Hunter Killer

1 1 THE CUTTING – OUT OF LITTLE BEAR

A hard hand was on my shoulder. I was awake and sitting up, my reflexes ahead of my senses. For a moment I saw only a man in paint-streaked overalls. It was Mac.

' Skipper's orders,' he said briefly, in his harsh Glasgow accent. 'It's after midnight. He wants you in the wheelhouse.'

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. The tough Scots engineer seemed as tireless as Peace-or was it his devotion to him that would not allow him to let up while the submarine ace still remained on his feet? The only outward sign was his moroseness and hangover-like shadows under his eyes.

What the hell are you doing painting at this time of night?' I asked.

Air-sea search-hunter-killer group-I've heard it a' till I' m sick. So the skipper decided to camouflage

Bellatrix-' 149 he spat uninhibitedly on the carpet. 'Paint the bluidy ship in a flippin' cyclone! Aye, so I painted her.'

My watch said a couple of minutes after midnight. A new day had been born.

February 9th-seven days to go.

' They'd spot the old white for miles,' Mac went on. ' So now she's grey-mixed with sea-water.' He gave a grunt and went.

Adele, MKG, Trevor-Davis and I had all gone to bed immediately after a lash-up dinner, but Peace, tireless, took command. MKG had insisted on drawing up a message to be signalled to the President via the DNI. Peace had objected to its length-it was only a few sentences-and I felt the undercurrents as MKG was obliged to cut it down. MKG had wanted Adele to send it off right away, but again Peace had intervened. He had reminded MKG that although he had agreed to send a message, the time was his to choose. Silently MKG had agreed, but it was clear that Peace was hanging on to the mission, whatever it might cost.

I had taken a liking to Trevor-Davis, and Peace, putting him in the picture about MKG, had congratulated him on his insight, for without Bellatrix our plan would have been hamstrung. How exhausted Trevor-Davis had been was apparent over drinks-once or twice his head had fallen forward on his chest and it was only his will-power which had jerked him awake again. MKG, reserved because of Peace's attitude, went off to the luxurious guest suite in the stern which Peace had allocated him. I was next door and Adele in the adjoining big cabin.

I pulled on fresh clothes from among those I had left behind when-it seemed years ago-Devastation had intercepted the yacht. The deck vibrated under my feet as the waves jounced her. Peace was pushing her very hard. I was thrown against the lintel as I opened my door. Holding a grab-rail, I started along the passageway. Adele's door was swinging with the yacht's motion. I reached for it, jamming myself in the opening in order to secure it.

Her cabin, like mine, was panelled in sycamore, but the colour scheme was pale green and gold. A bed was near the door. Over its foot the blankets had been thrust back so that only the sheet remained. A pair of red silk pyjamas lay carelessly on the pile. Adele slept on the white pillow, the sunbleach of her hair making an undefined shadow in the darkened room. Her eyes were closed. She was completely naked. The lift of the ship moved her breasts gently. Her knees were drawn up and her hands, palm to palm, were clasped between

them. I shut the door and went to her, darkness blurring the sleeping form. I bent over her. The warmth of sleep and fragrance of her perfume brought the blood drumming in my ears. I kissed one eyelid, and then the other. She stirred a little and said something in Creole. For a long moment I stood looking at the lovely, naked body. Then I secured the door behind me and ran quickly for'ard to the wheelhouse.

Peace was steering. The yacht's motion seemed wilder and all three revolving viewers were on to try and keep the screen clear. The wheelhouse was dark, except for the concealed compass light. The gyro compass, radar and radio were off. Peace wore his favourite black turtle-necked sweater and black Dacron pants; stubble emphasized the hard line of his lips.

He said, without preliminary, ' They've got Devastation.' He jerked his head at some signals clipped together. That's u.s. Navy stuff. Take the wheel, will you-mind, she's a bit dicey.'

I took the spokes, kicking and bucking under the cross-sea from the north-east.

Steer three-four-five degrees magnetic,' said Peace. '

What about the gyro?'

I've got all unnecessary electrics off. I daren't risk any transmissions being picked up. Same goes for radar. So you haven't sent MKG's message, then?'

I decide when,' he snapped. The opportune moment hasn't arrived yet. I don't intend to give away Bellatrix's position as I did Devastation's. You can bet that every direction-finding aerial in the Seventh Fleet is working overtime.'

You're riding him pretty hard,' I went on. MKG can call off his mission any time, remember.'

His eyes blazed in the dark wheelhouse. ' It's my mission as much as his! Remember that, too!'

I shrugged and checked the log. Thirteen knots-not bad in this sea, if she'll hold together.'

