el.the miko-第23部分

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　His　closed　fist　slammed　the　desk；　making　the　tiny　cups　quiver　and　rock　where　even　the　sea　could　not。　〃But　no　more！　Not　now
　that　we　have　the　Oka！〃
　He　turned　toward　them。　〃One　of　our　Mitsubishis　has　been　modified。　Beneath　its　fuselage　is　another；　smaller　craft：　a　single…seat　midwing　monoplane　of　a　length　of　just　over　nineteen　feet　and　with　a　wingspan　of　sixteen　feet；　fifteen　inches。
　〃The　Oka　will　be　bome　aloft　by　the　Mitsubishi　mother　plane。　At　an　altitude　of　27；000　feet　the　two　craft　will　separate。　The　Oka　will　be　able　to　cruise　up　to　fifty　miles　at　an　effective　airspeed　of　two　hundred　thirty　miles　per　hour。　When　it　es　within　sighting　distance　of　its　target；　the　pilot　will　cut　in　its　three　solid…fuel　rocket　motors。　The　craft　will　then　be　flying　at　almost　six　hundred　miles　per　hour。〃
　Noguchi　was　standing　directly　in　front　of　them　now；　his　cheeks　red　from　the　height　of　his　emotion。　〃For　a　period　of　nine　seconds；　the　Oka　will　have　a　total　thrust　of　1；764　pounds。　A　great　rush　of　momentum　and　then。。。〃　His　head　lifted　up　and　his　eyes　went　opaque　as　his　lenses　caught　the　light；　reflecting　it　back　at　them　in　a　dazzle。　〃Then　you　will　bee　the　avenging　sword　of　the　Emperor；　opening　up　the　side　of　an　American　warship。〃
　Nangi　remembered　this　quite　clearly。　Noguchi　did　not　ask　either　of　them　if　they　understood。　But　of　course　they　did。　The　Oka　was　a　rocket　bomb；　manned　for　supreme　accuracy。
　〃Yamato…dama…shii；〃　Noguchi　said　now；　returning　to　his　seat　behind　his　desk；　〃the　Japanese　spirit　will　be　our　bulwark　against　the　superior　material　force　of　the　Allies。　That　and　the　Oka　attacks　will　quickly　demoralize　the　advancing　enemy。　We　will　blunt　their　coining　attack　on　the　Philippines。〃
　Noguchi　began　to　pour　the　sake；　handed　a　gleaming　porcelain　cup　to　each　of　them　and；　lifting　his；　made　this　toast：　〃A　man　has　only　one　death。　That　death　may　be　as　weighty　as　Fuji…yama　or　it　may　be　as　light　as　feather　down。　It　all　depends　on　the　way　he　uses　it。　It　is　the　nature　of　every　Japanese　to　love　life　and　hate　death；　to　think　of　his　family　and　care　for　his　wife　and　children。　Only　when　a　man　is　moved　by　higher　principles…by　junsuisei；　the　purity　of　resolve…is　this　not　so。　Then　there　are　things　which　he　must　do。〃
　They　all　drank　together。　Nangi　saw　that　there　were　tears　in　the　corners　of　Gotaro's　eyes。　At　the　time　he　supposed　they　were　because　of　either　his　Christianity　or　his　ignorance。　What　Captain　Noguchi　had　used　for　their　fond　farewell；　masquerading　as　his　own　words；　Nangi　recognized　as　an　excerpt　from　a　letter　famous　in　Chinese　history。　It　had　in　fact　been　written　in　98　B。C。　by　Ssu…Ma　Ch'ien。
　Noguchi　put　down　his　cup。　〃You　two　are　privileged　to　be　the　first　to　war　test　this　new　and　devastating　weapon　against　the　Allies。　You　are　the　first　two　recruits　in　what　will　e　to　be　known　as　Shimpu　Tokubetsu　Kogekitai：　the　Divine　Wind　Special　Attack　Force。
　〃This　is　your　opportunity　to　follow　in　Major　Oda's　footsteps；　to　bee　a　reincarnation　of　shimpu；　the　divine　winds　of　1274　and　1281　which　drowned　the　invading　Mongol　hordes；　rescuing　Nippon　from　their　destruction。〃
　Both　Nangi　and　Gotaro…indeed　everyone　in　the　Japanese　Imperial　Navy…had　heard　the　story　of　the　pilot　Oda　who　had　taken　his　Ki…43　fighter　into　the　side　of　an　American　B…17　bomber；　tearing　the　larger　airship　in　two；　thus　saving　an　entire　Japanese　convoy。　He　had　been　a　sergeant　then。　In　death　he　had　been　promoted　twice。
