his head towards the Remington—' I mean to have Little
Bear.'
' Cut her out!' MKG echoed.
I• t'll be easy—we've help aboard in the shape of Dr Boz
Blair and the team who are assisting at the launch.'
I wonder what they'll think when we swing alongside
flying the Jolly Roger!' I exclaimed.
Peace did not respond. ' Listen,' he said sharply. ' After
Tyler has located Devastation—and find her he will—don't you think his first objective will be the one thing that matters since he hasn't got the person of MKG? Semittanté—and Little Bear. Peters will play dumb, and he may find himself being
court-martialled for his part in all this, don't forget. When Tyler therefore can't extract anything from Peters, he'll go right after Semittanté!
' We have only nine days,' MKG reflected. 'How long will all this take, Commander?'
A day, maybe two, to reach Bellatrix, depending on what sort of boat we raise at Raphael. I'll steal one if necessary,'
he went on roughly. Give me the same time again to find
Semittanté. That should be easy enough. We know her course and—' his eyes warmed and he spoke to Adele—` this
H.K.
129
E
man John is a magician when it comes to navigation. Another couple of days after that to Love-Apple Crossing.'
That should leave us four-five days once we're there,'
considered MKG.
I don't like schedules,' replied Peace. ' There are too
many imponderables when you're dealing with the sea.'
The launch deadline is immovable,' began MKG, when
there was a rap at the door. It was Williams, the radio
operator. He held out some signals.
Code, sir, all three of 'em. One of 'em's ours, and they
could be important, that's why I brought them myself. Can't make out the other two. But—' his dark eyes were on Adele
—` maybe the lady can.'
Peace broke the formality. 'I'm damn' sure she can,
liams. This is Willowtrack, then?'
Williams relaxed. It's that Yankee sub, true enough, sir. Close—loud and clear. The other's from our people in the Seychelles.'
Want any feminine assistance, Williams?' Peace asked,
grinning.
Argh, man,' he replied. And here's Ted Williams thinking he's the finest operator in the Royal Navy and there comes a slip of a girl—any time you can spare her, sir, she's welcome. Now I'll be getting back and watching that Yankee
bastard—begging your pardon, Mister Vice-President.'
He grinned and went.
Adele glanced at the three signals. The one from the
Seychelles is very short. Shall I do it first?'
Aye,' said Peace. MKG was very still. Adele sat down at
Peace's desk and worked on the letter groupings.
' It's one word only,' she said, handing it to Peace. '
Washington.
Ah,' exclaimed MKG, and the tension seemed to ebb out of him. Fine, fine!'
Peace raised his eyebrows.
That's the President's code word that everything is okay,'
he said expansively. Lincoln means the mission is off, I must return at once.'
Why Lincoln?' I asked.
He smiled. I suppose I shouldn't be letting you into this
secret code, but the President and I thought that by using the names of former Presidents, it would be very nearly unbreakable. Washington set everything to rights in the States, so the situation's fine. Lincoln was assassinated—things are bad. Simple as that.'
130
Peace had a curious look on his face. !Washington—
Lincoln: that all?'
That's all,' replied MKG. No in-betweens. Either the Little Bear mission is on, or it's off. I rely solely on the President's reading of the signs at home. What he says,
goes.'
Peace said nothing but turned to Adele. ' I want to know what Willowtrack is saying.
Adele took the u.s. Navy code and worked on the groups
of complicated letters. It took her much longer than the DNI's return call to the Vice-President. There was no sound in the tiny cabin except the creak of the casing against the coral.
Then Adele read out:
Willowtrack x op-immed x Chief of Naval Operations x inform White House x Marvin K. Green kidnapped from aboard USN Willowtrack x taken abroad submarine stated to be British Devastation x shadowed Devastation to posi- tion Long. 16° 30' S., Lat. 59° 42' E., in St Brandon group x lost contact with Devastation same position approx 1640 GMT x Devastation's last heading 220 degrees, taking her directly on to St Brandon outer barrier reef x heavy surf x no break-up noises x no further radar or sonar contact x am lying in above position surfaced x heavy broken water
and reefs x will recommence visual search daylight x'
No break-up noises, no contacts!' exclaimed Peace
jubilantly.
Tyler's starting his search at daylight,' mkG pointed out.
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 Semittanté, 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 Semittanté?' 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?'
131
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 o
ur 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
133
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.'
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There was an electric silence.
I'll be right up.'
I heard the quick clump of his boots inside the sail as he raced up the steel ladder. In a moment, he and MKG were beside us.
Where away?'
