p&c.icelimit-第77章
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officer to repeat the order and call rudder directions。 But no orders came。
〃Sir？〃 It was the officer of the deck who spoke。
Vallenar did not turn to look at the officer of the deck。 He did not need to； he sensed what was about to happen。 Out of the corner of his eye he could see the conning officer and the timonel； the helmsman； all rigidly at attention。
So this was it。 Better it should happen now than later。
He raised his eyebrows at the officer of the deck。 〃Mr。 Santander； are we having a problem with the chain of mand on the bridge？〃 He spoke as mildly as possible。
〃The officers of the Almirante Ramirez would like to know our mission； sir。〃
Vallenar waited； still not looking at the man。 Silence； he had long discovered； was more intimidating than words。 A minute passed； and then he spoke。
〃Is it customary for Chilean naval officers to question their mander？〃
〃No； sir。〃
Vallenar took out a puro； rolled it between his fingers； bit off the end； and placed it carefully between his lips。 He drew air through it。
〃Then why are you questioning me？〃 He spoke gently。
〃Sir。。。 because of the unusual nature of the mission； sir。〃
Vallenar removed the cigar and inspected it。 〃Unusual？ How so？〃
There was an unfortable pause。
〃It is our impression； sir； that we were ordered back to base last night。 We are not aware of any orders to pursue this civilian ship。〃
Vallenar took in the word civilian。 It was a deliberate rebuke； a suggestion that Vallenar was engaged in a cowardly pursuit against an unarmed adversary。 He drew more air through the unlit cigar。
〃Tell me； Mr。 Santander。 On board ship； do you take orders from your andante； or from a base mander on shore？〃
〃From the andante； sir。〃
〃Am I your andante？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Then there is nothing more to discuss。〃
Vallenar removed a box of matches from his uniform pocket； opened the box； removed one wax match； drew it slowly across the striker until it flared； and lit his cigar。
〃Sir； I beg your pardon； what you have said is insufficient。 Men died repairing that screw。 We respectfully request information on our mission。〃
At last； Vallenar turned。 He felt the growing rage within him … rage at the arrogant Americans； at the man Glinn who came to chitchat while his divers sabotaged the vessel； at Timmer's death … all channeled now toward this subordinate； who dared to question his decisions。 He puffed； drawing the smoke into his lungs； feeling the surge of nicotine in his blood。 When he was steady again； he flicked the match toward the damp deck and lowered the cigar。 This oficial de guardia was a green； foolish man； and the challenge was not unexpected。 He looked around at the other officers on the bridge。 All of them quickly lowered their eyes。
With one smooth movement； Vallenar withdrew his sidearm and pressed its barrel against the officer's chest。 As Santander opened his mouth to protest； he pulled the trigger。 The 9…millimeter slug thrust the man back like the blow of a fist； slamming him hard into a bulkhead。 The officer of the deck stared down in disbelief at his ruined chest and the small horizontal fountain of blood that pumped its rhythmic stream。 Air sucked in and out of the wound； once； then again。 The man fell to his knees； then toppled forward onto his elbows； surprised eyes now turning glassy； mouth still open wide。
Vallenar returned the gun to its sling。 The only sound on the bridge was Santander's stertorous attempts to breathe and the quiet patter of blood as it rained from his chest onto the deck。
Vallenar glanced at the conning officer。 〃Mr。 Aller。 Effective immediately； you are the officer of the deck。 And you； Mr。 Lomas； are the conning officer。 A new course has been ordered。 Execute it。〃
He turned away； drawing on his cigar； looking once again out over the storm…tossed ocean。 The heel of his right hand still rested on the Luger。 He waited to see if the incipient mutiny would continue。 It would be a pity to lose Aller as well。
Aller looked at the new conning officer； and nodded weakly。
〃Right standard rudder；〃 said the conning officer； 〃steady on course one eight zero。〃
The helmsman answered。 〃Aye； sir； right standard rudder； ing to course one eight zero。〃
Vallenar slipped his hand from his weapon。 It was over。 Cut off the head and the body will die。
The ship began to turn broadside to the sea； helped along by terrifying shoves from each passing wave。 As the shuddering and reeling grew worse； the bridge personnel took hold of stanchions； flagbag rails； anything that would help them keep upright。
〃Steady on one eight zero；〃 said the helmsman in a quavering voice。
〃Very well；〃 the conning officer answered。
Vallenar leaned into the speaking tube。 〃Radar； estimate when we will be within targeting range of the American ship with the Vickers guns。〃
After a moment； the response came： 〃Sir； at present course and speed； estimated range in three hours； thirty minutes。〃
〃Very good。〃 Vallenar leaned away from the tube and flicked a thumb toward the dying man at his feet。 〃Mr。 Sanchez； take this away。 And get a cleaning detail up here。〃
He turned back to the violent sea。
Rolvaag；
11：30 A。M。
GLINN STOOD next to Britton； motionless beside the helm。 As they fled southward toward the sixtieth parallel； the Rolvaag had moved squarely into the westerlies that raged around the bottom of the world； endlessly circling； building up the greatest seas on earth。 As far as the eye could see； a terrifying progression of Atlantic rollers swept eastward； high as mountains。 In the last hour； as the storm grew in intensity； the ocean seemed to have lost a solid surface； there was no longer a sharp line between water and air。 The screaming winds and heaving seas joined in a fury of spray and spume。 As the tanker sank into the trough between each wave there would e a brief； eerie calm； and then the great ship would shudder and rise back into the howling gale。
But Glinn did not see the storm。 For some time his thoughts had been elsewhere。 Vallenar had staked everything … his career； his crew； his ship； the honor of his country； his very life … on this chase。 He knew they were carrying only a rock； a huge rock； but a rock nonetheless。 This chase did not make sense。
He had miscalculated badly。 Unforgivably。 For the briefest of moments； Glinn contemplated failure； rolled it to and fro on his tongue； as if tasting it。 Then； with a spasm； he forced it from his thoughts。 There would be； could be； no failure here。
The problem did not lie in the puter profile； or in the two…foot file on Vallenar back in New York； it lay in himself。 There was a crucial piece missing。 And this piece was in his own mind； waiting for him to recognize it。 If he could understand Vallenar's motivation for this insane pursuit； then he could act upon it。。。 How far would Vallenar take it？ Would he pursue them past the Ice Limit？ He shook his head； as if to shake loose the answer； but there was nothing。 Without understanding Vallenar's motivation； he could develop no plan。
He glanced over at Britton。 She was staring at the radar； and the wavering green pip that represented the Almirante Ramirez。
〃The Ramirez has matched our course for the last half hour；〃 she said； without looking up。 〃One eight zero； dead astern； holding at twenty knots； constant bearing and decreasing range。〃
Glinn said nothing。 It was incredible to him that Vallenar would take his ship into a beam sea like this。 The giant Rolvaag was struggling； and it was far better at handling the storm than a destroyer with scarcely a forty…foot beam。 It was truly insane。 There was a good chance that the Almirante Ramirez would be capsized。 But a good chance was still a chance； and Glinn had no idea what kind of seamanship Vallenar could bring to bear。 He suspected first…rate。
〃At current speed and bearing； he'll catch up with us at the Ice Limit；〃 Britton said。 〃And he'll e within firing range considerably before then。〃
〃In just over three hours；〃 said Glinn。 〃Around dusk。〃
〃Once we're in range； do you think he will fire？〃
〃I have no doubt of it。〃
〃We have no defense。 We'll be ripped to pieces。〃
〃If we're unable to lose him in the
