cyclops-第4章

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orsepower　Wright　Whirlwind　engines　appeared　new；　having　been　carefully　restored　to　pristine　condition。
　　　　Unlike　her　younger　sister　ships　that　plied　the　skies　above　football　stadiums；　her　gas…tight　envelope　was　made　from　aluminum　with　riveted　seams　instead　of　rubber…coated　polyester　and　was　supported　by　twelve　circular　frames　like　the　back　of　a　fish。　Her　cigar　shape　was　149　feet　in　length　and　held　200；000　cubic　feet　of　helium；　and　if　no　headwinds　attacked　her　rotund　nose；　she　could　barrel　through　the　clouds　at　sixty…two　miles　an　hour。　Her　original　designation　was　ZMC…2；　Zeppelin　Metal　Clad　Number　Two；　and　she　had　been　constructed　in　Detroit　and　turned　over　to　the　United　States　Navy　in　1929。　Unlike　most　airships　with　four　massive　stabilizing　fins；　she　sported　eight　small　fins　on　her　tapered　tail。　Very　advanced　for　her　era；　she　had　given　solid　and　dependable　service　until　1942；　when　she　was　dismantled　and　forgotten。
　　　　For　forty…seven　years　the　ZMC…2　languished　in　an　abandoned　hangar　along　the　runway　of　a　deserted　naval　air　station　near　Key　West；　Florida。　Then　in　1988；　the　property　was　sold　by　the　government　to　a　financial　conglomerate　headed　by　a　wealthy　publisher；　Raymond　LeBaron；　who　intended　to　develop　it　as　a　resort。
　　　　Shortly　after　arriving　from　his　corporate　headquarters　in　Chicago　to　inspect　the　newly　purchased　naval　base；　LeBaron　stumbled　onto　the　dusty　and　corroded　remains　of　the　ZMC…2　and　became　intrigued。　Charging　it　off　to　promotion；　he　had　the　old　lighter…than…air　craft　reassembled　and　the　engines　rebuilt；　calling　her　the　Prosperteer　after　the　business　magazine　that　was　the　base　of　his　financial　empire；　and　emblazoning　the　name　in　huge　red　letters　on　the　side　of　the　envelope。
　　　　LeBaron　learned　to　fly　the　Prosperteer；　mastering　the　fickle　moods　of　the　craft　and　the　constant　adjustments　required　to　maintain　steady　flight　under　the　capricious　nature　of　the　wind。　There　was　no　autopilot　to　relieve　the　chore　of　dipping　the　bow　against　a　sudden　gust　and　lifting　it　when　the　breeze　slackened。　The　near…neutral　buoyancy　varied　greatly　with　the　atmosphere。　Residue　from　a　light　rain　could　add　hundreds　of　pounds　to　the　blimp's　vast　skin；　decreasing　her　ability　to　lift；　while　dry　air　blowing　down　from　the　northwest　forced　the　pilot　to　fight　the　craft's　insistence　on　rising　to　an　undesired　altitude。
　　　　LeBaron　reveled　in　the　challenge。　The　exhilaration　of　second　guessing　the　moods　of　the　antique　gas　bag　and　wrestling　with　her　aerodynamic　whims　far　exceeded　any　enjoyment　he　received　from　flying　any　of　the　five　jet　aircraft　belonging　to　his　corporate　holdings。　He　sneaked　away　from　the　boardroom　at　every　opportunity　to　travel　to　Key　West　so　he　could　island…hop　around　the　Caribbean。　The　Prosperteer　soon　became　a　familiar　sight　over　the　Bahama　Islands。　A　native　worker；　laboring　in　a　sugarcane　field；　looked　up　at　the　blimp　and　promptly　described　her　as　a　〃little　pig　running　backwards。〃
　　　　LeBaron；　however；　like　most　entrepreneurs　of　the　power　elite；　suffered　from　a　restless　mind　and　a　driving　urge　to　tackle　a　new　project　lying　over　the　next　hill。　After　nearly　a　year　his　interest　in　the　old　blimp　began　to　wane。
　　　　Then　one　evening　in　a　waterfront　saloon　he　met　an　old　beach　rat　by　the　name　of　Buck　Caesar；　who　operated　a　backwater　salvage　pany　with　the　grandiloquent　title　〃Exotic　Artifact　Ventures；　Inc。〃
　　　　During　a　conversation　over　several　rounds　of　iced　rum；　Caesar　spoke　the　magic　word　that　has　fired　the　human　mind　into　insanity　for　five　thousand　years　and　probably　caused　more　grief　than　half　the　wars　treasure。
　　　　After　listening　to　Caesar　spin　tales　of　Spanish　galleons　littering　the　waters　of　the　Caribbean；　their　cargoes　of　gold　and　silver　mingled　with　the　coral；　even　a　shrewd　financial　manipulator　with　the　acute　business　sense　of　LeBaron　was　hooked。　With　a　handshake　they　formed　a　partnership。
