cc.iceberg-第1章

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　The　drug…induced　sleep　wore　off　into　nothingness；　and　the　girl　began　the　agonizing　struggle　back　to　consciousness。　A　dim　and　hazy　light　greeted　her　slowly　opening　eyes　while　a　disgusting；　putrid　stench　invaded　her　nostrils。　She　was　nude；　her　bare　back　pressed　flat　against　a　damp；　yellow；　slime…coated　wall。　It　was　unreal；　an　impossibility；　she　tried　to　tell　herself　upon　awakening。　It　had　to　be　some　kind　of　horrifying　nightmare。　Then　suddenly；　before　she　had　a　chance　to　fight　the　panic　mushrooming　inside　her；　the　yellow　slime　on　the　floor　rose　and　began　working　up　the　thighs　of　her　defenseless　body。
　
　Terrified　beyond　all　reason；　she　began　screaming　screaming　insanely　as　the　abomination　crawled　ever　upward　over　the　naked　sweating　skin。　Her　eyes　bulged　from　their　sockets　and　she　struggled　desperately。
　
　It　was　useless…her　wrists　and　ankles　were　chained　tightly　to　the　ooze…covered　surface　of　the　wall。　Slowly；　ever　slowly；　the　ungodly　slime　crept　across　her　breasts。
　
　And　then；　just　as　the　unspeakable　horror　touched　the　girl's　lips；　a　vibrating　roar　and　a　phantom；　unseen　voice　echoed　throughout　the　darkened　chamber。
　〃Sorry　to　interrupt　your　study　period；　Lieutenant；　but　duty　calls。〃
　
　Lieutenant　Sam　Neth　snapped　the　book　in　his　hands　shut。　〃Dammit；　Rapp；〃　he　said　this　to　the　sour…faced　man　seated　beside　him　in　the　cockpit　of　the　droning　aircraft…〃every　time　I　e　to　an　interesting　part；　you　butt　in。〃
　
　Ensign　James　Rapp　nodded　toward　the　book；　its　paperback　cover　illustrating　a　girl　struggling　in　a　pool　of　yellow　slime…kept　afloat；　Rapp　deduced；　by　a　pair　of　immense　buoyant　breasts。　〃How　can　you　read　that　crap？〃
　〃Crap？〃　Neth　grimaced　painfully。　〃Not　only　do　you　invade　my　privacy；　Ensign；　you　also　fancy　yourself　my　personal　literary　critic！〃　He　threw　his　big　hands　up　in　mock　despair。　〃Why　do　they　always　assign　me　a　copilot　whose　primitive　brain　refuses　to　accept　contemporary　style　and　sophistication？〃　Neth　reached　over　and　placed　the　book　in　a　crudely　constructed　rack　hanging　from　the　side　panel　by　a　coat　hanger。　Several　dog…eared　magazines；　depicting　the　unclothed　female　body　in　numerous　seductive　positions；　also　rested　in　the　rack；　making　it　quite　apparent　that　Neth's　taste　in　literature　didn't　exactly　take　in　the　classics。
　
　Neth　sighed；　then　straightened　up　in　his　seat　and　peered　through　the　windshield　at　the　sea　below。
　
　The　United　States　Coast　Guard　patrol　plane　was　four　hours；　twenty　minutes　into　a　dull　and　routine　eight…hour　iceberg　surveillance　and　charting　mission。　Visibility　was　diamond…clear　under　a　cloudless　sky；　and　the　wind　barely　moved　the　rolling　swells…a　unique　condition　for　the　North　Atlantic　in　the　middle　of　March。　In　the　cockpit；　Neth；　with　four　of　the　crew　members；　piloted　and　navigated　the　huge　four…engined　Boeing　aircraft；　while　the　other　six　crewmen　took　up　office　in　the　cargo　section；　eyeballing　the　radar　scopes　and　other　scientific　instruments。　Neth　checked　his　watch　and　then　turned　the　plane　on　a　sweeping　arc；　settling　the　nose　on　a　straight　course　toward　the　Newfoundland　coast。
　〃So　much　for　duty。〃　Neth　relaxed　and　reached　for　his　horror　book。
　〃Please　show　a　little　initiative；　Rapp。　No　more　interruptions　till　we　make　St。　John's。〃
　〃I'll　try；〃　Rapp　responded　dourly。　〃If　that　book's　so　absorbing；　how　about　letting　me　borrow　it　when　you're　finished？〃
　Neth　yawned。　〃Sorry。　I　make　it　a　point　never　to　lend　out　my　private　library。〃　Suddenly　the　headset　crackled　in　his　ear；　and　he　picked　up　a　microphone。　〃Okay　Hadley；　what　have　you　got？〃
　
　Back　in　the　dimly　lighted　belly　of　the　plane；　Seaman　First　Class　Buzz　Hadley　stared　intently　at　the　radar　set；　his　face　reflecting　an　unearthly　green　glow　from　the　scope。　〃I　have　a　weird　reading；　sir。　Eighteen　miles；　bearing　three…four…seven。〃
