tc.redstormrising-第66章

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〃How　we　fixed　for　food；　Sarge？〃
〃I　figure　we　got　maybe　four　days'　worth　of　canned　stuff。　I　went　through　the　house　pretty　good；　sir；〃　Smith　whispered。　〃Got　a　pair　of　fishing　rods　and　some　lures。　If　we　take　our　time；　we　ought　to　be　able　to　feed　ourselves。　Lots　of　good　fishin'　creeks　around　here；　maybe　at　this　place　we're　goin'。　Salmon　and　trout。　Never　could　afford　to　do　it　myself；　but　I　heard　tell　that　the　fishing's　really　something。　You　said　your　daddy's　a　fisherman；　right？〃
〃Lobsterman…close　enough。　You　said　you　couldn't　afford…〃
〃Lieutenant；　they　charge　you　like　two　hundred　bucks　a　day　to　fish　up　here；〃　Smith　explained。　〃Hard　to　afford　on　a　sergeant's　pay；　you　know？　But　if　they　charge　that　much；　there　must　be　a　shitload　of　fish　in　the　water；　right？〃
〃Sounds　reasonable；〃　Edwards　agreed。　〃Time　to　move。　When　we　get　to　that　mountain；　we'll　belly…up　for　a　while　and　get　everybody　rested。〃
〃I'll　drink　to　that；　skipper。　Might　make　us　late　getting
〃Screw　it！　Then　were　late。　The　rules　just　changed　some。　Ivan's　liable　to　be　looking　for　us。　We　take　it　slow　from　now　on。　If　our　friends　on　the　other　end　of　this　radio　don't　like　it；　too　damned　bad。　We'll　get　there　late；　but　we'll　get　there。〃
〃You　got　it；　skipper。　Garcia！　Take　the　point。　Rodgers；　cover　the　back　door。　Five　more　hours；　Marines；　then　we　sleep。〃

USS　PHARRIS
The　spray　stung　his　face；　and　Morris　loved　it。　The　convoy　of　ballasted　ships　was　steaming　into　the　teeth　of　a　forty…knot　gale。　The　sea　was　an　ugly；　foam…whipped　shade　of　green；　droplets　of　seawater　tearing　off　the　whitecaps　to　fly　horizontally　through　the　air。　His　frigate　climbed　up　the　steep　face　of　endless　twenty…foot　swells；　then　crashed　down　again　in　a　succession　that　had　lasted　six　hours。　The　ship's　motion　was　brutal。　Each　time　the　bow　nosed　down　it　was　as　though　the　brakes　had　been　slammed　on　a　car。　Men　held　on　to　stanchions　and　stood　with　their　feet　wide　apart　to　pensate　for　the　continuous　motion。　Those　in　the　open　like　Morris　wore　life　preservers　and　hooded　jackets。　A　number　of　his　young　crewmen　would　be　suffering　from　this；　ordinarily…even　professional　sailormen　wanted　to　avoid　this　sort　of　weather…but　now　mainly　they　slept。　Pharris　was　back　to　normal　Condition…3　steaming；　and　that　allowed　the　men　to　catch　up　on　their　rest。
Weather　like　this　made　bat　nearly　impossible。　Submarines　were　mainly　a　one…sensor　platform。　For　the　most　part；　they　detected　targets　on　sonar　and　the　crashing　sea　noise　tended　to　blanket　the　ship　sounds　submarines　listened　for。　A　really　militant　sub　skipper　could　try　running　at　Periscope　depth　to　operate　his　search　radar；　but　that　meant　running　the　risk　of　broaching　and　momentarily　losing　control　of　his　boat；　not　some　thing　a　nuclear　submarine　officer　looked　kindly　upon。　A　submarine　would　practically　have　to　ram　a　ship　to　detect　it；　and　the　odds　against　that　were　slim。　Nor　did　they　have　to　worry　about　air　attacks　for　the　present。　The　sea's　crenelated　surface　would　surely　confuse　the　seeker　head　of　a　Russian　missile。
For　their　own　part；　their　bow…mounted　sonar　was　useless；　as　it　heaved　up　and　down　in　a　twenty…foot　arc；　sometimes　rising　pletely　clear　of　the　water。　Their　towed…array　sonar　trailed　in　the　placid　waters　a　few　hundred　feet　below　the　surface；　and　so　could　theoretically　function　fairly　well；　but　in　practice；　a　submarine　had　to　be　moving　at　high　speed　to　stand　out　from　the　violent　surface　noise；　and　even　then　engaging　a　target　under　these　conditions　was　no　simple　matter。　His　helicopter　was　grounded。　Taking　off　might　have　been　possible；　but　landing　was　a　flat　impossibility　under　these　conditions。　A　submarine　would　have　to　be　within　ASROC　torpedo　range…five　miles…to　be　in　danger　from　the　frigate；　but　even　that　was　a　slim　possibility。　They　could　always　call　in　a　P…3　Orion…two　were　operating　with　the　convoy　at　present…but　Morris　did　not　envy　their　crews　a　bit；　as　they　buffeted　through　the　clouds　at　under　a　thousand　feet。
