cc.floodtide-第44部分

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　〃Do　you　suppose　he　intends　to　fill　it　with　explosives　and　blow　up　something；〃　offered　Cabrillo；　〃like　maybe　the　Panama　Canal。〃
　
　〃Certainly　not　the　Panama　Canal　or　any　other　shipping　facility；〃　said　Pitt。　〃He'd　be　cutting　his　own　throat。　His　ships　need　access　to　ports　on　both　oceans　as　much　as　any　other　shipping　pany。　No；　Qin　Shang　must　have　something　else　in　mind；　another　motive；　one　just　as　menacing　and　just　as　deadly。〃
　
　THE　SHIP　PLOWED　EASILY　THROUGH　THE　SWELLS　IN　A　SLOW　rocking　motion　under　a　sky　so　brightly　lit　by　a　full　moon　that　one　could　read　a　newspaper　under　its　beam。　The　scene　was　deceptively　peaceful。　Cabrillo　had　not　called　for　the　ship's　full　cruising　speed；　so　she　loafed　along　at　eight　knots　until　they　were　far　beyond　the　Chinese　mainland。　The　whisper　of　the　bows　cutting　the　water　and　the　aroma　of　fresh　baked　bread　wafting　up　from　the　galley　might　have　lulled　the　crew　of　any　other　cargo　ship　on　the　China　Sea；　but　not　the　highly　trained　men　on　the　Oregon。
　
　Pitt　and　Giordino　stood　in　the　surveillance　and　counter…measures　control　room　in　the　raised　forecastle　of　the　ship；　acting　strictly　as　observers　while　Cabrillo　and　his　team　of　technicians　focused　their　eyes　and　minds　on　the　radar　detection　and　identification　systems。
　〃She's　taking　her　sweet　time；〃　said　the　surveillance　analyst；　a　woman　by　the　name　of　Linda　Ross　who　was　seated　in　front　of　a　puter　monitor　that　showed　the　three…dimensional　display　of　a　warship。　Ross　was　another　prize　from　Cabrillo's　headhunting　expeditions　for　superior　personnel。　She　had　been　chief　fire…control　officer　on　board　a　U。S。　Navy　Aegis　guided　missile　cruiser　when　she　fell　under　Cabrillo's　spell　and　an　offer　of　incredible　pensation　that　went　far　beyond　any　money　she　could　make　in　the　Navy。　〃With　a　maximum　speed　of　thirty…four　knots；　she'll　overhaul　us　within　a　half　an　hour。〃
　〃How　do　you　read　her？〃　asked　Cabrillo。
　〃Configuration　indicates　that　she's　one　of　the　Luhu　Type　052　Class　of　big　destroyers　launched　in　the　late　nineties。　Displaces　forty…two　hundred　tons。　Two　gas　turbine　engines　rated　at　fifty…five　thousand　horsepower。　She　carries　two　Harbine　helicopters　on　her　stern。　Her　plement　consists　of　two　hundred　and　thirty　men；　forty　of　them　officers。〃
　〃Missiles？〃
　〃Eight　sea…skimming　surface…to…surface　missiles　and　a　surface…to…air　octuble　launcher。〃
　〃If　I　was　her　captain　I　wouldn't　be　concerned　with　preparing　a　missile　strike　against　a　helpless…looking　old　scow　like　the　Oregon。　Guns？〃
　〃Twin　one…hundred…milh'meter　guns　in　a　turret　aft　of　the　bow；〃　said　the　analyst。　〃Eight　thirty…seven　millimeters　mounted　in　pairs。　She　also　carries　six　torpedoes　in　two　triple　tubes　and　twelve　antisubmarine　mortar　launchers。〃
　Cabrillo　wiped　his　brow　with　a　handkerchief。　〃By　Chinese　standards；　this　is　an　impressive　warship。〃
　〃Where　did　she　e　from？〃　asked　Pitt。
