[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
"They wanted to make sure they've got enough shit to dump in that machine of
theirs," the first officer replied.
They had seen the Vaporizer unveiling on the news from their cramped crew
quarters.
Lenn sighed. "I guess we get paid no matter what."
Lenn rubbed his fingers through his shock of gray hair. It felt dirty. It
would have been nice to take a few days in Mayana, maybe a night or two in a
hotel. Time away always made his return to his boat that much sweeter. But
there was no way that was happening now. The whole of New Briton was booked
solid. And now, as the country that was going to solve the world's waste
disposal problem, things were going to get even more insane.
"I just hope we have enough provisions if they keep us stuck out here." Lenn
scooped up a pair of binoculars.
There were many other scows in the same metaphorical boat as his. So many, the
crews had come up with a name. "Garbage City" was rapidly filling this part of
the Caribbean to capacity, with more scows on the way.
"It's getting pretty tight out there," Lenn commented as he passed his
binoculars to starboard, aft. As he spoke, something caught his eye. He almost
missed it through the flocks of crazed seagulls.
Another scow-this one from Mexico-was anchored nearby. When he trained his
binoculars fully, he saw a thin line of black smoke curling up from the far
side of the ship.
"Have we gotten any radio messages from next door?" Lenn asked his first
officer.
The younger man had left the window. "No, why?" he asked absently, not looking
up.
Lenn held his binoculars steady.
"They're in some kind of trouble," he said with a frown. "Looks like a fire.
Radio over. Ask if they need help."
"Aye, sir," the first officer said. As he reached for the radio, Captain Lenn
continued to monitor the other scow.
It was still smoking. Could be an engine fire. But who knew what they were
hauling? Depending on what was on board, a small fire could send a scow up in
flames in seconds.
"I can't raise them, Fred," the first officer said. "Could be they have their
hands full."
"Hmm," Lenn said, lowering his binoculars as the first officer came up beside
him. "You and Bob better take the little boat over. See if they-"
"Holy shit!" the first officer interrupted. He was staring out the window.
Lenn wheeled just in time to see the other scow's nose lift out of the water.
He whipped his binoculars back up.
A huge fissure ripped the side of the scow. Streams of garbage slurped
overboard as the ship listed to one side. As Lenn watched in horror, the
bridge windows shattered. Flames began pouring out into the clear blue sky.
Lenn spun. "Weigh anchor," he ordered. "Sir?" the helmsman asked.
"Do it! Get us out of here, best possible speed!"
"What is it, Captain?" asked the suddenly worried first officer. "What's
wrong?"
Page 15
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Get on the radio to Mayana," Lenn snapped. "Tell them we're under attack."
"Attack?"
"Now!" Lenn twisted back to the grimy window. The scow was already slipping
under the waves. All that remained was a thick oil slick and bits of floating
garbage. He searched desperately for survivors in the widening debris field.
The first officer had raised Mayana.
"They want to know if this is some kind of joke," he said, holding out the
microphone.
"Give it here," Lenn commanded. He took a step. But only one.
The scow lurched suddenly. Lenn had to grab the navigation station to keep
from being hurled to the deck.
"Dammit!"
He scrambled to his feet and ran to the bridge window. The sea was still calm.
Not a cloud in the sky. They hadn't been hit by a sudden squall. Lenn's
stomach sank, growing cold as the ocean deep.
"Captain?" the first officer asked. He was steadying himself on the back of a
chair.
Lenn's voice was flat. He had known it as soon as he'd seen the other scow's
damage. Hoped to hell he was wrong.
"Torpedo," Captain Frederick Lenn replied, voice hollow.
The instant he spoke, a second explosion rocked the scow. Lenn felt the
rolling impact through the metal deck.
The men were thrown from their stations.
As Frederick Lenn watched, the rear of his boat split apart. The bridge
twisted as the massive weight of garbage shifted and began vomiting into the
sea. "Abandon ship!" Lenn shouted.
The bridge was angling into the water. As the ship listed, the men stumbled
and crawled across the slanted floor and out the door.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]