For　everyone　a　storm　meant　time　off　from　battle；　for　both　sides　to　rest　up　for　the　next　round。　The　Russians　would　have　it　easier。　Their　long…range　aircraft　would　be　down　for　needed　maintenance；　and　their　submarines；　cruising　four　hundred　feet　down；　could　keep　their　sonar　watches　in　fort。
〃Coffee；　skipper？〃　Chief　Clarke　came　out　of　the　pilothouse；　a　cup　in　his　hand　with　a　saucer　on　top　to　keep　the　saltwater　out。
〃Thanks。〃　Morris　took　the　cup　and　drained　half　of　it。　〃How's　the　crew　doing？〃
〃Too　tired　to　barf；　sir。〃　Clarke　laughed。　〃Sleeping　like　babies。　How　much　longer　this　slop　gonna　last；　Cap'n？〃
〃Twelve　more　hours；　then　it's　supposed　to　clear　off。　High…pressure　system　right　behind　this。〃　The　long…range　weather　report　had　just　e　in　from　Norfolk。　The　storm　track　was　moving　farther　north。　Mostly　clear　weather　for　the　next　two　weeks。　Wonderful。
The　chief　leaned　outboard　to　see　how　the　forward　deck　fittings　were　taking　the　abuse。　Every　third　or　fourth　wave；　Pharris　dug　her　nose　in　hard；　occasionally　taking　green　water　over　the　bow。　This　water　slammed　into　things；　and　the　chief's　job　was　to　get　them　fixed。　Like　most　of　the　1052s　assigned　to　the　stormy　Atlantic；　Pharris　had　been　given　spray　strakes　and　higher　bow　plating　on　her　last　overhaul；　which　reduced　but　did　not　entirely　eliminate　the　problem　known　to　sailors　since　men　first　went　to　sea：　the　ocean　will　try　very　hard　to　kill　you　if　you　lack　the　respect　she　demands。　Clarke's　trained　eye　took　in　a　hundred　details　before　he　turned　back。
〃Looks　like　she's　riding　this　one　out　okay。〃
〃Hell；　I'd　settle　for　this　all　the　way　back；〃　Morris　said　after　finishing　off　his　coffee。　〃After　it's　over；　we'll　have　to　round　up　a　lot　of　merchies；　though。〃
Clarke　nodded　agreement。　Station…keeping　was　not　especially　easy　in　this　kind　of　weather。
〃So　far；　so　good；　Captain。　Nothing　big　has　e　loose　yet。〃
〃How　'bout　the　tail？〃
〃No　sweat；　sir。　I　got　a　man　keeping　an　eye　on　that。　Should　hold　up　nice；　'less　we　have　to　speed　up。〃　Both　men　knew　they　wouldn't　speed　up。　They　were　making　ten　knots；　and　the　frigate　couldn't　run　much　faster　than　that　in　these　seas　no　matter　what　the　cause。　〃Heading　aft；　sir。〃
〃Okay。　Heads　up。〃　Morris　looked　aloft　to　check　that　his　lookouts　were　still　alert。　Probabilities　or　not；　there　was　danger　out　there。　All　kinds。

STORNOWAY；　SCOTLAND
〃Andoya。　They　weren't　heading　for　Bodo　after　all；〃　Toland　said　as　he　pored　over　the　satellite　photographs　of　Norway。
〃How　many　troops　on　the　ground　do　you　think？〃
〃At　least　a　brigade；　Group　Captain。　Maybe　a　short　division。　Lots　of　tracked　vehicles　here；　lots　of　SAMs；　too。　They're　already　basing　fighters　at　the　airfield。　Be　bombers　next…maybe　there　by　now。　These　shots　are　three　hours　old。〃　The　Russian　naval　force　was　already　headed　back　to　the　Kola　Fjord。　They　could　reinforce　by　air　now。　He　wondered　what　had　happened　to　the　regiment　of　Norwegians　supposed　to　be　based　there。
〃Their　Blinder　light　bombers　can　reach　us　from　there。　Bastards　can　dash　in　and　out　at　high…mach　numbers；　be　bloody　difficult　to　intercept。〃　The　Soviets　had　launched　a　systematic　attack　on　the　RAF　radar　stations　arrayed　on　the　Scottish　coast。　Some　attacks　were　by　air…to…surface　missiles；　others　by　submarine…launched　cruise　missiles。　One　had　even　been　by　fighter…bombers　with　massive　jamming　support…but　that　one　had　been　costly。　RAF　Tornados　bad　killed　half　of　the　raiders；　mainly　on　the　return　leg。　Twin…engine　Blinder　bombers　could　deliver　their　heavy　bombloads　after　running　in　low　and　fast。　Probably　why　Ivan　wanted　Andoya；　Toland　thought。　Perfectly　located　for　them。　Easy　to　support　from　their　own　northern　bases；　and　just　a　little　too　far　for　fighter…bombers　in　Scotland　to　counterattack　without　heavy　tanker　support。
