p&c.icelimit-第61章

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　〃Stay　a　while；〃　said　Glinn　softly；　smiling。　〃Stay　and　watch　us　bring　the　heaviest　object　ever　moved　by　mankind　to　your　ship。〃
　She　looked　from　the　rock　toward　him；　then　back　to　the　rock；　hesitating。
　A　radio　on　her　belt　chirped。　She　immediately　freed　herself　and　stepped　away。　〃This　is　Captain　Britton；〃　she　said。
　Watching　the　change　in　her　face；　Glinn　knew　precisely　what　she　must　be　hearing。
　She　replaced　the　radio。　〃The　destroyer。　It's　returned。〃
　Glinn　nodded。　The　smile　had　not　left　his　face。　〃No　surprise；〃　he　said。　〃The　Almirante　Ramirez　has　lost　one　of　her　own。　Now　she's　e　to　get　him　back。〃
　
　Rolvaag；
　July　24；　3：45　P。M。
　
　NIGHT　wAS　falling　over　Isla　Desolacion。　Coffee　cup　in　hand；　McFarlane　watched　the　twilight　gather　from　the　solitude　of　the　fly　deck。　It　was　a　perfect　evening：　clear；　cold；　windless。　In　the　distance；　there　were　some　remaining　streaks　of　clouds：　mare's　tails　of　pink　and　peach。　The　island　lay　etched　in　light；　unnaturally　clear　and　crisp。　Beyond；　the　glossy　waters　of　Franklin　Channel　reflected　the　last　rays　of　the　setting　sun。　Farther　still　lay　Vallenar's　destroyer；　gray；　malevolent；　the　name　Almirante　Ramirez　barely　legible　on　its　rust…streaked　sides。　That　afternoon　it　had　moved　in　closer；　nosing　into　place　at　the　entrance　to　Franklin　Channel　…　their　only　route　of　exit。　Now　it　looked　as　though　it　planned　to　stay。
　McFarlane　took　a　sip　of　coffee；　then　impulsively　poured　the　rest　over　the　side。　Caffeine　was　the　last　thing　he　needed　right　now。　There　was　already　a　tremendous　tension　in　his　gut。　He　wondered　just　how　Glinn　was　planning　to　deal　with　the　destroyer；　on　top　of　everything　else。　But　Glinn　had　seemed　calm　that　day；　exceptionally　calm。　He　wondered　if　the　man　was　having　a　nervous　breakdown。
　The　meteorite　had　been　moved　…　painfully；　centimeter　by　centimeter　…　through　the　icefield　and　down　the　sunken　roadway　to　the　edge　of　Isla　Desolacion。　It　had　finally　reached　a　bluff　overlooking　Franklin　Channel。　To　hide　it；　another　of　Glinn's　corrugated　metal　shacks　had　gone　up。　McFarlane　examined　the　shack　from　the　deck。　As　usual；　it　was　a　masterpiece　of　deception：　a　rusty　contraption　of　secondhand　metal　that　listed　dangerously。　Bald　tires　had　been　piled　in　front。　He　wondered　how　they　planned　to　lower　it　into　the　hold；　Glinn　had　been　exceptionally　cagey。　All　he　knew　was；　it　was　going　to　happen　in　a　single　night：　that　night。
　The　hatch　opened　and　McFarlane　turned　at　the　sound。　He　was　surprised　to　see　Glinn；　who　hadn't　been　on　board　the　ship；　as　far　as　he　could　tell；　for　almost　a　week。
　The　man　sauntered　over　casually。　Although　his　face　remained　gray；　there　was　an　easiness　to　his　movements。　〃Evening；〃　he　said。
　〃You　seem　awfully　calm。〃
　Instead　of　replying；　Glinn　removed　a　pack　of　cigarettes　and；　much　to　McFarlane's　surprise；　slid　one　into　his　mouth。　He　lit　it；　the　match　flaring　against　his　sallow　face；　and　took　a　long　drag。
　〃Didn't　know　you　smoked。　Out　of　costume；　anyway。〃
　Glinn　smiled。　〃I　allow　myself　twelve　cigarettes　a　year。　It's　my　one　foolishness。〃
　〃When　was　the　last　time　you　slept？〃　McFarlane　asked。
　Glinn　gazed　out　over　the　peaceful　waters。　〃I'm　not　sure。　Sleep　is　like　food：　after　the　first　few　days　you　stop　missing　it。〃
　He　smoked　in　silence　for　a　few　minutes。　〃Any　fresh　insights　from　your　time　in　the　ice　tunnel？〃　he　asked　at　last。
　〃Tantalizing　bits　and　pieces。　It　has　an　atomic　number　in　excess　of　four　hundred；　for　example。〃
　Glinn　nodded。
　〃Sound　travels　through　it　at　ten　percent　the　speed　of　light。　It　has　a　very　faint　internal　structure：　an　outer　layer　and　an　inner　layer；　with　a　small　inclusion　in　the　center。　Most　meteorites　e　from　the　breakup　of　a　larger　body。　This　one　is　just　the　opposite：　it　looks　like　it　grew　by　accretion；　probably　in　a　jet　of　plasma　from　a　hypernova。　Sort　of　like　a　pearl　around　a　grain　of　sand。　That's　why　it's　somewhat　symmetrical。〃
　〃Extraordinary。　And　the　electrical　discharge？〃
　〃Still　a　mystery。　We　don't　know　why　a　human　touch　should　trigger　it　when　nothing　else　seems　to。　We　also　don't　know　why　it　is　that　Lloyd；　alone；　escaped　getting　blown　to　bits。　We've　got　more　data　than　we　can　even　begin　to　analyze；　and　it's　all　contradictory。〃