I'll drive the bitch right under,' he retorted.

' How did Tyler locate Devastation-radar, sonar?'

Neither. Peters simply broadcast here I am-loud and clear, right into Tyler's ear, who was waiting outside the reef. He made the excuse that Devastation's radio had been damaged during my-er-little escapade in breaking through the coral.'

Peters might have given us more time'

' No,' he replied. Bob played it right-kept his yardarm clear. He gave us the maximum opportunity to get away.

He knew that once the helos and search aircraft were over151 head, he didn't stand a chance. By breaking silence this way, he stopped anyone putting the screw on him.'

' What did Peters tell Tyler about MKG?'

Bob's playing dumb, being very formal and proper. Yes, he said, there was aboard Devastation a man who corresponded to the description of Marvin K. Green, but since he'd never seen the Vice-President, he could not say.'

' Did Peters radio all this?'

He had to, in order to communicate with Tyler-they haven't been in physical touch. Think of what St Brandon reef is like with this sea and wind! Peters, by having announced himself, also puts the DNI in the clear and the British part in the mission-Peters maintains that he acted under orders to pick up an American VIP, name unknown, for secret, missile tests in the Seychelles. He knows nothing else, he states. Then, at the first opportunity when his radio has been fixed, he reveals his position and comes clean. No, Bob's been very clever.'

How did he account for our disappearance?'

Peace laughed. This is how Bob put it: the American VIP, purporting to be an expert on inertial navigation, came aboard Devastation in " unusual circumstances ". This man, together with a naval officer who went by the name Peace, disappeared with another man called Garland and a woman named Adele, whose surname he does not know. That, asserts Bob flatly, is all he knows about the whole thing. He's playing awful dumb. He's even offered Devastation to assist the Seventh Fleet!'

Is Tyler still aboard Willowtrack?'

' Yes. It's impossible to get him off in this weather for all Thornton's wishes-the second helo Thornton sent also crashed, but Tyler picked up the crew. One of them is badly smashed up. After that, even Thornton decided to play it more gently. But he'll be up with Willowtrack by morning.'

That's a respite.'

It's not. Thornton wouldn't waste a whole night.'

What do you mean?'

' He's taken Devastation as his datum point. Fanning out from her, he's launched a carrier task-force grid search.'

My God! But how do you know all this-the signals are i n c o d e -? '

He smiled grimly. ' I dragged Adele out of bed. She's been decoding for hours. I sent her back when she couldn't keep her eyes open any more.' He slapped the clip signals.

It's all there: Thornton has split the Seventh Fleet into three hunter-killer groups, each with one carrier, three nuc152 lear subs and six destroyers. And you ask me why I haven't sent off MKG's signal! Thank God for that u.s. Navy codebook, and thank God for Adele. At least I can keep track of the opposition's moves.'

Geoffrey,' I said slowly, do you really think it's worthwhile trying to play this kind of hide-and-seek? This massive force will catch up with us as soon as it's light enough to see.'

He came across and stood by me. ' While I have one card left, I go on playing the game-to the finish. You should know that, John. It's because the odds started to mount up early that I called in your help in the first place.'

At that moment, I remembered the still face in the coffin and the host of thoughts it had aroused in me. Not least among them had been Peace's unswerving loyalty-to the

DNI, to the sea. He was invoking that now; he had always been at his best when the odds were stacked against him.

He was terse, edgy. I wonder if Mac can get more out of these engines…'

He knew the answer as well as I did. ' It's not the engines, it' s the hull.'

' There's a general cyclone warning. The centre is moving rapidly from Chagos towards us.'

We have a week still to the launch.'

' I'd rather it was less. Give the cyclone three-four days to blow itself out. No cover after that.'

Don't forget, Geoffrey, the two big unknowns in Tyler's search are, first, where is the launch from? Second, where is Semittante?'

The signals indicate that Thornton has called his three HUK forces Red Force, Blue Force and Green Force,' Peace went on. They fan out from Seahorse Sound. Green will cover the southern quadrant Mauritius-Rodriguez-Reunion and along a line to the eastern coast of Madagascar. Green's no worry-he's way outside our area. Blue has been assigned everything between St Brandon and Chagos, east of the 60th parallel. That mean Saya de Malha and a lot of Devasta- tion's first route to St Brandon. There's an outside chance that one of Blue's search aircraft might pick us up. But

Blue Force is steaming and flying right into the heart of the cyclone..

I gestured beyond the spinning screens. No one can fly in this.'

Thornton's men do,' he rejoined. ' Christ! Imagine a carrier take-off on a night like this! They're in the air tonight, all right. Two aircraft have been lost already, but they rescued the crews. Thornton's flying them off, regardless.