　
　Neth　clicked　the　mike　switch。　〃e；　e；　Hadley。　What　do　you　mean　by　weird？　Are　you　reading　an　iceberg；　or　have　you　tuned　your　set　into　an　old　Dracula　movie？〃
　〃Maybe　he's　picking　up　your　sexy　terror　novel；〃　Rapp　grunted。
　Hadley　came　back　on。　〃Judging　from　the　configuration　and　size；　it's　a　berg；　but　my　signal　is　much　too　strong　for　ordinary　ice。〃
　〃Very　well。〃　Neth　sighed。　〃We'll　have　a　look…see。〃
　He　frowned　at　Rapp。　〃Be　a　good　boy　and　bring　us　around　to　course　three…four…seven。〃
　
　Rapp　nodded　and　turned　the　control　column；　executing　the　course　change。　The　plane；　acpanied　by　the　steady　roar　of　the　four　Pratt…tney　piston　engines　and　their　endless　vibrating　beat；　gently　banked　toward　a　new　horizon。
　
　Neth　picked　up　a　pair　of　binoculars　and　trained　them　on　the　unending　expanse　of　blue　water。　He　adjusted　the　focus　knobs　and　held　the　glasses　as　steady　as　possible　against　the　quivering　movement　of　the　aircraft。
　
　Then　he　glimpsed　it…a　white　inanimate　speck；　sitting　serenely　on　a　glistening　sapphire　sea。　Slowly；　the　iceberg　grew　larger　inside　the　two　circular　walled　tunnels　of　the　binoculars　as　the　cockpit's　windshield　closed　the　distance。　Then　Neth　picked　up　the　microphone。
　〃What　do　you　make　of　it；　Sloan？〃
　Lieutenant　Jonis　Sloan；　the　chief　ice　observer　aboard　the　patrol　plane；　was　already　studying　the　berg　through　a　half…open　cargo　door　behind　the　control　cabin。
　〃Run…of…the…mill；　garden　variety；〃　Sloan's　robotlike　voice　came　over　the　earphones。　〃A　tabular　berg　with　a　mesa　top。　I'd　guess　about　two　hundred　feet　high；　probably　about　one　million　tons。〃
　〃Run…of…the…mill？〃　Neth　sounded　almost　surprised。　〃Garden　variety？　Thank　you；　Sloan；　for　your　highly　enlightening　description。　I　can　hardly　wait　to　visit　there　someday。〃　He　turned　to　Rapp。　〃What's　our　altitude？〃
　
　Rapp　kept　his　eyes　glued　straight　ahead。　〃One　thousand　feet。　The　same　altitude　we've　been　at　all　day　。　。　。　and　yesterday　。　。　。　and　the　day　before　that…〃
　〃Just　checking；　thank　you；〃　Neth　interrupted　pontifically。　〃You'll　never　know；　Rapp；　how　increasingly　secure　my　old　age　bees　with　your　able　talents　at　the　controls。〃
　
　He　fitted　a　battered　pair　of　flying　goggles　to　his　eyes；　braced　himself　for　the　blasting　cold；　and　opened　his　side　window　for　a　closer　look。　〃Here　she　is；〃　motioning　to　Rapp。　〃Make　a　couple　of　passes；　and　we　shall　see　what　we　shall　see。〃
　
　It　took　only　a　few　seconds　for　Neth's　face　to　feel　like　the　embattled　surface　of　a　pin　cushion；　the　icy　air　tore　at　his　skin　until　it　thankfully　turned　numb。　He　gritted　his　teeth　and　kept　his　eyes　glued　to　the　berg。
　
　The　huge　ice　mass　looked　like　a　ghostly　clipper　ship　under　full　sail　as　it　floated　gracefully　beneath　the　cockpit　windows。　Rapp　eased　the　throttles　back　and　twisted　the　controls　slightly；　sending　the　patrol　plane　into　a　wide；　sweeping　bank　to　port。　He　ignored　the　bank　and　turn　indicator　and　judged　his　angle　by　peering　over　Neth's　shoulder　at　the　gleaming　mound　of　ice。
　
　Three　times　he　circled；　waiting　for　a　sign　from　Neth　to　level　the　plane　out。　Finally　Neth　pulled　his　head　in　and　picked　up　the　microphone。
　〃Hadley！　That　berg　is　as　bare　as　a　newborn　baby's　ass。〃
　〃There's　something　down　there；　Lieutenant；〃　Hadley　came　back。　〃I've　got　a　beautiful　blip　on　my…〃
　〃I　think　I've　spotted　a　dark　object；　skipper；〃　Sloan　interrupted。　〃Down　near　the　waterline　on　the　west　face。〃
　Neth　turned　to　Rapp。　〃Swing　down　to　a　hundred　feet。〃
　It　took　only　minutes　for　Rapp　to　ply。　More　minutes　passed　and　still　he　circled　the　berg；　holding　the　aircraft's　speed　a　bare　twenty　miles　an　hour　above　stalling。
　〃Closer；〃　Neth　murmured　intently；　〃another　hundred　feet。〃
