tc.redstormrising-第25章

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tly　thought　so。
〃rade　Captain；　these　are　things　to　be　forgotten。　We　have　enough　to　occupy　us　already。　You　will　work　down　the　hall　in　room　twenty…two。　There　is　work　waiting　for　you。　Dismissed。〃

BONN；　FEDERAL　REPUBLIC　OF　GERMANY
〃It's　all　a　sham；〃　Weber　reported　to　the　Chancellor　four　hours　later。　The　helicopter　he'd　flown　to　Bonn　hadn't　even　left　the　ground　yet。　〃The　whole　bomb…plot　business　is　all　a　cruel　and　deliberate　sham。〃
〃We　know　that；　Colonel；〃　the　Chancellor　replied　testily。　He'd　been　awake　for　two　days　straight　now；　trying　to　e　to　grips　with　the　sudden　German…Russian　crisis。
〃Herr　Kanzler；　the　man　we　now　have　in　the　hospital　is　Major　Andre　Ilych　Chernyavin。　He　entered　the　country　over　the　Czech　border　two　weeks　ago　with　a　separate　set　of　false　papers。　He　is　an　officer　in　the　Soviet　Spetznaz　forces；　their　elite　Sturmtruppen。　He　was　badly　injured　in　an　auto　accident…the　fool　stepped　right　in　front　of　an　automobile　without　looking…and　was　carrying　a　plete　diagram　for　the　NATO　munications　base　at　Lammersdorf。　The　station's　security　posts　were　just　relocated　a　month　ago。　This　document　is　only　two　weeks　old。　He　also　has　the　watch　schedule　and　a　roster　of　watch　officers…and　that　is　only　three　days　old！　He　and　a　team　of　ten　men　came　over　the　Czech　border；　and　only　just　got　their　operational　orders。　His　current　orders　are　to　attack　the　base　exactly　at　midnight；　the　day　after　receipt　of　his　alert　signal。　There　is　also　a　cancellation　signal　should　plans　change。　We　have　them　both。〃
〃He　came　into　Germany　long　before…〃　The　Chancellor　was　surprised　in　spite　of　himself。　The　entire　affair　was　so　unreal。
〃Exactly。　It　all　fits；　Herr　Kanzler。　For　whatever　reason；　Ivan　is　ing　to　attack　Germany。　Everything　to　this　point　was　a　sham；　all　designed　to　put　us　to　sleep。　Here　is　a　full　transcript　of　our　interview　with　Chernyavin。　He　has　knowledge　of　four　other　Spetznaz　operations；　all　of　them　consistent　with　a　full…scale　assault　across　our　borders。　He　is　now　at　our　military　hospital　in　Koblenz　under　heavy　guard。　We　also　have　a　videotape　of　his　admission。〃
〃What　of　the　chance　that　this　is　all　some　sort　of　Russian　provocation？　Why　weren't　these　documents　brought　over　when　they　crossed　the　border？〃
〃The　reconstruction　of　the　Lammersdorf　installation　meant　that　they　needed　correct　information。　As　you　know；　we've　been　upgrading　the　security　measures　at　our　NATO　munications　stations　since　last　summer；　and　our　Russian　friends　must　have　been　updating　their　assault　plans　as　well。　The　fact　that　they　have　these　documents　at　all…just　days　old；　some　of　them…is　most　frightening。　As　for　how　we　happened　to　get　hold　of　this　man…〃　Weber　explained　the　circumstances　of　the　accident。　〃We　have　every　reason　to　believe　that　it　was　a　genuine　accident；　not　a　provocation。　The　driver；　a　Madame　Anne…Marie　LeCourte；　is　a　fashion　agent　…she　sells　dresses　for　some　Paris　designer　or　other；　not　a　likely　cover　for　a　Soviet　spy。　And　why　do　such　a　thing？　Do　they　expect　us　to　launch　an　attack　into　the　DDR　based　on　this？　First　they　accuse　us　of　bombing　the　Kremlin；　then　try　to　provoke　us？　It's　not　logical。　What　we　have　here　is　a　man　whose　mission　is　to　prepare　the　way　for　a　Soviet　invasion　of　Germany　by　paralyzing　NATO　munication　links　immediately　before　hostilities　mence。〃
〃But　to　do　such　a　thing…even　if　such　an　attack　is　planned。
