Bear.
We walked slowly up to Vingt-Cinq Coups.
Twelve hours to blast-off!
We sat against the coral wall of the hut, waiting for the
news from Mauritius. Peace's eyes wandered frequently
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across the lagoon to the muted patch of light where Little Bear lay.Mauritius Radio came through:
Ùp to a few hours ago, neither the person of Marvin K. Green, Vice-President of the United States, nor the French freighter Semittanté had been located by the massive search conducted by the American Seventh Fleet. Tonight the eyes of the world are on the Sea of Limuria. The focus of the search is now in the vicinity of the neighbouring isles of Agalega and Love-Apple Crossing. American fliers report that both these places have been heavily hit by the recent
cyclone.'
Peace stirred as the announcer went on:
Ìn the wake of the air search are deployed no fewer than
five carriers, eighteen destroyers and nine nuclear submarines. American long-range vP-5 aircraft, flying from British bases, today combed a large area south of the Seychelles group, with negative results. These aircraft are using secret equipment to detect submerged wrecks.
` Meanwhile, in the United States, the National Space
Administration states, that tomorrow is the most favourable day for a space-shot. In view of this, carrier-based aircraft are flying round-the-clock missions in an attempt to stay
what political observers in Washington consider the most
extraordinary episode in the long history of the United States Presidency.
` The bearing of the American people at this time of crisis is no less extraordinary. Since the news broke, churches have been thronged, special prayers have been said for the President's recovery and the Vice-President's safety, and normal activities in all major cities have almost ceased. Many shops are closed and only essential services are operating. People have withdrawn indoors to the sanctuary of their homes,
except in Washington, where crowds have gathered outside
the White House in silent vigil while the battle for the President's life goes on. A curious silence has fallen on the nation. In New York—'
Peace leaned forward and clicked off the set. For a long
time there was no sound but the wash of the sea in the soft tropical night.
` You have all this to account for if things go wrong,' I said. Peace jumped to his feet. ` They must not find Little Bear!'
Seven hours later they had not located Little Bear. MKG had returned in the cutter within an hour ; after a
broken night André had fetched us as a thin line started to show pearly-grey in the east. Now we were back at the mis212 sile. Peace had stood up in the cutter as we crossed the
lagoon, trying to probe the lightening skies. They were empty. Boz and his team were weary but triumphant. She's fine—
every damn' thing just jim-dandy,' he told MKG. She's hot to trot.'
By contrast with his previous mood, MKG was light-hearted, boyish almost, now that the space-shot was at hand. He
glanced down into the softly vibrating cockpit. Let's get her to the launch-point, shall we—got it fixed, John?'
Just one more star-sight,' I said, holding my sextant.
He doesn't need a sextant,' Peace said. He could do it
blindfold.'
I took my sight and was satisfied. There was nothing 'to
keep us in the lagoon longer. MKG looked thoughtfully at the long missile. ' Just pray that at the Jesus moment she
hasn't got a hot bottom.'
Boz stiffened.
Hot bottom?' Adele looked startled.
MKG gestured with one hand. She's never been flight
tested—too much heat causes the tail to fall apart. If that happens, she'll wriggle across the sky like a belly-dancer. Goodbye Mr. Vice-President.'
She shivered and he put an arm round her.
Boz said quickly, Doesn't often happen any more. The
cermets boys have seen to that. Just an outside chance.'
André brought the cutter close to the nose-cone while I fended her off with a rough oar. Boz hitched a rope into the nose-towing wire and Mac eased open the throttle. André
gestured to me and we slipped our oars into the crude rowlocks. We heaved. Little Bear moved, gathered way. In the smooth water as Peace gunned the engine, Little Bear followed as easily and tamely as a well-trained dog ; I could feel the pulse of her machinery along the tow-rope.
Five o'clock.
We cleared the lagoon entrance and I gave Peace a course into the eye of the soft morning.
Five-thirty.