　〃Why　don't　we　simply　land　on　the　damn　thing；〃　Rapp　offered　conversationally。　If　he　was　overly　concerned；　he　didn't　look　it。　His　face　wore　the　expression　of　one　who　was　about　to　fall　asleep。　Only　the　tiny　beads　of　sweat　on　his　brow　betrayed　the　total　concentration　upon　the　risky　flying　job　at　hand。　The　blue　swells　seemed　so　near；　he　felt　as　if　he　could　reach　past　Neth's　shoulder　and　touch　them。　And　to　add　fuel　to　his　growing　tenseness；　the　walls　of　the　iceberg　now　towered　above　the　plane；　the　summit　disappearing　entirely　above　the　frames　of　the　cockpit　windows。　One　twitch；　he　thought；　one　tricky　air　current；　and　the　port　wing　tip　could　catch　on　a　wave　crest　and　instantly　transform　the　giant　aircraft　into　a　self…destructing　cartwheel。
　
　Neth　became　aware　of　something　now　。　。　。　something　indistinct；　something　flying　across　the　unseen　threshold　between　imagination　and　reality。　It　slowly　materialized　into　a　tangible　thing；　a　man…made　form。
　
　Finally；　after　what　seemed　an　eternity　to　Rapp；　Neth　pulled　his　head　back　into　the　cabin；　again　closed　the　side　window；　and　pressed　the　mike　switch。
　〃Sloan？　Did　you　see　it？〃　The　words　sounded　stiff　and　muffled；　as　if　Neth　were　talking　through　a　pillow。
　
　At　first；　Rapp　thought　it　was　because　Neth's　jaw　and　lips　were　frozen　with　the　cold；　but　then　he　sneaked　a　fast　glance　and　was　surprised　to　see　Neth's　face　frozen；　not　with　cold　but　with　the　blank　look　of　genuine　awe。
　〃I　saw　it。〃　Sloan's　voice　came　over　the　inter　like　a　mechanical　echo。　〃But　I　didn't　think　it　was　possible。〃
　〃Neither　did　I；〃　Neth　said；　〃but　it's　down　there…a　ship；　a　goddamned　ghost　ship　imbedded　in　the　ice。〃　He　turned　to　Rapp；　shaking　his　head　as　if　he　didn't　believe　is　own　words。　〃I　couldn't　make　out　any　details。　Just　a　blurred　outline　of　the　bow；　or　maybe　the　stern；　it's　impossible　to　tell　for　certain。〃
　
　He　slipped　off　the　goggles　and　raised　the　thumb　of　his　right　hand　in　the　air；　motioning　up。　Gratefully　Rapp　sighed　and　leveled　out　the　patrol　plane；　putting　a　fortable　margin　of　space　between　the　aircraft's　underbelly　and　the　cold　Atlantic。
　〃Excuse　me；　Lieutenant。〃　Hadley　came　through　over　the　headphones。
　
　He　was　hunched　over　his　radar　set；　painstakingly　studying　a　little　white　blip　almost　in　the　exact　center　of　the　scope。　〃For　what　it's　worth；　the　overall　length　of　that　thing　in　the　berg　is　in　the　neighborhood　of　one　hundred　and　twenty…five　feet。〃
　〃A　derelict　fishing　trawler；　most　likely。〃　Neth　vigorously　massaged　his　cheeks；　wincing　at　the　pain　as　the　circulation　began　to　return。
　〃Shall　I　contact　District　Headquarters　in　New　York　and　request　a　rescue　party？〃　Rapp　asked　matterof…factly。
　Neth　shook　his　head。　〃No　need　to　rush　a　rescue　ship。　It's　obvious　there　are　no　survivors。　We'll　make　a　detailed　report　after　we've　landed　in　Newfoundland。〃
　There　was　a　pause。　Then　Sloan's　voice　came　through。
　〃Make　a　pass　over　the　berg；　skipper。　I'll　drop　a　dye　marker　on　it　for　quick　identification。〃
　〃Right　you　are；　Sloan。　Make　the　drop　at　my　signal。〃　Neth　turned　again　to　Rapp。　〃Bring　us　over　the　high　part　of　the　berg　at　three　hundred　feet。〃
　
　The　Boeing；　its　four　engines　still　turning　at　reduced　power；　swept　over　the　stately　iceberg　like　a　monstrous　Mesozoic　bird　in　search　of　its　primeval　nest。
　
　Back　at　the　cargo　door；　Sloan　raised　his　arm；　pausing。
　
　Then　at　Neth's　spoken　mand；　Sloan　tossed　a　gallon　pickle　jar　full　of　red　dye　out　into　space。　The　jar　grew　smaller　and　smaller；　shrinking　to　a　tiny　speck　before　finally　striking　the　smooth　cliff　face　of　the　target。　Peering　back；　Sloan　could　see　a　bright　vermilion　streak　spreading　slowly　down　the　million…ton　mound　of　ice。
　〃Right　on　the　button。〃　Neth　almost　sounded　jovial。　〃The　search　party　won't　have　any　trouble　spotting　that　one。〃　Then　suddenly　grim…faced；　he　stared　d