tc.redstormrising-第137章

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e　telephones　giving　orders。　All　was　not　as　it　should　be；　but　the　Party　men　seemed　to　have　things　under　control。　The　other　members；　he　learned；　had　all　been　killed　or　wounded　in　a　vicious　attack　by　the　Kremlin　Guards　themselves！　The　director　of　the　KGB　had　detected　the　plot　barely　in　time　to　summon　loyal　troops；　but　died　heroically　resisting　the　attackers。　None　of　this　made　much　sense　to　the　divisional　zampolit；　but　it　didn't　have　to。　His　orders　made　perfectly　good　sense；　and　he　radioed　instructions　to　the　divisional　mander。
Sergetov　was　surprised　at　how　easy　it　was。　The　number　of　people　who　actually　knew　what　had　happened　was　under　two　hundred。　The　fighting　had　all　taken　place　within　the　Kremlin　walls；　and　while　many　had　heard　the　noise；　the　cover　story　explained　it　well　enough　for　the　moment。　He　had　several　friends　in　the　Central　mittee；　and　they　did　what　they　were　told　in　the　emergency。　By　the　end　of　the　day；　the　reins　of　power　were　shared　among　three　Party　men。　The　other　Politburo　members　were　under　armed　guard　outside　the　city；　with　Major　Sorokin　in　charge　of　their　care。　Without　instructions　from　the　Minister　of　the　Interior；　the　MVD　troops　took　their　orders　from　the　Politburo；　while　the　KGB　wavered　leaderless。　It　was　the　final　irony　of　the　Soviet　system　that；　headless；　it　could　not　save　itself。　The　Politburo's　pervasive　control　of　all　aspects　of　Soviet　life　prevented　people　now　from　asking　the　questions　that　had　to　be　asked　before　any　organized　resistance　could　begin；　and　every　hour　gave　Sergetov　and　his　clique　more　time　to　consolidate　their　rule。　He　had　the　aged　but　distinguished　Pyotr　Bromkovskiy　to　head　the　Party　apparatus　and　act　as　Defense　Minister。　Remembered　in　the　Army　as　a　missar　who　cared　about　the　men　he　served　with；　Petya　was　able　to　anoint　Alekseyev　as　Deputy　Defense　Minister　and　Chief　of　the　General　Staff。　Filip　Moiseyevich　Krylov　retained　Agriculture　and　acquired　Internal　Affairs。　Sergetov　would　be　acting　General　Secretary。　The　three　men　formed　a　troika；　which　would　appeal　to　their　countrymen　until　more　of　their　people　could　be　brought　in。　One　paramount　task　remained。

43…　A　Walk　in　the　Woods

BRUSSELS；　BELGIUM
There　is　no　more　natural　fear　than　of　the　unknown；　and　the　greater　the　unknown；　the　greater　had　to　be　the　fear。　SACEUR　had　four　intelligence　reports　side　by　side　on　his　desk。　The　only　thing　they　agreed　on　was　that　they　did　not　know　what　was　happening；　but　that　it　might　be　bad。
For　that　I　need　an　expert？　SACEUR　thought。
A　snippet　of　information　from　a　ferret　satellite　had　given　him　the　word　that　there　was　some　fighting　in　Moscow；　and　told　him　of　the　movement　of　troops　to　munications　centers；　but　State　television　and　radio　had　kept　to　a　normal　schedule　for　twelve　hours　until　a　news　broadcast　at　five　in　the　morning；　Moscow　time；　had　broken　the　official　word。
An　attempted　coup　d'？tat　by　the　Defense　Minister？　That　would　not　be　good　news；　and　the　fact　that　it　had　been　put　down　was　only　marginally　better。　The　monitoring　stations　had　just　heard　a　brief　speech　by　Pyotr　Bromkovskiy；　known　as　the　last　of　the　Stalinist　hard…liners：　maintain　calm　and　keep　your　faith　in　the　Party。
What　the　hell　did　that　mean？　SACEUR　wondered。
〃I　need　information；〃　he　told　his　intelligence　chief。　〃What　do　we　know　about　the　Russian　mand　structure？〃
〃Alekseyev；　the　new　mander…West；　is　evidently　not　at　his　mand　post。　Good　news　for　us；　since　we　have　our　attack　scheduled　in　ten　hours。〃
SACEUR's　phone　buzzed。　〃I　told　you　no　calls…go　ahead；　Franz　。　。　。　Four　hours？　Potsdam。　No　reply　yet。　I'll　be　back　to　you　in　a　little　while。〃　He　hung　up。　〃We　just　received　an　open　radio　message　that　the　Soviet　Chief　of　Staff　urgently　wishes　to　meet　with　me　in　Potsdam。〃
〃'Urgently　wishes；　Herr　General？〃
〃That's　what　the　message　said。　I　can　e　by　helicopter　and　they'll　provide　a　helicopter　escort　to　a　meeting　place。〃　SACEUR　leaned　back。　〃You　suppose　they　want　to　shoot　me　down　because　I've　done　such　a　great　job？〃　The　Supreme　Allied　mander　Europe　allowed　himself　an　ironic　smile。　
〃We　have　their　troops　massing　northeast　of　Hannover；〃　the　Chief　of　Intelligence　pointed　out。
〃I　know；　Joachim。〃
〃Don't　go；〃　the　intel　Chief　said。　〃Send　a　representative。〃
〃Why　didn't　he　ask　for　that？〃　SACEUR　wondered。　〃That's　the　way　it's　normally　done。〃
〃He's　in　a　hurry；〃　Joachim　said。　〃They　haven't　won。　They　haven't　really　lost　anything　yet；　but　their　advance　has　been　stopped　and　they　still　have　their　fuel　problems。　What　if　a　wholly　new　power　bloc　has　taken　over　in　Moscow？　They　shut　down　the　news　media　while　they　try　to　consolidate　power；　and　they　will　want　to　terminate　hostilities。　They　don't　need　the　distraction。　A　good　time　to　push　hard；〃　he　concluded。
〃When　they're　desperate？〃　SACEUR　asked。　〃They　still　have　plenty　of　nukes。　Any　unusual　patterns　of　Soviet　activity；　anything　that　even　looks　unusual？〃
〃Aside　from　the　newly　arriving　reserve　divisions；　no。〃
What　if　I　can　stop　this　damned　war？
〃I'm　going。〃　SACEUR　lifted　his　phone　and　informed　the　Secretary　General　of　the　North　Atlantic　Council　of　his　decision。
It　was　easy　to　be　nervous　with　a　pair　of　Russian　attack　choppers　flying　in　close　formation。　SACEUR　resisted　the　temptation　to　look　out　the　windows　at　them；　and　concentrated　instead　on　the　intelligence　folders。　He　had　the　official　NATO　intel　dossiers　for　five　senior　Soviet　manders。
He　didn't　know　who　it　might　be　that　he　was　meeting。　His　aide　sat　across　from　the　General。　He　was　looking　out　the　windows。

