Hunter Killer

by Geoffrey Jenkins

  muzzle pointing straight at me. The man on the bridge steadied for the shot. I cringed away. Peace started at a crouching run for him, but I knew he would never make it. Then a figure raised an arm over the man's head and struck

  him down with a length of piping. He sagged and fell ten

  feet to the deck below.

  Peace almost ran down my rescuer. ' Thanks—Boz! It is

  Boz?'

  166

  Sure, sure,' exclaimed the stocky scientist. Ì heard MKG'S voice—was him, wasn't it?'

  Yes,' replied Peace. No time now to explain—the bridge.

  Come on, Boz!'

  They tore up the ladder and I paused only for a second to

  trace the course of the radio aerial from the masthead down to a peeling deckhouse. At the door a heavy sea threw me fulllength. Semittante calling . . .' chattered the Morse. I prayed for Adele's jamming skill.

  I kicked up the door. The operator, an acned youth in a

  sweaty towel shirt, gave a terrified glance as it burst open. I cannoned into him as he jumped to his feet. I smashed the axe down, once twice, across the Morse key and the aerial wire. There was a small puff of blue smoke and a smell of burning rubber.

  The youth gave a high scream. I lifted the axe. ` Shut up!'

  The inhuman sound ended in a gurgle. I jerked my head.

  Out! Get out!'

  He edged past me, terror in his eyes. I found the key and

  locked the shack. I gestured for'ard and saw him down the

  main deck companionway. I swung the axe as a heavy figure

  sprinted along the deck at me.

  Hold it, buddy!' The Texan voice was unmistakable.

  look after him!'

  ` Thanks.' I made for the bridge.

  The quartermaster lay on the gratings with a weal across

  his forehead. Peace was trying to quiet the kicking wheel.

  Boz Blair had exchanged the length of piping for the Remington and was standing at a half-crouch trying to cover two men in a corner.

  Peace said, before he saw me, ` Just mash the tit if they

  move, Buz! Don't let 'em come at us.' Then he saw me and

  grinned. Okay?'

  Okay—he was still transmitting, though.'

  I wonder if he got past Adele's jamming.'

  These bums look like wanting to jam us all any moment,'

  said Boz. ` Here, you're better with this than me.' I swapped my axe for his Remington.

  Peace said, ' Good work John! Now give your French

  an airing. That bastard—' he indicated the unconscious man —‘

  came at me with a fire-extinguisher.

  ` The engine-room?' Boz asked quickly. We told him. He whistled. One man!—I'll round up a couple of my boys :

  d help Mac.' He darted off. Peace picked up the engine167

  room voicepipe. His eyes clouded when there was no reply.

  Which of you is Captain du Plessis?' I asked.

  The flow of invective from the smaller of the two was impressive. Peace and I let him finish before grinning at

  each other. That's him.'

  Tell him we're taking his ship I'll give him and his crew

  five minutes. They're going aboard Bellatrix. I hope Mac's all right . .

  Pirate! Murderer! Thief! Abductor!' screamed the little

  manHe knows all the words,' I said.

  The skipper came forward shaking his fist. The other officer looked ready to jump me. I raised the Remington. He Stopped.

  He says piracy on the high seas is a hanging offence. He

  will see you hanged, if it takes him all his life.'

  Tell him an exchange of vessels isn't piracy. In fact, he

  should be pleased. He's getting a luxury yacht in exchange

  for a clapping-out lump of floating ironmongery'

  I couldn't give full value to the French, but none the less the little skipper turned purple.

  Peace went on, Tell him to line the crew up on deck.

  Anyone who stays behind is liable to get hurt.'

  The voicepipe gave a whistle. Peace picked it up and there

  was a rattle of unmistakable Glasgow gutter oaths. He gave

  me the thumbs-up sign.

  Pirate! . . . Thief !

  The big Texan whom I had met came clattering up the

  bridge ladder with what looked like a stoker's iron in his hand. Aw, put a sock in it!' he told the Frenchman. ' Come on

  —join the other suckers!' Bewildered men in a disreputable

  array of dirty garments began to emerge on deck, guarded by three Americans, two of them with guns. The crew looked

  more resentful about being lined up in the rain than about

  losing their ship. The Texan shoved the French skipper and

  the other officer down the ladder. I gave him the Remington. He stopped for a moment at the head of the steps. MKG okay? The air's been full—'

  Okay,' replied Peace. ' Little Bear's still on.'