Boz brought the silver space-suit, which he had unpacked
during the night, and helped MKG into it as we moved along. He laid the silver helmet on the thwart—stark, futuristic,
against the weather-stained wood. The dawn light glowed
on its gold-plated visor which would guard MKG's face against the sun.
The cutter chugged on.
Six o'clock.
Three hours to launch.
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Try the radio,' Peace told Adele.
The Navy wavelength said, . Love-Apple Crossing
Involuntarily Peace jerked the throttle. There was nothing
more. He glanced skywards and said harshly, Keep it going,
Adele!'
The minute* dragged ; the engine throbbed. Love-Apple Crossing had almost submerged its low length into the sea
barely two short miles behind. We had about half a mile to
go to the launching-point.
The radio said:
Willowtrack to all Red and Blue HUK subs x report your positions to me x'
Six-thirty.
The voice went on:
' My position Grid E-13 approximately 40 miles due south of Love-Apple Crossing x course zero-zero-five true x speed 12 knots, rigged for utra-quiet x'
My God!' exclaimed Peace. I explained to the tense team:
Tyler was 40 miles away, making straight at us, coasting
along with all his listening apparatus and radar going. At 12 knots he would be on us in three hours. If he received an
inkling of where we were, he could reach us in an hour at
maximum speed, if he chose!
I gave Peace an alteration of course. Boz and the team
screwed up their eyes against the sun, scanning the horizon to the south, not speaking. The light reflected off MKG'S spacesuit. Seven o'clock.
Stop!' I ordered.
We were in position.
I'll flood her down at once, Boz,' said MKG. There's no point in staying up. In one hour I shall start the sequencer. Shall we synchronize watches?'
The simple action had all the excitement of a war mission.
Little Bear, with its tapered stern, lay like a giant ray in the water.
Boz picked up the helmet.
PacG stopped him for a moment and surveyed the soft
scene, the sea, the low isle in the distance. He looked from one to another of us. My secret thundered like St Brandon
surf against my brain—I had to tell him! I glanced round. Mac alone of us was sitting, cigarette in mouth, his hand half under the stern thwart where he kept the Remington. He
looked like a snake about to strike. I felt Peace's hand grip my elbow like steel.
MKG waved at Little Bear and the sky., ' This will bring out 214
that great untested source of power in the American people
which Lincoln saw over a century ago,' he said. ' It has been given to me to be the bearer of that sacred mission'
Lincoln!' whispered Adele. President Lincoln ..
MKG did not seem to hear. The strange timbre laced his words. There are no goodbyes in this. Adele, say also to
André . .
He paused, then impulsively took the old fisherman's arm
in André's own peculiar grip, and shook it. Tears ra
n down
the mahogany cheeks and he said something brokenly to
Adele.
Adele, her voice thick with emotion, said: 'God be with
you. Come back to Limuria.
Boz held out the helmet to MKG. MKG looked quickly in a pocket and brought out a small bible, as if to reassure himself. The scene had a curious unreal air—like a condemned cell, where all normal activity goes on around in a highly
abnormal context.
Once the helmet was on, we knew MKG'S voice would become a metallic counterfeit. MKG moved forward to Boz and ducked a little. Boz lifted on the helmet and gave it a half-turn. Boz and the Texan helped him, ungainly now,
through the missile's hatchway. He eased himself in and
dogged it closed.
MKG was utterly alone.
There was a burp of water at the stern as the ballast pumps started. The missile tilted, its nose at an angle. Then it sank upright to about two-thirds of its length. Boz and the scientists nodded approval. MKG sat in his capsule about 12 feet above us. I think it must have been the bright flash of sunlight on the perspex which brought the frigate-bird down to investigate. I heard the swift rush of wings.
Like lightning, Peace snatched an oar and struck the magnificent bird. It fell, stunned, into the water. Little Bear, on hand signals from Boz to MKG, sank lower until it was the height of a man out of the water.
