tc.redstormrising-第13章

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hing。　Should　have　this　thing　off　in　another　three　or　four　weeks。　Then　I　have　to　get　used　to　running　again。　You　know；　I　spent　three　years　trying　to　break　my　ass　out　of　intel；　then　I　finally　get　my　Goddamned　regiment；　and　this　happens。　Wele　aboard；　Toland。　Why　don't　you　grab　us　both　a　cup　of　coffee？〃
There　was　a　pot　atop　the　farthest　filing　cabinet。　The　other　three　officers；　Lowe　explained；　were　giving　a　briefing。
〃I　saw　the　writeup　you　gave　CINCLANT。　Interesting　stuff。　What　do　you　think　Ivan's　up　to？〃
〃It　looks　like　he's　increasing　readiness　across　the　board；　Colonel…〃
〃In　here；　you　can　call　me　Chuck。〃
〃Fine…I'm　Bob。〃
〃You　do　signal　intelligence　at　NSA；　right？　You're　one　of　the　satellite　specialists；　I　heard。〃
Toland　nodded。　〃Ours　and　theirs；　mostly　ours。　I　see　photos　from　time　to　time；　but　mostly　I　do　signals　work。　That's　how　we　twigged　to　the　report　on　the　four　colonels。　There　has　also　been　a　fair　amount　of　operational　maneuvering　done；　more　than　usual　for　this　time　of　year。　Ivan's　been　a　little　freer　with　how　his　tankers　drive　around；　too；　less　concern　about　running　a　battalion　across　a　plowed　field；　for　example。〃
〃And　you're　supposed　to　have　a　look　at　anything　that's　unusual；　no　matter　how　dumb　it　seems；　right？　That　gives　you　a　pretty　wide　brief；　doesn't　it？　We　got　something　interesting　along　those　lines　from　DIA。　Have　a　look　at　these。〃　Lowe　pulled　a　pair　of　eight…by…ten　photographs　from　a　manila　envelope　and　handed　them　to　Toland。　They　seemed　to　show　the　same　parcel　of　land；　but　from　slightly　different　angles　and　different　times　of　year。　In　the　upper　left　er　was　a　pair　of　isbas；　the　crude　huts　of　Russian　peasant　life。　Toland　looked　up。
〃Collective　farm？〃
〃Yeah。　Number　1196；　a　little　one　about　two　hundred　klicks　northwest　of　Moscow。　Tell　me　what's　different　between　the　two。〃
Toland　looked　back　at　the　photos。　In　one　was　a　straight　line　of　fenced　gardens；　perhaps　an　acre　each。　In　the　other　he　could　see　a　new　fence　for　four　of　the　patches；　and　one　patch　whose　fenced　area　had　been　roughly　doubled。
〃A　colonel…army…type…I　used　to　work　with　sent　me　these。　Thought　I'd　find　it　amusing。　I　grew　up　on　a　corn　farm　in　Iowa；　you　see。〃
〃So　Ivan's　increasing　the　private　patches　for　the　farmers　to　work　on　their　own；　eh？〃
〃Looks　that　way。〃
〃Hasn't　been　announced；　has　it？　I　haven't　read　anything　about　it。〃　　Toland　didn't　read　the　government's　secret　in…house　publication；　National　Intelligence　Digest；　but　the　NSA　cafeteria　gossip　usually　covered　harmless　stuff　like　this。　Intelligence　types　talked　shop　as　much　as　any　others。
Lowe　shook　his　head　slightly。　〃Nope；　and　that's　a　little　odd。　It's　something　they　should　announce。　The　papers　would　call　that　another　sure　sign　of　the　'liberalization　trend'　we've　been　seeing。〃
〃Just　this　one　farm；　maybe？〃
〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　they've　seen　the　same　thing　at　five　other　places。　But　we　don't　generally　use　our　reconsats　for　this　sort　of　thing。　They　got　this　on　a　slow　news　day；　I　suppose。　The　important　stuff　must　have　been　covered　by　clouds。〃　Toland　nodded　agreement。　The　reconnaissance　satellites　were　used　to　evaluate　Soviet　grain　crops；　but　that　happened　later　in　the　year。　The　Russians　knew　it　also；　since　it　had　been　in　the　open　press　for　over　a　decade；　explaining　why　there　was　a　team　of　agronomists　in　the　U。S。　Department　of　Agriculture　with　Special　Intelligence…partmented　security　clearance。
〃Kind　of　late　in　the　season　to　do　that；　isn't　it？　I　mean；　will　it　do　any　good　to　give　'em　this　land　this　time　of　year？〃
〃I　got　these　a　week　ago。　I　think　they're　a　little　older　than　that。　This　is　about　the　time　most　of　their　farms　start　planting。　It　stays　cold　there　quite　a　long　time；　remember；　but　the　high　latitudes　make　up　for　it　with　longer　summer　days。　Assume　that　this　is　a　nationwide　move　on　their　part。　Evaluate　that　for　me；　Bob。〃　The　colonel's　eyes　narrowed　briefly。