  Fine.' The long vowel made it sound the most wonderful

  adventure in the world. He stomped down the ladder.

  Peace took an electric loud-hailer megaphone. 'Bellatrix!'

  MKG's voice came back, metallic, anxious. ' Are you okay

  —we heard shots?'

  ' Okay,' replied Peace. ' Ship's ours. I'm heaving her to.

  I'll stream oil to give you a smooth patch. Trevor-Davis, tell 168

  André I want his cutter hoisted aboard Semittante. We'll cut one of the lifeboats adrift and haul his boat up in the davits in its place.'

  The Americans guarding the crew all grinned as passed. I

  hacked at a lifeboat's falls with my axe until it fell with a splash. Bellatrix held off until, at Peace's orders, Mac had blown hundreds of gallons of oil overboard from the old tramp's tanks and made a tolerably smooth patch under the

  stern. Then, with a display of fine seamanship, André laid

  her alongside. I dropped on to Bellatrix's deck at the end of a rope.

  ' We've got to move fast—that message of Semittantes,' I told MKG and Adele.

  ' I don't know how successful my jamming was,' she replied. I switched off the current in the wheelhouse and raised my

  axe. Trevor-Davis's eyes held a mute appeal, but he said

  nothing as the blade splintered the radar screen ; another

  blow was enough for the radio. For the gyros, I reversed the blade and the sensitive instruments were soon a tangle of

  metal. I unlocked the automatic pilot and smashed its controls. We gathered up Peace's diving suit, the code-book and portable radio.

  Boz Blair came to the rail and looked down into MKG'S

  face. Then the Vice-President swung up the rope to be grabbed by eager, welcoming hands from the American team.

  Through Adele I explained to André about the cutter. He looked up at Peace on Semittantes bridge and said gently, He truly understands how a man can love his boat.'

  Was it simply that?

  I knew the answer after we had hoisted the cutter inboard

  and Boz's men had hustled the spitting skipper and his motley crew aboard Bellatrix, which now lay wallowing half a mile astern of us.

  We'll use the cutter,' Peace told the group of us gathered

  on the tramp's bridge. I am going to scuttle Semittanté at Love-Apple Crossing.'

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  1 2 T H E H O M E O F T W E N T Y - F I V E L A S H E S

  Scuttle!' burst out MKG. ' Scuttle our only chance—Little

  Bear!'

  There was a murmur from Boz Blair's team and the genial

  face of the stocky scientist became grave. MKG had given them an outline of the hunt ; like Devastation's crew, they took it in a holiday spirit. The tall Texan's name I learned was Pete Allingham, and the other three missile experts—looking curiously disreputable in a variety of sailors' rigs—were John Palmer, Nat Reece and Lofty Reilly. Trevor-Davis, our expert, seemed
completely at home in his silent way with his American opposite numbers.

  Every moment now is important,' replied Peace obliquely. He picked up the engine-room voicepipe. Mac—give her

  everything she's got' His eyes fell on Adele who stood next to me. I had better not repeat what Mac thinks of the engineroom!'

  From the sound of it, he at least will be pleased to see this crate scuttled,' said Boz Blair.

  The screw began to thump. Peace brought her head round

  towards the storm and then handed over the wheel to André.

  We waited.

  Bellatrix was a liability, now she's an asset,' Peace explained, looking round the silent launch team. ' You must see it like this : Semittanté is a bigger liability still. We simply have to get rid of her. We're being squeezed between weather, position, and the launch deadline.'

  MKG explained, But to scuttle Little Bear after all we've been through to get here, and God knows, there have been

  times in the past couple of days when I have doubted if my

  decision—'

  Little Bear goes down with Semittanté,' Peace cut in. Boz Blair gave a gasp and stepped forward, but Peace went

  on quickly before he could protest. 'In a few hours' time it will be six days to the launch, not so?' Boz merely nodded —

  the suggestion that his missile should be sent to the bottom of the sea had left him speechless.

