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。 Then the outer door is closedagain。 Simple。〃
〃Yes。〃 For some reason or other this odd contraption held a curious fascination for me。 Days later I was to remember my inexplicable interest in it and wonder whether； after all； I wasn't being psychic with advancing years。
〃It's not worth all that attention；〃 Benson said goodhumoredly。 〃Just an up…to…date version of the old rubbish chute。 e on； a long way to go yet。〃
He led the way from the galley to a heavy steel door set in a transverse bulkhead。 Eight massive clamps to release and then replace after we had passed through the doorway。
〃The for'ard torpedo storage room。〃 Benson's voice was lowered； for at least half of the sixteen or so bunks that lined the bulkheads or were jammed up close to the torpedoes and racks were occupied and every man occupying them was sound asleep。 〃Only six torpedoes； as you can see。 Normally there's stowage for twelve plus another six constantly kept loaded in the torpedo tubes。 But those six are all we have just now。 We had a malfunction in two of our torpedoesthe newest and more or less untested radio…controlled type during the Nato exercises just ended； and Admiral Garvie ordered them all to be removed for inspection when we got back to the Holy Loch。 The 〃Hunley〃that's our depot shipcarries experts for working on those things。 However； they were no sooner taken off yesterday morning than this driftstation operation came our way； and mander Swanson insisted on having at least six … of them put back on right away。〃 Benson grinned。 〃If there's one thing a submarine skipper hates it's putting to sea without his torpedoes。 He feels he might just as well stay at home。〃 …
〃Those torpedoes are still not operational？〃
〃I don't know whether they are or not。 Our sleeping warriors here will do their best to find out when they e to。〃
〃Why aren't they working on them now？〃
〃Because before our return to the Clyde； they were working on them for nearly sixty hours non…stop trying to find out the cause of the malfunctionand if it existed in the other torpedoes。 I told the skipper that if he wanted to blow up the 〃Dolphin〃； as good a way as any was to let those torpedomen keep on workingthey were starting to stagger around like zombies； and a zombie is the last person you want to have working on the highly plicated innards of a torpedo。 So he pulled them off。〃
He walked the length of the gleaming torpedoes and halted before another steel door in a cross bulkhead。 He opened this； and beyond； four feet away； was another such heavy door set in another such bulkhead。 The sills were about eighteen inches above deck level。
〃You don't take many chances in building those boats； do you？〃 I asked。 〃It's like breaking into the Bank of England。〃
〃Being a nuclear sub doesn't mean that we're not as vulnerable to underwater hazards as the older ships；〃 Benson said。 〃We are。 Ships have been lost before because the collision bulkhead gave way。 The hull of the 〃Dolphin〃 can withstand terrific pressures； but a relatively minor tap from a sharpedged object can rip us wide open like an electric can opener。 The biggest danger is surface collision； which nearly always happens at the bows。 So； to make doubly sure in the event of a bows collision； we have those double…collision bulkheadsthe first submarine ever to have them。 Makes fore and aft movement here a bit …difficult； but you've no idea how much more soundly we all sleep at night。〃
He closed the after door behind him and opened the for'ard one。 We found ourselves in the for'ard torpedo room； a narrow； cramped partment barely long enough to permit torpedoes to be loaded or withdrawn from their tubes。 Those tubes； with their heavy hinged rear doors； were arranged close together in two vertical banks of three。 Overhead were the loading rails； with heavy chain tackles attached。 And that was all。 No bunks in here and I didn't wonder： I wouldn't have liked to be the one to sleep for'ard of those collision bulkheads。
We began to work our way aft and had reached the mess hail when a sailor came up and said that the captain wanted to see me。 I followed him up the wide central stairway into the control room； Dr。 Benson a few paces behind to show that he wasn't being too inquisitive。 mander Swanson was waiting for me by the door of the radio room。
〃Morning； Doctor。 Sleep well？〃
〃Fifteen hours。 What do you think？ And breakfasted even better。 What's up； mander？〃 Something was up； that was for sure： for once； mander Swanson wasn't smiling。
〃Message ing through about Drift Station Zebra。 Has to be decoded first； but that should take only minutes。〃 Decoding or not； it seemed to me that Swanson already had a fair idea of the content of that message。
〃When did we surface？〃 I asked。 A submarine loses radio contact as soon as it submerges。
〃Not since we left the Clyde。 We're close to three hundred feet down right now。〃
〃This is a 〃radio〃 message that's ing through？〃
〃What else？ Times have changed。 We still have to surface to transmit but we can receive down to our maximum depth。 Somewhere in Connecticut is the world's largest radio transmitter； using an extremely low frequency； which can contact us at this depth far more easily than any other radio station can contact a surface ship。 While we're waiting； e and meet the drivers。〃
He introduced me to some of his control…center crewas with Benson； it seemed to be a matter of plete indifference to him whether it was officer or enlisted manand finally stopped by an officer sitting just aft of the periscope stand； a youngster who looked as if he should still be in high school。 〃Will Raeburn；〃 Swanson said。 〃Normally we pay no attention to him but after we move under the ice he bees the most important man on the ship。 Our navigation officer。 Are we lost； Will？〃
〃We're just there； Captain。〃 He pointed to a tiny pinpoint of light on the Norwegian Sea chart spread out beneath the glass on the plotting table。 〃Gyro and sins are checking to a hair。〃
〃'Sins'？〃 I said。
〃You may well look surprised； … Dr。 Carpenter；〃 Swanson said。 〃Lieutenant Raeburn here is far too young to have any sins。 He is referring to S。I。N。S。Ship's Inertial Navigational Systema device once used for guiding intercontinental missiles and now adapted for submarine use； specifically nuclear submarines。 No point in my elaborating： Will's ready to talk your head off about it if he manages to corner you。〃 He glanced at the chart position。 〃Are we getting there quickly enough to suit you； Doctor？〃
〃I still don't believe it；〃 I said。
〃We cleared the Holy Loch a little earlier than I expected； before seven；〃 Swanson admitted。 〃I had intended to carry out some slow…time dives to adjust trim； but it wasn't necessary。 Even the lack of twelve torpedoes up in the nose didn't make her as stern…heavy as I'd expected。 She's so damned big that a few tons more or less or here or there doesn't seem to make any difference to her。 So we just came barreling on up〃
He broke off to accept a signal sheet from a sailor； and read through it slowly； taking his time about it。 Then ho jerked his head； walked to a quiet corner of the control center； and faced me as I cam