cc.floodtide-第41部分

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　The　destroyer　came　to　a　stop　and　drifted　no　more　than　two　hundred　yards　away　from　the　Oregon。　Through　his　night　glasses；　Cabrillo　could　read　the　big　white　numbers　painted　near　the　bow。　He　called　down　to　Ross；　〃Can　you　give　me　an　ID　on　Chinese　destroyer　number　one　hundred　sixteen？　I　repeat；　one　sixteen。〃
　
　He　waited　for　a　reply　as　he　watched　a　boat　being　lowered　from　the　destroyer's　midships　and　clearing　her　davits。　The　boarding　operation　went　smoothly；　and　the　boat　pushed　off　from　the　destroyer　and　headed　across　the　gap　between　the　two　ships；　ing　alongside　the　hull　of　the　simple…looking　old　freighter　within　twelve　minutes。　He　noted　with　no　little　satisfaction　that　the　turreted　twin　one…hundred…millimeter　guns　on　the　bow　were　the　only　weapons　trained　on　the　Oregon。　The　missile　launchers　appeared　deserted　and　secured。　The　thirty…seven　millimeter　gun　mounts　had　their　barrels　trained　fore　and　aft。
　
　〃I　have　your　ED；〃　came　back　Ross。　〃Number　one　sixteen　is　called　the　Chengdo。　She's　the　biggest　and　the　best　the　Chinese　Navy　has　to　offer。　She　is　captained　by　mander　Yu　Tien。　With　enough　time　I　could　get　you　his　bio。〃
　
　〃Thank　you；　Ross；　don't　bother。　It's　always　nice　to　know　the　name　of　your　enemy。　Please　stand　by　to　fire　all　weapons。〃　〃All　weapons　ready　to　fire　when　you　are；　Mr。　Chairman；〃　Ross　answered；　cool　and　unruffled。
　
　The　boarding　ladder　was　thrown　over　the　side；　and　the　Chinese　marines；　led　by　a　naval　lieutenant　and　a　captain　of　the　marine　contingent；　quickly　scrambled　from　their　boat　onto　the　deck。　There　was　an　almost　festive　air　about　the　boarders；　a　placency　bordering　more　on　a　Boy　Scout　camping　trip　than　an　operation　conducted　by　tough　fighting　men。
　
　〃Damn！〃　Cabrillo　cursed。　There　were　more　than　twice　as　many　of　them　as　he　figured；　and　all　armed　to　the　teeth。　He　agonized　over　not　being　able　to　spare　any　more　men　for　the　approaching　fight　on　the　main　deck。　He　looked　down　at　Pete　James　and　Bob　Meadows；　the　ship's　divers　and　former　Navy　SEALs；　and　at　Eddie　Seng；　all　three　of　them　standing　at　the　railing；　their　machine　pistols　held　under　their　coats。　Then　he　spotted　Pitt　and　Giordino　standing　squarely　in　front　of　the　Chinese　officers；　their　hands　held　high　in　the　air。
　
　Cabrillo's　immediate　reaction　was　one　of　infuriation。　With　Pitt　and　Giordino　surrendering　without　a　fight；　the　other　three　crewman　wouldn't　stand　a　prayer　against　over　twenty　bat…trained　marines。　The　Chinese　would　brush　them　aside　and　be　all　over　the　ship　in　a　matter　of　minutes。　〃You　yellow…bellied　wimps！〃　he　exploded；　shaking　his　fist　at　Pitt　and　Giordino。　〃You　dirty　traitors。〃
　
　〃What's　your　count？〃　Pitt　asked　Giordino　as　the　last　of　the　Chinese　marines　came　over　the　railing。
　〃Twenty…one；〃　Giordino　answered　placently。　〃Four　to　one　against　us。　Not　exactly　what　I'd　call　'slightly　outnumbered。'　〃
　〃I　make　the　same　odds。〃
　
　They　stood　awkwardly；　wearing　long　winter　coats；　their　hands　raised　over　their　heads　in　apparent　surrender。　Eddie　Seng；　James　and　Meadows　stared　at　the　boarding　Chinese　sullenly；　like　crewmen　irritated　by　any　interruption　of　their　normal　shipboard　routine。　The　effect　had　the　results　Pitt　counted　on。　The　Chinese　marines；　seeing　the　feeble　reception；　relaxed　and　held　their　weapons　loosely；　not　expecting　any　resistance　from　a　disreputable　crew　on　a　shabby　ship。
　