〃The　Soviets　are　intoxicated　with　'special　operations'　groups；　a　lesson　from　Afghanistan。　These　men　are　highly　trained；　very　dangerous。　And　it's　a　cunning　plan。　The　Jewish　identification；　for　example。　The　bastards　play　on　our　sensitivity　with　the　Jews；　no？　If　he　is　stopped　by　a　police　officer；　he　can　make　a　casual　remark　about　how　Germans　treat　Jews；　and　what　would　a　young　policeman　do；　eh？　Probably　apologize　and　send　him　on　his　way。〃　Weber　smiled　grimly。　That　had　been　a　carefully　thought…out　touch。　He　had　to　admire　it。　〃What　they　could　not　allow　for　was　the　unexpected。　We've　been　lucky。　We　should　now　make　use　of　this　luck。　Herr　Kanzler；　this　data　must　go　to　NATO　high　mand　immediately。　For　the　moment　we　have　their　safe　house　under　observation。　We　may　wish　to　assault　it。　GSG…9　is　ready　for　the　mission；　but　perhaps　it　should　be　a　NATO　operation。〃
〃I　must　meet　with　my　cabinet　first。　Then　I　will　speak　with　the　President　of　the　United　States　on　the　telephone　and　the　other　NATO　chiefs　of　government。〃
〃Forgive　me；　Chancellor；　but　there　is　no　time　for　that。　With　your　permission；　within　the　hour　I　will　give　a　copy　of　the　videotape　to　the　CIA　liaison　officer；　and　also　to　the　British　and　French。　The　Russians　are　going　to　attack　us。　Better　to　alert　the　intelligence　services　first；　which　will　lay　the　groundwork　for　your　talk　with　the　President　and　others。　We　must　move　at　once；　Herr　Kanzler。　This　is　a　life…and…death　situation。〃
The　Chancellor　stared　down　at　his　desk。　〃Agreed；　Colonel。　What　do　you　propose　to　do　with　this　Chernyavin？〃
Weber　had　already　moved　on　that　score。　〃He　died　of　injuries　sustained　in　the　auto　accident。　It　will　appear　on　the　television　news　this　evening；　and　in　the　newspapers。　Of　course　he　will　be　made　available　to　our　allies　for　further　interrogation。　I　am　certain　the　CIA　and　others　will　wish　to　see　him　before　midnight。〃
The　Chancellor　of　the　German　Federal　Republic　stared　out　the　windows　of　his　Bonn　office。　He　remembered　his　armed　service　forty　years　before：　a　frightened　teenager　with　a　helmet　that　nearly　covered　his　eyes。　〃It's　happening　again。〃　How　many　will　die　this　time？
〃Ja。〃　Dear　God；　what　will　it　be　like？

LENINGRAD；　R。S。F。S。R。
The　captain　looked　out　over　the　port　side　of　his　ship　from　the　bridge　wing。　Tugs　pushed　the　last　barge　onto　the　aft　elevator；　then　backed　away。　The　elevator　rose　a　few　meters；　and　the　barge　settled　into　place　on　the　trolleys　already　set　on　the　fore…and…aft　tracks。　JULIUS　FUCIK's　first　officer　supervised　the　loading　process　from　the　winch…control　station　aft；　municating　by　portable　radio　to　other　men　scattered　about　the　afterpart　of　the　ship。　The　elevator　matched　levels　with　that　of　the　third　cargo　deck；　and　the　access　door　opened　to　expose　the　vast　cargo　deck。　Crewmen　strung　cables　onto　the　trolleys　and　bolted　them　rapidly　into　place。
Winches　pulled　the　barge　forward　into　the　third；　lowermost；　cargo　deck　of　the　Seabee…for　Seagoing　Barge　Carner…ship。　As　soon　as　the　trolleys　were　over　their　painted　marks；　the　watertight　door　closed　and　lights　came　on　to　allow　the　crew　to　secure　the　barge　firmly　in　place。　Neatly　done；　the　first　officer　thought。　The　whole　loading　process　had　been　pleted　in　only　eleven　hours；　almost　a　record。　He　supervised　the　process　of　securing　the　after…portion　of　the　ship　for　sea。
〃The　last　barge　will　be　fully　secured　in　thirty　minutes；〃　the　bosun　reported　to　the　first　officer；　who　forwarded　the　information　to　the　bridge。
Captain　Kherov　switched　buttons　on　his　phone　to　talk　to　the　engineering　spaces。　〃You　will　be　ready　to　answer　bells　in　thirty　minutes。〃
〃Very　well。　Thirty　minutes。〃　The　engineer　hung　up。
On　the　bridge；　the　captain　turned　to　his　most　senior　passenger；　a　general　of　paratroops　wearing　the　blue　jacket　of　a　ship's　officer。　〃How　are　your　men？〃
〃Some　are　seasick　already。〃　General　Andreyev　laughed。　They　had　been　brought　aboard　inside　the　sealed　barges…except　for　the　General；　of　course…along　with　tons　of　military　cargo。　〃Thank　you　for　allowing　my　men　to　walk　around　the　lower　decks。〃
〃I　run　a　ship；　not　a　prison。　Just　so　they　don't　tamper　with　anything。〃
〃They've　been　told；〃　Andreyev　assured　him。
〃Good。　We　will　have　plenty　of　work　for　them　to　do　in　a　few　days。〃
