p&c.icelimit-第86章
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Britton turned to Howell。 〃Are we taking in water？〃
〃Nothing that the bilge pumps can't handle； Captain。 As long as we have auxiliary power。〃
〃And how long is that？〃
〃By shutting down all but essential systems； with the emergency diesel； more than twenty…five hours。〃
〃Splendid！〃 Lloyd said。 〃We're in fine shape。 We'll repair the engines and be on our way。〃 He beamed at Glinn and then Britton； and then faltered a little。 He wondered why they looked so grim。 〃Is there a problem？〃
〃We're DIW； Mr。 Lloyd；〃 said Britton。 〃The current's moving us back into the storm。〃
〃DIW？〃
〃Dead in the water。〃
〃We've weathered it so far。 It can't get any worse than this。 Can it？〃
No one answered his question。
Britton spoke to Howell。 〃Give me status on our munications。〃
〃All long…range and satellite munications down。〃
〃Issue an SOS。 Raise South Georgia on the emergency channel sixteen。〃
Lloyd felt a sudden chill。 〃What's this about an SOS？〃
Again no one answered。 Britton said； 〃Mr。 Howell； what is the status on engine damage？〃
After a moment Howell reported back。 〃Both turbines beyond repair； ma'am。〃
〃Prepare for possible evacuation of the ship。〃
Lloyd could hardly believe what he was hearing。 〃Just what the hell are you talking about？ Is the ship sinking？〃
Britton turned a pair of cool green eyes on him。 〃That's my meteorite down there。 I'm not leaving this ship。〃
〃Nobody's leaving the ship； Mr。 Lloyd。 We'll only abandon ship as a last resort。 Putting lifeboats out into this storm would probably be suicide anyway。〃
〃For God's sake； then； let's not overreact。 We can weather the storm and get a tow to the Falklands。 Things aren't that bad。〃
〃We have no steerage； no headway。 Once we drift back into that storm； we'll have eighty…knot winds； a hundred…foot sea； and a six…knot current all pushing us in one direction； toward the Bransfield Strait。 That's Antarctica； Mr。 Lloyd。 Things are that bad。〃
Lloyd felt stunned。 Already； he could feel a swell rolling the ship。 A gust of air came into the bridge。
〃Listen to me；〃 he said in a low voice。 〃I don't care what you have to do； or how you do it； but don't you lose my meteorite。 Is that understood？〃
Britton gave him a steady； hostile look。 〃Mr。 Lloyd； right now I couldn't give a shit about your meteorite。 My sole concern is my ship and crew。 Is that understood？〃
Lloyd turned to Glinn； looking for support。 But Glinn had remained perfectly silent and still； his face its usual mask。
〃When can we get a tow？〃
〃Most of our electronics are down； but we're trying to raise South Georgia。 It all depends on the storm。〃
Lloyd broke away impatiently and turned to Glinn。 〃What's happening in the holding tank？〃
〃Garza is reinforcing the web with fresh welds。〃
〃And how long will that take？〃
Glinn did not answer。 He did not need to； because now Lloyd could feel it； too。 The motion of the ship was growing worse … ghastly； slow rolls that took forever to plete。 And at the top of each roll； the Rolvaag cried in pain： a deep groaning that was half sound and half vibration。 It was the dead hand of the meteorite。
Rolvaag；
5：45 P。M。
HOWELL EMERGED from the radio room and spoke to Britton。 〃We've got South Georgia； ma'am；〃 he said。
〃Very good。 Put them on voice； please。〃
The bridge inter came to life。 〃South Georgia to tanker Rolvaag； acknowledged。〃 The voice was tinny and faint； and Britton could recognize a Home Counties accent barely recognizable through the static。
She picked up a transmitter and opened the channel。 〃South Georgia； this is an emergency。 We are severely damaged； without propulsion； repeat； without propulsion。 We're drifting south…southeastward at a rate of nine knots。〃
〃Acknowledged； Rolvaag。 State your position。〃
〃Our position is 61°15'12〃 South； 60°5'33〃 West。〃
〃Advise as to your cargo。 In ballast or oil？〃
Glinn glanced up at her； a sharp look。 Britton closed the channel。
〃From this point on；〃 Glinn said； 〃we begin telling the truth。 Our truth。〃