POTSDAM；　GERMAN　DEMOCRATIC　REPUBLIC
Alekseyev　paced　the　ground；　nervous　to　have　to　be　away　from　Moscow；　where　the　new　Party　bosses…but　Party　bosses　nonetheless；　he　reminded　himself…were　trying　to　pull　things　together。　That　idiot　asked　how　they　could　trust　me！　he　thought。　He　reviewed　the　briefing　information　on　his　NATO　counterpart。　Age　fifty…nine。　Son　and　grandson　of　a　soldier。　Father　a　paratroop　officer　killed　by　the　Germans　west　of　St。　Vith　during　the　Battle　of　the　Bulge。　West　Point；　fifteenth　in　his　class。　Vietnam；　four　tours　of　duty；　last　as　mander　of　the　101st　Airborne；　regarded　by　the　North　Vietnamese　as　an　unusually　dangerous　and　innovative　tactician…he'd　proved　that；　Alekseyev　grunted　to　himself。　University　masters　degree　in　international　relations；　supposed　to　be　gifted　in　languages。　Married；　two　sons　and　a　daughter；　none　of　them　in　uniform…someone　decided　that　three　generations　was　enough；　Alekseyev　thought…four　grandchildren。　Four　grandchildren　。　。　。　when　a　man　has　grandchildren　。　。　。　Enjoys　gambling　with　cards；　only　known　vice。　Moderate　drinker。　No　known　sexual　deviations；　the　report　said。　Alekseyev　smiled　at　that。　We're　both　too　old　for　that　nonsense！　And　who　has　the　time？
The　sound　of　helicopter　rotors　filtered　through　the　trees。　Alekseyev　stood　in　a　small　clearing　next　to　a　mand　vehicle。　The　crew　was　in　the　trees；　along　with　a　platoon　of　riflemen。　It　was　unlikely；　but　NATO　could　seize　this　opportunity　to　attack　and　kill…no；　we're　not　that　crazy　and　neither　are　they；　the　General　told　himself。
It　was　one　of　their　new　Blackhawks。　The　helicopter　flared　and　settled　gracefully　to　the　grassy　meadow；　with　the　pair　of　Mi…24s　circling　overhead。　The　door　didn't　open　at　once。　The　pilot　killed　his　engines；　and　the　rotor　took　two　minutes　to　slow　to　a　plete　stop。　Then　the　door　slid　open　and　the　General　stepped　out　hatless。
Tall　for　a　paratrooper；　Alekseyev　thought。
SACEUR　could　have　brought　the　bone…handled　。45　Colt　that　he'd　been　given　in　Vietnam；　but　he　judged　it　better　to　impress　the　Russian　by　ing　unarmed　in　ordinary　fatigues。　Four　black　stars　adorned　his　collar；　and　the　badges　of　a　master　parachutist　and　bat　infantrymen　were　sewn　on　his　left　breast。　On　the　right　side　was　a　simple　nametag：　ROBINSON。　I　don't　have　to　show　off；　Ivan。　I've　won。

