tossed the microphone back to the Trog. Tape everything he sends/ he
instructed, and then to David Allen, We are going to smash up that ice
before it grabs too tight a hold on Golden Adventurer. Put your best
man on the wheel Nick was a man transformed, no longer the brooding,
moody recluse, agonizing over each decision, uncertain of himself and
reacting to each check with frustrated and undirected anger.
When he starts moving - he really burns it up, thought David Allen, as
he listened to Nick on the engine-room intercom.
I want flank power on both, Chief. We are going to break ice.
Then I want you in full immersion with helmet, we are going on board her
to take a peek at her engine room. He swung back to David Allen.
Number One, you can stand by to take command. The man of action
glorying in he end to inactivity, he almost seemed to dance upon his two
feet, like a fighter at the first bell. Tell Angel I want a hot meal
for us before we go into the cold, plenty of sugar in it., I'll ask the
steward/ said David, Angel is no good at the moment. He's playing dolls
with the lass you pulled out the water. God, he'll be dressing her up
and wheeling her around in a pram You tell Angel, I want food and good
food/ growled Nick, and turned away to the window to study the ice that
blocked the bay, or I'll go down personally and kick his backside. He'd
probably enjoy that/ muttered David, and Nick rounded on him.
How many times have you checked out the salvage gear since we left Cape
Town? Four times. Make it five. Do it again. I want all the diesel
auxiliaries started and run up, then shut down for freezing and rigged
to be swung out. I want to have power on Adventurer by noon tomorrow.
,Sir., But before he could go, Nick asked, What is the barometric
reading? I don't know. From now until the end of this salvage, you
will know, at any given moment, the exact pressure and you will inform
me immediately of any variation over one millibar. 'Reading is 8. David
checked hastily.
It's too high/ said Nick. And it's too bloody calm.
Watch it. We are going to have a pressure bounce. Watch it like an
eagle scout.
I thought I asked you to check the gear. The Trog called out, 'Christy
Marine has just called La Mouette and confirmed that we are the main
contractor but Levoisin has accepted daily hire to pick up a full load
of survivors from Shackleton Bay and ferry them to Cape Town. Now he
wants to speak to you again.
Tell him I'm busy. Nick did not take his attention from the ice-packed
bay, then he changed his mind. No, I'll talk to him. He took the hand
microphone. Jules?
You don't play fair, Nicholas. You go behind the back of an old friend,
a man who loves you like a brother., I'm a busy man. Did you truly call
to tell me that, I think you made a mistake, Nicholas. I think you
crazy to go Lloyd's Open on this one. That ship is stuck fast and the
weather! Did you read the met from Gough Island?
You got yourself a screaming bastard there, Nicholas. You listen to an
old man. Jules, I've got twenty-two thousand horses running for me I
still think you made a mistake, Nicholas. I think you're going to burn