Britton turned back to the transmitter。 〃South Georgia； we're converted to an ore carrier。 We're fully loaded with； ah； a meteorite； mined on the Cape Horn islands。〃
There was another silence。
〃Did not copy； Rolvaag。 Did you say meteorite？〃
〃Affirmative。 Our cargo is a twenty…five…thousand…ton meteorite。〃
〃A meteorite of twenty…five thousand tons；〃 the voice repeated impassively。 〃Rolvaag； please advise as to your intended destination。〃
Britton knew this was a subtle way of asking； What the hell are you doing down here？
〃We're headed for Port Elizabeth； New Jersey。〃
There was another silence。 Britton waited； wincing inwardly。 Any knowledgeable mariner would know there was something very wrong with this story。 Here they were； two hundred miles off the Bransfield Straits； well into a major storm。 And yet this was their first distress call。
〃Er； Rolvaag； may I ask if you have the latest weather report？〃
〃Yes； we do。〃 But she knew he would give it to her anyway。
〃Winds increasing to a hundred knots by midnight； seas topping forty meters； all of Drake Passage under a Force 15 storm warning。〃
〃It's almost Force 13 now；〃 she replied。
〃Understood。 Please describe the nature of your damage。〃
Make it good； Glinn murmured。
〃South Georgia； we were attacked without warning by a Chilean warship in international waters。 Shells struck our engine room； forecastle； and maindeck。 We have lost headway and steerage。 We are DIW； repeat； Delta India Whiskey。〃
〃Good Lord。 Are you still under attack？〃
〃The destroyer struck an iceberg and sank thirty minutes ago。〃
〃This is extraordinary。 Why。。。？〃
This was not a proper question to ask during an emergency distress call。 But again； this was a most unusual emergency。 〃We have no idea why。 The Chilean captain seems to have been acting alone； without orders。〃
〃Did you identify the warship？〃
〃The Almirante Ramirez； Emiliano Vallenar； CO。〃
〃Are you taking in water？〃
〃Nothing our bilge pumps can't handle。〃
〃Are you in imminent danger？〃
〃Yes。 Our cargo could shift at any moment and the ship might founder。〃
〃Rolvaag； please stand by。〃
There was a sixty…second silence。
〃Rolvaag； we fully appreciate your situation。 We have SAR assets standing by here and at the Falklands。 But we cannot； I repeat； we cannot undertake a search and rescue until the storm abates to Force 10 or less。 Do you have satellite munications？〃
〃No。 Most of our electronics are down。〃
〃We will advise your government of your status。 Is there anything else we can do？〃
〃Just a tow； as soon as possible。 Before we end up on the Bransfield reefs。〃
There was a whisper of static。 Then the voice returned。 〃Good luck； Rolvaag。 God bless。〃
〃Thank you； South Georgia。〃
Britton replaced the transmitter； leaned on the console； and stared out into the night。
Rolvaag；
6：40 P。M。
AS THE Rolvaag drifted out of the lee of the ice island； the wind caught it and shoved it brutally back into the storm。 The wind gathered force； and in moments they were soaked again with freezing spray。 Sally Britton could feel that the ship； with no headway left； was pletely at the mercy of the storm。 It was a repulsive； helpless feeling。
The storm began to strengthen with a clockwork regularity。 Britton watched it build； minute by minute； until it reached an intensity she barely believed possible。 The moon had fallen behind thick clouds； and nothing could be seen beyond the bridge。 The storm was there； inside the bridge； all around them： in the lashings of spray； in the bits of razorsharp ice whipping through； in the smell of death at sea crowding in。 But it was the sound that unnerved her most： a continuous dull roar that seemed to e from all directions at once。 The temperature on the bridge was nineteen degrees Fahrenheit and she could feel ice building in her hair。
She continued to receive regular reports of their status； but found herself issuing few orders。 Without power or steerage there was little she could do but wait。 The feeling of helplessness was nigh unbearable。 Based on the motion of the ship； she estimated significant wave heights at well over one hundred feet；