〃We　can　get　there；〃　the　American　said；　〃but　it　means　getting　half　our　attack　birds　loaded　up　with　buddy　stores。〃
〃No　chance。　They'll　never　release　them　from　the　reserve　force。〃　The　group　captain　shook　his　head。
〃Then　we　have　to　start　running　a　heavy　patrol　over　the　Faroes；　and　that　keeps　us　from　bothering　Iceland　too　much。〃　Toland　looked　around　the　table。　〃Don't　you　just　love　it　when　a　plan　es　together？　How　do　we　take　the　initiative　away　from　these　bastards？　We're　playing　their　game。　We're　reacting　to　their　actions；　not　doing　what　we　want　to　do。　That's　how　you　lose；　people。　Ivan's　got　his　Backfires　standing　down　because　of　this　front　moving　across　the　central　Atlantic。　They'll　be　flying　again　tomorrow　after　a　good　day's　rest；　gunning　for　our　convoys。　If　we　can't　hit　Andoya；　and　we　can't　do　much　about　Iceland；　what　the　hell　are　we　going　to　do；　just　sit　here　and　worry　about　defending　Scotland？〃
〃If　we　allow　Ivan　to　establish　air　superiority　over　us…〃
〃If　Ivan　can　kill　the　convoys；　Group　Captain；　we　lose　the　fucking　war！〃　Toland　pointed　out。
〃True。　You're　quite　correct；　Bob。　The　problem　is；　how　do　we　hit　the　Backfires？　They　appear　to　be　flying　directly　down　over　Iceland。　Fine；　we　have　a　known　area　of　transit；　but　it's　protected　by　MiGs；　laddy。　We'd　end　up　sending　fighters　to　battle　fighters。〃
〃So　we　try　something　indirect。　We　gun　for　the　tankers　they're　using。〃
The　fighter　pilots　present；　two　squadron　operations　officers　had　silently　been　watching　the　intelligence　types　talk。
〃How　the　hell　are　we　going　to　find　their　tankers？〃　one　asked　now。
〃You　think　they　can　refuel　thirty　or　more　bombers　without　some　radio　chatter？〃　Toland　asked。　〃I've　listened　in　on　Russian　tanker　ops　by　satellite；　and　I　know　there's　chatter。　Let's　say　we　can　get　a　snooper　up　there；　and　he　finds　out　where　they're　tanking。　Why　not　then　put　some　Toms　astride　their　flightpath　home？〃
〃Hit　them　after　they　tank　the　strike　 the　fighter　jock　mused。
〃It　won't　do　diddly　for　the　strike　today；　say；　but　it'll　hurt　the　bastards　tomorrow。　If　we　succeed　even　once；　then　Ivan　has　to　change　his　operational　pattern；　maybe　send　fighters　out　with　them。　If　nothing　else；　we'll　have　them　reacting　to　us　for　a　change。〃
〃And　perhaps　take　the　heat　off　us；〃　the　group　captain　went　on。　〃Right；　let's　look　at　this。〃

ICELAND
The　map　didn't　begin　to　show　how　hard　it　would　be。　The　Skula　River　had　carved　a　series　of　gorges　over　the　centuries。　The　river　was　high；　and　the　falls　generated　a　cloud　of　spray　from　which　a　rainbow　arched　in　the　morning　sun。　It　made　Edwards　angry。　He'd　always　liked　rainbows　before；　but　this　one　meant　the　rocks　they　had　to　climb　down　were　slick　and　wet。　He　figured　it　to　be　two　hundred　feet　down　to　a　floor　of　granite　boulders。　It　looked　a　lot　farther　than　that。
〃You　ever　do　any　rock　climbin'；　Lieutenant？〃　Smith　asked。
〃Nope；　nothing　like　this。　You？〃
〃Yeah；　'cept　we　mostly　practice　goin'　up。　This　here　oughta　be　easier。　Don't　worry　too　much　about　slipping。　These　boots　hold　pretty　good。　Just　make　sure　you　set　your　feet　on　something　solid；　okay？　And　you　take　it　nice　and　slow。　Let　Garcia　lead　off。　I　already　like　this　place；　skipper。　See　that　pool　below　the　falls？　There's　fish　in　there；　and　I　don't　think　anybody'll　ever　spot　us　down　this　hole。
〃Okay；　you　watch　the　lady。〃
〃Right。　Garcia；　lead　off。　Rodgers；　cover　the　rear。〃　Smith　slung　his　rifle　across　his　back　as　he　walked　to　Vigdis。
〃Ma'am；　you　think　you　can　handle　this？〃　Smith　held　out　his　hand。
〃I　have　been　here　before。〃　She　almost　smiled　until　she　remembered　who　had　brought　her　here；　and　how　many　times。　She　didn't　take　his　hand。
〃That's　good；　Miss　Vigdis。　Maybe　you　can　teach　us　a　thing　o