　〃Bad　luck　on　our　part；〃　said　Cabrillo。　〃She　just　happened　to　be　cruising　across　our　path　when　the　alarm　went　out　and　harbor　officials　notified　their　navy。　I　timed　our　departure　so　that　we　sailed　in　the　wake　of　an　Australian　freighter　and　a　Bolivian　ore　carrier　to　confuse　Chinese　radar。　The　other　two　were　probably　stopped　and　searched　by　fast　attack　patrol　craft　before　being　allowed　to　continue　to　their　destinations。　We　had　the　misfortune　to　draw　a　heavy　destroyer。〃
　〃Qin　Shang　has　a　long　arm　to　get　that　kind　of　cooperation　from　his　government。〃
　〃I　wish　I　had　his　influence　with　our　Congress。〃
　〃Isn't　it　against　international　law　for　a　nation's　military　to　stop　and　search　foreign　ships　outside　their　territorial　waters？〃
　〃Not　since　nineteen　ninety…six。　That　was　when　Beijing　implemented　a　U。N。　Law　of　the　Sea　Treaty；　expanding　China's　territorial　waters　from　a　twelve　mile　limit　to　two　hundred　miles。〃
　〃Which　puts　us　well　within　their　waters。〃
　〃About　a　hundred　and　forty　miles　inside；〃　said　Cabrillo。
　〃If　you　have　missiles；〃　said　Pitt；　〃why　not　blast　the　destroyer　before　we　e　in　range　of　its　guns？〃
　〃Although　we　carry　a　small；　older　version　of　the　Harpoon　surface…to…surface　missile　with　more　than　enough　explosive　power　to　blast　a　light　attack　craft　or　a　patrol　boat　out　of　the　water；　we'd　have　to　get　incredibly　lucky　with　our　first　launch　to　take　out　a　forty…two…hundred…ton　destroyer　bristling　with　enough　weaponry　to　sink　a　fleet。　Disadvantage　belongs　to　us。　Our　first　missiles　might　take　her　launchers　out　of　action。　And　we　can　slam　two　Mark　46　torpedoes　into　her　hull。　But　that　still　leaves　her　with　enough　thirty…seven　and　hundred…millimeter　guns　to　blast　us　into　the　nearest　scrap　yard。〃
　Pitt　looked　at　Cabrillo　steadily。　〃A　lot　of　men　are　going　to　die　in　the　next　hour。　Is　there　no　way　to　avert　the　slaughter？〃
　〃We　can't　fool　a　naval　boarding　party；〃　said　Cabrillo　solemnly。　〃They'll　see　through　our　disguise　two　minutes　after　setting　foot　on　deck。　You　seem　to　forget；　as　far　as　the　Chinese　are　concerned；　Mr。　Pitt；　you　and　I　and　everyone　on　board　this　ship　are　spies。　And　as　such；　we　can　all　be　executed　in　the　blink　of　an　eye。　Also；　once　they　get　their　hands　on　the　Oregon　and　her　technology　and　realize　her　potential；　they　won't　hesitate　to　use　her　for　intelligence　operations　against　other　nations。　Once　the　first　Chinese　marine　sets　foot　on　our　deck；　the　die　is　cast。　We　fight　or　die。〃
　〃Then　our　only　option　is　surprise。〃
　〃The　key　is　that　we　won't　constitute　a　threat　in　the　eyes　of　the　captain　of　that　Chinese　destroyer；〃　Cabrillo　explained　gruffly。　〃If　you　were　him；　standing　on　your　bridge　looking　at　us　through　night　glasses；　would　you　be　trembling　in　your　boots　at　what　you　saw？　I　doubt　it。　He　might　train　the　hundred　millimeters　on　our　bridge　or　one　of　the　thirty…seven…millimeter　twins　at　any　crewman　showing　on　deck。　But　once　he　sees　his　marines　e　on　board　and　begin　seizing　the　ship；　he'll　relax　and　call　off　the　ship's　alert；　provided　he　even　bothered　to　order　one。〃
　〃You　make　it　sound　as　cut　and　dried　as　a　snowball　fight；〃　ventured　Giordino。
　Cabrillo　gave　Giordino　a　patiently　worn　look。　〃A　what　fight？〃
　〃You'll　have　to　excuse　Al's　regressive　display　of　humor；〃　said　Pitt。　〃He　gets　mentally　unstable　when　things　don't　go　his　way。〃
