johngardner.winloseordie-第37节

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Officer　was　left　to　do　a　little　'Egyptian　Physical　Training'　as　they　called　it。　In　other　words；　the　Lieutenant　was　sleeping。
　Petty　Officer　Blackstone　tjuielly　moved　to　the　far　side　of　Number　One　Turbine。　He　pulled　a　screwdriver　from　a　leather　toolkit　attached　to　his　belt；　and　tucked　away　behind　his　right　hip。　He　then　removed　a　cylinder；　wrapped　in　Kleenex；　from　his　pocket。　The　cylinder；　which　was　made　of　strong　wire　gauze；　had　an　opening　at　one　end　and　was　rounded　at　the　other。　Anyone；　from　Midshipman　to　Ordinary　Seaman；　could　have　identified　the　cylinder；　us　a　straightforward　filter　for　the　turbine's　oil　system。
　Blacksione　quickly　unscrewed　the　two　lugs　that　held　down　a　small　panel；　roughly　six　inches　by　six；　and　lifted　it　on　its　hinge。　Above　the　panel　the　words　Filter　One　were　stencilled。
　Ouietly；　he　placed　the　screwdriver　on　Ihe　deck；　by　his　feet。　and　took　an　abnormally　long　pair　of　tweezers　from　the　toolkit　on　his　belt；　at　the　same　time　gathering　another　wodge　of　Kleenex　into　his　left　hand。　Gently；　Petty　Officer　Blackstone　inserted　the　tweezers　into　the　open　panel　of　Filter　One；　extracting　the　identical　heavy；　dirty；　gauze　cylinder　from　within　…　though　this　one　was　hot　and　dripphig　with　oil。　He　placed　it　into　the　wodgc　of　Kleenex　and　put　it　carefully　on　the　deck；　beside　the　screwdriver。　It　would　take　three　minutes　for　any　sign　of　the　change　to　be　registered　on　the　instruments　in　the　control　room；　and　it　took　less　than　thirty　seconds　to　slide　the　new　filter　into　place；　and　another　minute　to　close　the　panel　and　strew　the　lugs　back　in　place。
　Blackstone　next　returned　the　screwdriver　and　tweezers　to　his　toolkil。　picked　up　the　bunched　Kleenex　which　held　the　recently　removed　filter；　and　made　his　way　through　the　bulkhead　door；　aft　and　leading　to　the　Engine　Room　heads。
　There　he　unbolted　one　of　the　ports；　opened　it　up　and　hurled　the　filter　and　Kleenex　out　to　be　whipped　away　by　the　wind。　He　closed　up　the　round　port；　washed　his　hands；　clearing　away　all　traces　of　oil；　and　returned　to　the　Engine　Room；　casually　walking　around　all　the　turbines；　taking　his　time　before　returning　to　the　Control　Room。
　'They　all　still　running；　Blackie？'　the　CPO　asked　with　a　grin。
'Difficult　to　say。　Chiefy。　I　went　and　had　a　smoke　in　the　heads。'
　'You　jammy　bugger；'　the　other　Petty　Officer　said。　'I　was　just　telling　them　about　how　you　sloped　off　that　time　when　we　last　docked　in　Gib。　She　was　a　corker；　wasn't　she？　Black…haired　beauty；　that　one。'
　'You're　full　of　shit；'　said　Blackie；　and　the　conversation　continued　on　this　high　intellectual　plane　for　the　next　hour　or　so。
　The　turbines　all　ran　smoothly；　but　Blackie　knew　that　it　wouldn't　be　smooth　running　at　about　eleven　in　the　forenoon　tomorrow。　For　one　thing；　the　oil　temperature　on　Number　One　turbine　would　start　to　rise　spectacularly；　and　he　would　be　there　to　deal　with　it。
'Gentlemen。　thank　you　for　your　time。　I'll　be　as　quick　as　possible；