〃You　know；　this　is　my　first　trip　aboard　ship。〃
〃Really？　Fear　not；　rade　General。　It　is　much　safer；　and　much　more　fortable；　than　flying　in　an　aircraft…and　then　jumping　out　of　it！〃　The　captain　laughed。　〃He　is　a　big　ship　and　he　rides　very　well　even　with　so　light　a　load。〃
〃Light　load？〃　the　General　asked。　〃This　is　more　than　half　of　my　division's　equipment　you　have　aboard。〃
〃We　can　carry　well　over　thirty…five　thousand　metric　tons　of　cargo。　Your　equipment　is　bulky；　but　not　that　heavy。〃　This　was　a　new　thought　for　the　General；　who　usually　had　to　calculate　in　terms　of　moving　equipment　by　air。
Below；　over　a　thousand　men　of　the　234th　Guards　Air　Assault　Regiment　were　milling　about　under　the　control　of　their　officers　and　NCOs。　Except　for　brief　periods　at　night；　they'd　be　stuck　down　there　until　the　Fucik　cleared　the　English　Channel。　They　tolerated　it　surprisingly　well。　Even　when　crammed　with　barges　and　equipment；　the　cavernous　cargo　spaces　were　far　larger　than　the　military　transport　aircraft　they　were　accustomed　to。　The　ship's　crew　was　rigging　planks　from　one　barge　top　to　another　so　that　there　would　be　more　room　for　them　to　use　for　sleeping；　and　to　get　the　soldiers　off　the　oily　workspaces　that　the　crew　needed　to　patrol。　Soon；　the　regimental　officers　were　to　be　briefed　on　shipboard　systems；　with　special　attention　to　the　firefighting　systems。　A　strict　no…smoking　rule　was　being　enforced；　but　the　professional　seamen　took　no　chances。　The　crewmen　were　surprised　at　the　humble　demeanor　of　the　swaggering　paratroopers。　Even　elite　troops；　they　learned；　could　be　cowed　by　exposure　to　a　new　environment。　It　was　a　pleasant　observation　for　the　merchant　seamen。
Three　tugs　pulled　on　lines　hanging　from　the　ship's　side；　drawing　her　slowly　away　from　her　dock。　Two　others　joined　as　soon　as　she　was　clear；　pushing　the　bow　around　to　face　out　to　sea　from　the　Leningrad　terminal。　The　General　watched　the　ship's　captain　control　the　procedure；　as　he　raced　from　one　bridge　wing　to　another　with　a　junior　officer　in　tow；　often　giving　rudder　orders　as　he　passed。　Captain　Kherov　was　nearly　sixty；　and　more　than　two…thirds　of　his　life　had　been　spent　at　sea。
〃Rudder　amidships！〃　he　called。　〃Ahead　slow。〃
The　helmsman　acplished　both　mands　in　under　a　second；　the　General　saw。　Not　bad；　he　thought；　remembering　the　surly　ments　he'd　heard　from　time　to　time　about　merchant　seamen。　The　captain　rejoined　him。
〃Ah；　that's　the　hardest　part　behind　us。〃
〃But　you　had　help　for　that；〃　the　General　observed。
〃Some　help！　Damned　tugboats　are　run　by　drunks。　They　damage　ships　all　the　time　here。〃　The　captain　walked　over　to　the　chart。　Good：　a　deep　straight　channel　all　the　way　to　the　Baltic。　He　could　relax　a　bit。　The　captain　walked　over　to　his　bridge　chair　and　settled　in。　〃Tea！〃
A　steward　appeared　at　once　with　a　tray　of　cups。
〃There　is　no　liquor　aboard？〃　Andreyev　was　surprised。
〃Not　unless　your　men　brought　it；　rade　General。　I　do　not　tolerate　alcohol　on　my　ship。〃
〃That　is　true　enough。〃　The　first　officer　joined　them。　〃All　secure　aft。　The　special　sea　detail　is　set。　Lookouts　posted。　The　deck　inspection　is　under　way。〃
〃Deck　inspection？〃
〃We　normally　check　at　the　turn　of　every　watch　for　open　hatches；　rade　General；〃　the　first　officer　explained。　〃With　your　men　aboard；　we　will　check　every　hour。〃
〃You　do　not　trust　my　men？〃　The　General　was　mildly　offended。
〃Would　you　trust　one　of　us　aboard　one　of　your　airplanes？〃　the　captain　replied。
〃You　are　right；　of　course。　Please　excuse　me。〃　Andreyev　knew　a　professional　when　he　saw　one。　〃Can　you　spare　a　few　men　to　teach　my　junior　officers　and　sergeants　what　they　need　to　know？〃
The　first　officer　pulled　a　set　of　papers　from　his　pocket。　〃The　classes　begin　in　three　hours。　In　two　weeks；　your　men　will　be　proper　seamen。〃
〃We　are　particularly　worried　about　damage　control；〃　the