God pity them!' I exclaimed involuntarily. The best place would be a sub.'

A sub's sonar would be ineffective in these seas-they'd damp out the sound of a ship's engines. Besides, a sub is not the most useful HUK weapon, alone. But teamed with helos or aircraft, it's deadly.

Bellatrix yawed heavily and I found myself sweating at the effort to bring her back on course.

Peace went on, I hadn't the heart to cut old Andre's cutter loose. It's his everything. Besides-' he turned away so that I would not see his feelings-' I like that bloody old boat.'

The third HUK force?' I prompted.

Red,' he replied slowly. Red force is our danger. They've been assigned the biggest bloc, but it includes us-St Brandon westwards to Madagascar and north to the Seychelles.'

Love-Apple Crossing!' I exclaimed. Semittante!'

He nodded. Thornton has put Tyler in command of Red

Force, operating from Willowtrack.'

Tyler thinks like you do, Geoffrey.'

He damn' near cornered me in Seahorse Sound.'

If Tyler's Red Force picks us up, the game is over. In some ways Bellatrix is a liability.'

He looked at me sharply and then said slowly, A liability, yes, she's made of steel, which makes her easy to pick up by radar.

' So is Semittante.'

He remained thoughtful.

When do you expect to sight Semittante?' I asked.

' Mid-afternoon today. I'll have to risk using our radar a little then. It's almost certain she won't hold her course in this weather.' He broke off suddenly. I'm going aft to make sure the tow to the cutter is secure. Maybe I'll doublelash it, even.'

When he returned, he seemed pleased about something.

Then he glanced at his watch. Adele's slept long enough.

Something important may be going on.' He jerked his head at the radio. I think it's your privilege to call her, John.'

Let her sleep,' I answered. She's dead-beat.'

No,' he rejoined. The DNI sent her to do a job and this is the time for her to do it. At this stage of things, she's worth any two of us put together.'

I went. I paused at her door, wondering whether I should knock until she awoke. Then-I pushed it open and went in.

She lay almost exactly as I had left her. I stood in the darkness, looking down on the slim person who had come, in such a short time, to mean so much in my life. The quiet 154 serenity above the high cheek-bones was as calm as the rest of her was disturbing. Worth any two of us put together 'Peace's words held a new context for me: she was worth any two other women I had ever known. In that certainty, I pulled the blanket up to her shoulders and clicked on the bedside light.

She must have been sleeping on a hair trigger, for she woke instantly, alarm in her eyes. John!' She glanced at her pyjamas and laughed. How long have you been here?'

I sat down on the bed next to her and put off the light.

For a short moment, it seemed-then the telephone bell shrilled. It was Peace. Adele-come quickly! Thornton's on the air!'

She threw on some clothes and together we raced up to the wheelhouse. Peace had the radio, on. Adele pushed the hair. out of her eyes and under a shaded light decoded the complicated groups. CIC Seventh Fleet to all ships and aircraft x return to base x stand by for further orders daylight x

' Thornton's called off the search for tonight,' Peace exclaimed with satisfaction. It was a bonus of six hours. I made a quick calculation. '

Long enough for us to cover almost a third of the way to

Semittant

Peace remained without speaking, so that both Adele and I looked at him in surprise.

MKG'S message,' he said slowly. Now would be the time

– the air will be full of routine signals and the boys will be relaxing with the prospect of some sleep.' He pulled it from his pocket and read aloud:

' Request your personal and categorical affirmation that it is in order for me to continue with Little Bear mission in light of developments-MKG:

Group it up in Royal Navy code,' he told Adele. And then send it to the um-quick as hell. Try and send it at a moment when Thornton's fliers are making their landing approaches-the carriers will be using their DF equipment on them then.'

Adele took the paper and hesitated. There's no mention here of a return signal, or a fixed time for it.'

Peace's reaction astonished me. Send it!' he snarled. '

You're here to take orders-from me!'

Adele recoiled at his vehemence, glanced at me, and then sat down without speaking at the angled light. She coded the message and then listened on the u.s. Navy waveband. If

Williams had been there, he would have admired Adele's t r a n s m i t t i n g e v e n m o r e t h a n h e h a d d o n e b e f o r e. T h e Morse chattered off her deft fingers like machine-gun fire. She stopped, looked up at Peace, who seemed to watch her every movement, and then wrote down an incoming signal. '

The Seventh Fleet has picked up a series of radar contacts round Raphael.'

The fishing fleet,' answered Peace.

