tc.redstormrising-第88章

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〃Good。　If　they　want　to　fight　us　on　our　turf；　in　our　radar　cover；　fine。〃

ALFELD；　FEDERAL　REPUBLIC　OF　GERMANY
Alekseyev　left　his　helicopter　on　the　outskirts　of　the　town　and　climbed　into　yet　another　BMP　infantry　carrier。　Two　ribbon　bridges　were　operating。　Fragments　of　at　least　five　others　littered　the　riverbanks；　along　with　countless　burned…out　tanks　and　trucks。　The　mander　of　20th　Tanks　rode　with　them。
〃NATO　air　attacks　are　murderous；〃　General　Beregovoy　said。　〃I've　never　seen　anything　like　it。　Even　with　our　SAMs　they　close　in。　We　get　our　share；　but　it's　not　enough；　and　things　only　get　worse　as　we　approach　the　front。〃
〃What　progress　have　you　made　today？〃
〃The　main　opposition　at　the　moment　is　English。　At　least　a　brigade　of　tanks。　We've　pushed　them　back　two　kilometers　since　dawn。〃
〃There's　supposed　to　be　a　Belgian　force　out　there　also；〃　Sergetov　pointed　out。
〃They've　disappeared。　We　don't　know　where　they　are…and；　yes；　that　worries　me　also。　I've　placed　one　of　the　new　divisions　on　our　left　flank　to　guard　against　counterattack。　The　other　will　join　20th　Tanks　when　we　resume　the　attack　this　afternoon。〃
〃Strength？〃　Alekseyev　asked。
〃The　Twentieth　is　down　to　ninety　working　tanks。　Maybe　less；〃　the　General　said。　〃That　number　is　four　hours　old。　Our　infantry　has　done　better；　but　the　division　is　now　under　fifty…percent　nominal　strength。〃
Their　vehicle　angled　down　onto　the　floating　ribbon　bridge。　Each　boxlike　segment　was　bolted　to　two　others；　and　the　vehicle　bobbed　up　and　down　like　a　small　boat　in　the　surf　as　they　drove　across　the　Leine。　All　three　officers　controlled　their　feelings；　but　none　liked　being　locked　inside　a　steel　box　over　the　water。　The　BMP　infantry　assault　vehicle　was　technically　amphibious；　but　many　had　sunk　without　warning　and　it　was　rare　for　anyone　to　escape　when　that　happened。　They　could　hear　distant　artillery　fire。　Air　attacks　at　Alfeld　happened　without　warning。　It　took　just　over　a　minute　to　plete　the　crossing。
〃In　case　you're　curious；　that　bridge　we　just　crossed　holds　the　record　for　the　longest　survival。〃　He　checked　his　watch。　〃Seven　hours。〃
〃What　of　that　major　you　requested　the　gold　star　for？〃　Alekseyev　asked。
〃He　was　wounded　in　an　air　attack。　He'll　live。〃
〃Give　him　this。　Perhaps　it　will　speed　his　recovery。〃　Alekseyev　reached　into　a　pocket　and　came　out　with　a　five…pointed　gold　star　attached　to　a　bloodred　ribbon。　He　handed　it　to　the　General。　That　major　of　engineers　was　now　a　Hero　of　the　Soviet　Union。

