cc.goldenbuddha-第7部分

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　〃You　can　expect　aircraft　once　we're　in　the　open　sea。〃　
　〃Nuthin'　we　cain't　handle。〃　
　He　turned　to　Linda　Ross。　〃Linda？〃　
　〃All　systems　are　online；〃　she　replied　calmly。　
　Cabrillo　set　the　phone　in　its　cradle　and　relaxed；　lighting　up　a　thin　Cuban　cigar。　He　looked　around　at　the　ship's　crew；　standing　in　the　control　center。　They　were　all　staring　at　him；　waiting　expectantly。　
　〃Well；〃　he　said　slowly；　before　taking　a　deep　breath；　〃I　guess　we　　might　as　well　go。〃　
　He　gave　a　voice　mand　to　the　puter；　the　winch　was　set　in　motion；　and　the　anchor　slowly；　quietlythrough　Teflon　sleeves　the　team　had　inserted　inside　the　hawsehole；　which　deadened　the　clank　of　the　chainrose　from　the　bottom　of　the　harbor。　Another　mand　and　the　Oregon　began　to　inch　slowly　ahead。　
　Down　in　the　engine　room；　Max　Hanley　studied　the　gauges　and　instruments　on　the　huge　console。　His　four　big　magnetohydrodynamics　engines　were　a　revolutionary　design　for　maritime　transport。　They　intensified　and　pounded　the　electricity　found　in　saline　seawater　before　running　it　through　a　magnetic　core　tube　kept　at　absolute　zero　by　liquid　helium。　The　electrical　current　that　was　produced　created　an　extremely　high　energy　force　that　pumped　the　water　through　thrusters　in　the　stern　　for　propulsion。　
　Not　only　were　the　Oregon's　engines　capable　of　pushing　the　big　cargo　ship　at　incredible　speeds；　but　it　required　no　fuel　except　the　seawater　that　passed　through　its　magnetic　core。　The　source　of　the　propulsion　was　inexhaustible。　Another　advantage　was　that　the　ship　did　not　require　huge　fuel　tanks；　which　enabled　the　space　to　be　utilized　for　other　purposes。　
　There　were　only　four　other　ships　in　the　world　with　magnetohydrodynamics　enginesthree　cruise　ships　and　one　oil　tanker。　Those　who　had　installed　the　engines　in　the　Oregon　had　been　sworn　to　secrecy。　
　Hanley　took　proprietary　care　of　the　high…tech　engines。　They　were　reliable　and　rarely　caused　problems。　He　labored　over　them　as　if　they　were　an　extension　of　his　own　soul。　He　kept　them　finely　tuned　and　in　a　constant　state　of　readiness　for　extreme　and　extended　operation。　He　watched　now　as　they　automatically　engaged　and　began　pushing　the　ship　into　the　channel　that　led　to　the　sea。　
　Above　in　the　mand　center；　armored　panels　slid　noiselessly　apart；　revealing　a　large　window　on　the　forward　bulkhead。　The　murmur　among　　the　men　and　women　gazing　intently　at　the　lights　of　the　city　was　quiet；　as　though　the　men　manning　the　Cuban　defense　systems　could　hear　their　words。　
　Cabrillo　spotted　another　ship　leaving　the　harbor　ahead　of　them。　
　〃What　ship　is　that？〃　he　asked。　
　One　of　the　team　pulled　up　the　list　of　ship　arrivals　and　departures　on　his　puter　monitor。　〃She's　a　Chinese…registered　cargo　vessel　carrying　sugar　to　Hangchou；〃　he　reported。　〃She's　leaving　port　nearly　an　hour　ahead　of　her　scheduled　departure　time。〃
　〃Name？〃　asked　Cabrillo。　
　〃In　English；　the　Red　Dawn。　The　shipping　line　is　owned　by　the　Chinese　army。〃　
　〃Turn　out　all　the　outer　lights；　and　increase　speed　until　we　are　close　astern　of　the　vessel　ahead；〃　he　manded　the　puter。　〃We'll　use　her　as　a　decoy　to　lead　us　out。〃　The　outer　deck　and　navigation　lights　blinked　out；　leaving　the　ship　in　darkness　as　she　narrowed　the　gap　between　the　two　vessels。　The　lights　inside　the　mand　center　dimmed　to　a　blue…green　glow。　