　〃Major　Sato；〃　Noguchi　was　saying　now；　〃you　have　been　selected　to　guide　the　first　Oka　to　its　flaming　destiny。　Major　Nangi；　you　will　pilot　the　mother　ship。〃　He　glanced　down　at　a　sheaf　of　papers。　〃We　have　been　informed　of　an　Allied　sighting：　a　battleship　and　a　destroyer；　the　vanguard　no　doubt　of　a　larger　fleet；　heading　toward　the　Marianas。　The　destroyer　is　your　target。　The　ships　are　now〃…he　consulted　his　dispatches　again…〃three　hundred　fifty　miles　southwest　of　the　island　of　Guam。　When　you　leave　this　cabin　you　will　go　directly　abovedecks。　Your　flight　gear　will　be　waiting　for　you。　You　will　take　off　at　05：30。1　will　be　in　the　conning　tower　to　observe　you　firsthand。〃
　He　stood　up。　The　briefing　was　over。
　The　predawn　air　was　chill　with　a　gusting　inconstant　wind　quartering　in　from　the　northeast。　Nangi　and　Gotaro；　clad　in　their　flight　suits；　walked　across　the　vast　expanse　of　the　carrier's　open　deck。　Before　them　loomed　the　hump…bellied　shape　of　the　twin　aircraft；　as　disfigured　as　a　leper。
　〃I　have　more　flight　time　than　you；〃　Nangi　said。　〃They　should　have　chosen　me　for　the　Oka。〃
　Gotaro　smiled。　〃There　are　few　like　you　left；　Tanzan。　Most　of　them　ing　up　now　are　raw　recruits　with　little　or　no　training。　With　that　in　mind…with　the　war　having　so　pletely　depleted　us…do　you　think　it　a　wise　decision　to　test　this　flying　bomb　with　a　veteran　pilot？〃　He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃What　possible　good　would　it　do　when　those　who　will　follow；　the　true　members　of　Shimpu　Tokubetsu　Kdgekitai；　will　know　nothing。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃No；　my　friend；　they　have　made　the　correct　choice。〃
　He　was　upwind　of　Nangi；　when　he　abruptly　stopped　and　turned　to　face　him；　his　body　blocked　the　fierce　bite　of　the　wind　from　Nangi's　face。
　Gotaro　produced　a　white　square　from　…a　pocket；　luminous　in　the　werelight。　〃Here；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　for　you。　A　hachimaki。〃　He　tied　it　around　Nangi's　helmet。　〃There。　With　that　ancient　symbol　of　determination　and　derring…do　you　look　just　like　the　other　meaning　of　shimpu。　Do　you　know　it？〃
　Nangi　shook　his　head。
　〃In　Tokyo　these　days　I've　heard　the　term　is　used　in　a　humorous　way　to　describe　the　daredevil　taxi　drivers。　Kamikaze。〃　Gotaro　laughed。　〃I　would　have　called　you　that　in　Noguchi's　cabin　but　it　is　surely　too　lighthearted　a　word　for　him。　This　is　quite　a　solemn　moment　for　him。〃
　Nangi　squinted　up　at　his　friend。　〃And　for　you；　Gotaro…san；　knowing　what　must　be　the　end　of　this　mission。〃
　〃I　have　faith；　my　friend；〃　the　big　man　said。　〃I　have　no　thought　but　to　serve　my　country。〃
　〃They're　mad　if　they　think　this　Oka　will　frighten　the　Americans。　More　likely…knowing　them　as　I　do…they　will　laugh　at　it。　They　have　no　concept　of　seppuku；　the　warrior's　way　of　death。〃
　〃So　much　the　worse　for　them；〃　Gotaro　said；　〃for　this　has　surely　been　a　war　of　misunderstanding。　I　cannot　think　of　what　will　happen　to　us　or　what　may　e　after。　I　have　my　duty　to　perform。　In　all　else；　I　put　my　trust　in　God。〃
　The　wind　was　picking　up　as　the　high　bowl　of　the　heavens　began　to　lighten；　pitch　black　fading　to　a　deep　cerulean。　Down　low　in　the　east；　where　the　sea　met　the　sky；　there　were　already　the　first　fugitive　streaks　of　pink；　rising。
　Gotaro　reached　out。　〃Listen；　my　friend；　Captain　Noguchi　was　right。　We　all　love　life；　that；　too；　is　our　duty。　But　there　are　higher　principles　than　self。　That　is　one　of　the　first　teachings　of　Christianity。〃
