if.thunderball-第48节

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　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　target。　As　soon　as　he's　fired；　go　for　him　like　hell　with　your　spear　right　out。　One　jab　of　those　things　in　almost　any　part　of　the　head　or　body　and　your　man's　had　it。　Wounded　men　will　have　to　look　after　themselves。　We　can't　spare　stretcher　bearers。　If　you're　wounded；　back　out　of　the　fight　and　get　away　to　a　coral　clump　and　rest　on　it。　Or　make　for　the　shore　and　shallow　water。　If　you've　got　a　spear　in　you；　don't　try　and　pull　it　out。　Just　hold　it　in　the　wound　until　someone　gets　to　you。　Petty　Officer　Fallon　will　have　one　of　the　ship's　signal　flares。　He'll　release　that　to　the　surface　as　soon　as　our　attack　begins　and　your　captain　will　at　once　surface　and　put　out　an　escape　dinghy　with　an　armed　party　and　the　ship's　surgeon。　Now　then；　any　questions？〃
　
　〃What　do　we　do　as　soon　as　we　get　out　of　the　sub；　sir？〃
　
　〃Try　and　not　make　any　fuss　on　the　surface。　Get　down　quickly　to　ten　feet　and　take　your　place　in　the　formation。　We're　likely　to　get　help　from　a　light　breeze；　but　we're　bound　to　create　turbulence　on　the　surface。　Keep　it　down　as　much　as　you　can。〃
　
　〃What　about　signals　underwater；　sir？　Suppose　a　mask　goes　wrong　or　something。〃
　
　〃Thumbs　down　for　any　kind　of　emergency。　Arm　held　straight　out　for　a　big　fish。　Thumbs　up　means　‘I　understand'　or　‘ing　to　help　you。'　That's　all　you'll　need。〃　Bond　smiled。　〃If　the　feet　go　up；　that's　the　signal　that　you've　had　it。〃
　
　The　men　laughed　various　kinds　of　laugh。
　
　There　came　the　sudden　voice　of　the　P。A。　system。　〃Swimming　party　to　the　escape　hatch。　I　repeat；　swimming　party　to　the　escape　hatch。　Don　equipment；　Don　equipment。　mander　Bond　to　the　attack　center；　please。〃
　
　The　whine　of　the　engines　died　to　a　moan　and　then　was　silent。　There　was　a　slight　bump　as　the　Manta　hit　bottom。
　
　23。　Naked　Warfare
　
　Bond　shot　upward　out　of　the　escape　hatch　in　a　blast　of　pressed　air。　Far　above　him　the　surface　of　the　sea　was　a　glittering　plate　of　quicksilver　bubbling　and　swirling　with　the　small　waves　that　Bond　was　glad　to　see　had　materialized。　The　balloon　of　air　rushed　on　past　him　and　he　watched　it　hit　the　silver　ceiling　like　a　small　bomb。　There　was　a　sharp　pain　in　his　ears。　To　get　depression　he　fought　with　his　fins　and　slowed　down　until　he　hung　suspended　ten　feet　below　the　surface。
　
　Below　him　the　long　black　shape　of　the　Manta　looked　sinister　and　dangerous。　He　thought　of　the　electric　light　blazing　inside　her　and　a　hundred　men　going　about　their　business。　It　gave　him　a　creepy　feeling。　NOW　there　came　a　great　explosion　from　the　escape　hatch　as　if　the　Manta　was　firing　at　Bond；　and　the　black　projectile　of　Leiter　shot　up　at　him　through　the　burst　of　silver　air　bubbles。　Bond　moved　out　of　his　path　and　swam　on　up　to　the　surface。　Cautiously　he　looked　above　the　small　flurry　of　the　waves。　The　Disco　；　still　blacked　out；　lay　stopped　less　than　a　mile　away　to　his　left。　There　were　no　signs　of　activity　on　board。　A　mile　to　the　north　lay　the　long　dark　outline　of　Grand　Bahama　edged　with　the　white　of　sand　and　small　waves。　There　were　small　patches　of　broken　white　on　the　coral　and　niggerheads　in　the　intervening　water。　Above　the　island；　on　top　of　the　tall　rocket　gantries　that　showed　as　indistinct　black　skeletons；　the　red　aircraft　warning　lights　winked　on　and　off。　Bond　got　his　bearings　and　quietly　jackknifed　his　body　down　below　the　surface。　He　stopped　at　about　ten　feet　and；　keeping　his　body　pointed　like　a　pass　needle　along　the　course　he　would　have　to　follow；　lay；　paddling　softly　with　his　fins　to　keep　position；　and　waited　for　the　rest　of　his　team。
　
　***
　
