t the world's largest liner。 At the time of her construction the Queen Mary outweighed her by over 30；000 tons and the Queen Elizabeth was forty…one feet longer。 The Cunard Line Queens may have provided a more ornate and baroque atmosphere； but the American ship's lack of rich wood paneling and fancy decor in favor of tasteful restraint； and her speed and safety were the elements that set the United States apart from her contemporaries。 Unlike foreign peting liners； the Big U； as her crew had affectionately called her； gave her passengers 694 unusually spacious staterooms and air conditioning。 Nineteen elevators carried passengers between the decks。 Besides the usual gift shops； they could enjoy three libraries and two cinemas and could worship in a chapel。
But her two greatest assets were a military secret at the time of her building and operation。 Not until several years later did it bee known that she could be converted into a military transport capable of carrying 14；000 troops within a few weeks。 Powered by eight massive boilers creating superheated steam； her four Westinghouse…geared turbines could put out 240；000 horsepower； 60；000 for each of her four propeller shafts； and drive her through the water just under fifty miles an hour。 She was one of the few liners that could slip through the Panama Canal； charge across the Pacific to Singapore and back to San
Francisco without refueling。 In 1952； the United States won the prestigious Blue Riband； awarded for the fastest speed across the Atlantic。 No liner has won it since。
A decade after she left the shipyard； she had bee an anachronism。 mercial airplanes were already being petition to the famed greyhounds of the sea。 By 1969； rising operating costs and the public's desire to reach their destination in the shortest time possible by air； spelled the end for America's greatest ocean liner。 She was retired and laid up for thirty years at Norfolk； Virginia； before eventually finding her way to China。
Borrowing a pair of binoculars； Pitt studied the huge ship from the bridge of the Oregon。 Her hull was still painted black； her superstructure white； her two great； magnificent funnels red； white and blue。 She looked as magnificent as the day she broke the transatlantic record。
He was puzzled to see her ablaze with light。 The sounds of activity echoed across the water。 It puzzled him that Qin Shang's shipyard crews were working on her around the clock without any attempt at secrecy。 Then； curiously； all sounds and activity suddenly stopped。
The pilot nodded at Cabrillo； who rang the ancient telegraph to STOP ENGINES。 Unknown to the pilot； the telegraph was nonfunctional and Cabrillo muttered orders through a handheld radio。 The vibration died； and the Oregon went as quiet as a tomb as she slowly moved forward under her own momentum。 Then the mand came for slow astern； followed shortly by all stop。
Cabrillo gave the order to let go the anchor。 The chain rattled； and it fell with a splash into the water。 Then he shook hands with the pilot after signing the usual affidavits and logging the mooring。 He waited until the pilot was on board the pilot boat before motioning to Pitt and Giordino。
〃e join me in the chartroom and we'll go over tomorrow's program。〃
〃Why wait another twenty…four hours？〃 asked Giordino。
Cabrillo shook his head。 〃Tomorrow after dark is soon enough。 We still have customs officials due aboard。 No sense in alerting suspicions。〃
Pitt said； 〃I think we have a breakdown in munications。〃
Cabrillo looked at him。 〃You see a problem？〃
〃We have to go during daylight。 We have no visibility at night。〃
〃Can't you use underwater lights？〃
〃In black water any bright light stands out like a beacon。 We'd be discovered ten seconds after we switched on our floods。〃
〃We'll be inconspicous when we're under the keel；〃 Giordino added。 〃It's when we're inspecting the hull on the sides below the waterline that we're vulnerable to detection from above。〃
〃What about the darkness caused by the shadow of the hull？〃 asked Cabrillo。 〃What if underwater visibility is lousy？ What then？〃
〃We'd have to rely on artificial lighting； but it would be imperceptible to anyone staring over the side of the dock with sun over their head。〃
Cabrillo nodded。 〃I understand your dilemma。 Romantic adventure novels say it's darkest before dawn。 We'll drop you and your submersible over the side and tow you within spitting distance of the United States； putting you on station before sunup。〃
〃Sounds good to me；〃 Pitt said gratefully。
〃Can I ask you a question； Mr。 Chairman？〃 inquired Giordino。