One very firm one among them,' she added in an impers o n a l v o i c e. M e t a l, a c o u p l e o f h u n d r e d t o n s, o f f S i r e n Island. Tyler thinks it may be important.'

Island steamer,' replied Peace.

The thought struck me. Does Tyler know about Bellatrix?' N o, ' r e p l i e d P e a c e. H o w c o u l d h e? B u t w h e n h e a n d Thornton meet and the name John Garland is mentioned as having sailed the yacht of the late Commander Peace from the Seychelles, they'll put two and two together-and Bellatrix will be their target.'

How far has the search ranged so far?' I asked.

Red Force-and we're principally concerned with Red doesn't seem to have got beyond a limited number of sorties over St Brandon itself,' answered Peace. ' In this weather it must be hell trying to identify anything.

Impossible visually, I should say.'

Adele did not join in the conversation, but she yawned and tried to keep her heavy eyes from closing.

With an odd warmth after his earlier attitude, Peace said to her, ' You go and get some more sleep, Adele. It looks as though things will be pretty quiet now until morning, seeing the search is off.'

She smiled her thanks as she went; to me her eyes said everything.

Peace switched off her angle-light, leaving the wheelhouse b l a c k e d o u t o n c e m o r e. H e c a m e a n d s t o o d b y m e a t t h e wheel, his face shadowed by the compass-light. I was about to take him to task about Adele when he said: ' Tyler's force will have to waste time during daylight by first following up the radar contacts they made tonight-maybe half a day. By that time we'll almost be up with Semittante. And almost out of range of carrier-based aircraft, assuming that the carrier itself stays in the vicinity of St Brandon.'

The thought hit me with the force of one of the seas against Bellatrix's hull. Geoffrey-Semittante! What if the signal has to report her position?'

H e w a s u n e a s y, a l m o s t a s u n e a s y a s h e h a d b e e n o v e r MKG's signal. Adele picked up a signal about just that while you were asleep-it's amongst that lot there. Safer not to put

the light on. I'll tell you: Thornton and the Chief of Naval Operations have had an exchange over the point. Thornton says that to signal her will scare her away. He believes that she is part of the kidnapping plot, that her skipper is one of the gang who kidnapped MKG. Thornton doesn't know yet that she's important beyond carrying an American classified weapon. Of course he doesn't know about the space-shot yet. So for the moment Thornton's view has prevailed and they're not signalling Semittante. For the moment, that is.'

I wonder how long that moment will last?'

Aye,' he reflected. Maybe only until Thornton talks personally to Tyler.'

But behind it all lay the one unanswerable questioin-why had the President not informed the Seventh Fleet? He knew Semittantes part in the Little Bear mission.

Hasn't Semittante sent out any routine signals?' I asked. No-why should she? An ad tramp like that is lazy probably listens to the weather reports every so often, that's all. From our area I've had cyclone warnings from the met. stations all round-St Brandon, Tromelin, Agalega-old

Chepe again-and Madagascar.'

I thought Adele was the radio operator,' I said.

These were en clair, anyway,' he replied. ' But I can manage the odd bit of Morse myself, you know. Not the highpowered American stuff, of course, but Royal Navy, yes.'

I gestured beyond the screen. It's getting worse.'

' It is getting worse,' he answered with satisfaction., The worse the better, so far as we are concerned. They've pulled the South-Africa-Australia jets into Mauritius on the strength of a POMAR report.'

Peace went on, ' If it were only a question of dodging short-range carrier-based aircraft, I'd rate our chances pretty high, since they'll be out of the picture once the cyclone reaches full strength. But you haven't heard this-the signal came through while you were asleep-the Americans are flying out a squadron of big w-5's from Greenland to the Seychelles to assist in the search for MKG. They're the planes for the long-range Atlantic patrols. At a guess, I'd say a VP-5 can stay in the air the best part of twenty hours and cover thousands of miles. And instruments-they have everything that opens and shuts.'

I concentrated on holding Bellatrix on course so that Peace should not sense the tumult of my thoughts. What he had just said confirmed my fears-the President himself believed that MKG had been 'kidnapped! Why, I questioned, had he allowed the massive air-sea search to proceed if he were satisfied in his own mind that MKG was safe? Why fly out the deadliest patrol bombers half-way across the world to look for someone he knew was proceeding according to a secret plan? Or had-I had almost rejected the thought as unworthy when I remembered Peace's bulldozing attitude towards the mission: that at all costs he would put SNAP into space and prove Little Bear.

Had Peace faked the messages to the President?