　　　　LeBaron's　interest　in　the　Prosperteer　was　revived。　The　blimp　made　a　perfect　platform　for　spotting　potential　shipwreck　sites　from　the　air。　Airplanes　moved　too　fast　for　aerial　survey；　while　helicopters　had　a　limited　flying　time　and　churned　up　the　surface　of　the　water　with　wash　from　their　rotor　blades。　The　blimp　could　remain　airborne　for　two　days　and　cruise　at　a　walk。　From　an　altitude　of　400　feet；　the　straight　lines　of　a　man…made　object　could　be　detected　by　a　sharp　eye　a　hundred　feet　beneath　a　calm　and　clear　sea。
　　　　Dawn　was　crawling　over　the　Florida　Straits　as　the　ten…man　ground　crew　assembled　around　the　Prosperteer　and　began　a　preflight　inspection。　The　new　sun　caught　the　huge　envelope　covered　by　morning　dew；　giving　off　an　iridescent　effect　like　that　from　a　soap　bubble。　The　blimp　stood　in　the　center　of　a　concrete　runway　whose　expansion　cracks　were　lined　with　weeds。　A　slight　breeze　blew　in　from　the　straits　and　she　swung　around　the　mooring　mast　until　her　bulbous　nose　faced　into　it。
　　　　Most　of　the　ground　crew　were　young；　deeply　tanned；　and　casually　dressed　in　an　assortment　of　shorts；　bathing　suits；　and　denim　cutoffs。　They　took　scant　notice　as　a　Cadillac　stretch　limousine　drove　across　the　runway　and　stopped　at　the　large　truck　that　served　as　the　blimp's　repair　shop；　crew　chief's　office；　and　munications　room。
　　　　The　chauffeur　opened　the　door　and　LeBaron　unlimbered　from　the　rear　seat；　followed　by　Buck　Caesar；　who　immediately　made　for　the　blimp's　gondola　with　a　roll　of　nautical　charts　tucked　under　one　arm。　LeBaron；　looking　a　very　trim　and　healthy　sixty…five；　towered　above　everyone　at　six　foot　seven。　His　eyes　were　the　color　of　light　oak；　the　graying　hair　bed　just　so；　and　he　possessed　the　distant；　preoccupied　gaze　of　a　man　whose　thoughts　were　several　hours　in　the　future。
　　　　He　bent　down　and　spoke　for　a　few　moments　to　an　attractive　woman　who　leaned　from　the　car。　He　kissed　her　lightly　on　the　cheek；　closed　the　car　door；　and　began　walking　toward　the　Prosperteer。
　　　　The　crew　chief；　a　studious…looking　man　wearing　a　spotless　white　shop　coat；　came　over　and　shook　LeBaron's　outstretched　hand。　〃Fuel　tanks　are　topped　off；　Mr。　LeBaron。　The　preflight　check　list　is　pleted。〃
　　　　〃How's　the　buoyancy？〃
　　　　〃You'll　have　to　adjust　for　an　extra　five　hundred　pounds　from　the　dampness。〃
　　　　LeBaron　nodded　thoughtfully。　〃She'll　lighten　in　the　heat　of　the　day。〃
　　　　〃The　controls　should　feel　more　responsive。　The　elevator　cables　were　showing　signs　of　rust；　so　I　had　them　replaced。〃
　　　　〃What's　the　weather　look　like？〃
　　　　〃Low　scattered　clouds　most　of　the　day。　Little　chance　of　rain。　You'll　be　bucking　a　five…mile…an…hour　head　wind　from　the　southeast　on　the　way　out。〃
　　　　〃And　a　tail　wind　on　the　return　trip。　I　prefer　that。〃
　　　　〃Same　radio　frequency　as　the　last　trip？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　we'll　report　our　position　and　condition；　using　normal　voice　munication；　every　half　hour。　If　we　spot　a　promising　target　we'll　transmit　in　code。〃
　　　　The　crew　chief　nodded。　〃Understood。〃
　　　　Without　further　conversation　LeBaron　climbed　the　ladder　to　the　gondola　and　settled　in　the　pilot's　seat。　He　was　joined　by　his　copilot；　Joe　Cavilla；　a　sixty…year…old；　sad…eyed；　dour　individual　who　seldom　opened　his　mouth　except　to　yawn　or　sneeze。　His　family　had　immigrated　to　America　from　Brazil　when　he　was　sixteen　and　he　had　joined　the　Navy；　flying　blimps　until　the　last　airship　unit　was　formally　disbanded　in　1964。　Cavilla　had　simply　showed　up　one　day；　impressed　LeBaron　with　his　expertise　in　lighter…than…air　craft；　and　was　hired。
　　　　The　third　member　of　the　crew　was　Buck　Caesar。　He　wore　a　constant　smile　on　a　gentle；　middle…aged　face　that　had　the　texture　of　cowhide；　but　his　gaze　was　shrewd；　and　the　body　held　the　firmness　of　boxer。　He　sat　hunched　over　a　small　table　contemplating　his　charts；　drawing　a　series　of　squares　near　a　sector　of　the　Bahama　Channel。
　　　　Blue　smoke　burst　from　the　exhaust　stacks　as　LeBaron　turned　over　the　engines。　The　ground　crew　untied　a　number　of　canvas　sacks　containing　ballast　shot　from　the　gondola。　One　crewman；　the　〃butterfly　catcher；〃　held　up　a　windsock　on　a　long　pole　so　LeBaron　could　note　the　exact　direction　of　the　wind。
　　　　LeBaron　gave　a　hand　signal　to　the　crew　chief。　A　wooden　chock　was　pulled　from　the　landing　wheel；　the　nose　coupling　was　released　from　the　mooring　mast；　and　the　men　holding　the　bow　ropes　heaved　to　one　side　and　let　go。　When　the　airship　was　free　and　clear