With a quick glance at André, Peace grabbed the bird
Little Bear was head-high.
MKG looked out at us—grave, a slight smile in the deep-set eyes.
Peace snatched the axe from the bottom-boards and struck
off the great bird's head. Boz and his team gaped in astonishment. Peace leaned out, holding the twitching stump, steadying himself against the smooth whiteness of the missile casing.
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With the bloodied neck, Peace made the sign of the Cross
on it.
Adele gave a gasp. There was a startled outburst from
André. Boz gave a quick signal to MKG. I heard the rapid whirr of the ballast pumps. MKG raised a gloved hand and gave the thumbs-up sign, his eyes fixed on us all.
The capsule-shield sank to gunwale-level.
Adele translated Andre automatically: The strange ship
has a life now ..
Another signal. The pumps whirred. I looked down into MKG's strong face. Was he already President of the United
States?
The eyes went for the last time slowly from Peace to me, to Boz, to each member of the team, to Adele, momentarily to
Mac, and finally to Adele. Boz raised his clenched fist as a signal. MKG reached out for a switch.
The capsule vanished.
I do not know how long we all stood numbed, trying to follow the missile into the depths. Adele wept ; Peace held the headless bird. The sea was empty, except for the tiny cutter. Only at firing-depth would MKG send up the marker buoy with its radio antenna.
Boz said at last, Commander, we must get at least half a mile away—probably a bit farther is better.'
Seven-thirty.
Let's wait for the buoy,' I said.
No time,' replied Boz. We must get clear.'
Rather than create sound by using the engine, Peace had
Andre raise the lateen sail and we glided across the still sea. The sole marker off Little Bear was a group of frigate-birds tearing at their dead companion.
André dropped the sail at Peace's command. The buoy—
where was the buoy? Adele explained to Andre, whose seasight was keenest. We waited.
Suddenly André exclaimed: the bright orange marker with
its radio antenna plopped out of the sea. Boz slipped on one of the double rubber-padded headphones of the vu set and fiddled with the dials ; the other scientists busied themselves with the DATICO gear.
I'll repeat everything MKG says,' said Boz.
Peace turned to Adele, his voice strained. Keep the radio
going all the time. Check Tyler.'
His words were drowned. The big vP-5 swept over us at wave-top height. The thunder of its four great engines momentarily blanked out the radio. It came so low that I could 216
see the massive search radar dome, the pilot and the co-pilot in their seats. It was still in Arctic paint, broad orange stripes against the black hull.
The voice on the radio was vibrant with excitement:
VP-5 maritime reconnaissance Baker Charley Sugar to all HUK and ASW forces x powerful MAD contacts Grid
position E-13 x sighted submarine marker buoy approxi- mately 2f miles east Love-Apple Crossing x men in boat using radio x marker buoy has radio antenna x The reply was immediate:
Willowtrack to Baker Charley Sugar x hold that contact x am vectoring all HUK forces to Grid E-13 x home them in x am proceeding maximum speed to evaluate
contact x
I looked at my watch.
One hour and five minutes!
Willowtrack was 40 miles away: she could do near 40 knots when pushed—Tyler would be here before MKG blasted off!
Peace's face was like iron. He knelt next to Boz and said into his chest microphone speaker. 'MKG! For Christ's sake, there's a vp-5 overhead. They've picked up this transmission. Tyler's coming—can't you cut it short—'
Boz pushed him away as the headphone crackled.
dice, Commander. The countdown routine is fixed. One hour, no less. I'll start MKG in a couple of minutes.'
' Tyler—' repeated Peace. His words were drowned as the big plane thundered overhead again, banking slowly over Little Bear's marker.
Baker Charley Sugar to Willowtrack x strong radio emis- sions x reports, countdown will begin in a few minutes x Willowtrack came back:
All Red and Blue Force aircraft, helos, cowboys and subs vectored to your area x what duration is countdown? The fact that Willowtrack was replying meant she was either on the surface or running partially submerged with her radio mast up, which would make her slower than full speed deep down. The thought of that streamlined hull tearing through the water towards us forced my eyes to the south. The
horizon was empty.