  MKG started to speak, but Peace silenced him with a gesture. '

  I'm not sanguine enough to think I can evade Tyler for six

  days. You know and I know that Tyler and Red Force will

  track down anything that floats. They may already have a fix 170

  on Semittanté's position ; Adele's not sure. Once the vP-5's are in the air ...'

  Allingham whistled. ' They got vP-5's out on our tail too?'

  Peace nodded. With them around, I don't rate our

  chances very high.'

  He explained that they would use the new MAD gear—an abbreviation for Magnetic Anomaly Detection. It was an

  electronic marvel used by the vP-5's. It picked up variations in the earth's magnetic field and showed up objects like

  wrecks, or other undersea metal objects. They had, he stressed, to be metal. Boz's team warmed towards Peace. He was talking the sort of technical language they appreciated.

  Even Semittanté sunk at Love-Apple Crossing won't be safe from the vP-5's,' he added.

  Then what's in your mind, Commander?' asked Boz.

  This sure is some wind, too.'

  Cyclone,' corrected Peace. ' It's our big hope. It could

  last between four and five days. But it's good only to stop Tyler's search aircraft—it won't worry the nuclear subs.

  We'll take a leaf out of their book by sinking Semittanté. Tyler in Willowtrack could pass by Love-Apple crossing with the heat full on and—inside the coral barrier—he couldn't

  detect Semittanté, sunk. He's looking for a ship afloat—so are the vP-5's.'

  Fine and dandy, if all you're about is escaping Tyler,'

  remarked the tall Texan dryly. But not us. What about Little Bear?'

  We'll lash Little Bear securely to Semittanté's deck. That'll be your job, Boz. The water in Love-Apple Crossing lagoon

  isn't deep—fifty, maybe even forty feet. Little Bear's operational depth is six hundred feet, so it won't harm her. The day before the launch I'll go down in my skin-diving suit and cut the missile free. It's buoyant, it'll float up. Then it's over to Boz and you fellows to see she's all set for the launch. Then we'll tow her out to the launch-point.'

  I heard Boz's ,indrawn breath of admiration, but MKG's

  eyes were on Peace. You're not snowing me, Commander?'

  He screwed up his eyes in his characteristic way.

  ' It's the only way left.'

  The Vice-President's face was expressionless. Then he said, `

  The DNI said you were quite a guy, Commander. I believe it.'

  Me too,' grinned Boz. ' Why, it's a cinch—we can get out

  the DATICO gear and space-suit beforehand—'

  What's DATICO?' I asked.

  Digital automatic tape indicated check-out,' enthused Boz.

  ' It's like a small tape-recorder for the final moments of the 171

  countdown. When MKG mashes the firing-button for Little

  Bear six hundred feet down, DATICO goes into action. One minute later Little Bear emerges—she don't even wet her ass, as we say in the Navy.'

  The other scientists started to grin at Boz's enthusiasm.

  All the instrumentation is packed with Little Bear,' he went on. ` Did it myself. Know where every damn' thing is, exactly —

  from the VLF set to the space-suit ..

  I was already lost among Boz's technicalities, but he rushed to fill the gaps in my missile ignorance. Very Low Frequency radio,' he explained, grinning. We—the Navy—found years

  ago that you can send very low frequency signals—between

  five and fifteen kilocycles—almost anywhere in the world

  over an ocean surface. So we built the biggest vu' station in the world at Cutler, Maine ..

  Aw, Boz, don't give the guy a lecture,' said the Texan good-naturedly. All he wants to know is, will the goddam'

  thing work?'

  Boz cut short his technicalities. Sure, sure. I'll operate

  the VLF transmitter to MKG's marker buoy—Little Bear's marker—and at T minus sixty a red light comes on on his

  instrument panel—'

  But a crated Little Bear is not exactly a Little Bear ready to blast off,' I ventured.