though　it's　essential　that　you　all　know　exactly　what's　at　stake　here。'　Sir　John　Walmsley　was　full　of　himself：　sitting　back　in　his　chair　in　the　crowded　day　cabin；　with　all　his　senior　officers　around　him。　he　almost　overflowed　with　his　own　responsibility。　Bond　viewed　the　man　with　pity　rather　than　awe。　Walmsley　was　a　pompous　ass；　full　of　self…importance；　and；　therefore；　from　Bond's　viewpoint；　not　really　suitable　for　the　job　he　had　to　do。　'Now；　Stewards'　Meeting。　This　is　a　very　clear　name　for　what　is　happening　aboard　Invincible。'
　The　Rear…Admiral　cleared　his　throat　and　continued。　'You　all　know　who's　on　board。　The　three　most　powerful　heads　of　state　in　the　world；　and　they　sec　themselves　attending　a　real　Stewards'　Meeting；　for　they　regard　themselves　as　＇rue　Stewards。　Stewards　in　whom　the　world　puts　its　trust。　Two　men　and　a　woman　who　can　truly　hold　the　world　in　their　hands。'　This；　Bond　concluded；　was　going　to　be　a　sermon；　not　a　briefing。　Nor　would　it　be　a　sermon　to　the　wholly　converted。
　Walmsley　was　still　talking。　'You'll　also　realise　one　important　factor。　They　are　all　here　with　close　protection　squads　but　wiihout　their　normal　advisers　…　apart　from　the　sinister　bagman；　with　President　Bush；　who　is　required　to　have　the　nuclear　alert　codes　wiih　him　at　all　times。〃
He　paused；　as　though　pleased　with　his　own　knowledge　and　the　ability　for　him　to　share　it。　Then　he　continued。　'As　some　of　you　already　know；　they　are　here　under　highly　classified　code　names。　The　PM　is　Shalott　…　Lady　of；　1　presume；　not　just　because　she　knows　her　onions。'　He　paused　again　for　the　obligatory　chuckle　to　pass　around　the　room。　'The　President　of　the　United　States　is　Dancer；　and　Secretary　Gorbachev　is　October。　You　will　refer　to　them　by　those　names；　both　in　conversation　and　any　radio　messages　you　might　be　called　upon　to　give。　But；　as　1　have　said；　the　one　unique　thing　is　that　they're　here　with　no　advisers；　or　assistants。　As　far　as　their　colleagues　are　concerned；　Shalott　has　a　touch　of　the　'flu；　October　is　resting　in　his　country　dacha；　and　has　left　orders　that　he　should　not　be　disturbed　for　five　days；　Dancer　has　requested　no　Press；　and　no　calls　to　his　hunting…lodge　where　he　is　quail…shooting。'
　Again　he　waited　for　a　laugh；　but　the　jest　was。　if　not　dying；　at　least　fatally　ill。　The　point　is　that　all　three　chose　to　meet　in　secure　conditions　so　that　they　could　carry　out　four　whole　days　of　highly　personal；　one…on…one　…　or；　I　suppose　it　could　be　one…im…two　…　talks　without　the　usual　interference　from　the　throngs　oi　experts　from　both　governmeni；　military；　financial　and　social　levels　who　often　advise　more　caution　over　sensitive　issues。
　There　will　be　no　official　statements　regarding　Stewards'　Meeting。　Nobody　is　to　know；　unless　they　feel　they　have　acplished　some　incredible　breakthrough　that　can　be　announced。　Their　main　objective　is　to　set　some　ground　rules　on　world　finance；　security　against　terrorism；　and　the　acceleration　of　solving　that　thorny　question　regarding　the　quick　phasing　out　of　nuclear　weapons。