〃Smart　move　on　their　part；　obviously。　It　could　solve　a　lot　of　their　food　supply　problems；　particularly　for…truck…farm。　stuff；　I　guess；　tomatoes；　onions；　that　sort　of　thing。〃
〃Maybe。　You　might　also　note　that　this　sort　of　farming　is　manpower　intensive　but　not　machinery…intensive。　What　about　the　demographic　aspect　of　the　move？〃
Toland　blinked。　There　was　a　tendency　in　the　U。S。　Navy　to　assume　that　since　they　made　their　living　by　charging　into　machine…gun　fire；　Marines　were　dumb。　〃Most　of　the　kokolzniki　are　relatively　old　folks。　The　median　age　is　in　the　late　forties；　early　fifties。　So　most　of　the　private　plots　are　managed　by　the　older　people；　while　the　mechanized　work；　like　driving　the　bines　and　trucks…〃
〃Which　pays　a　hell　of　a　lot　better。〃
〃…is　done　by　the　younger　workers。　You're　telling　me　that　this　way　they　can　increase　some　food　production　without　the　younger　men。。。of　military　service　age。〃
〃One　way　to　look　at　it；〃　Lowe　said。　〃Politically　it's　dynamite。　You　can't　take　away　things　people　already　have。　Back　in　the　early　sixties；　a　rumor…wasn't　even　true…got　started　to　the　effect　that　Khrushchev　was　going　to　reduce　or　eliminate　the　private　plots　those　poor　bastards　get。　There　was　hell　to　pay！　I　was　in　the　language　school　at　Monterey　then；　and　I　remember　the　Russian　papers　that　came　through　the　language　school。　They　spent　weeks　denying　the　story。　Those　private　plots　are　the　most　productive　sector　of　their　agricultural　system。　Less　than　two　percent　of　their　arable　land；　it　produces　about　half　of　their　fruit　and　potatoes；　more　than　a　third　of　their　eggs；　vegetables；　and　meat。　Hell；　it's　the　only　part　of　the　damned　agricultural　system　that　works。　The　bigshots　over　there　have　known　for　years　that　by　doing　this　they　could　solve　their　food　shortage　problems；　and　still　they　haven't　done　it　for　political　reasons。　They　couldn't　run　the　risk　of　State　sponsorship　for　a　whole　new　generation　of　kulaks。　Until　now。　But　it　appears　they've　done　it　without　making　a　formal　announcement。　And　it　just　so　happens　that　they're　increasing　their　military　readiness　at　the　same　time。　I　never　believe　in　coincidences；　even　when　I'm　a　dumb　line　officer　running　across　a　beach。〃
Lowe's　uniform　blouse　hung　in　the　er。　Toland　sipped　at　his　coffee　and　surveyed　its　four　rows　of　decorations。　There　were　three　repeat　pips　on　his　Vietnam　service　ribbon。　And　a　Navy　Cross。　Dressed　in　the　olive…green　sweater　affected　by　Marine　officers；　Lowe　was　not　a　big　man；　and　his　Midwest　accent　gave　evidence　of　a　relaxed；　almost　bored　outlook　on　life。　But　his　brown　eyes　said　something　else　entirely。　Colonel　Lowe　was　thinking　along　Toland's　lines　already；　and　he　was　not　the　least　happy　about　it。
〃Chuck；　if　they　are　really　preparing　for　some　action…action　on　a　large　scale；　they　just　can't　mess　with　a　few　colonels。　Something　else　will　start　showing　up。　They'll　have　to　do　some　work　at　the　bottom；　too。〃
〃Yeah；　that's　the　next　thing　we　have　to　look　for。　I　sent　a　request　into　DIA　yesterday。　From　now　on；　when　Red　Star　es　out；　the　attach？　in　Moscow　will　send　a　photo…facsimile　to　us　via　satellite。　If　they　start　doing　that；　it'll　sure　as　hell　turn　up　in　Kraznaya　Zvesda。　Bob；　I　think　you've　opened　a　very　interesting　can　of　worms；　and　you're　not　going　to　be　alone　examining　it。〃
Toland　finished　his　coffee。　The　Soviets　had　taken　an　entire　class　of　fleet　ballistic　missile　submarines　out　of　service。　They　were　conducting　arms　talks　in　Vienna。　They　were　buying　grain　from　America　and　Canada　under　surprisingly　favorable　terms；　even　allowing　American　hulls　to　handle　20　percent　of　the　cargo。　How　did　this　jibe　with　the　signs　he　had　seen？　Logically　it　didn't；　except　in　one　specific　case…and　that　wasn't　possible。　Was　it？

