？〃
　　　　　〃Ready；　maybe；　but　I'd　hardly　describe　them　as　eager。　They've　all　jumped　from　a　jet　aircraft　at　thirty…five　thousand　feet　at　one　time　or　another；　but　not　while　it　was　traveling　at　four　hundred　miles　an　hour。　We're　used　to　feeling　the　aircraft　slow　down　before　the　ramp　lowers。〃
　　　　　〃Sorry　I　can't　bring　you　in　closer；　slower；　and　lower；〃　said　Stafford　sympathetically。　〃The　trick　is　for　you　and　your　men　to　land　on　the　ice　without　your　chutes　being　discovered　in　the　air。　My　orders　state　in　no　uncertain　terms　for　me　to　make　my　routine　supply　run　to　McMurdo　Sound　in　my　normal　flight　pattern。　I've　shaved　it　as　close　as　I　dare　without　raising　suspicion。　As　it　is；　you'll　have　to　glide　nearly　ten　miles　to　your　target　zone　just　outside　the　security　fences。〃
　　　　　〃The　wind　is　blowing　from　the　sea；　so　that's　in　your　favor；〃　offered　Brannon。
　　　　　〃The　cloud　cover　helps；　too；〃　Cleary　said　slowly。　〃And　if　they　have　a　functioning　radar　system；　the　operator　will　have　to　have　four　eyes　to　detect　us　from　the　exact　moment　we　exit　until　we　deploy　our　canopies。〃
　　　　　Stafford　made　a　slight　course　change　and　then　said；　〃I　don't　envy　you；　Major；　jumping　from　a　nice　warm　airplane　into　an　icy　blast　one　hundred　degrees　below　zero。〃
　　　　　Cleary　smiled。　〃At　least　you　didn't　hand　me　the　tired　old　pilot's　line　about　‘jumping　from　a　perfectly　good　airplane。'　I　appreciate　that。〃
　　　　　They　all　laughed　for　a　few　moments　at　the　inside　joke　among　professionals。　For　decades；　parachutists　had　been　posed　the　question；　〃Why　do　you　jump　from　a　perfectly　good　airplane？〃　usually　by　pilots。　The　stock　answer　Cleary　usually　gave　was　〃When　a　perfectly　good　airplane　exists；　then　I'll　quit　jumping。〃
　　　　　〃As　for　the　cold；〃　Cleary　continued；　〃our　electrically　heated　thermal　suits　will　keep　us　from　turning　into　icicles　while　we　descend　to　a　warmer　altitude。〃
　　　　　〃The　clouds　extend；　too；　within　a　thousand　feet　of　the　ground；　so　you'll　be　falling　blind　most　of　the　way；　since　your　passes　and　GPS　instruments　are　ineffective；〃　said　Brannon。
　　　　　〃The　men　are　well　trained　for　that。　The　key　to　a　successful　high…altitude；　low…opening　infiltration　jump　is　to　exit　at　the　correct　grid　coordinate　upwind；　and　have　everyone　under　canopy　at　relatively　the　same　altitude。〃
　　　　　〃We'll　put　you　out　on　a　silver　quarter。　But　it　won't　be　no　picnic。〃
　　　　　〃No；〃　said　Cleary　solemnly。　〃I'm　sure　that　in　the　first　minute　after　we　drop　from　the　plane；　we'll　wish　we　were　falling　into　a　fiery　hell　instead。〃
　　　　　Stafford　checked　the　instrument　panel　again。　〃After　you　and　your　men　finish　prebreathing；　I'll　depress　the　cabin。　Immediately　afterward；　I'll　pass　on　the　twenty　and　ten…minute　warnings　to　you　and　my　crew。　Then　I'll　notify　you　over　the　inter　when　we're　six　minutes　from　the　release　point。　At　two　minutes　out；　I'll　lower　the　ramp。〃
　　　　　〃Understood。〃
　　　　　〃At　one　minute　out；〃　Stafford　went　on；　〃I'm　going　to　ring　the　alarm　bell　once。　Then；　when　we're　directly　over　the　release　point；　I'll　turn　on　the　green　light。　At　the　airspeed　we'll　be　flying；　you'll　have　to　get　out　quickly　as　a　group。〃
