past the door. Everyone was peering in the direction of the receding aircraft.
'What in hell was that?' Knight demanded from the officer on watch.
'An unidentified aircraft nearly ranmied the ship, Captain.'
'Military?'
'No, sir. I caught a quick glimpse of the lower wings as she flashed overhead. She bore no markings.'
'A spy plane maybe?'
'I doubt it. All her windows were lit UP.'
'A commercial airliner,' Giordino suggested.
Knight's expression became vague and a trifle irritated.
'Where does the pilot get off, endangering my ship? What's he doing around here anyway? We're hundreds of miles off commercial flight paths.'
'She's losing altitude,' said Pitt, staring at the blinking lights as they grew smaller in the east. 'I'd say she's going in.'
'God help them if they set down on this sea in the dark.'
'Strange he hasn't turned on the landing lights.'
The watch officer nodded his head in agreement. 'Strange is the word. A pilot in trouble would surely send out a distress signal. The communications room hasn't heard a peep.'
'You tried to raise him?' asked Knight.
'As soon as they came at us on radar. No reply'
Knight stepped to the window and gazed out. He dnimmed his fingertips thoughtfully for no more than four seconds. Then he turned and faced the watch officer.
'Maintain course, continue the grid pattern.'
Pitt looked at him. 'I understand your decision, but I can't say I applaud it.'
'You're on a Navy ship, Mr. Pitt,' said Knight sternly. 'We're not the Coast Guard. Our mission takes first priority.'
'There could be women and children on board that plane.'
'The facts don't spell tragedy. She's still in the air. If the Polar Explorer is the only hope of rescue in this part of the sea, why no distress call, no attempt to signal us with his landing lights, no sign of preparations to ditch? You're a flyer, you tell me why the pilot hasn't circled the ship if he's in trouble.'
'Could be he's trying for land.'
'Begging the Captain's pardon,' interrupted the watch officer, 'I forgot to mention the landing flaps were down.'
'Still no proof of an immanent crash,' Knight said stubbornly.
'Damn the compassion, full steam ahead,' Pitt said coldly. 'This isn't war, Captain. We're talking about a mission of mercy. I wouldn't want it on my conscience if a hundred people died because I failed to act.
The Navy can well afford the time it takes to investigate.'
Knight tilted his head toward the empty chart room, closing the door after Pitt and Giordino entered. 'We have our own mission to consider,'
he persisted calmly. 'We Turn off course now and the Russians will suspect we found their sub and home in on this area.'
'Solid point,' Pitt acknowledged. 'But you can still send Giordino and me into the game.'
'I'm listening.'
'We use our NUMA helicopter on the aft deck and you supply your medical people and a couple of strong bodies. We'll chase the aircraft while the Polar Explorer keeps running search lanes.'
'And Russian surveillance? What will their intelligence analysts make of it?'
'At first they won't see it as a coincidence. They're already probably trying to paint a connection. But if, God forbid, the plane crashes, and proves out to be a commercial airliner, then at least you'll have a legitimate reason for turning off course to launch a rescue mission.
Afterward we resume our search pattern, fake out the Russians and gamble on turning a disaster into a windfall.'
'And your helicopter flight, they'll monitor your every move.'
'Al and I will use open communications and keep a running dialogue of our search for the downed mystery plane. That should pacify their suspicions.'
Knight's eyes turned downward, staring at something beyond the deck.
Then he sighed and raised his head to look at Pitt.
'We're wasting time. Get your bird untied and warmed up. I'll see to the medical personnel and a team of volunteers.'
Rubin made no attempt to circle the Polar Explorer because of the almost nonexistent altitude and his sad lack of flying talent. There was every chance he would stall the plane and send it cartwheeling into the rising swells.
The mere sight of the ship had ignited a small glimmer of hope in the cockpit. Now they had been sighted and rescuers would know where to look for survivors. A small comfort, but better than none at all.