　〃What　about　the　way　our　radios　were　knocked　out　after　the　explosion？　Any　connection？〃
　〃Yes。　It　seems　that　after　the　discharge；　the　meteorite　was　in　an　excited　state；　emitting　radio　waves　…　long…wavelength　electromagnetic　radiation。　That　accounts　for　the　interference　with　radio　munication。　Over　time；　it　died　down；　but　in　its　immediate　vicinity　…　say；　inside　the　tunnel　…　the　meteorite　was　still　throwing　off　enough　radio　noise　to　defeat　radio　traffic　for　several　hours；　at　least。〃
　〃And　now？〃
　〃It's　settled　down。　At　least　until　the　next　explosion。〃
　Glinn　puffed　silently；　savoring　the　cigarette　as　McFarlane　watched。　Then　he　gestured　toward　the　shore；　and　the　rickety　shack　that　concealed　the　meteorite。　〃In　a　few　hours；　that　thing　will　be　in　the　tank。　If　you　have　any　last　reservations；　I　need　to　know　now。　Our　lives　at　sea　depend　on　it。〃
　McFarlane　said　nothing。　He　could　almost　feel　the　burden　of　the　question　settling　on　his　shoulders。　〃I　simply　can't　predict　what's　going　to　happen；〃　he　said。
　Glinn　smoked。　〃I'm　not　asking　for　a　prediction；　only　an　educated　guess。〃
　〃We've　had　the　chance　to　observe　it；　under　various　conditions；　for　almost　two　weeks。　Except　for　the　electrical　discharge　apparently　caused　by　human　touch；　it　seems　pletely　inert。　It　doesn't　react　to　metal　touching　it；　or　even　a　high…powered　electron　microprobe。　As　long　as　our　safety　precautions　are　kept　rigidly　in　place；　I　can't　think　of　any　reason　why　it　should　act　differently　in　the　holding　tank　of　the　Rolvaag。〃　
　McFarlane　hesitated；　wondering　if　his　own　fascination　with　the　meteorite　was　causing　him　to　lose　his　objectivity。　The　idea　of　leaving　it　behind　was。。。　unthinkable。　He　changed　the　subject。　〃Lloyd's　been　on　the　satellite　phone　almost　hourly；　and　he's　desperate　for　news。〃
　Glinn　inhaled　blissfully；　his　eyes　half　closed；　like　a　Buddha。　〃In　thirty　minutes；　as　soon　as　it's　fully　dark；　we　bring　the　ship　up　against　the　bluff　and　begin　loading　the　meteorite　on　a　tower　built　out　of　the　tank。　It　will　be　in　the　tank　by　three　A。M。；　and　by　dawn　we'll　be　a　good　way　to　international　waters。　You　can　relate　that　to　Mr。　Lloyd。　Everything　is　under　control。　Garza　and　Stonecipher　will　be　running　the　operation。　I　won't　even　be　needed　until　the　final　stage。〃
　〃What　about　that？〃　McFarlane　nodded　toward　the　destroyer。　〃Once　you　start　lowering　the　rock　into　the　tank；　it's　going　to　be　exposed　for　all　to　see。　The　Rolvaag　will　be　a　sitting　duck。〃
　〃We　will　work　under　cover　of　darkness　and　a　predicted　fog。　Nevertheless；　I　will　be　paying　a　call　on　andante　Vallenar　during　the　critical　period。〃
　McFarlane　was　not　sure　he　had　heard　correctly。　〃You'll　be　doing　what？〃　
　〃It　will　distract　him。〃　Then；　more　quietly；　〃And　it　will　serve　other　purposes　as　well。〃
　〃That's　insane。　He　might　arrest　you；　or　even　kill　you。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　so。　By　all　accounts；　andante　Vallenar　is　a　brutal　man。　But　he　is　not　crazy。〃
　〃In　case　you　hadn't　noticed；　he's　blocking　our　only　exit。〃　Night　had　fallen；　and　a　cloak　of　darkness　had　settled　over　the　island。　Glinn　checked　his　gold　watch；　then　pulled　a　radio　out　of　his　pocket。　〃Manuel？　You　may　mence。〃
　Almost　instantaneously；　the　bluff　was　lit　up　by　banks　of　brilliant　lights；　bathing　the　bleak　landscape　in　a　cold　illumination。　A　swarm　of　workers　appeared　as　if　out　of　nowhere。　Heavy　machinery　growled。
　〃Jesus；　why　don't　you　put　up　a　billboard　saying：　‘Here　it　is'？〃　asked　McFarlane。
　〃The　bluff　is　not　visible　from　Vallenar's　ship；〃　Glinn　said。　〃It's　blocked　by　that　headland。　If　Vallenar　wants　to　see　what　this　new　activity　is　about　…　and　he　will　…　he'll　have　to　move　the　destroyer　back　up　to　the　northern　end　of　the　channel。　Sometimes　the　best　disguise　is　no　disguise　at　all。　Vallenar；　you　see；　won't　be　expecting　our　departure。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Because　we　will　also　continue　the　decoy　mining　operation　all　night　long。　All　the　heavy　equipment；　and　two　dozen　men；　will　remain　on　the　island；　working　at　a　feverish　pace。　There　will　be　occasional　explosions；　naturally；　and　lots　of　radio　traffic。　Just　before　dawn；　something