　'Our　job　is　to　see　they　have　the　next　four　days　to　themselves。　They　will　be　eating　and　working　together　in　ihe　forward　lecture　room；　which　has　been　made　more　presentable　than　usual。　So；　with　the　help　of　the　Wren　detachmenl　to　see　they　get　decent　food；　and　good　service；　and　the　assistance　of　security；　they　will　be　following　a　very　tight　schedule　which；　even　in　the　midst　of　Landsea　'89；　we　must　see　is　adhered　to。　They　have　got　to　be　given　four　whole　days；　no　matter　what。　If　you　have　any　questions　e　straight　to　me。　Understand？'
　Yes；　Bond　thought。　Go　straight　to　him。　and　he　will　pass　you　straight　on　to　me。　He　left；　went　back　lo　his　cabin　and　sent　for　Donald　Speaker；　the　interrogator　who　had　e　in　from　Gibraltar　with　the　new　American；　Woodward。
He　had　never　met　Speaker　before；　but　knew　his　reputation　as　a　hard　investigator　who　rarely　gave　an　inch；　so　it　was；　when　the　man　came　into　his　cabin　and　sat　down　without　even　being　asked；　that　Bond　took　an　almost　irrational　dislike　to　him。
　If　Speaker　had　made　any　progress　with　Deeley　he　was　not　going　to　tell　Bond。　In　fact　it　was　just　the　opposite；　for；　within　minutes；　he　realised　that　the　interrogator　was　asking　questions　of　him。
　'I　don't　altogether　trust　those　two　Branch　men　in　fancy　dress；'　Speaker　said　of　Brinklcy　and　Camm。
？Oh？'
　'Not　cut　out　for　the　kind　of　job　（hey're　doing　on　this　ship。　I'm　highly　dubious　of　their　motives；　Mr；　er　Captain；　Bond。*
'Interesting；　but　what　about　Deeley？'
Til　report　when　I　have　anything　to　report。'
　The　gingery　beard。　Bond　decided；　covered　a　weak　chin。　The　man　was；　in　a　sense；　hiding　from　himself。　'You　have　only　a　very　limited　lime。　You　realise　that？'
〃How　so？'
　'It　bees　a　non…Service　matter；　once　we　get　to　Gib。　She　has　to　be　handed　over　to　the　Civil　Police。'
〃What　are　we；　two　days　from　Gib？'
　'We're　taking　tour　actually。　For　operational　reasons　which　don't　concern　you。'
　'Well；'　the　lips　curled　under　the　beard；　'well；　that's　plenty　of　time　for　me　to　whop　some　kind　of　story　out　of　her。　Don't　worry。'　He　rose。
　'Sit　down！'　Bond　all　but　shouted。　'Sit　down！　I　haven't　said　you　can　leave。'
'I　didn't　know　you　were　my　keeper　on　ihis　ship。'
　'Well；　you　had　better　know；　Mr　Speaker。　You　don't　move　on　this　ship　without　my　saying　so。'
'You're　not　trying　to　tell　me　you're　SIS？'　The　leer　again。
'1　am　telling　you　just　that。'
'Very　interesting；　in　view　of　what　seems　to　have　happened　on　board　this　ship。　I　think　we'll　have　a　little　talk　when　we're　back　in　London。　I　can　be　a　very　suspicious　man。　Bond；　and　they　trust　me　at　the　interrogation　centre。　I　can　reach　into　your　file　and　e　up　with　something；　I'm　sure。　Everyone　has　at　least　one　thing　they　want　to　hide。　We'll　discover　yours；　then　I　can　embroider　it　a　little　and　they'll　drop　you　into　a　well　and　forget　about　you。　I've　broken　stronger　men　than　you。　Bond。　Goodnight；'　and　he　walked　from　the　cabin；　leaving　Bond　floundering。　The　man　was　some　kind　of　a　nutter；　he　thought。　Best　get　a　signal　off　to　London　about　him。
　He　went　out　and　toured　the　passageway；　speaking　to　all　the　varied　security　men；　British；　American　and　Russian。　All　seemed　in　good　order；　so　he　decided　to　leave　the　signal　until　after　dinner；　which　he　took　quietly　in　the　ward…room。
　Later；　as　he　was　about　to　go　up　to　munications；　the　Tannoy　clicked　on。　'D'you　hear　（here！　D'you　hear　there！　Would　Captain　Bond　please　take　a　m