　　　　　〃Our　intentions　exactly。〃
　　　　　〃Good　luck　to　you；〃　said　Stafford；　twisting　in　his　pilot's　seat　and　shaking　hands　with　the　major。
　　　　　Cleary　smiled　faintly。　〃Thanks　for　the　ride。〃
　　　　　〃Our　pleasure；〃　Stafford　said　genuinely。　〃But　I　hope　we　don't　have　to　do　it　again　anytime　soon。〃
　　　　　〃Nor　do　I。〃
　　　　　Cleary　stood　and　straightened；　left　the　cockpit；　and　walked　aft　into　the　aircraft's　cavernous　cargo　bay。　The　sixty…five　men　seated　inside　were　a　serious…faced　group；　dogged　and　dead　calm；　considering　the　uncertain　peril　they　were　about　to　encounter。　They　were　young。　Their　ages　ranged　from　twenty　to　twenty…four。　There　was　no　laughter　or　unproductive　conversation；　no　grousing　or　plaining。　To　a　man　they　were　absorbed　in　checking　and　rechecking　their　equipment。　They　were　a　posite　of　America's　finest　fighting　men；　hastily　thrown　together　on　the　spur　of　the　moment　from　special　units　nearest　to　Antarctica　that　were　on　counter…drug　operations　throughout　South　America。　A　team　of　Navy　SEALs；　members　of　the　Army's　elite　Delta　Force　and　a　Marine　Force　Recon　team。　。　。　a　bined　band　of　secret　warriors　on　a　mission　unlike　any　ever　conceived。
　　　　　Once　the　alert　had　been　given　the　Pentagon　by　the　White　House；　the　one　thing　they　had　in　short　supply　was　time。　A　larger　Special　Forces　unit　was　on　the　way　from　the　United　States　but　was　not　expected　to　reach　Okuma　Bay　for　another　three　hours；　a　time　span　that　might　prove　too　late　and　disastrous。　Admiral　Sandecker's　warning　was　not　received　with　enthusiasm　by　the　President's　top　aides；　nor　the　Armed　Forces　chief　of　staff。　At　first；　none　dared　believe　the　incredible　story。　Only　when　Loren　Smith　and　various　scientists　added　their　weight　to　the　plea　for　action　was　the　President　persuaded　to　order　the　Pentagon　to　send　a　special　force　to　stop　the　rapidly　approaching　cataclysm。
　　　　　An　air　assault　with　missiles　was　quickly　ruled　out　because　of　an　utter　lack　of　intelligence　data。　Nor　could　the　White　House　and　Pentagon　be　absolutely　sure　that　they　might　not　find　themselves　in　hot　water　with　the　world　for　destroying　an　innocent　plant　and　hundreds　of　employees。　Nor　could　they　be　certain　of　the　specific　location　for　the　mand　center　for　Earth's　destruction。　For　all　they　knew；　it　could　be　hidden　in　an　underground　ice　chamber　miles　from　the　facility。　The　Joint　Chiefs　decided　that　a　manned　assault　offered　the　best　chance　of　success；　without　an　international　outcry　if　they　were　wrong。
　　　　　The　men　were　seated　on　their　heavy　rucksacks；　wearing　parachutes；　and　were　engaged　in　pleting　jumpmaster　inspections。　The　rucksacks　were　full　of　survival　gear　and　ammunition　for　the　new　Spartan　Q99　Eradicator；　a　ten…pound　deadly　killer　weapon　that　integrated　an　automatic　twelve…gauge　shotgun；　a　5。56…millimeter　automatic　rifle　with　sniper　scope；　and　a　large…bore　barrel　in　the　center　that　fired　small　shrapnel…inflicting　missiles　that　exploded　with　deadly　results　at　the　slightest　impact。　The　spare　magazines；　shotgun　shells；　and　shrapnel　missiles　weighed　nearly　twenty　pounds　and　were　carried　in　belly　packs　slung　around　their　waists。　The　top　flap　of　the　belly　pack　held　a　navigation　board；　plete　with　a　Silva　marine　pass　and　digital　altimeter；　both　clearly　visible　to　the　jumper　while　gliding　under　his　canopy。