　The　mechanics　took　over　as　they　came　up　on　the　half…tarpaulined　planes。　They　took　them　through　a　brief　but　explicit　tour　of　the　tandem　units。　There　wasn't　much　to　see；　actually。　The　twin…engined　Mitsubishi　had　been　stripped　down　to　acmodate　the　intrusive　hump　of　the　stubby　Oka。　It　had　also　been　converted　so　that　one　man…the　pilot…could　fly　it　satisfactorily。
　Beneath　was　the　Cherry　Blossom。　When　Nangi　poked　his　head　inside；　he　was　inwardly　appalled。　It　appeared　to　be　nothing　more　than　a　flying　coffin　with　almost　no　equipment。　Only　a　steering　mechanism　and　a　speaking　tube　to　allow　munication　with　the　pilot　of　the　Mitsubishi。
　The　mechanics　explained　that　Gotaro　would　sit　in　the　larger　craft　with　Nangi　until　their　target　was　sighted。　Then　he　would　slide　down　through　the　modified　bomb　bay　doors　into　the　tiny　cockpit　of　the　Oka。　All　phases　of　the　mission　were　gone　over　in　detail；　and　then　the　two　majors　were　asked　to　repeat　the　drill。　By　that　time　it　was　05：19。
　They　climbed　into　the　Mitsubishi。
　The　sea　was　a　sheet　of　flame；　reflecting　along　its　vast；　rippling　skin　the　rising　of　the　bloodred　sun。　For　a　time　all　blue　was　banished　from　the　sky　as　the　lurid　tendrils　of　light　floated　higher。
　For　Nangi　and　Gotaro　there　was　only　the　monotonous　thrumming　of　the　twin　engines；　the　steady　vibration。　Now　Nangi　began　to　understand　the　desperation　of　his　country。　This　was　a　plane　he　was　quite　used　to；　and　the　differences　in　flight　were　considerable。　It　had　been　stripped　down　in　more　ways　than　the　mechanics　had　cared　to　mention。　Of　course　there　was　no　armament…that　had　been　apparent　on　the　ground　at　first　inspection。　But　a　great　deal　of　the　inner　insulation　of　the　plane　was　also　gone。　Nangi　supposed　that　some　of　this　was　essential　in　order　to　offset　the　fully　loaded　weight…4；700　pounds…of　the　Oka；　there　were　over　2；500　pounds　of　high　explosive　in　its　nose。
　And　yet　the　farther　he　flew　this　〃new〃　plane　the　more　he　became　convinced　that　even　more　than　was　strictly　necessary　had　been　taken　out。　He　thought　of　what　Gotaro　had　said　about　the　sad　state　of　Japan's　military　manpower。　Didn't　it　follow　then　that　the　same　might　hold　true　for　materiel。　Were　they　already　down　to　cannibalizing　planes？　Would　that　mean　that　by　year's　end　untrained　teenagers　would　have　rifles　shoved　into　their　soft　fists　and　be　cast　off　from　the　Japanese　shore　in　rowboats　to　meet　the　advancing　enemy？　Nangi　shuddered　at　the　thought　and　made　a　minor　course　correction。
　Just　behind　him　Gotaro；　acting　as　navigator　for　the　moment；　studied　the　aerial　map　of　the　North　Pacific。　He　glanced　at　his　watch　and；　leaning　forward　to　make　certain　Nangi　could　hear　him　over　the　ferocious　din　of　the　aircraft　engines；　said；　〃We　should　be　sighting　them　in　just　under　ten　minutes；　approximately　two　hundred　fifty　miles　southwest　of　Guam。〃　He　looked　at　his　map　again。　〃That　will　put　them　and　us　almost　directly　over　the　Marianas　Trench。　That　is　supposed　to　be　the　deepest　depression　on　earth。〃
　〃I　know。〃　Nangi　had　to　yell　to　be　heard。　〃I'm　trying　not　to　think　about　it。　I　read　somewhere　that　scientists　have　guessed　it　might　be　more　than　forty　thousand　feet　deep。〃　He　shuddered。
　〃Don't　worry；〃　Gotaro　said　lightly；　〃neither　you　nor　I　will　touch　water　on　this　mission。〃
　Just　over　six　minutes　later；　Gotaro　touched　Nangi's　shoulder；　pointed　south。　The　unbroken　skin　of　the　Pacific　seemed　placid　and　so　flat　it　might　have　been　a　sheet　of　gunmetal；　solid　and
　unyielding。　Then；　following　the　other's　finger；　Nangi　saw　the　two　tiny　specks。　He　mad