　Ten　minutes　before；　mander　Pedersen's　stolid　calm　had　given　way　to　controlled　excitement。　〃By　gum；　it's　working　out　like　you　said　it　would！〃　he　had　said　wonderingly　when　Bond　came　into　the　attack　center。　〃They　hove　to　just　about　ten　minutes　ago；　and　since　then　the　Sonar　keeps　on　picking　up　odd　noises；　underwater　noises；　just　what　one　would　expect　if　they　were　getting　things　mobilized　in　that　underwater　partment　of　theirs。　Nothing　else　to　go　on；　but　it's　quite　enough。　I　guess　you　and　the　boys　had　better　get　going。　As　soon　as　you're　out　of　the　way；　I'm　going　to　float　up　a　surface　antenna　and　get　a　signal　off　to　Navy　Department；　give　them　a　Sitrep　and　have　the　missile　station　warned　to　stand　by　to　evacuate　if　things　go　wrong。　Then　I'm　going　to　e　up　to　twenty　feet　or　so　and　have　two　tubes　loaded　and　keep　a　periscope　watch。　I'm　issuing　Petty　Officer　Fallon　with　a　second　flare。　I've　told　him　to　keep　out　of　trouble　as　much　as　he　can　and　be　ready　to　let　off　the　second　flare　if　it　looks　as　if　things　are　going　really　bad　for　our　side。　Unlikely；　but　I　can't　take　chances　with　things　as　they　are。　If　that　second　flare　es　up；　I'm　going　to　close　in。　Knock　a　piece　or　two　off　the　Disco　with　the　four…inch　and　then　board　her。　Then　I'm　going　to　be　rough　as　hell　until　that　bomb's　been　recovered　and　rendered　safe。〃　The　captain　shook　his　head　doubtfully。　He　ran　his　hand　over　the　black　iron　filings　of　his　crew…cut。　〃This　is　one　hell　of　a　situation；　mander。　We'll　just　have　to　play　it　by　ear。〃　He　held　out　his　hand。　〃Well。　You'd　better　get　going。　Good　luck。　I　hope　my　boys'll　be　a　credit　to　the　ship。〃
　
　Bond　felt　a　tap　on　his　shoulder。　It　was　Leiter。　He　grinned　through　his　mask　and　jerked　up　a　thumb。　Bond　took　a　quick　look　behind　him。　The　men　lay　spread　out　in　a　rough　wedge；　their　fins　and　hands　working　slowly　as　they　marked　time　in　the　water。　Bond　nodded　and　got　going；　moving　forward　with　a　slow；　even　trudge；　one　hand　at　his　side　and　the　other　holding　his　spear　up　the　shaft　against　his　chest。　Behind　him；　the　black　wedge　fanned　out　into　formation　and　cruised　forward　like　some　giant　delta…winged　stingray　on　the　prowl。　It　was　hot　and　sticky　inside　the　black　suit　and　the　recirculating　oxygen　ing　through　the　mouthpiece　tasted　of　rubber；　but　Bond　forgot　the　disfort　as　he　concentrated　on　keeping　an　even　pace　and　a　dead　steady　course　on　a　prominent　niggerhead　with　waves　washing　its　head　that　he　had　chosen　as　a　fix　for　his　first　contact　with　the　shoal　waters。
　
　Far　below；　where　the　dancing　moon　shadows　could　not　penetrate；　the　bottom　was　even　white　sand　with　an　occasional　dark　patch　that　would　be　seagrass。　All　around　there　was　nothing　but　the　great　pale　luminous　hall　of　the　sea　at　night；　a　vast　lonely　mist　through　which；　against　his　will　and　his　intelligence；　Bond　expected　at　any　moment　the　dark　torpedo　of　a　great　fish　to　materialize；　its　eyes　and　senses　questing　toward　the　rippling　shape　of　the　black　intruder。　But　there　was　nothing；　and　nothing　came；　and　gradually　the　patches　of　seagrass　became　more　distinct　and　ripples　showed　on　the　sandy　bottom　as　it　shelved　slowly　up　from　fifty　to　forty　and　then　to　thirty　feet。
　
　To　reassure　himself　that　all　was　well；　Bond　took　a　quick　glance　over　his　shoulder。　Yes；　they　were　all　there；　the　oval　panes　of　eleven　gleaming　masks　with　the　fluttering　fins　kicking　up　behind　them　and　the　glint　of　the　moonlight　on　the　blades　of　the　spears。　Bond　thought：　By　God；　if　only　we　can　achieve　surprise！　What　a　terrifying　ambush　to　meet　ing　at　you　through　the　shadows　and　shapes　of　the　reef！　His　heart　lifted　momentarily　at　the　thought；　only　to　be　checked　by　the　deep　gnawing　of　his　hidden　fears　about　the　girl。　Supposing　she　was　part　of　the　enemy　team！　Supposing　he　came　face　to　face　with　her。　Would　he　bring　himself　to　do　it…with　the　spear？　But　the　whole　idea　was　ridiculous。　She　was　on　board；　safe。　He　would　be　seeing　her　again　soon；　as　soon　as　this　work　was　done。
　
　A　small　coral　clump　showed　up　below　and　refocused　his　mind。　Now　he　gazed　watchfully　ahead。　There　were　more　clumps；　the　ink　splashes　of　sea　eggs；　crowds　of　small　glittering　reef　fish；　a　small　forest　of　sea　fans　that　beckoned　and　waved　with　the　ebb　and　flow　like　the　hair　of　drowned　women。　Bond　slowed　and　felt　Leiter　or　Fallon　bump　into　his　fins。　He　made　the　slowing　signal　with　his　free　hand。　Now　he　crept　carefully　forward；　looking　for　the　silvery　wash　of　the　waves　against　the　top　of　his　navigation　mark。　Yes；　it　was　there；　away　to　the　left。　He　was　a　good　twenty　feet　off　course。　He　swerved　toward　it；　gave　the　halt　signal；　and　came　slowly　up　under　its　protection。　With　infinite　caution　he　raised　his　head　throu