SHPOLA；　THE　UKRAINE
The　crashing　sound　of　the　125mm　tank　gun　was　enough　to　strip　the　hair　off　your　head；　Alekseyev　thought；　but　after　five　hours　of　running　this　exercise；　it　came　through　his　ear　protectors　as　a　dull　ringing　sound。　This　morning　the　ground　had　been　covered　with　grass　and　dotted　with　new　saplings；　but　now　it　was　a　uniform　wasteland　of　mud；　marked　only　with　the　tread　marks　of　T…80　main　battle　tanks　and　BMP　armored　infantry　fighting　vehicles。　Three　times　the　regiment　had　run　this　exercise；　simulating　a　frontal　assault　of　tanks　and　mounted　infantry　against　an　enemy　of　equal　strength。　Ninety　mobile　guns　had　supplied　fire　support；　along　with　a　battery　of　rocket　launchers。　Three　times。
Alekseyev　turned；　removing　his　helmet　and　earmuffs　to　look　at　the　regimental　mander。　〃A　Guards　regiment；　eh；　rade　Colonel？　Elite　soldiers　of　the　Red　Army？　These　tit…sucking　children　couldn't　guard　a　Turkish　whorehouse；　much　less　do　anything　worthwhile　inside　of　it！　And　what　have　you　been　doing　for　the　past　four　years　manding　this　rolling　circus；　rade　Colonel？　You　have　learned　to　kill　your　whole　mand　three　times！　Your　artillery　observers　are　not　located　properly。　Your　tanks　and　infantry　carriers　still　can't　coordinate　their　movements；　and　your　tank　gunners　can't　find　targets　three　meters　high！　If　that　had　been　a　NATO　force　holding　that　ridge；　you　and　your　mand　would　be　dead！〃　Alekseyev　examined　the　colonel's　face。　His　demeanor　was　changing　from　red…fear　to　white…anger。　Good。　〃The　loss　of　these　people　is　no　great　penalty　for　the　State；　but　that　is　valuable　equipment；　burning　valuable　fuel；　shooting　valuable　ordnance；　and　taking　up　my　valuable　time！　rade　Colonel；　I　must　leave　you　now。　First　I　will　throw　up。　Then　I　will　fly　to　my　mand　post。　I　will　be　back。　When　I　e　back；　we　will　run　this　exercise　again。　Your　men　will　perform　properly；　rade　Colonel；　or　you　will　spend　the　rest　of　your　miserable　life　counting　trees！〃
Alekseyev　stomped　off；　not　even　acknowledging　the　colonel's　salute。　His　adjutant；　a　full　colonel　of　tank　troops；　held　open　the　door　and　got　in　behind　his　boss。
〃Shaping　up　rather　well；　eh？〃　Alekseyev　asked。
〃Not　well　enough；　but　there　has　been　progress；〃　the　colonel　allowed。　〃They　have　only　another　six　weeks　before　they　have　to　start　moving　west。〃
It　was　the　wrong　thing　to　say。　Alekseyev　had　spent　two　weeks　chivvying　this　division　toward　bat　readiness；　only　to　learn　the　day　before　that　it　had　been　allocated　to　Germany　instead　of　toward　his　own　as…yet　inplete　plan　to　descend　into　Iraq　and　Iran。　Already　four　divisions…all　of　his　elite　Guards　tank　units…had　been　taken　away；　and　each　change　in　CINC…Southwest's　order　of　battle　forced　him　to　restructure　his　own　plan　for　the　Gulf　An　endless　circle。　He　was　being　forced　to　select　less…ready　units；　forcing　Alekseyev　to　devote　more　time　to　unit　training　and　less　time　to　the　plan　that　had　to　be　pleted　in　another　two　weeks。
〃Those　men　are　going　to　have　a　very　busy　six　weeks。　What　about　the　mander？〃　the　colonel　asked。
Alekseyev　shrugged。　〃He's　been　in　this　job　too　long。　Forty…five　is　too　old　for　this　kind　of　mand；　and　he　reads　his　fucking　parade　manuals　too　much　instead　of　going　out　in　the　field。　But　a　good　man。　Too　good　to　be　sent　counting　trees。〃　Alekseyev　chuckled　heavily。　It　was　a　Russian　saying　that　dated　back　to　the　czars。　People　exiled　to　Siberia　were　said　to　have　nothing　to　do　but　count　trees。　Another　of　the　things　Lenin　had　changed。　Now　people　in　the　Gulag　had　plenty　to　do。　〃The　last　two　times　they　did　well　enough　to　succeed；　I　think。　This　regiment　will　be　ready；　along　with　the　whole　division。〃

USS　PHARRIS
〃Bridge；　sonar：　we　have　a　contact　bearing　zero…nine…four！〃　announced　a　voice　on　the　bulkhead…mounted　speaker。　mander　Morris　turned　in　his　elevated　swivel　chai