　The　naval　officer；　arrogant　and　staring　as　if　in　disgust　at　the　motley　crew　that　greeted　him；　strutted　up　to　Pitt　and　demanded　to　know　in　English　where　he　could　find　the　ship's　captain。
　
　Without　the　slightest　indication　of　malice　as　he　looked　from　the　naval　lieutenant　to　the　marine　captain；　Pitt　purred　politely；　〃Which　of　you　is　Beavis　and　which　is　Butt…head？〃
　
　〃What　was　that　you　said？〃　demanded　the　lieutenant。　〃If　you　don't　want　to　get　shot；　lead　me　to　your　captain。〃
　Pitt's　expression　took　on　a　mask　of　pure　fright。　〃Heh？　You　want　captain？　You　should　say　so。〃　He　turned　slightly　and　made　a　production　of　tilting　his　head　toward　Cabrillo　on　the　bridge　wing；　who　was　cursing　a　blue　streak　in　anger。　
　In　a　moment　of　sheer　reflex；　all　heads　and　every　eye　followed　Pitt's　gesture　toward　the　shouting　man。
　
　Then　from　the　bridge；　with　sudden；　startling　clarity；　Cabrillo　understood　what　the　two　NUMA　men　were　up　to　and　gazed　hypnotized　at　the　bloody　fight　that　erupted　before　his　eyes。　He　watched　in　dazed　astonishment　as　Pitt　and　Giordino　suddenly　sprouted　another　pair　of　hands　from　under　their　coats；　each　hand　gripping　a　machine　pistol；　fingers　locked　on　the　triggers。　They　cut　a　deadly　swath　through　the　Chinese　marines；　who　were　caught　totally　off　balance。　The　two　officers　were　the　first　to　fall；　followed　by　the　next　six　men　behind　them。　They　could　never；　never　have　been　prepared　for　such　a　vicious　onslaught；　certainly　not　from　men　who　appeared　frightened　and　cowering。　In　a　fraction　of　a　minute　the　unexpected　assault　had　cut　the　odds　from　four　to　a　little　more　than　two　to　one。　An　arrogant　confrontation　quickly　turned　into　a　gory　rampage　of　chaos。
　
　Aware　in　advance　of　the　phony…arms　deception；　Seng；　James　and　Meadows　instantly　leveled　their　weapons　and　opened　fire　less　than　a　second　after　Pitt　and　Giordino。　It　was　bedlam。　Men　falling；　scattering；　frantically　trying　to　cut　each　other　down。　The　Chinese　marines　were　professional　fighting　men　and　a　brave　lot。　They　recovered　quickly　and　stood　their　ground　on　the　deck；　now　heaped　with　their　fallen　rades；　and　fired　back。　In　a　lightning　stroke　of　time　every　clip　in　every　gun　had　gone　empty　in　almost　the　same　instant。　Seng　was　hit　and　down　on　one　knee。　Meadows　had　taken　a　bullet　in　one　shoulder　but　was　swinging　his　gun　like　a　club。　With　no　time　to　reload；　Pitt　and　Giordino　threw　their　weapons　at　the　eight　Chinese　marines　still　fighting　and　waded　in　slugging。　Yet　even　during　that　raging　flash　when　the　two　forces　fell　on　each　other　in　a　cursing；　punching　horde　of　twisting　bodies；　Pitt　was　aware　of　Cabrillo's　cry　from　the　bridge。
　
　〃Fire；　for　God's　sake；　fire！〃
　
　A　section　of　the　Oregon's　hull　snapped　open　in　the　blink　of　an　eye　and　the　two　Harpoon　missiles　burst　from　their　launchers　in　almost　the　same　instant　as　the　Mark　46　torpedoes　shot　from　their　tubes。　A　second　later　the　twin　Oerlikons　opened　up；　aimed　and　fired　by　mand　from　the　bat　control　center；　spitting　a　hail　of　shells　against　the　Chengdo's　missile　launchers；　that　knocked　their　systems　out　of　action　before　they　could　be　activated　and　launched　against　the　unarmored　freighter。　Time　froze　to　a　stop　as　the　Oregon's　first　missile　tore　into　the　big　destroyer's　hull　below　the　large　single　funnel　and　burst　into　the　engine　room。　The　second　Harpoon　struck　the　tower　mounting　the　Chengdo's　munications　systems；　effectively　silencing　any　transmission　to　her　fleet　mand。
　
