if.thunderball-第53章

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　you　hadn't　heard　about　it。〃
　
　The　captain　smiled。　He　got　to　his　feet。　〃Okay；　okay。　I'll　leave　you　two　heroes　to　fight　it　out　while　I　have　a　word　to　the　men　over　the　speaker　system。　Then　we'll　have　to　get　together　with　the　charts　and　see　that　the　gear's　okay　and　suchlike。　You　fellers　aren't　going　to　get　any　sleep　after　all。　I'll　have　a　ration　of　battle　pills　issued　to　you。　You're　going　to　need　them。〃　He　raised　a　hand　and　went　off　down　the　mess　hall。
　
　Leiter　turned　to　Bond。　〃You　goddam　shyster。　Thought　you　were　going　to　leave　your　old　pal　behind；　didn't　you？　God；　the　treachery　of　you　Limeys！　Perfidious　Albion　is　right；　all　right。〃
　
　Bond　laughed。　〃How　the　hell　was　I　to　know　you'd　been　in　the　hands　of　rehabilitators　and　therapists　and　so　on？　I　never　knew　you　took　life　so　seriously。　I　suppose　you've　even　found　some　way　of　petting　with　that　damned　meathook　of　yours。〃
　
　Leiter　said　darkly；　〃You'd　be　surprised。　Get　a　girl　round　the　arm　with　this　and　you'd　be　amazed　the　effect　it　has　on　their　good　resolutions。　Now　then；　let's　get　down　to　cases。　What　sort　of　formation　are　we　going　to　swim　in？　Can　we　get　some　of　those　knives　made　into　lances？　How　are　we　going　to　recognize　our　side　from　theirs　underwater；　and　in　semi…darkness　at　that？　We've　got　to　make　this　operation　pretty　solid。　That　Pedersen's　a　good　guy。　We　don't　want　to　get　some　of　his　men　killed　through　some　damn　silly　mistake　of　ours。〃
　
　The　voice　of　the　captain　sounded　over　the　munication　system。　〃Now　hear　this。　This　is　your　Captain　speaking。　It　is　possible　that　we　may　encounter　hazards　in　the　course　of　this　operation。　I　will　tell　you　how　this　may　e　about。　This　ship　has　been　chosen　by　the　Navy　Department　for　an　exercise　that　is　tantamount　to　an　operation　of　war。　I　will　tell　you　the　story；　which　will　remain　classified　top　secret　until　further　orders。　This　is　what　has　happened　。　。　。〃
　
　***
　
　Bond；　asleep　in　one　of　the　duty　officers'　bunks；　was　awakened　by　the　alarm　bell。　The　iron　voice　of　the　P。A。　system　said：　〃Diving　stations。　Diving　stations；〃　and　almost　at　once　his　bunk　tilted　slightly　and　the　distant　whine　of　the　engines　altered　pitch。　Bond　smiled　grimly　to　himself。　He　slipped　off　the　bunk　and　went　along　and　up　to　the　attack　center。　Felix　Leiter　was　already　there。　The　captain　turned　away　from　the　plot。　His　face　was　tense。　He　said；　〃It　looks　as　if　you　were　right；　gentlemen。　We've　got　her；　all　right。　About　five　miles　ahead　and　two　points　to　starboard。　She's　doing　around　thirty　knots。　No　other　ship　could　be　holding　that　speed；　or　would　be　likely　to。　And　she's　showing　no　lights。　Here；　care　to　have　a　look　through　the　scope？　She's　raising　quite　a　wake　and　kicking　up　plenty　of　phosphorescence。　No　moon　yet；　but　you'll　see　the　white　blur　when　your　eyes　get　used　to　the　dark。〃
　
　Bond　bent　to　the　rubber　eye　sockets。　In　a　minute　he　had　her；　a　white　scut　on　the　horizon　of　the　soft；　feathery　swell。　He　stood　back。　〃What's　her　course？〃
　
　〃Same　as　ours…western　end　of　Grand　Bahama。　We'll　go　deeper　now　and　put　on　a　bit　of　speed。　We've　got　her　on　the　Sonar　as　well；　so　we　shan't　lose　her。　We'll　get　up　parallel　and　close　in　a　bit　later。　The　met。　report　gives　a　light　westerly　breeze　in　the　early　hours。　That'd　be　a　help。　Don't　want　it　too　calm　when　we　unload　the　swimming　party。　The　surface'll　boil　quite　a　bit　as　each　man　goes　out。　Here。〃　He　turned　to　a　powerful…looking　man　in　white　ducks。　〃This　is　Petty　Officer　Fallon。　He's　in　mand　of　the　swimming　party；　under　your　and　Mr。　Leiter's　orders；　of　course。　All　the　top　swimmers　volunteered。　He's　chosen　nine　of　them。　I've　taken　them　off　all　duties。　Maybe　you　gentlemen　would　like　to　get　acquainted　with　your　team。　You'll　want　to　discuss　your　routines。　I　guess　discipline'll　have　to　be　pretty　tight…recognition　signals　and　so　forth。　Okay？　The　sergeant　at　arms　is　looking　after　the　weapons。〃　He　smiled。　〃He's　rustled　up　a　dozen　flick　knives。　Had　some　difficulty　persuading　the　men　to　give　them　up；　but　he's　done　it。　He's　barbed　them　and　sharpened　them　down　almost　to　needles；　then　fitted　them　into　the　tops　of　broom　handles。　Guess　he'll　make　you　sign　an　indent　for　the　brooms　or　he'll　have　the　supply　officer　on　top　of　him　when　we　get　out　of　this。　All　right　then。　Be　seeing　you。　Ask　for　anything　you　want。〃　He　turned　back　to　the　plot。