North-west,' I replied. A shade north.'
We peered into the blackness. There was nothing but the
steady drumming of the sea and a speckle of spray.
There!' exclaimed Adele. Peace was at her side, following her pointing finger. The light zig-zagged, shone, disappeared, shone again and
stood out steadily.
He's at the nose of the seahorse!' said Peace. Where it faces deepest into the reef. See—he's steady—he's out of the millrace of the reef.'
I'm trying to jell my ideas on this,' MKO said slowly. `
S u r e l y i t c a n ' t b e T y l e r ; h e w o u l d n ' t s h o w a l i g h t ! ' `He'
s coming this way!' Adele said.
Peace snapped, Get me the Remington, John!'
I dived below and decided that rather than take a naked
weapon through the Control Centre, I would carry it in its case. I hurried through. all eyes upon me. Peace flipped open the top of the box. He slid back the Remington's bolt. It didn't have a deep clunk like a rifle but a light click—like a terrier's bark alongside a bloodhound's. Peace loaded. The light was coming closer.
Quiet!' Peace ordered.
The light, startlingly bright by contrast with the general wateriness, drifted slowly towards the dark shape of the submarine merged against the coral. There was a sudden crack. P e a c e c r o u c h e d f o r w a r d w i t h t h e g u n . A d e l e p u t o u t h e r h a n d t o h i m . I t ' s t h e f l a p o f a s a i l , ' s h e w h i s p e r e d . S h e looked hard into the night and murmured something in the soft Creole to herself. She turned, and her eyes were alight. It's a St Brandon man. Look, that's a cutter's sails—you can tell old Andre's style of sailmaking anywhere—that odd snip in the luff . .
Andre!' exclaimed Peace. ' By God, John, MKG, this is our big break! Andre!'
Andre was the fisherman who brought us through the
reef when we charted it,' I explained to MKG.
Quiet!' warned Peace. 'He's coming on'
`He still doesn't see us!' exclaimed Adele.
Peace reminded her that we were part of the coral. There
was another slap of the sail and we saw the boat's stern under 135
the white light. It was the same sort of contrivance fishermen use throughout the Mediterranean—bright acetylene, mounted aft, to attract the fish. The cutter drifted closer, unaware of Devastation. Andre slipped a pair of oars into the rowlocks. Across the water, half-obliterated by the noise of wind and spray, came the sound o
f singing.
Adele's eyes were as bright as the acetylene. ' It's a sort of song-prayer—he sings to the devil-fish of the inlet to leave him in peace, because he's only catching small fish, fish too small for the devil-fish to enjoy.' She cocked an ear. It's snappers and varra-varra and rouget he's after tonight? Andre unshipped his oars and started to cast his net.
Hail him, Adele!' said Peace.
Adele cupped her hands and called in Creole. The old man faced away from us. His back jerked at her words and
he swung round, his squat, powerful frame silhouetted against the white light. He called to us in reply.
Adele gave a ripple of laughter.
What does he say?' I demanded.
' He says good-evening, nixie, I know I am a wicked old man, but it is dominoes and not women which are my downfall. He thinks I am a sea-spirit—dominoes are the great gambling game at Raphael.' Adele was like a girl. She called again, bubbling with laughter.
He says, nixie, you see I am an old man—I cannot make love to you like the young ones at St Brandon. Let me go. Besides, as you know, the jouissance forbids women at St Brandon, and a man gets out of practice. Let me go back to Raphael and to-morrow night I will bring you a young man.'
He doesn't sound scared,' observed MKG.
' Oh, no, he isn't,' Adele replied. They believe in nixies and devil-fish at St Brandon. It's a question of talking smart so that the nixie will let him go. He'll never come near Seahorse Sound again, though.'
Andre peered, trying to locate Adele's voice.
Peace called. Andre! Andre! You old sonofabitch 1'
In slow motion the old man sank down on the thwart, his hands clasped as if in prayer. Adele shouted something, but his reply was half-lost.
' He says shame on you, nixie, for changing yourself into my man of the sea who was my friend and a very brave man. I know now that I am dead, for he and I and the other were the only men ever to come into Seahorse Sound.'
Andre. It's me—John Garland.'
The bowed head did not rise. Adele called again and again. At length he rose. She translated.
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H e k n o w s h e is d e a d , ' s h e s m i l e d . ' H e h a s h e a r d t h e voices of the two men he guided to Seahorse Sound.'
M K G b r o k e i n , A n d r e y o u s a y , k n o w s a l l t h e p a s s a g e s through the reef—we won't need the sub's dinghy now.'
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