My mind went over each point in turn. No, they could not have been faked, I argued, because Adele herself had decoded the President's okay, the single-letter word Washington '. But-Williams had brought it through to the cabin. Could Williams be part of an elaborate hoax? I rejected the t h o u g h t. I m y s e l f h a d s e e n A d e l e s e n d o f f t h e V i c e – P r e sident's own signal; we were now awaiting a reply which could come through at any time. Strange-Peace had sent Adele off to bed…

I deliberately broke the silence to still my doubts. Not even vp-5s could operate in a cyclone.'

The radio crackled and Peace-cocked an ear. ' Our call sign!' he exclaimed.

' I'll fetch Adele,' I said.

He listened. No, it's Royal. Navy stuff. I'll manage.'

He sat down at the table behind me and switched on the s m a l l l i g h t. I n a m i n u t e o r t w o t h e M o r s e s t o p p e d. I glanced back at Peace over my shoulder. He was sitting, staring silently at the code groups in front of him. For the next ten minutes my whole attention was occupied with keeping Bellatrix on course. It seemed as if we were running into the outer fringes of the cyclone, judging by the violence of some of the gusts and the mounting sea. In a calmer patch I. turned to speak to Peace, but the words died. He sat staring still at the signal, which he seemed to have decoded, his e x p r e s s i o n s o w i t h d r a w n a n d h a r d t h a t I k n e w w h a t h i s anger would be at disturbing him. Another ten minutes went by. I risked another look. Now he was writing something on a signal pad, laboriously consulting his code-books.

Half an hour must have passed before he spoke. "This should satisfy MKG.' He waved the signal.

What does it say?'

' Washington x you have my personal authorization to con- tinue with Little Bear mission as planned x'

His voice was without inflexion. I glanced keenly at him. '

You don't seem very thrilled about it.'

He shrugged. I don't like being strung on to the end of a radio line for every little action I wish to take.' 158

This is not a little action,' I pointed out. MKG's whole future depends on it.'

He grunted, staring at the racing seas.

' Shall I take it through and wake MKG?'

' What the hell for? It'll keep till morning. It doesn't alter anything, anything at all.' He went to the table and gathered up the signals.

Better let Adele check them over,' I said.

For a moment before he clicked out the light his eyes were full upon me. They were not pale like the DNI's, but the cold deadliness was the same.

' I told you, I am quite capable of handling Royal Navy signals,' he said levelly. He brushed past me and stood staring out into the wild night.

' It's Semittante I'm worried about,' he muttered-and by breakfast it was all Semittante as the vast drama of the VicePresident cracked open after Thornton had interviewed Tyler. MKG, shaved and dressed in some of my clothes, looked grave as he stood with Peace, Trevor-Davis, Adele and myself in the wheelhouse. Trevor-Davis, rested, pursed his lips at the sea, which had worked up during the night into long swells on the heels of the fresh north-easterly gale. The driving overcast ceiling seemed no more than a couple of hundred feet as Bellatrix shouldered her way through the greyness. Adele brought us coffee in the dim light which passed for daybreak. Her eyes were on me, sharing our secret of the night. Andre would not be refused the privilege of steering Bellatrix. It did not need Adele to translate that he was in his seventh heaven.

MKG read the President's message with satisfaction when Peace first handed it to him, but when Thornton came on the air within half an hour, he was silent.

Thornton signalled the Chief of Naval Operations:

Tyler interrogated by me personally x endorse his view Marvin K. Green kidnapped x one of the kidnappers using name Geoffrey Peace bracket presume fake since Peace is dead unbracket French freighter Semittante carry- ing deck cargo purporting to be coconut oil processing plant x it is in fact United States classified experimental missile Little Bear x Semittante cleared Mauritius Feb- ruary 3 present whereabouts unknown x Tyler also asserts that Vice-President intends to be launched to Santa Fe Moon Station One in Little Bear from unspecified point Sea of Limuria on unspecified date but presumed within n e x t f e w d a y s x r e p e a t V i c e – P r e s i d e n t i n t e n d s t o b e launched to Santa Fe Moon Station One in Little Bear 159 missile x Commander British submarine Devastation says he unaware all this x have deployed Seventh Fleet into three HUK groups for grid search entire Sea of Limuria x search impeded general cyclone warning x number radar contacts St Brandon reef and neighbouring islets under investigation eyeball check x

MKG said, ' After that, I feel I need a hooker of rye. If it had not been for this message of the President's to me, I'd call it a day so far as Little Bear is concerned. In the light of it, we must go on, but it sure looks as though we're up the creek.'

Peace's face was bleak. Up the creek, certainly, but with two paddles-Semittante and Bellatrix.' He nodded beyond the streaming windows. ' I have a cyclone, I have a wide, wide sea. The sea has always been my friend.'

