Adele said, 'He says, only a man of the sea would know.
I recovered my wits. ' Geoffrey, in the name of all that's not holy..
It's as old as time-or the sea,' he explained. ' When he spoke of a life for a life I remembered: ancient Mediterranean shipwrights used to demand a human sacrifice at the time of launching. The custom's mutated somewhat, but it still survives among these backblocks of the sea. Come on now!'
He glanced at the sky. There was nothing. We eased the cutter into the water. The new planks held. Smiling and gesticulating, Andre hoisted the sail. We headed for Semit- tan tes grave.
' Quick!' yelled Peace. For God's sake-quick! Get those hats on! Here they are!'
There was no mistaking the roar of rotors. The helicopter flew towards the lagoon entrance from the open sea.
Switch off that radio!' hissed Peace. Under the decking quick!' He threw the Remington after it and pulled on a big hat.
The helo came at us wave-top level.
No English!' breathed Peace. MKG'S face was drawn under its stubble. Adele was wide-eyed. Andre's astonishment was genuine-he had never seen a plane before.
The helo swung low and hovered over us with a downrush of air. Look up! Look up at her! Play it!' ordered Peace.
We stood up, shouting incoherently and waving. The observer looked into our faces from thirty feet up. A loudhailer clicked on, so that we overheard his conversation with the pilot.
Hell, Pete, this looks a pretty beat-up bunch'
So would you be, if you'd been out in a cyclone in that boat,' replied the other. Jeez, it was bad enough in the flat top.'
I ain't no horse-player, but I'd lay money none of these guys is Vice-President of the United States!' said the observer. The harsh metallic laughter echoed over the lagoon. The helo swung and I caught a glimpse of a pin-up girl with the legend '
Marilyn's Dream ' near the horse-collar winch.
That goddam' ole ship is at the bottom of the sea,' said the pilot. We're wasting our time, I say.'
This business sure gripes ole Revs's ass,' the other said, laughing. Jesus!'
This is the first land I seen,' commented the pilot.
' Nothing but sea, sea, sea,' rejoined the other. There ain't a thing for us here, brother. Say-' he peered down' there's a dame in that boat.'
Listen, fellah, if you want a dame you can get one nice and cosy back in the Seychelles without flying a thousand miles to some goddam' spit of land.'
Sure, sure,' replied the observer. I just sort of like the idea of a dame out here-dancing girls, soft music, tropical lagoon ..
You sound like you got a couple of sheets to the wind right now,' said the pilot. Call 'em up, fellah. Ask what we' re supposed to ask'
Okay, okay,' replied the observer.. I got it written down,'
There was a pause. Then he called, 'Bateau?'
I shuddered at his French.
`Ship-bateau? Nau-naufrage-wreck?'
Andre spoke to Adele. They laughed and pointed upwards.
Aw, cut it out-can't you see they're just a bunch of dumb islanders? Let's get the hell outa here.'
' I guess so. First let's mosey around the lagoon. Report back, willya?'
Sure. FX-6 Marilyn's Dream reporting x Love-Apple Crossing- sounds like a first-run movie-house title-negative x sighted boat with islanders x called 'em up-negative x l a g o o n – '
' Negative,' added the other. Well, 'bye from Marilyn's Dream, folks.'
The loudhailer cut and the helo whirled upwards. Sweat stood out under Peace's eyes. Adele was very still. My knees were weak.
Put on that radio, Adele,' ordered Peace. Look!'
The helo came to a hovering stop above the place where
Semittante lay. The observer's voice was recognizable on the set as Adele held the Navy wavelength:
Helo FX-6 to Red Force x Grid position E-13 x Love- Apple Crossing investigated x negative x island boat in inner lagoon x negative x wreck in lagoon x refer for routine investigation VP-5 MAD x wreck probably old x lies inside reef x'
I saw a ball with a cable attached fall from the helo's winch into the sea to mark the wreck. We waited, breathless. The observer's voice went on:
' Routine dunking check x negative no contact x'
Peace gave a great sigh of relief. In less than a minute the helo swung the sonar ball back into position with the winch and, following the reef, disappeared westwards.
Peace said quietly, At least we know exactly where
Semittante lies.'
We glided across the lagoon, silent with our own thoughts.
Andre, with his uncanny sense of place, brought the cutter to rest over the wreck. Her outline was clear; Little Bear's long crate lay on deck. Without speaking we dropped the cutter' s anchor cable attached to a length of line and a chunk of bois mangue.
Then we stole back across the lagoon through the lengthening shadows, waiting for the night, waiting for the morning.
1 4 LOVE – APPLECROSSING
Fifteen hours to launch!
At six o'clock that evening they had not found Little Bear. In the gathering dusk the cutter lay over Semittante. Peace stood ready in his rubber diving-suit to go down and cut the missile adrift. The tension triggered off by the sweep of the helicopter was now enhanced by the nearness of the blastoff. It was clear in the faces of Boz Blair, Trevor-Davis and the three other Americans who waited for the missile to check it. MKG alone seemed calm, almost detached.
The stream of operational messages from Red and Blue
Forces did nothing to lessen the air of tension. Although the helo search had moved westwards from Love-Apple Crossing towards Agalega, 50 miles away, the surface forces of carriers, destroyers and nuclear subs had not yet entered Grid E-13.
Nor had the vP-5's, which Peace dreaded most. They might come tonight.
Since our arrival back in the cutter, the conversation had been exclusively technical centering round the launch, for which Peace was, I think, grateful, for MKG did not renew his request to listen to newscasts. Mac chain-smoked and watched us from the background of the tight launch team circle,
Peace gave the thumbs-up sign and slipped into the calm water of the lagoon, axe in hand.
We waited.
Boz gave a sharp intake of breath. There was a flurry' of water and the missile broke surface close by, shedding its tail of wooden crating. The long, silver-white thing, fifty-five feet long, six round the nose, and thickening at the tail like a sailor's bell-bottomed pants, pitched easily in the slight swell. The capsule nose-cone was behind the waterproof membrane. Beyond the reef, the sea grumbled. Let's get alongside her,' Boz exclaimed. This is where we take over.' The men started to grin, easing the tension. They had a job to do which would occupy all their thoughts and effort during the night. MKG was to assist for the first few hours and then return to Vingt-Cinq Coups. For us, the long night of waiting lay ahead.
Adele shivered. ' It looks so small.'
MKG smiled at her, saying nothing. But Boz's exuberance was starting to return at the sight of Little Bear. Best in a 209 small lucky packet, they say. Why, that goddam' great Sirius rocket-'
Pete the Texan laughed. ' Aw, come off it, Boz. If this guy gets talking about Sirius, he'll blow a gasket.'
Peace surfaced and stripped off his Scuba mask. We hauled him into the boat and eased alongside Little Bear. Boz made fast to the capsule's side hatch. Andre gazed in speechless wonderment. Boz held a checklist.
' It's a complex business,' he said. Me and the boys will go over everything during the night. How long are you staying, MKG?'
' Till about ten,' replied MM.
We'll come out in the cutter and fetch you back,' said
Peace.
Boz had the pleased air of a showman. He gestured toWards a small pistol switch in the capsule's cockpit. It projected prominently in front of the heavily-padded seat, around whose back were draped safety straps.