　By　the　time　the　Red　Dawn　entered　the　ship's　channel　and　passed　the　first　of　the　string　of　marker　buoys；　the　darkened　Oregon　was　trailing　only　fifty　yards　off　her　stern。　Cabrillo　kept　his　ship　just　far　enough　back　so　that　the　Chinese　vessel's　deck　lights　would　not　cast　their　beams　on　his　bow。　It　was　a　long　shot；　but　he　was　betting　the　silhouette　of　his　ship　would　be　mistaken　for　the　shadow　of　the　Red　Dawn。　
　Cabrillo　glanced　at　a　large　twenty…four…hour　clock　on　the　wall　above　the　window　just　as　the　long　minute　hand　clicked　onto　11：39。　Only　twenty…one　minutes　to　go　before　the　Cubans'　defense　systems　test。　
　〃Following　the　Red　Dawn　is　slowing　us　down；〃　said　Linda。　〃We're　losing　precious　time。〃　
　Cabrillo　nodded。　〃You're　right；　we　can't　wait　any　longer。　She's　served　her　purpose。〃　He　leaned　over　and　spoke　into　the　puter's　voice　receiver。　
　〃Go　to　full　speed　and　pass　the　ship　ahead！〃　
　
　Like　a　small　powerboat　with　big　engines　and　a　heavy　hand　on　the　throttles；　the　Oregon　dug　her　stern　into　the　forbidding　water　and　lifted　her　bows　clear　of　the　waves　as　her　thrusters　erupted　in　a　cloud　of　froth；　creating　a　vast　crater　in　her　wake。　She　leaped　down　the　channel　and　swept　past　the　Chinese　cargo　ship　less　than　twenty　feet　away；　as　if　she　were　stopped　dead　in　the　water。　The　Chinese　sailors　could　be　seen　staring　in　stunned　disbelief。　Faster　and　faster　with　each　passing　second　she　raced　through　the　night。　Speed　was　the　Oregon's　crowning　achievement；　the　thoroughbred　heart　of　the　vessel。　Forty　knots；　then　fifty。　By　the　time　she　passed　Morro　Castle　at　the　entrance　to　Santiago；　she　was　making　nearly　sixty…two　knots。　No　ship　in　the　world　that　size　could　match　her　speed。　
　The　beacon　lights　mounted　high　on　the　bluffs　were　soon　little　more　than　blinking　specks　on　a　black　horizon。　
　THE　ALARM　SPREAD　quickly　onshore　that　a　ship　was　making　an　unauthorized　departurebut　the　radar　and　fire　control　operators　did　not　unleash　their　shore…to…surface　missiles。　Their　officers　could　not　believe　that　such　a　large　ship　was　moving　at　such　an　incredible　rate　of　speed。　They　assumed　their　radar　systems　were　malfunctioning；　and　they　were　reluctant　to　unleash　missiles　that　they　did　not　think　could　lock　on　to　such　an　inconceivable　target。　
　Not　until　the　Oregon　was　twenty　miles　out　to　sea　did　a　general　in　Cuban　security　put　two　and　two　together　and　deduce　that　the　sudden　departure　of　the　ship　and　the　escape　of　the　Santa　Ursula　prisoners　were　somehow　tied　together。　He　ordered　missiles　fired　at　the　fleeing　ship；　but　by　the　time　the　word　filtered　down　through　the　sluggish　mand；　the　Oregon　was　out　of　acceptable　range。　
　He　then　ordered　jets　from　the　Cuban　air　force　to　intercept　and　sink　the　mystery　ship　before　it　reached　the　protection　of　a　United　States　Coast　Guard　cutter。　It　could　not　possibly　escape；　he　thought；　as　he　sat　back；　lit　a　cigar　and　contentedly　puffed　a　cloud　of　blue　smoke　toward　the　ceiling。　Seventy　miles　away；　two　geriatric　MiGs　were　sent　aloft　and　set　a　course　toward　the　Oregon　as　directed　by　Cuban　radar。　
　
　
　CABRILLO　DIDN'T　NEED　to　study　a　chart　to　see　that　sailing　around　the　tip　of　Cuba　from　Santiago　through　the　Windward　Passage　and　then　northwest　to　Miami　was　little　more　than　a　suicide　run。　For　nearly　six　hundred　miles；　the　Oregon　would　be　less　than　fifty　miles　from　the　Cuban　coast；　a　voyage　in　a　shooting　gallery。　His　safest　option　was　to　set　a　course　southwest　around　the　southern　tip　of　Haiti　and　then　almost　due　west　to　Puerto　Rico；　which　was　a　territory　under　the　U。S。　flag。　There　he　could　unload　his　passengers；　where　they　would　be　safe　and　cared　for　at　proper　medical　facilities　before　being　flown　to　Florida。　