　The　slower　torpedoes　came　next；　exploding　as　one　no　more　than　thirty　feet　apart；　throwing　up　a　tremendous　pair　of　geysers　beside　the　Chengdo；　rocking　it　nearly　over　on　its　beam　ends。　It　settled　back　on　an　even　keel　for　a　moment；　and　then　began　to　list　to　starboard　as　the　water　rushed　in　through　two　holes　as　large　as　barn　doors。
　
　Captain　Yu　Tien　of　the　Chengdo；　normally　a　cautious　man；　fell　for　the　sleight　of　hand　as　he　peered　through　binoculars　at　the　seemingly　innocent　old　ship；　observing　his　marines　board　without　the　slightest　show　of　resistance。　He　watched　as　the　green；　white　and　red　Iranian　national　flag　was　lowered　and　replaced　with　the　red　ensign　of　the　People's　Republic　of　China；　with　its　five　gold　stars。　Then　suddenly　Captain　Yu　Tien　was　paralyzed　in　disbelieving　shock。　One　minute　his　seemingly　invincible　ship　was　calmly　overhauling　what　appeared　to　be　a　rusty　old　tramp　steamer；　the　next　the　helpless　tramp　had　inflicted　a　horrifying　amount　of　damage　to　his　vessel　with　sophisticated　precision。　Struck　by　missiles；　torpedoes　and　a　hail　of　small…weapons　fire　almost　simultaneously；　his　ship　was　instantaneously　mortally　wounded。　He　thought　it　outrageous　that　such　an　innocent　mercial　vessel　could　possess　so　much　ftrepower。
　
　Yu　Tien　stiffened　as　he　saw　death　and　dishonor　creeping　out　of　the　ventilators；　hatches　and　panionways　leading　down　to　the　bowels　of　his　ship。　What　began　as　white　puffs　and　orange　flickers　quickly　became　a　torrent　of　red　fire　and　black　smoke　from　the　shambles　that　had　been　an　engine　room　but　had　now　bee　a　crematory　of　helpless　men。
　
　〃Fire！〃　he　cried　out。　〃Destroy　those　deceiving　dogs！〃
　〃Reload！〃　Cabrillo　yelled　through　the　munications　system。　〃Hurry　and　reload…〃
　His　orders　were　interrupted　by　a　tremendous　roar　followed　by　concussions　reverberating　all　around　him。　The　big　guns　on　the　destroyer's　undamaged　forward　turret　belched　a　torrent　of　fire　as　it　sent　its　shells　screaming　toward　the　Oregon。
　
　The　first　shrieked　between　the　loading　cranes　and　burst　against　the　base　of　the　aft　mast；　sheering　it　clean　and　sending　it　crashing　over　the　cargo　deck　while　hurling　a　fiery　core　of　white…hot　fragments　and　debris　in　every　direction；　causing　several　small　fires　but　little　serious　damage。　With　a　convulsive　explosion；　the　second　shell　slammed　into　the　fantail　on　the　Oregon's　stern　and　tore　it　away；　leaving　a　gaping　hole　above　the　rudderpost。　The　destruction　was　severe　but　not　catastrophic。　Cabrillo　involuntarily　ducked　as　a　storm　of　thirty…seven…millimeter　shells　from　the　Chengdo's　lighter　gun　mounts　began　raking　the　Oregon　from　forecastle　to　shattered　stern。　Almost　immediately　he　was　hailed　by　Ross；　who　was　also　manning　the　ship's　fire…control　systems。
　
　〃Sir；　the　Chinese　light　guns　have　knocked　out　the　missile　launcher's　firing　mechanisms。　I　hate　to　be　the　bearer　of　sad　tidings；　but　our　one…two　punch　is　history。〃　〃What　about　the　torpedoes？〃　〃Three　more　minutes　before　they're　ready　for　firing。〃　〃Tell　the　men　loading　the　tubes　to　do　it　in　one！〃　〃Hanley！〃　Cabrillo　shouted　through　the　speakerphone　to　the　engine　room。
　〃I'm　here；　Juan；〃　Hanley　answered　with　quiet　calmness。　〃Any　damage　to　your　engines？〃
　〃A　few　pipes　have　sprung　leaks。　Nothing　we　can't　handle。〃　〃Give　me　full　speed；　every　knot　you　can　coax　out　of　your　engines。　We've　got　to　get　the　hell　out　of　here　before　the　destroyer　rips　us　apart。〃　〃You　got　it。〃
　
　It　was　then　Cabrillo　realized　his　Oerlikons　had　gone　silent。　He　stood　still　and　stared　at　the　twin　guns