Visual search means nothing under the blanket of spray,'
Peace said. We can be clear away at first light.'
Adele straightened up at the desk. Here's the other signal. It's also from Willowtrack:
' Request immediate air-sea search for French freighter Semittante, position not known x she carries American classified test missile Little Bear x'
Adele pointed to the superscription to the signal-Com
Sublnd.
Limuria Command!' exclaimed Peace. Tyler's called in the Seventh Fleet. I knew he'd go after Semittante?' MKG said anxiously, He's asking to vector the whole
Seventh Fleet to search for us.'
No,' replied Peace, who seemed eager to placate mkG.
You're reading the two signals together, but in fact they're in watertight compartments. The Seventh Fleet wouldn't have access to his secret signal to the Chief of Naval Operations, would it?'
No,' conceded MKG reluctantly, I suppose not.'
Tyler hasn't said a word about you to ComSubInd,' Peace went on quickly. He's merely asked for assistance in trying to locate a ship carrying a classified missile.'
He asks the Chief of Naval Operations to inform the White House,' MKG said sombrely. Frankly, I don't like it, Commander, I don't like it at all.'
But,' Peace argued, you've already informed the President that everything is in order, and you've got his okay back again. He'll naturally discount the Tyler story in the light of your prior message.'
We waited as MKG remained silent, thoughtful. At last he said, ' I suppose I can be grateful that Tyler hasn't put it on the air that I'm going for a space-ride. If ever that got out-' He shrugged. The papers certainly wouldn't put that story on the back burner!'
These messages are all top-secret and only for the persons they are directed to,' Peace went on persuasively. Their contents are not likely to become public property.'
I hope to God not,' replied MKG. The space-ride story, out of its true context, especially since the project has been officially axed, could do me irretrievable harm politically.'
He smiled grimly. There are a lot of people who would like to make capital out of it against me back home.'
Not only back home,' I added. What about the Kremlin?'Peace was anxious to guide the conversation away from this channel.
This is all speculation about things which are not likely to come to pass,' he said. Look at the facts: you've reassured the President only a couple of hours ago, MKG. He can read the times on Tyler's signal and make the correct conclusion, that you're safe aboard Devastation and all is well. The kidnapping he will discount in advance, therefore. Tyler's acting unilaterally, without knowing what lies behind the whole Little Bear saga. The President will call off the dogs and silence Tyler. It is our duty to the mission to go ahead.' MKG looked keenly at Peace. ' You're pretty set on n it, aren't you, Commander?'
`Yes,' replied Peace, I am. We can still carry it through in secrecy if we follow my plan and escape through the reef.'
MKG seemed to hesitate between Peace's reassurances and his own inward doubts. He said, Commander, is it not possible for me to signal the White House via the DNI again 132
And give our position away after all we've been through to dodge Willowtrack?'
MKG looked thoughtful. I'm not happy about it, Commander, but I see your point. Will you give me a categorical assurance that, whatever the circumstances, you will signal the White House as soon as we intercept Bellatrix?' I saw the relief flood into Peace's face. Yes. But by that time, in any event, I think all this-' he waved the signals' will have been called off and we'll be on our way unhampered to Love-Apple Crossing.'
Maybe Tyler is taking a lot upon himself without explaining much,' MKG said. ' We're on the inside, which makes it easy to understand'
I wonder what Admiral Thornton's reaction will be when he receives a message like that out of the blue?' I said. He doesn't even know that Willowtrack is in waters under his command.'
Peace seemed unwilling, now that he had gained his point, to go on discussing it. ' I'll check over the dinghy myself for our trip in the morning. I'll put in life-jackets, too.'
I felt weary after the long strain of the chase and the mounting tension which the signals brought with them. I said to Peace, Mind if I go up on to the bridge for a breather?'
1 looked over at Adele, who smiled.
Peace was abstracted. ' Don't go up on to the flying bridge or move around topsides. I don't want Willowtrack's radar picking up a moving object to make her suspicious. Take oilskins. The bridge shield isn't enough to keep off the spray.'
Adele and I made our way through the silent Control Centre. It had the air of a stage after the players have gone. The watch was on duty, but there was nothing of the previous bustle. I undogged the hatch and we stepped out into another world, the world of St Brandon, the world of the two of us. The spray was salt on her lips as I kissed her. It looped high into the air above our heads-like standing under a shower. The tall black sail projected through the hole it had made in the coral, but the hull itself was out of sight. Landwards-or rather, towards the west where the coral thickened into innumerable swashways in the reef-I could see the glint of breaking seas sparkling against coral in the starlight. Through the gauzy curtain seawards I spotted Orion's Belt. The wind blew hard into the inlet from the north-east – the direction of the entrance-but inside it was strangely calm. Seahorse Sound seemed to have the spurious reality of a film set-water cascading, spray blowing, yet there was no bite to it.
Adele swept back the yellow oilskin hood. The spray turned to stars in her hair. She drew in a deep breath. St Brandon-oh, the smell of it! I smell the Grands Carreaux!
You can't imagine what it is like on a London winter's night to yearn for this island-smell..
I kissed her again. Let's come back when this is all over.'
She drew back only far enough for me to see her eyes, sea-bright. We can't, you know-St Brandon is a man's world. The jouissance stipulates, no women. They're hellcats, trouble-makers-'
I kissed her silent, but she drew away and was grave. This-this thing of MKG's-it seems to be unleashing forces that he, or we, never dreamed of. It makes me frightened?
He's in advance of his tithes,' I replied, pushing back her hair. It's not only the justification of a weapon which this mission stands for, it's the, justification of everything he himself stands for, the age of science. There is no one else in the world in the same position as he is. Top scientist, top leader, top nation.'
I see it, yet I fear,' she said. The Seventh Fleet, the most powerful naval task force on the high seas, and it's coming against four people in a rubber dinghy-' Suddenly she shrank back under the perspex spray-shield. She pointed landwards: 'A light! Someone is coming!'
I raised my head cautiously above the streaming shield. A vast arc of heaven met a vast arc of sea somewhere over Africa. I could distinguish a yellow star or two-nothing else.
Her voice was low, imperative. White-it's a white light!
In the direction of the main reef-there!'
Then it's not Willowtrack.'
Who else but Willowtrack knows we're here?' She gripped my arm so hard that I winced. A pinpoint of white light rose and dunked itself.
A boat!' I exclaimed. Heavens, how it slews!'
She watched for a moment. There! Again! He's coming through the reef proper!'
I picked up the intercom and pressed the energizing button. Control-BridgeGarland here. I want Commander Peace.'
Bridge-Control,' replied an unfamiliar voice. Hold it.'
There was a pause and then Peace's voice came through, sharp. John, what are you playing at? Do you wart Willow- track-?'
There's a light-a boat, I think-coming towards us.'
There was an electric silence.