Up to now we've gotten along just jim-dandy,' MKG mused, but now I wonder..

Peace said briskly, Perhaps the recall signal has already gone out to the Seventh Fleet from the President.' MKG shrugged. Then where is it?'

Peace said, Adele was dead on her feet last night. There was no regular radio watch.'

He looked keenly at Peace. Then what about the President's signal to me?'

I took it,' Peace replied. It was Royal Navy code. I recognized Bellatrix's call-sign'

Perhaps in view of its importance, Adele could check…'

I checked it myself,' he retorted. There's no need.'

In the middle of this, Adele handed Peace a decoded signal:

CIC Seventh Fleet to C-in-C British Limuria Command x top secret x where is yacht Bellatrix? x is Peace alive or dead? x where is Garland?

Before he had finished reading it out to us, the reply had come in:

C-in-C British Limuria Command to CIC Seventh Fleet x top secret x Bellatrix sailed February 1 ex Mahe Gar- land in command x believed destination South Africa via Madagascar x Peace is dead x you were there x Peace read it out triumphantly to MKG. Yoh see, Little Bear is still very much on in the Dm's view, and that means he must also have been in touch with the President,' he said. Otherwise he wouldn't have replied in these terms.'

The DNI'S certainly playing it cool,' was MKG's rejoinder. Bellatrix drove on.

By early afternoon there was more encouragement for us.

Thornton, commanding Blue Force, called in his terriers in the face of impossible weather between St Brandon and Chagos. Looking at our driving overcast-we were 600 miles from Blue Force-I marvelled at the intrepidity of the American fliers in staying in the air for as long as they had. Tyler began recalling his dogs, too, as the cyclone marched inexorably towards him. They did not stand a chance of getting within real striking distance of Bellatrix. Green Force, far away to the south, reported ship contacts south and south-west of Mauritius, but one after another they were getting clearance.

What worried MKG, however, was that news of the massive American search was starting to become public. Mauritius Radio, usually at the fag-end of world news, did not realize yet that it would soon be the focal point of world attention. The midday bulletin, put across with amateur fervour, said: Powerful forces of American carrier-based aircraft swept across the harbour of Port Louis at intervals this morning in a south and south-westerly direction. Vessels entering the harbour report that they have been investigated and interrogated by the aircraft. The United States Consul in Mauritius denies all knowlege of the operation. It is, however, presumed that these squadrons are part of the American Seventh Fleet which is nomally based on the Seychelles, and listeners may well ask themselves, for what purpose is this task force so far from its base..

The radio cut as Bellatrix leaned heavily to leeward. She – came back quickly and rolled her starboard side under. For. a moment the screen wipers churned green sea. Above the growl of the wave-punch came the sound of tearing, splintering. Peace and I reached the wheelhouse door together. The luxury wooden gangplank, lashed to the side, cartwheeled and vanished overboard. The starboard boat, torn from its davits, bumped along the deck until it hit the rail aft, poised for a moment, and then disappeared too. Metal stanchions were left twisted and snapped in its wake.

' And the cyclone hasn't hit us yet,' remarked Peace. He glanced at the clock. ' Two hours still before we can really start looking for Semittante:

Two hours-it seemed like two years. Peace, Trevor-Davis and I rigged relieving tackles on the streamlined mast and repaired the radio aerial. The lack of operational messages seemed to create a silence in which all listened for Semittante

– waiting, waiting. The hull seemed to develop a whip-lash tendency as Peace drove the yacht, often bows under with. Andre fighting the wheel, into the increasing sea. He would HK. not slow down. ' Clyde-built,' was all he said. She'll take it-till she dives under.'

The wheelhouse gratings were awash; we hung on to anything we could find. Adele jammed herself on a tiny stool by the diminutive chart-table to operate the radio.

Shortly after 3 o'clock Adele held up her hand and turned up the volume on the merchant shipping band. It was the message which we had dreaded. It said, in plain language:

' This is the commander of the United States Seventh Fleet in the St Brandon area. I am calling the French freighter

Semittanth… Semittanth… Semittanth… report your position immediately please on this wavelength.'

We crowded round the set, gripping one another's shoulders like a Rugby scrum to keep steady in the heavy pitching.

' Any ship or aircraft knowing the whereabouts of the

French freighter Semittante must report immediately.'

We could pass Semittanth at a couple of miles and not see her in this weather,' said Peace, grim-faced. He turned to

Adele. Tell Andre-there's an old ship hereabouts. We must find her-soon.'

She spoke rapidly in Creole and translated his reply. ' She'll be that way…' She pointed to leeward.