〃Go right ahead。〃
〃If you carry no cargo； how do you justify entering and exiting a port？〃
Cabrillo gave Giordino a canny look。 〃The empty wooden crates you see on the deck and the ones in the cargo holds above our concealed cabins and galley are stage props。 They will be off…loaded onto the dock； then consigned to an agent who works for me and transported to a warehouse。 After a proper length of time； the crates are re…marked with different descriptions； returned to the dock and loaded back on board。 As far as the Chinese are concerned； we dumped one cargo and took on another。〃
〃Your operation never ceases to amaze；〃 said Pitt。
〃You were given a tour of our puter partment in the bow of the ship；〃 said Cabrillo。 〃So you know that ninety percent of the Oregon's operation is under the mand of puter…automated systems。 We go manual when entering and departing a port。〃
Pitt handed the binoculars to Cabrillo。 〃You're an old pro at stealth and covert activities。 Doesn't it strike you odd that Qin Shang is converting the United States into a first…class smugglers' transport right out in the open under the eyes of anyone looking on？ Crewmen on cargo ships； passengers on ferries and tour boats？〃
〃It does seem peculiar；〃 Cabrillo admitted。 He lowered the glasses momentarily in thought； puffed on his pipe； and peered through the lenses again。 〃It's also peculiar that all work on the ship appears to have stopped。 No sign of tight security either。〃
〃Tell you anything？〃 asked Giordino。
〃It either tells Qin Shang is unmonly careless or our renowned intelligence agencies have been outsmarted by him；〃 said Cabrillo quietly。
〃We'll know better after we check out the ship's bottom；〃 said Pitt。 〃If he intends to smuggle illegal aliens into foreign countries under the noses of their immigration officials； he'd have to have a technique for removing them off the ship undetected。 That can only mean some kind of watertight passage beneath the waterline to shore or even possibly a submarine。〃
Cabrillo tapped his pipe on the rail； watching as the ashes spiraled down into the harbor。 Then he looked thoughtfully across the water at the former pride of America's passenger fleet； her superstructure and two rakish funnels brilliantly lit like a movie set。 When he spoke it was slowly and solemnly。 〃You fully realize； I assume； that if something should go wrong； a minor mishap； an overlooked detail； and you are caught in what is considered an act of espionage by the People's Republic of China； you will be treated accordingly。〃
〃Like being tortured and shot；〃 said Giordino。
Cabrillo nodded。 〃And without anyone in our government so much as lifting then〃 little finger to stop the execution。〃
〃Al and I are fully aware of the consequences；〃 said Pitt。 〃But you're placed in the hazardous position of risking your entire crew and your ship。 I wouldn't fault you for a second if you wanted to toss us in the bay and steam off into the sunset〃
Cabrillo stared at him and smiled craftily。 〃Are you serious？ Skip out on you？ I'd never consider it。 Certainly not for the enormous sum of money a certain secret government fund is paying me and the crew。 As far as I'm concerned； this has far less risk than robbing a bank。〃
〃In excess of seven figures？〃 Pitt asked。
〃More like eight；〃 replied Cabrillo； suggesting a fee of over ten million dollars。
Giordino looked over at Pitt sadly。 〃When I think of what our pitiful monthly stipend from NUMA adds up to； I can't help wondering where we went wrong。〃
UNDER THE COVER OF PREDAWN DARKNESS； THE SUBMERSIBLE Sea Dog II； with Pitt and Giordino inside； was lifted from her crate by the loading crane； swung over the side of the ship and slowly lowered into the water。 A crewman standing on top of the submersible unhooked the cable and was hauled back on board。 Then the Oregon's shore launch pulled alongside and attached a towline。 Giordino stood in the open hatch that was raised three feet above the water while Pitt continued ticking off the instrument and equipment checklist。
〃Ready when you are；〃 announced Max Hanley from the launch。
〃We'll descend to ten feet；〃 said Giordino。 〃When we reach that level you can get under way。〃 〃Understood。〃
Giordino closed the hatch and stretched out beside Pitt in the submersible； which had the appearance of a fat Siamese cigar with stubby wings on each side that curved to vertical on the tips。 The twenty…foot long； eight…foot wide； 3；200…pound vehicle may have looked ungainly on the surface； but underwater she dived and turned with the g