　〃You're　just　as　weird；〃　Cabrillo　growled　at　Pitt。　〃Doesn't　anything　ever　faze　you　two？〃
　〃Think　of　it　as　a　response　to　a　nasty　situation；〃　Pitt　said　in　mild　protest。　〃You　and　your　crew　are　trained　and　prepared　for　a　fight。　We're　merely　helpless　bystanders。〃
　〃We'll　require　the　services　of　every　man　and　woman　on　board　before　this　night　is　over。〃
　Pitt　studied　the　image　on　the　monitor　over　Linda　Ross's　shoulder。　〃If　you　don't　mind　me　asking；　just　how　do　you　intend　to　trash　a　heavy　destroyer？〃
　〃My　plan；　elementary　as　it　is；　is　for　the　Oregon　to　e　to　a　stop　when　ordered。　Then　es　a　demand　to　board　and　inspect　us。　Once　we　sucker　him　into　standing　off　within　spitting　distance；　we　act　like　innocent；　ill…tempered　seamen　while　they　observe　us　at　close　range。　Once　the　Chinese　boarding　party　climbs　on　deck；　we'll　lull　the　captain　even　deeper　into　a　state　of　inertia　by　lowering　our　Iranian　ensign　and　raising　the　People's　Republic　of　China　flag。〃
　〃You　have　a　Chinese　flag？〃　asked　Giordino。
　〃We　carry　flags　and　ensigns　of　every　maritime　country　in　the　world；〃　answered　Cabrillo。
　〃After　your　show　of　surrender？〃　said　Pitt。　〃Then　what？〃
　〃We　hit　him　with　everything　we've　got　and　pray　that　when　we're　through　he　has　nothing　left　to　throw　back　at　us。〃
　〃It　beats　a　long…range　duel　with　missiles　we　couldn't　win；〃　said　Max　Hanley；　who　was　sitting　in　a　chair　beside　an　electronics　specialist　manning　a　tactical　data　unit。
　
　Like　a　football　coach　in　the　lockers　before　the　kickoff；　Cabrillo　went　over　his　game　plan　carefully　with　his　players。　No　contingency　was　left　undevised　or　unpolished；　no　detail　overlooked；　nothing　left　to　chance。　Tension　was　nonexistent。　The　men　and　women　on　board　the　Oregon　prepared　to　go　about　their　jobs　as　if　it　was　a　typical　Monday　morning　in　the　big　city。　Their　eyes　were　clear　and　fixed；　they　did　not　have　the　frightened　look　of　the　hunted。
　
　When　Cabrillo　finished；　he　asked；　〃Any　questions？〃　His　voice　was　deep　and　low；　with　the　tiniest　trace　of　a　Spanish　accent；　and　although　he　was　far　too　experienced　and　perceptive　not　to　accept　fear；　no　hint　showed　in　his　face　and　manner。　Hearing　no　inquiries　from　his　crew；　he　nodded。　〃Okay；　that's　it　then。　Good　luck　to　you　all。　And　when　this　little　scrape　is　over；　we'll　throw　the　biggest　party　the　Oregon　has　ever　known。〃
　Pitt　raised　a　hand。　〃You　said　you　needed　every　man。　How　can　Al　and　I　help？〃
　Cabrillo　nodded。　〃You　two　gave　evidence　the　other　night　that　you're　not　afraid　of　a　fight。　Go　to　the　ship's　armory　and　pick　up　a　pair　of　automatic　weapons。　You'll　need　more　fire…power　than　that　forty…five…caliber　popgun　of　yours。　Also　check　out　a　couple　of　sets　of　body　armor。　After　that　check　with　the　costume　department　for　some　grungy　old　clothes。　Then　join　the　deck　crew。　Your　talents　will　e　in　handy　in　stopping　the　Chinese　marines　once　they　e　on　board。　I　can　only　spare　a　few　men　from　more　important　duties；　so　you'll　be　slightly　outnumbered。　There　probably　won't　be　more　than　ten　of　them；　not　enough　to　matter　since　you'll　have　the　element　of　surprise。　If　you're　successful；　and　I'm　counting　on　it；　you　can　lend　a　h