　〃Two　unidentified　aircraft　closing；〃　announced　Linda。　
　〃I　have　them；〃　Murphy　announced；　hunched　over　a　console　with　enhanced　radar　screens　and　an　array　of　knobs　and　switches。　
　〃Can　you　identify？〃　asked　Linda。　
　〃puter　reads　them　as　a　pair　of　MiG…27s。〃　
　〃How　far　out？〃　Cabrillo　probed。　
　〃Sixty　miles　and　closing；〃　Murphy　answered。　〃Poor　beggars　don't　know　what　they're　in　for。〃　
　Cabrillo　turned　to　his　munications　expert；　Hali　Kasim。　〃Try　and　raise　them　in　Spanish。　Warn　them　we　have　surface…to…air　missiles　on　board　and　will　knock　them　out　of　the　sky　if　they　show　any　sign　of　hostility。〃　
　Kasim　didn't　have　to　speak　Spanish　to　deliver　the　warning。　He　merely　ordered　the　puter　to　translate　his　message　over　his　radio；　which　was　tuned　to　twenty　different　frequencies。　
　After　a　couple　of　minutes　he　shook　his　head。　〃They　are　receiving；　but　not　responding。〃　
　〃They　think　we're　bluffing；〃　said　Linda。　
　〃Keep　trying。〃　Then　to　Murphy：　〃What's　the　range　of　their　missiles？〃　
　〃According　to　specs；　they're　carrying　short…range　rockets　with　a　range　of　ten　miles。〃　
　Cabrillo　looked　solemn。　〃If　they　don't　break　off　within　thirty　miles；　take　them　out。　Better　yet；　launch　one　of　ours。　Then　manually　guide　it　for　a　close　flyby。〃　
　Murphy　made　the　necessary　calculations　and　pressed　a　red　button。　〃Missile　on　its　way。〃　
　An　audible　swoosh　swept　the　mand　center　as　a　rocket　lifted　from　an　opening　in　the　foredeck　and　swept　into　the　sky。　They　all　watched　on　the　monitors　as　it　raced　to　the　northwest　and　soon　disappeared。　
　〃Four　minutes　to　flyby；〃　said　Murphy。　
　Every　eye　turned　to　the　big　clock　above　the　window。　No　one　spoke；　all　waiting　in　anticipation。　Time　dragged　as　the　second　hand　on　the　clock　seemed　to　take　forever　to　make　a　sweep。　Finally；　Murphy　spoke　mechanically。　〃Missile　passed　two　hundred　yards　over　and　between　the　hostiles。〃　
　〃Did　they　get　the　message？〃　asked　Cabrillo；　a　slight　tone　of　apprehension　in　his　voice。　
　There　was　a　long　pause；　and　then；　〃They're　turning　for　home；〃　Murphy　reported　happily。　〃Two　Cubans　who　are　very　lucky　men　indeed。〃　
　〃Also　smart　enough　to　recognize　a　no…win　situation。〃　
　〃Indeed；〃　Linda　said　with　a　broad　smile。　
　〃No　blood　on　our　hands　this　day；〃　Cabrillo　said　with　an　obvious　sigh　of　relief。　He　leaned　over　in　his　chair　and　spoke　to　the　puter。　〃Slow　to　cruise　speed。〃　
　The　clandestine　operation　was　almost　plete；　the　contract　fulfilled。　The　Oregon　and　her　crew　of　executives　did　not　consider　themselves　lucky。　Their　achievement　had　e　from　a　bination　of　special　skills；　expertise；　intelligence　and　precise　planning。　Now；　except　for　a　technician　to　watch　over　the　mand　center　and　the　navigation　systems；　everyone　could　relax；　some　headed　for　their　staterooms　for　well　deserved　sleep；　while　others　congregated　in　the　ship's　dining　room　to　snack　and　wind　down。　
　Cabrillo　retired　to　his　teak…paneled　cabin　and　removed　a　packet　from　a　safe　under　the　carpet　mounted　in　the　deck。　It　was　their　next　contract。　He　pulled　out　the　contents；　studied　them　for　nearly　an　hour；　and　then　began　planning　the　initial　levels　of　tactics　and　strategy。　
　Two　and　a　half　days　later；　the　Oregon　sailed　into　the　port　of　San　Juan；　Puerto　Rico；　and　discharged　the　Cuban　exiles。　Before　the　sun　set；　the　remarkable　ship　and　its　strange　crew　of　corporate　officials　were　once　again