　　　　　Captain　Dan　Sharpsburg　led　the　Army's　Delta　Force；　while　Lieutenant　Warren　Garnet　was　in　mand　of　the　Marine　Recon　Team。　Lieutenant　Miles　Jacobs　and　his　SEAL　team；　which　had　aided　NUMA　on　St。　Paul　Island；　was　also　part　of　the　assault　force。　The　bined　group　was　under　the　mand　of　Cleary；　a　Special　Forces　veteran　who　had　been　on　leave　with　his　wife　enjoying　the　Kruger　Game　Park　in　South　Africa；　when　he　was　whisked　away　on　a　minute's　notice　to　take　mand　of　the　elite　makeshift　assault　unit。　It　had　to　be　the　first　time　in　American　military　history　that　separate　special　units　were　merged　to　fight　as　one。
　　　　　For　this　mission；　every　man　would　be　utilizing　a　new　ram…air　parachute　system　for　the　first　time；　called　the　MT…1Z　or　Zulu。　With　a　four…to…one　lift…to…drag　ratio；　the　canopy　could　travel　four　meters　horizontally　for　every　meter　descended；　an　advantage　that　did　not　go　unappreciated　among　the　three　teams。
　　　　　Cleary　scanned　the　two　rows　of　men。　The　nearest　officer；　Dan　Sharpsburg；　tilted　his　head　and　grinned。　A　red…haired　wit　with　a　gross　sense　of　humor；　and　an　old　friend；　he　was　one　of　the　few　who　actually　looked　forward　to　the　suicidal　plunge。　Dan　had　been　〃chasing　airplanes〃　for　years；　achieving　the　status　of　Military　Free　Fall　Instructor　at　the　U。S。　Army's　prestigious　Special　Forces　Military　Free　Fall　School　in　Yuma；　Arizona。　When　not　off　on　a　mission　or　training；　Dan　could　be　found　skydiving　with　civilians　for　the　fun　of　it。
　　　　　Cleary　had　barely　had　time　to　glance　at　the　service　records　of　Jacobs　and　Garnet；　but　he　knew　they　were　the　best　of　the　best　turned　out　by　the　Navy　and　Marines　for　special　force　missions。　Though　he　was　an　old　Army　man；　he　well　knew　the　SEALs　and　Marine　Recon　teams　were　among　the　finest　fighting　men　in　the　world。
　　　　　As　he　looked　from　face　to　face；　he　thought　that　if　they　survived　the　jump　and　glide　to　the　target　site；　they　then　had　the　Wolfs'　security　force　to　contend　with。　A　well…armed　and　trained　small　army　of　mercenaries；　he　was　told；　many　of　whom　had　served　the　very　same　forces　as　the　men　on　the　plane。　No；　Cleary　concluded。　This　would　be　no　picnic。
　　　　　〃How　soon？〃　Sharpsburg　asked　tersely。
　　　　　〃Less　than　an　hour；〃　Cleary　answered；　moving　down　the　line　of　men　and　alerting　Jacobs　and　Garnet。　Then　he　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　united　fighting　men　and　gave　them　final　instructions。　Satellite　aerial　photos　were　carried　by　everyone　in　a　pocket　of　their　thermal　suits；　to　be　studied　once　they　had　fallen　into　the　clear　and　opened　their　canopies。　Their　target　landing　site　was　a　larg