wt.theyearofthequietsun-第11章

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nd…year…old　city　in　the　Negev；　or　go　out　and　rediscover　Atlantis。〃
　　
　　They　walked　in　silence　for　a　space。　A　car　sped　by　them　toward　the　busy　missary。
　　Chaney　asked：　〃A　personal　question；　mander？〃
　　〃Fire　away；　mister。〃
　　〃How　did　you　manage　your　rank　so　young？〃
　　Saltus　laughed。　〃You　haven't　been　in　service？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃Blame　it　on　our　damned　war…the　wits　are　calling　it　our　Thirty　Years　War。　Promotions　e　faster　in　wartime　because　men　and　ships　are　lost　at　an　accelerated　rate…and　they　e　faster　to　men　in　the　line　than　to　men　on　the　beach。　I've　always　been　in　the　line。　When　the　Viet　Nam　war　passed　the　first　five　years；　I　started　moving　up；　when　it　passed　ten　years　without　softening；　I　moved　up　faster。　And　when　it　passed　fifteen　years…after　that　phony　peace；　that　truce…I　went　up　like　a　skyrocket。〃　He　looked　at　Chaney　with　sober　expression。　〃We　lost　a　lot　of　men　and　a　lot　of　ships　in　those　waters　when　the　Chinese　began　shooting　at　us。〃
　　Chaney　nodded。　〃I've　heard　the　rumors；　the　stories。　The　Israeli　papers　were　filled　with　Israeli　troubles；　but　now　and　then　outside　news　was　given　some　space。〃
　　〃You'll　hear　the　truth　someday；　it　will　jolt　you。　Washington　hasn't　released　the　figures；　but　when　they　do　you'll　get　a　stiff　jolt　in　the　belly。　A　lot　of　things　are　kept　undercover　in　undeclared　wars。　Some　of　the　things　work　their　way　into　the　open　after　a　while；　but　others　never　do。〃　Another　sidelong　glance；　measuring　Chaney。　〃Do　you　remember　when　the　Chinese　lobbed　that　missile　on　the　port　city　we　were　working？　That　port　below　Saigon？〃
　　〃No　one　can　forget　that。〃
　　〃Well；　mister；　our　side　retaliated　in　kind；　and　the　Chinese　lost　two　railroad　towns　that　same　week…Keiyang　and　Yungning。　Two　holes　in　the　ground；　and　several　hundred　square　miles　of　radioactive　cropland。　Their　missile　was　packing　a　low…yield　A；　it　was　all　they　could　manage　at　the　time；　but　we　hit　them　with　two　Harrys。　You　will　please　keep　that　under　your　hat　until　you　read　about　it　in　the　papers…if　you　ever　do。〃
　　Chaney　digested　the　information　with　some　alarm。　〃What　did　they　do；　to　retaliate　for　that？〃
　　〃Nothing…yet。　But　they　will；　mister；　they　will！　As　soon　as　they　think　we're　asleep；　they'll　clobber　us　with　something。　And　hard。〃
　　Chaney　had　to　agree。　〃I　suppose　you've　had　more　than　one　tour　of　duty　in　the　South　China　Sea？〃
　　〃More　than　one；〃　Saltus　told　him。　〃On　my　last　tour；　I　had　two　good　ships　torpedoed　under　me。　Not　one；　but　two；　and　Chinese　subs　were　responsible　both　times。　Those　bastards　can　really　shoot；　mister…they're　good。〃
　　〃A　Lieutenant　mander　is　equal　to　what？〃
　　〃A　Major。　Old　William　and　me　are　buddies　under　the　skin。　But　don't　be　impressed。　If　it　wasn't　for　this　war　I'd　be　just　another　junior　grade　Lieutenant。〃
　　The　desire　for　further　conversation　fell　away　and　they　walked　in　pensive　silence　to　the　missary。　Chaney　recalled　with　distaste　his　contributions　to　Pentagon　papers　concerning　the　ing　capabilities　of　the　Chinese。　Saltus　seemed　to　have　confirmed　a　part　of　it。
　　Chaney　went　first　through　the　serving　line　but　paused　for　a　moment　at　the　end　of　it；　balancing　the　tray　to　avoid　spilling　coffee。　He　searched　the　room。
　　〃Hey…there's　Katrina！〃
　　〃Where？〃
　　〃Over　there；　by　that　far　window。〃
　　〃I　don't　believe　in　waiting　for　an　invitation。〃
　　〃Push　on；　push　on；　I'm　right　behind　you！〃
　　Chaney　discovered　that　he　had　spilled　his　coffee　by　the　time　they　reached　her　table。　He　had　tried　to　move　too　fast；　but　still　lost　out。
　　Arthur　Saltus　was　there　first。　He　promptly　sat　down　in　the　chair　nearest　the　young　woman　and　transferred　his　breakfast　dishes　from　the　tray　to　the　table。　Saltus　put　his　elbows　on　the　table；　peered　closely　at　Katrina；　then　half　turned　to　Chaney。
　　〃Isn't　she　lovely　this　morning！　What　would　your　friend　Bartlett　say　about　this？〃
　　Chaney　noted　the　tiny　line　of　disapproval　above　her　eyes。　〃Her　very　frowns　are　fairer　far；　than　the　smiles　of　other　maidens　are。〃
　　〃Hear！　Hear！〃　Saltus　clapped　his　hands　in　approval；　and　stared　back　impudently　at　nearby　diners　who　had　turned　to　look。　〃Nosey　peasants；〃　was　his　loud　whisper。