Boz said sharply, Sequencer start! I repeat, sequencer start!' The headphone crackled. ' T minus sixty and counting!' MKG had begun the countdown.
One whole hour until Boz pressed the firing button. Baker Charley Sugar to Willowtrack x countdown has begun x voice says T minus 60 x
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After what seemed hours, Boz repeated MKG in a f!at voice:
'T minus fifty. All systems go:
Willowtrack to Baker Charley Sugar x nearest search plane to your position is in Grid E-16 x cannot get there in time x I am proceeding at maximum speed x will echo- range starting at 20,000 yards x is contact moving?
'T minus forty-five. All systems go.
Baker Charley Sugar to Willowtrack x contact steady x countdown now T minus 45 x
Adele sat next to me on the rough thwart, her face white. I saw Peace's sweat drip on to the collar of his rubber divingsuit. Boz and the Americans sat like statues. Peace glanced across at me without speaking. I read his thought: 20,000
yards, nearly 12 miles! When Tyler started to echo-range,
we would know exactly how close he was.
'T minus forty.'
Willowtrack to Baker Charley Sugar x who is in the boat? The big plane swung round, inspected us. The minutes were
agonizing.
Baker Charley Sugar to Willowtrack x eyeball check shows nine men and one woman x radio apparatus and two antenna-like portables x
'T minus thirty.' .
Half an hour to go.
My palms were clammy. Adele spoke softly in Creole, as if to herself. I think she was praying. André said something and
she turned to me, her eyes tear-bright.
Andre says the ship down in the sea has its life from the
frigate-bird. It will fly.'
How close was Willowtrack? I did a rapid menta
l calculation. Being partially instead of fully submerged, Tyler would not be getting Willowtrack's full 40 knots. Say 35 now—over 40 miles an hour! If I were correct, he would start echoranging in roughly another 15 minutes. Willowtrack would then be 12 miles from her target!
minus twenty-five.'
Willowtrack to Baker Charley Sugar x drop following message to boat by streamer x Tyler to Commander Peace x request with all fervour at my command you call off launch x please convey this to the President of the United States x
'President!'
Boz spun on Peace, staring incredulously.
With the speed of a cobra striking, Peace leaned forward
and plucked the headphones from Boz's ears. The Colt with
the hocked hammer was in his hand. As he did so, he jerked
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his head to Mac. He was so quick with the Remington that I
did not see him reach under the sternsheets for it. He stood, balancing himself with one foot on the thwart, the wicked
muzzle covering the boat.
Peace held the speaker against him so that MKG could not
hear.
Yes,' he said slowly, including all the Americans with
Boz in his reply. ' The President had a severe stroke shortly before we ditched Semittanté. He wasn't expected to live.'
You knew and you let MKG carry on with this?' Boz looked stunned. Pete Allingham, his face livid with anger,
started to get to his feet, but Mac waved him down.
Yes,' said Peace. Little Bear goes.'
Not while I'm here to stop it,' snapped Pete. Mac raised
the Remington and pointed it square at the Texan's chest.
I wouldn't try to, Allingham,' Peace said grimly. He's been itching for days to try it out on John and Adele.'
' Jesus Christ!' burst out Boz. You knew too!'
They knew, but they weren't with me,' replied Peace. '
I want you to remember that, Boz, if you have to turn me in to Tyler before the blast-off.'
Blast-off!' echoed Pete. You're gonna let MKG go without knowing!'
Yes.' Peace nodded grimly. What sort of effect would
it have on him to tell him now?'
No!' yelled Boz wildly. You can't, Commander, it's too
big!'Sit down!' snarled Peace, waving the Colt. The headphone crackled and Peace put it on, drawing to one side to give Mac a clean line of fire.
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