I said, I've been making a rough offset allowance, taking wind force and run of the sea into consideration, but my calculations are purely hit and miss.'

Peace switched on the yacht's radar. The cathode screen glowed. He worked slowly round the compass. Nothing.' '

What's the radar's range?' asked MKG.

Ten, maybe twelve. Could be anything in this sea, the way we're lifting.'

The radio blared: Semittante… calling the French freighter Semittante… report your position immediately. The rain drilled against the wheelhouse. Peace said irritably, John, make a sweep round, will you-round and bloody round.'

The green light circled. The screen remained blank. I looked up as the wheelhouse grew momentarily brighter. The rain eased; there was a break in the driving wrack.

Andre called and pointed excitedly. Adele, wide-eyed, crouched at the radio, repeated, ° A ship -a ship!-to port to leeward!'

Peace was at the old fisherman's side in a flash. I fixed the radar on the quadrant he had indicated. It was empty. The greyness stretched away into a gauze-murk horizon of a mile or less.

Andre gestured at the controls. He says you're going too fast-you're passing her,' supplied Adele.

Peace yanked back the engine-room telegraph. MKG'S eyes went from the radar screen to the old fisherman. If I were a horse-player, my money would be on the radar.'

Andre spoke quickly to Adele. There's a ship out there he feels it-he caught a glimpse of her in that clear patch.'

Tell him the radar shows nothing,' said Peace.

She translated and grinned. He says that thing has no soul. Fishermen and ships share the sea between them.. there!'

For a moment something that wasn't the grey heave of the sea showed broad on the beam, a line of deeper grey and breaking water.

By God!' I exclaimed. I saw her!'

Andre gave the helm a spoke or two. Bellatrix high-kicked.

' It was only a whitecap-you can kid yourself so easily,' said Peace. He fiddled with the radar. Wait, though, something here-not at all firm.. Andre and I shouted together. Westwards, in a stray patch of sunlight, was a ship, rolling and pitching in the heavy swell, whiteness under her single screw.

Put that thing off!' I called to Peace. We've got her!

No need to endanger our position.'

Adele's radio said, Semittante… calling French freighter Semittante… report your position on this wavelength.. If she does so now, it's the giveaway for both Semittante and Bellatrix,' commented MKG. One fix and Thornton will dispatch half a dozen subs. Weather doesn't worry them, five hundred feet down.'

No response from her yet?' Peace demanded anxiously of

Adele.

Not yet.'

John!' he said harshly. GO and get me the Remington. Take the. 38 Special for Mac. Find yourself an axe.'. He turned on Trevor-Davis. You conn the yacht-Andres a magnificent helsman but you'll have to say it with signs.'

He quickly outlined the hand-signs which had brought us through the reef. He turned back to me. ' I'll take the bridge, Mac the engine-room. Yours is target No. 1, John smash the radio before she can get off a message.' As he spoke, the colour drained from Adele's face.

John-' she began.

I stopped her. ' It's got to be done.'

Peace said, Boz Blair and his team can-be a big help, if we can get it over to them what this is all about.'

I'll call 'em up on the loud-hailer,' MKG suggested. ' Tell them it's me-there's time before we go aboard.'

Peace stopped him. You're staying right here, MKG.' I' m fit-fitter than any of you,' he protested.

Peace said, It isn't funny, jumping in a sea like this at the end of a rope from one ship to another. We can't afford to let you smash a rib or a leg.'

Trevor-Davis offered, I'll lay alongside in the lee. The going will be easier for you there.'

Peace nodded.

What… what will you do to the crew?' Adele asked in an anguished voice.

Peace laughed. We're not pirates-yet. Odds are that they'll be so surprised they won't offer any resistance. Particularly if we can get word to Boz Blair.'

There's Boz and four others,' MKG reminded us.

Adele said, I'll try and jam anything Semittante tries to send.'

Peace looked at her appreciatively. ' Good girl. If you're as successful as you were with Willowtrack, we should be okay. John, get the guns will you?'

In Peace's cabin I took the sinister Remington from its case. It sat easily on my hand and the big stock, which looked cumbersome, was in fact beautifully balanced. I shoved a box of shells into my pocket and grabbed the Colt I had taken from the unknown intruder.

Mac's engine-room was cleaner even than a nuclear sub's, which itself looks like an operating theatre. The crash of seas seemed louder below.

Mac eyed my pistols. Thinking of murder?'

I explained quickly and a sinister grin spread over Mac's face. He took the Colt and spat into the muzzle.

Aye,' he said. It's like I said when we thought he was lying deid in t'coffin-we'd be a power poorer without our bluidy bastard skipper.'