　　Kathryn　van　Hise　struggled　to　maintain　her　reserve。　〃Good　morning；　gentlemen；　Where　is　the　Major？〃
　　〃Snoring；〃　Arthur　Saltus　retorted。　〃We　sneaked　out　to　have　breakfast　alone　with　you。〃
　　〃And　these　other　two　hundred　characters。〃　Chaney　waved　a　hand　at　the　crowded　mess　hall。　〃This　is　ro　mantic。〃
　　〃These　peasants　aren't　romantic；〃　Saltus　disagreed。　〃They　lack　color　and　Old　World　charm。〃　He　stared　bleakly　at　the　room。　〃Hey…mister；　we　could　practice　on　them。　Let's　run　a　survey　on　them；　let's　find　out　how　many　of　them　are　Republicans　eating　fried　eggs。〃　Snap　of　fingers。　〃Better　yet…let's　find　out　how　many　Republican　stomachs　have　been　ruined　eating　these　Army　eggs！〃
　　Katrina　made　a　hasty　sound　of　warning。　〃Be　careful　of　your　conversation　in　public　places。　Certain　subjects　are　restricted　to　the　briefing　room。〃
　　Chaney　said：　〃Quick！　Switch　to　Aramaic。　These　peasants　will　never　catch　on。〃
　　Saltus　began　to　laugh　but　lust　as　suddenly　shut　it　off。　〃I　only　know　one　word。〃　He　seemed　embarrassed。
　　〃Then　don't　repeat　it；〃　Chaney　warned。　〃Katrina　may　have　studied　Aramaic…she　reads　everything。〃　…
　　〃Hey…that's　not　fair。〃
　　〃I　do　unfair　things；　I　retaliate　in　kind；　mander。　Last　night；　I　sneaked　into　the　briefing　room　while　you　were　all　asleep。〃　He　turned　to　the　young　woman。　〃I　know　your　secret。　I　know　one　of　the　alternative　targets。〃
　　〃Do　you；　Mr。　Chaney？〃
　　〃I　do；　Miss　van　Hise。　I　raided　the　briefing　room　and　turned　it　inside　out…a　very　thorough　search；　indeed。　I　found　a　secret　map　hidden　under　one　of　the　telephones…the　red　phone。　The　alternative　target　is　the　Qumran　monastery。　We're　going　back　to　destroy　the　embarrassing　scrolls…rip　them　from　their　jars　and　burn　them。　There。〃　He　sat　back　with　barely　concealed　amusement。
　　The　woman　looked　at　him　for　a　space；　and　Chaney　had　a　sudden；　intuitive　torment。　He　felt　uneasy。
　　When　she　broke　her　silence；　her　voice　was　so　low　it　would　not　carry　to　the　adjoining　tables。
　　〃You　are　almost　right；　Mr。　Chaney。　One　of　our　alternatives　is　a　probe　into　Palestine；　and　you　were　also　selected　for　the　team　because　of　your　knowledge　of　that　general　area。〃
　　Chaney　was　instantly　wary。　〃I　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　those　scrolls。　I'll　not　tamper　with　them。〃
　　〃That　will　not　be　necessary。　They　are　not　an　alternate　target。〃
　　〃What　is？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　the　correct　date；　sir。　Research　has　not　been　successful　in　determining　the　precise　time　and　place；　but　Mr。　Scabrooke　believes　it　will　be　a　profitable　alternate。　It　is　under　active　study。〃　She　hesitated　and　dropped　her　gaze　to　the　table。　〃The　general　location　in　Palestine　is　or　was　a　site　known　as　the　Hill　of　Skulls。〃
　　Chaney　rocked　in　his　chair。
　　In　the　long　silence；　Arthur　Saltus　groped　for　an　understanding。　〃Chaney；　what…？〃　He　looked　to　the　woman；　then　back　to　the　man。　〃Hey…let　me　in　on　it！〃
　　Chaney　said　quietly：　〃Seabrooke　has　picked　a　very　hot　alternative。　If　we　can't　go　up　there　for　the　survey；　our　team　is　going　back　to　film　the　Crucifixion。〃
　　
　　
　　FIVE
　　
　　Brian　Chaney　was　the　last　of　the　four　participants　to　return　to　the　briefing　room。　He　walked。
　　Kathryn　van　Hise　had　offered　them　a　ride　as　they　quit　the　mess　hail　and　Arthur　Saltus　promptly　accepted；　scrambling　into　the　front　seat　of　the　olive　green　sedan　to　sit　close　beside　her。　Chaney　preferred　the　exercise。　Katrina　turned　in　the　seat　to　look　back　at　him　as　the　car　left　the　parking　lot；　but　he　was　unable　to　read　her　expression：　it　may　have　been　disappointment…and　then　again　it　may　have　been　exasperation。
　　He　suspected　Katrina　was　losing　her　antipathy　for　him；　and　that　was　pleasing。
　　The　sun　was　already　hot　in　the　hazy　June　sky　and　Chaney　would　have　liked　to　go　in　search　of　the　pool；　but　he　decided　against　it　only　because　he　knew　better　than　to　be　tardy　a　second　time。　As　a　satisfying　substitute；　he　contented　himself　with　watching　the　few　women　who　happened　to　pass；　he　approved　of　the　sharply　abbreviated　skirt　that　was　the　current　style　and；　given　another　opportunity；　would　have　included　a　forecast　in　his　tables…but　the　stodgy