tc.redstormrising-第79章

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Morris　looked　up　at　the　ASW　officer。　〃Let's　update　our　temperature　profile。〃
Thirty　seconds　later　they　dropped　a　bathythermograph　probe。　The　instrument　measured　water　temperature　and　reported　it　to　a　display　in　the　sonar　partment。　Water　temperature　was　the　most　important　environmental　condition　affecting　sonar　performance。　Surface　ships　checked　it　periodically；　but　a　submarine　could　do　it　continuously…yet　another　edge　that　went　with　a　submarine。
〃There！〃　Morris　pointed。　〃The　gradient's　a　lot　stronger　now　and　this　guy's　exploiting　it。　He's　staying　out　of　the　deep　channel；　probably　doing　his　sprints　on　top　of　the　layer　instead　of　under　it　where　we　expect。　Okay　。　。　。〃
The　helicopters　continued　to　drop　buoys；　and　the　brief　glimpses　they　got　were　of　a　target　heading　south；　toward　Pharris。　Morris　waited　ten　minutes。
〃Bridge；　bat；　left　standard　rudder；　e　to　new　course　zero…one…one；〃　Morris　ordered；　pointing　his　ship　at　the　submarine's　estimated　position。　The　frigate　was　doing　five　knots；　moving　quietly　on　the　calm　seas。　The　CIC　crew　watched　the　heading　readout　on　the　aft　bulkhead　change　slowly　from　the　easterly　heading。
The　tactical　display　was　useless。　Confused　by　many　brief　reports　from　sonobuoys；　most　of　which　were　probably　false　signals　to　begin　with；　the　puter…generated　estimate　for　the　submarine's　position　covered　over　a　hundred　square　miles。　Morris　walked　over　to　the　paper　display　in　the　after　er　of　the　room。
〃I　think　he's　right　about　here。〃　Morris　tapped　the　chart。　〃ments？〃
〃Running　shallow？　That's　contrary　to　doctrine；〃　ASW　pointed　out。　Soviet　submariners　were　supposed　to　stick　with　established　doctrine；　the　fleet　intelligence　reports　said。
〃Let's　find　out。　Yankee…search。〃
The　ASW　officer　gave　the　order　at　once。　Yankee…search　meant　turning　on　the　frigate's　active　sonar　and　hammering　the　water　to　find　the　sub。　Morris　was　taking　a　chance。　If　the　submarine　was　as　close　as　he　thought；　then　he　was　advertising　his　own　ship's　location　and　inviting　a　missile　attack　that　his　point…defense　systems　were　ill…equipped　to　stop。　The　sonar　operator　watched　his　screen　intently。　The　first　five　pings　came　up　blank　as　the　sonar　beam　swept　west…to…east。　The　next　one　painted　a　bright　dot　on　the　screen。
〃Contact…positive　sonar　contact；　direct　path；　bearing　zero…one…four；　range　eleven　thousand　six　hundred　yards。　Evaluate　as　probable　submarine。〃
〃Nail　him；〃　Morris　ordered。
The　solid…fuel　ASROC　booster　ignited；　blasting　clear　of　the　ship　and　curving　across　the　sky　with　a　trail　of　pale　gray　smoke。　The　rocket　burned　out　in　three　seconds；　coasting　through　the　sky　like　a　bullet。　A　thousand　feet　over　the　water；　the　torpedo　separated　from　the　booster；　retarded　by　a　parachute　in　its　fall　toward　the　water。
〃He's　changed　course；　sir；〃　the　sonar　operator　warned。　〃Target　is　turning　and　increasing　speed。　I…there's　the　fish；　we　have　the　torp　in　the　water　and　pinging。　Dropped　in　pretty　close。〃

The　tactical　action　officer　was　ignoring　this。　Three　helicopters　were　converging　on　the　target　datum　point　now。　There　was　a　good　chance　the　torpedo　would　miss；　and　the　task　now　was　to　pin　the　contact　down。　He　ordered　a　right　turn；　allowing　the　frigate's　passive　sonar　array　to　track　in　on　the　submarine；　which　was　moving　swiftly　now　to　evade　the　torpedo；　and　making　a　lot　of　noise。　The　first　helicopter　arrived　and　dropped　a　buoy。
〃Twin　screws　and　cavitation　noise。　Sounds　like　a　Charlie　at　full　speed；　sir；〃　a　petty　officer　announced。　〃I　think　the　torp　may　have　him。〃
The　torpedo　switched　from　ping…and…listen　to　continuous　pinging；　chasing　after　the　racing　submarine；　arcing　downward。　The　weapon　momentarily　lost　the　sub　as　she　passed　through　the　thermocline　layer；　then　reacquired　when　it　too　entered　the　colder　deep　water；　rapidly　closing　the　distance。　The　submarine　loosed　a　noisemaker；　but　it　malfunctioned。　Another　was　loaded　into　the　launcher。　Too　late。　The　torpedo　struck　the　submarine　on　her　port　screw　and　exploded。
〃All　right！〃　hooted　a　petty　officer　on　the　sonar　crew。　〃We　have　warhead　detonation。　We　got　the　sucker！〃