  Boz interrupted. The top, which is in fact the capsule, is

  covered by a plastic membrane which will withstand water

  pressure up to seven hundred feet, but it ruptures at the thrust of compressed air from the firing-flask—just like the ordinary Polaris. The inertial navigation—sINs—holds the missile continuously vectored on a point in space, in this instance, the Santa Fe staging station ... which reminds me ; I must check the calibration of the space-docking computer ..

  ' Aw, gee, Boz, quit it, willya ' exclaimed the Texan. The

  guy's drunk with words, can't you see! How in hell you're

  going to live without this damn missile once she's on her way, I dunno.'

  MKG said, Commander, it's easy to say, tow Little Bear to the launch-point, but what with?'

  The cutter,' replied Peace. That's why I wanted her safe. I'

  ve had a look at the auxiliary engine. It works, although André won't use it if he can help it.'

  You can't tow a twenty-ton missile out to sea with a cutter's engine,' I objected.

  You can,' said Peace. ' Ask Boz here: Little Bear is the

  finest hydrodynamic and aerodynamic machine man has yet

  evolved—eh, Boz?'

  172

  ' Sure,' replied BOZ. You have some damn' original ideas about missiles, Commander.'

  Peace grinned back at him. Little Bear is designed to travel—through water, air and space. She offers the minimum resistance to water. Only a few horsepower is enough to pull that pencil-slim shape through the sea. In fact, I think the cutter could do it with all of you at the oars, but I'll spare you that. Blast-off point is not more than a couple of miles offshore.'

  He looked enquiringly round the team. Trevor-Davis said, I

  would have liked a couple of days, not just one, to check her over.'

  We pre-set the inertial navigation back home—she's continuously vectored on Santa Fe,' replied Boz. The accelerometers, though—it's been a long voyage—'

  began Trevor-Davis.

  We set 'em also—the gyros and the accelerometers of the

  stable table,' said Boz.

  I'm anxious about the correct toss-off point.' TrevorDavis seemed to find his voice in talking about the abstruse technicalities of the missile.

  New jetavators with a simple thrust-reversal system—blowout p
oints explode along the leading edge of the second stage and then thrust backwards, but the capsule flies on ..

  Trevor-Davis let out a sigh of relief. That takes a load

  off my mind. I wasn't too happy about the old ones.'

  Peace said, It's my turn to break up this fascinating conversation, boys. We've got a lot of work to do. John, go and fix the radio aerial you chopped—I must know if Tyler heard Semittanté's call. And Adele, ask Andre before you go if he'd like the job of being permanent helmsman of Semit- She translated and he nodded, pleased. Adele kept close to

  me. She was pale and quiet. I put it down to the strain of the cutting-out operation.

  Tell him to steer zero-seven-zero degrees,' ordered Peace.

  Zero-seven-zero!' I exclaimed. ' You're steering right into the arms of Thornton's Blue Force!'

  MKG, Boz and the team looked startled.

  Peace's answer was again evasive. See if Bellatrix is following us.'

  I stepped out on to the bridge wing. The wind ripped at

  my clothing. A mile or so behind, Bellatrix was in our wake. I went back, thoughtful. Bellatrix can sail rings round this old basket,' I told the waiting group. She has only to stay where she is.'

  173

  ' Precisely,' replied Peace. ' At this moment her doctored

  compass reads zero-eight-zero—ten degrees out. When Blue

  or Red Force catches up with her, she'll report that when

  last seen Semittanté was steering that course—clean away from Love-Apple Crossing. Tonight, when it's dark, we'll give the yacht the slip.'

  The admiration in MKG's face was overlaid with doubt. But Tyler, Commander—'

  Tyler is smart, bloody smart. I'm doing with Semittanté what would be a classic manoeuvre for a sub : I'm breaking

  away upwind into a heavy sea which will mask the sound of

  my engines. Once Tyler or Thornton pick up Bellatrix, which is only a matter of time on the course she's steering, they'll bring every Red and Blue sub, destroyer and search plane

  into that area, which is on the edge of the Saya de Malha. I want Tyler to think I've run for the shoals and banks to use the shallow seas and breaking water to damp the sound of this old tramp's engines. I want them to concentrate the search there. But in fact I'll be hundreds of miles away in the opposite direction, at Love-Apple Crossing.'