〃Tell　the　men　in　the　woods　to　stand　down　and　withdraw。〃
〃But；　rade　General！〃　It　was　a　new　aide　and　he　didn't　know　his　general　yet。
〃Quickly。　If　I　need　an　interpreter　I　will　wave。〃　Alekseyev　walked　toward　the　NATO　mander。　The　aides　gravitated　together。
Salutes　were　exchanged；　but　neither　wanted　to　offer　a　hand　first。
〃You　are　Alekseyev；〃　General　Robinson　said。　〃I　expected　someone　else。〃
〃Marshal　Bukharin　is　in　retirement…your　Russian　is　excellent；　General　Robinson。〃　
〃Thank　you；　General　Alekseyev。　Some　years　ago　I　got　interested　in　the　plays　of　Chekhov。　You　can　really　understand　a　play　only　in　its　original　language。　Since　then　I　have　read　a　good　deal　of　Russian　literature。〃
Alekseyev　nodded。　〃The　better　to　understand　your　enemy。〃　He　went　on　in　English。　〃Very　sensible　of　you。　Shall　we　take　a　walk？〃
〃How　many　men　do　you　have　in　the　trees？〃
〃A　platoon　of　motor…riflemen。〃　Alekseyev　switched　back　to　his　native　language。　Robinson's　mastery　of　Russian　was　better　than　his　of　English；　and　Pasha　had　made　his　point。　〃How　were　we　to　know　what　would　e　out　of　the　helicopter？〃
〃True；〃　SACEUR　conceded。　Yet　you　were　standing　out　in　the　open…to　show　me　that　you　are　fearless。　〃What　shall　we　talk　about？〃
〃A　termination　of　hostilities；　perhaps。〃
〃I　am　listening。〃
〃You　know　of　course　that　I　had　no　part　in　starting　this　madness。〃
Robinson's　head　turned。　〃What　soldier　ever　does；　General？　We　merely　shed　the　blood　and　get　the　blame。　Your　father　was　a　soldier；　was　he　not？〃
〃A　tanker。　He　was　luckier　than　your　father。〃
〃That's　often　what　it　is；　isn't　it？　Luck。〃
〃We　should　not　tell　our　political　leaders　that。〃　Alekseyev　amost　ventured　a　smile　until　he　saw　that　he'd　given　Robinson　an　opening。
〃Who　are　your　political　leaders？　If　we　are　to　reach　a　workable　agreement；　I　must　be　able　to　tell　mine　who　is　in　charge。〃
〃The　General　Secretary　of　the　munist　Party　of　the　Soviet　Union　is　Mikhail　Eduardovich　Sergetov。〃
Who？　SACEUR　wondered。　He　did　not　remember　the　name。　He'd　refreshed　his　memory　on　all　the　full　Politburo　members；　but　that　name　wasn't　on　the　list。　He　temporized。　〃What　the　hell　happened？〃
Alekseyev　saw　the　puzzlement　on　Robinson's　face；　and　this　time　he　did　venture　a　smile。　You　do　not　know　who　he　is；　do　you；　rade　General？　There　is　an　unknown　for　you　to　ponder。　〃As　you　Americans　are　fond　of　saying；　it　was　time　for　a　change。〃
Who　taught　you　to　play　poker；　son？　SACEUR　wondered。　But　I'm　holding　aces　over　kings。　What　are　you　holding？
〃What　is　your　proposal？〃
〃I　do　not　know　how　to　be　a　diplomat；　only　how　to　be　a　soldier；〃　Alekseyev　said。　〃We　propose　a　cease…fire　in　place；　followed　by　a　phased　withdrawal　to　pre…war　positions　over　a　period　of　two　weeks。〃
〃In　two　weeks　I　can　achieve　that　without　a　cease…fire；〃　Robinson　said　coldly。
〃At　great　cost…and　greater　risk；〃　the　Russian　pointed　out。
〃We　know　that　you　are　short　of　fuel。　Your　entire　national　economy　could　e　apart。〃
〃Yes；　General　Robinson；　and　if　our　army　es　apart；　as　you　say；　we　have　only　one　defense　option　to　safeguard　the　State。〃
〃Your　country　has　launched　a　war　of　aggression　against　the　NATO　alliance。　Do　you　suppose　that　we　can　let　you　return　to　status　quo　ante；　nothing　else？〃　SACEUR　asked　quietly。　He　was　keeping　close　rein　on　his　emotions。　He'd　already　made　one　slip；　and　that　was　two　too　many。　〃And　don't　tell　me　about　the　Kremlin　Bomb　Plot…you　know　sure　as　hell　we　had　no　part　of　that。〃
〃I　have　told　you　that　I　had　no　part　in　this。　I　follow　orders…but　did　you　expect　the　Politburo　to　sit　still　while　our　national　economy　ground　to　a　halt？　What　political　pressure　would　you　have　put