He grinned again and slipped a monkey-wrench into the back of his overalls. Together we went back to the wheelhouse. We found Peace bending over the compass housing. He had unscrewed the glass with his flick-knife.

What on earth…?'

His face was flushed with excitement at the prospect of • the coming action. Listen-in this weather, we can't very well turn the French crew adrift in their boats unless we really want to murder them. We'll give them Bellatrix.

I couldn't believe my ears. But they'll simply radio

Thornton-shadow us in Semittante!'

Just that,' he grinned. Once we've cleaned up the crew, we'll come back aboard here and smash up Bellatrix's radio, radar and the gyros. We'll have to come back anyway for my diving suit, radio, code-book. The French will have to rely on the magnetic compass-this one. We'll set our course into the heart of the storm. Skipper du Plessis, righteously mad, will follow us-while he can see. As soon as it's dark, he'll shadow our daylight course by compass. What he won't know is that there's a knife-blade in here which will throw him ten degrees out. Sooner or later either Red Force or

Blue Force will pick him up-he'll run right into their arms.'

Trevor-Davis shook his head sadly. To regard a lovely craft like this as expendable…'

You gave me the idea, John,' said Peace. You said

Bellatrix was a liability. Now, with the Frenchman, she's become an asset to us-the perfect decoy.'

Andre said something and we followed his pointing hand, '

He says Semittante is turning away.'

Anything on the radio, Adele?'

Nothing from her. Plenty of " report your position " from Thornton.'

Perhaps she's spotted us,' suggested MKG.

She doesn't know about Bellatrix,' rejoined Peace. ' I'd say she was merely easing off the wind.'

The old-fashioned stern of the tramp, which must have' been built about the time Red Raborn confounded the critics with the first Polaris, rose and fell in the trough.

' Look!' I exclaimed.

`Little Bear!' mKG gasped.

There it was, lashed on the deck askew from the starboard railing towards the stern on the other side: a long wooden crate about eight feet square and sixty long, looking like a number of automobile shipment crates fixed together.

I'll call her first on the loud-hailer,' said Peace. ' If she'll let the pirates aboard peaceably, so much the better'

Andre under Trevor-Davis's guidance closed in. A heavy sea broke over the tramp's rusty bows and creamed over winches and hatches. An oilskinned figure appeared on the bridge wing.

Semittante… report your position..

The voice was obliterated by a clatter of Morse. Adele whispered, ' United States Seventh Fleet, this is Semittante Jam him, for Christ's sake,' snarled Peace. He grabbed

Andre by the shoulder. Alongside! Quick!'

Andre understood. He read the meaning of the guns in our hands. He spun the wheel and opened the throttle Bellatrix was back on the auto gear. MKG switched on the loud-hailer. He deliberately made his vowels longer. Boz!' he called imperatively. Boz-it's Marvin Green here-MKG! Do you hear! A couple of

Limeys are coming aboard with hand-guns-help 'em, willya

All I saw was the rusty, red-leaded side of the plunging old tramp looming like a skyscraper. Andre shaved round the stern and banging screw into the quieter water in her lee.

Trevor-Davis looked enquiringly at us, waiting for the right moment.

Peace jacked a shell into the Remington, snapped home the bolt. Come on!'

Mac and I raced with him to the twisted starboard decking.

Semittante lurched towards us, the red-painted patches grinning like bloodied lips as the high side sought to crush the slender yacht. Then the sea spurted and the hulls drew apart, like an outward-facing V. Peace shouted an oath at TrevorDavis and Andre, but his voice was lost in the cavern of boiling seas. Down went Bellatrix until we looked into the foul bilge vents of the old tramp, and then sky-rocketed on the next wave. Peace swung a Jacob's ladder of thin nylon rope in his hand. A shot crashed out: a man with a gun, in yellow oilskins, stood at the head of the bridge ladder. The strike of the bullet was lost in the noise. Even under the whip of excitement I admired Trevor-Davis's handling of the yacht: she rose past a scum-shrouded porthole to deck level and he held her there.

Jump!' yelled Peace.

We leaped as one man. Peace landed agilely on the ship's rail and dropped to her deck. But the wet wood slipped from under my feet and I crashed down. Bellatrix fell away like a lift. I saw the death-engulfing water. I toppled overside and snatched with the axe-head at the rail. It bit. In a flash Peace hauled me clear, gasping, on to the deck. I didn't hear the second report but only saw the splinter of the bullet a foot from my head. I looked upwards and saw the ugly 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?'

Sure, sure,' exclaimed the stocky scientist. I 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

Andre 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, Andre 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 Andre 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 Semittante at Love-Apple Crossing.'