　
　Bond　and　Leiter　followed　Petty　Officer　Fallon　along　the　lower　deck　to　the　engine　room　and　then　to　the　engine…repair　shop。　On　their　way　they　passed　through　the　reactor　room。　The　reactor；　the　equivalent　of　a　controlled　atomic　bomb；　was　an　obscene　knee…level　bulge　rising　out　of　the　thickly　leaded　deck。　As　they　passed　it；　Leiter　whispered　to　Bond；　〃Liquid　sodium　Submarine　Intermediate　Reactor　Mark　B。〃　He　grinned　sourly　and　crossed　himself。
　
　Bond　gave　the　thing　a　sideways　kick　with　his　shoe。　〃Steam…age　stuff。　Our　Navy's　got　the　Mark　C。〃
　
　The　repair　shop；　a　long　low　room　equipped　with　various　forms　of　precision　machinery；　presented　a　curious　sight。　At　one　end　were　grouped　the　nine　swimmers　clad　only　in　bathing　trunks；　their　fine　bodies　glowing　with　sunburn。　At　the　other；　two　men　in　gray　overalls；　drab　figures　of　the　machine　age；　were　working　in　semi…darkness　with　only　pinpoints　of　bright　light　cast　on　the　whirring　lathes　from　which　the　knife　blades　threw　small　fountains　of　blue　and　orange　sparks。　Some　of　the　swimmers　already　had　their　spears。　After　the　introductions；　Bond　took　one　and　examined　it。　It　was　a　deadly　weapon；　the　blade；　sharpened　to　a　stiletto　and　notched　near　the　top　into　a　barb；　firmly　wired　into　the　top　of　a　long　stout　stave。　Bond　thumbed　the　needle…sharp　steel　and　touched　the　tip。　Even　a　shark's　skin　would　not　stand　up　to　that。　But　what　would　the　enemy　have？　CO2　guns　for　a　certainty。　Bond　looked　the　smiling　bronzed　young　men　over。　There　were　going　to　be　casualties…perhaps　many。　Everything　must　be　done　to　effect　surprise。　But　those　golden　skins　and　his　own　and　Leiter's　paler　skins　would　show　at　twenty　feet　in　the　moonlight…all　right　for　the　guns；　but　well　out　of　range　of　the　spears。　Bond　turned　to　Petty　Officer　Fallon：　〃I　suppose　you　don't　have　rubber　suits　on　board？〃
　
　〃Why　sure；　mander。　Have　to；　for　escape　in　cold　waters。〃　He　smiled。　〃We're　not　always　sailing　among　the　palm　trees。〃
　
　〃We'll　all　need　them。　And　could　you　get　white　or　yellow　numbers；　big　ones；　painted　on　their　backs？　Then　we'll　know　more　or　less　who's　who。〃
　
　〃Sure；　sure。〃　He　called　to　his　men。　〃Hey；　Fonda　and　Johnson。　Go　along　to　the　Quartermaster　and　draw　rubber　suits　for　the　whole　team。　Bracken；　get　a　pail　of　rubber　solution　paint　from　Stores。　Paint　numbers　on　the　backs　of　the　suits。　A　foot　deep。　From　one　to　twelve。　Get　going。〃
　
　Later；　with　the　gleaming　black　suits　hanging　like　giant　bat　skins　along　the　wall；　Bond　called　the　team　together。　〃Men；　we're　going　to　have　one　hell　of　an　underwater　battle。　There'll　be　casualties。　Anyone　care　to　change　his　mind？〃　The　faces　grinned　back　at　him。　〃All　right；　then。　Now；　we'll　be　swimming　at　around　ten　feet　for　a　quarter；　perhaps　half　a　mile。　It'll　be　pretty　light。　The　moon'll　be　up　and　the　bottom's　white　sand　with　some　seagrass。　We'll　take　it　easy　and　go　in　triangle　formation　with　me；　No。　1；　leading　followed　by　Mr。　Leiter　here　as　No。　2；　and　Petty　Officer　Fallon　as　No。　3。　Then　we　broaden　out　behind　like　a　wedge　of　geese。　All　you　have　to　do　is　follow　the　number　in　front　of　you　and　no　one'll　get　lost。　Watch　out　for　isolated　niggerheads。　As　far　as　I　can　gather　from　the　chart　there's　no　true　reef；　only　broken　clumps。　It'll　be　getting　on　for　early　feeding　time　for　the　fish；　so　watch　out　for　anything　big。　But　leave　it　alone　unless　it　gets　too　inquisitive。　Then　three　of　you　take　it　on　with　the　spears。　But　don't　forget　that　it's　most　unlikely　any　fish　will　attack　us。　Close　together　we'll　look　like　one　hell　of　a　big　black　fish　to　anyone　else　and　I　guess　we'll　be　given　a　wide　berth。　Watch　out　for　sea　eggs　on　the　coral　and　mind　the　tips　of　your　spears。　Hold　them　right　up　near　the　blade。　Above　all；　keep　quiet。　We　must　try　and　get　surprise　on　our　side。　The　enemy's　got　CO2　guns；　range　above　twenty　feet。　But　they're　slow　things　to　reload。　If　one's　aimed　at　you；　try　and　give　a　small　target。　Keep　flat　in　the　water。　Don't　put　your　feet　down　and　give　him　a　full…length　targ