〃We　have　impact。　We　have　detonation；〃　confirmed　a　helo　crew。　〃Stand　by。　Target　engines　have　not　stopped　pletely　。　。　。　additional　propulsion　noises…clanking。　Air　blowing；　he's　blowing　tanks。　ing　up；　target　is　ing　up。　We　have　bubbles　on　the　surface。　Hot　damn；　there　he　is！〃
The　Charlie's　bow　broke　the　surface　six　miles　from　the　frigate。　Three　helicopters　circled　the　wounded　vessel　like　wolves；　and　Pharris　turned　north　to　close　the　target；　her　five…inch　gun　tracking　it。　It　wasn't　necessary。　The　forward　hatch　opened　and　men　began　scrambling　out。　More　appeared　on　the　sail；　jumping　overboard　as　the　submarine's　engine　room　filled　with　water。　A　total　of　ten　got　off　before　the　submarine　slid　backward　below　the　waves。　Another　appeared　on　the　surface　a　few　seconds　later；　but　no　more。
The　helicopters　dropped　life　jackets　to　the　men　in　the　water。　The　helo　with　the　rescue　hoist　aboard　managed　to　lift　two　men　before　the　frigate　arrived　on　the　scene。　Morris　supervised　the　operation　from　the　bridge。　The　motor　whaleboat　was　swiftly　launched；　and　the　rescue　was　an　easy　one。　The　Russian　crewmen　were　stunned　and　did　not　resist。　The　helicopters　guided　the　boat　to　each　man；　carefully　searching　the　area　for　more。　All　eleven　were　recovered　and　the　whaleboat　returned　to　the　drop　lines。　Pharris's　chief　boatswain　supervised　the　operation；　an　ensign　standing　quietly　at　his　side。
No　one　had　seriously　considered　this　possibility。　A　torpedo　hit　on　a　submarine　was　supposed　to　kill　her　entirely。　Prisoners；　Morris　thought　to　himself。　What　the　hell　am　I　supposed　to　do　with　prisoners？　He　had　to　decide　where　to　keep　them；　how　to　treat　them。　How　to　interrogate　them　…did　he　have　anyone　aboard　who　spoke　Russian？　The　captain　turned　the　conn　over　to　his　executive　officer　and　hurried　aft。
Armed　crewmen　were　already　there；　holding　their　M…14　rifles　awkwardly　as　they　looked　down　with　great　curiosity　at　the　whaleboat。　The　boat　crew　secured　the　hoist　lines　to　the　lift　points；　and　the　seaman　on　the　winch　lifted　the　boat　up　into　the　davits。
The　Soviets　were　not　an　impressive　lot；　many　of　them　clearly　in　shock　from　their　near　escape　from　death。　Morris　counted　three　officers；　one　of　them　probably　the　captain。　He　whispered　a　quick　mand　to　Bosun　Clarke。
The　chief　had　his　armed　party　step　back；　and　took　the　whistle　from　his　pocket。　As　the　whaleboat　settled　into　place；　he　blew　a　three…tone　note　on　his　whistle　and　saluted　the　Soviet　captain　like　an　arriving　dignitary。
The　Russian's　reaction　was　one　of　astonishment。　Morris　stepped　forward　to　help　him　off　the　boat。
〃Wele　aboard；　Captain。　I'm　Captain　Morris；　United　States　Navy。〃　Ed　looked　around　briefly　to　see　the　incredulous　expressions　on　his　crew's　faces。　But　his　ploy　failed。　The　Russian　said　something　in　Russian；　and　either　spoke　no　English　or　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　pretend　he　didn't。　Someone　else　would　have　to　handle　the　interrogation。　Morris　told　his　bosun　to　carry　on。　The　Russians　were　taken　below　for　a　medical　check。　For　the　moment；　they'd　be　kept　under　guard　in　sickbay。　The　bosun　hurried　back　for　a　moment。
〃Skipper；　what　the　hell　was　that　all　about？〃　Chief　Boatswain's　Mate　Clarke　inquired。
〃They've　probably　been　told　that　we'd　shoot　them　in　the　head。　I　read　a　book　once　that　said　the　most　effective　technique…look；　there　was　this　German；　the　guy　specialized　in　getting　information　out　of　our　guys　in　World　War　Two；　okay？　He　was　good　at　it；　and　what　he　did　was　treat　our　guys　decently。　Hell；　they　sponsored　him　to　e　over　after　the　war；　and　now　he's　an　American　citizen。　Separate　the　officers　from　the　enlisted；　and　the　senior　EMS　from　the　juniors。　Keep　'em　separate。　Then　make　sure　they're　kept　fortable。　Feed　'em；　give　'em　cigarettes；　make　'em　feel　safe。　If　you　happen　to　know　anyone　aboard　who　has　a　bottle；　get　it；　and　give　our　guests　a　couple　of　stiff　drinks。　Everybody　gets　new　clothes。　We　keep　theirs。　Send　all　of　it　to　the　wardroom。　We'll　see　if　they　have　anything　valuable。　Make　sure　they're　treated　nice；　and　just　maybe　we　can　get　one　or　two　to　spill　his　guts。〃
〃You　got　it；　Skipper。〃　The　chief　went　away　shaking　his　head。　At　least　he'd　get　to　paint　a　whole　submarine　on　the　pilothouse　this　time。
Morris　went　back　to　the　pilothouse。　He　ordered　his　me