USS　CHICAGO
All　the　boats　slowed　on　reaching　the　icepack。　McCafferty　inspected　it　through　his　periscope；　a　thin　white　line　less　than　two　miles　away。　There　was　nothing　else　visible。　Few　ships　lingered　so　near　the　ice；　and　no　aircraft　were　visible。
Sonar　reported　a　gratifying　amount　of　noise。　The　serrated　fringe　of　the　pack　was　posed　of　thousands　of　individual　floes；　slabs　of　ice　a　few　feet　thick；　ranging　in　size　from　a　few　square　feet　to　several　acres。　Every　year　they　came　loose　with　the　spring　thaw　and　drifted　at　random　until　the　freeze　began　again。　While　loose　in　the　brief　arctic　summer；　they　drifted　at　random；　grinding　against　one　another　in　a　process　that　destroyed　some　of　the　smaller　floes；　which　added　to　the　never…ending　groans　and　pops　of　the　solid　ice　that　went　across　the　top　of　the　pole　all　the　way　to　the　North　Slope　of　Alaska。
〃What's　that？〃　McCafferty　adjusted　the　scope　slightly；　turning　the　handle　to　the　twelve…power　setting。　He'd　glimpsed　what　might　have　been　a　periscope　for　the　merest　instant。　It　was　gone　now　and…reappeared：　the　swordlike　dorsal　fin　of　a　male　killer　whale。　A　puff　of　spray　marked　its　breath；　condensing　to　vapor　in　the　polar　air；　then　a　few　more　whales　appeared。　What　was　it　they　called　a　family　of　orcas？　A　school…no；　a　pod。　Up　here　hunting　seals；　probably。　He　wondered　if　the　omen　was　good　or　bad。　Orcinus　orca　was　the　scientific　name：　Bringer　of　Death。
〃Sonar；　do　you　have　anything　at　one…three…nine？〃
〃Conn；　we　have　eleven　killer　whales　on　that　bearing。　I　make　it　three　males；　six　females；　and　two　adolescents。　Pretty　close　in；　I　think。　Bearing　is　changing　slowly。〃　The　sonar　chief　responded　as　if　insulted。　There　were　standing　orders　not　to　report　〃biologicals〃　unless　specifically　ordered　otherwise。
〃Very　well。〃　McCafferty　had　to　grin　in　spite　of　himself。
The　other　submarines　of　Operation　Doolittle　were　strung　out　on　a　line　more　than　ten　miles　across。　One　by　one　they　went　deep　and　headed　under　the　pack。　An　hour　later　the　freight　train　headed　east；　five　miles　inside　the　nominal　edge　of　the　pack。　Twelve　thousand　feet　below　them　was　the　floor　of　the　Barents　Abyssal　Plain。

ICELAND
〃Haven't　seen　a　chopper　all　day；〃　Sergeant　Smith　observed。
Conversation；　Edwards　noted；　made　a　nice　distraction　from　the　fact　that　they　were　eating　raw　fish。　He　checked　his　watch。　It　was　time　to　call　in　again。　It　had　gotten　so　that　he　could　assemble　the　radio　antenna　in　his　sleep。
〃Doghouse；　this　is　Beagle；　and　things　could　be　a　lot　better；　over。〃
〃Beagle；　we　read　you。　Where　are　you　now？〃
〃About　forty…six　kilometers　from　our　objective；〃　Edwards　replied。　He　gave　them　map　coordinates。　There　was　one　road　yet　to　cross；　and　only　one　more　row　of　hills；　according　to　the　map。　〃Nothing　much　to　report　except　we　have　not　seen　any　choppers　today。　In　fact　we　haven't　seen　any　aircraft　at　all。〃　Edwards　looked　up。　The　sky　was　pretty　clear；　too。　Usually　they　spotted　fighters　once　or　twice　a　day　as　they　patrolled　overhead。
〃Roger　that；　Beagle。　Be　advised　that　the　Navy　sent　some　fighters　over　and　beat　them　up　pretty　good　around　dawn。〃
〃All　right！　We　haven't　seen　any　Russians　since　the　chopper　looked　us　over。〃　In　Scotland　his　controller　shuddered　at　that。　Edwards　went　on；　〃We're　down　to　eating　fish　we　catch；　but　the　fishing's　pretty　good。〃
〃How's　your　lady　friend？〃
Mike　had　to　smile　at　that　one。　〃She's　not　holding　us　back；　if　that's　what　you　mean。　Anything　else？〃
〃Negative。〃
〃Okay；　we'll　be　back　if　we　see　anything。　Out。〃　Edwards　flipped　the　power　switch　on　the　radio　pack。　〃Our　friends　say　the　Navy　chewed　up　some　Russian　fighters　today。〃
〃Bout　time；〃　Smith　said。　He　was　down　to　his　last　five　cigarettes　and　stared　at　one　now；　deciding　whether　or　not　to　reduce　his　supply　to　four。　As　Edwards　watched；　he　opened　his　lighter　to　poison　himself　again。
〃We　go　to　Hvammsfjordur？〃　Vigdis　asked。　〃Why？〃
〃Somebody　wants　to　know　what's　there；〃　Edwards　said。　He　unfolded　the　tactical　map。　It　showed　the　entrance　to　the　bay　to　be　crammed　with　rocks。　It　took　him　a　moment　to　realize　that　while　the　land　elevations　were　in　meters；　the　depth　curves　on　the　map　were　in　fathoms　。　。　。

KEFLAVIK
〃How　many？〃
The　fighter　regiment　mander　was　lowered　gently　from　the　helicopter；　his　arm　tied　across　his　chest。　Ejecting　from　his　disintegrating　aircraft；　the　colonel　had　dislocated　his　shoulder；　and　then　his　parachute　had　landed　him　on　a　mountainside；　giving　him　a　sprained　ankle　plus　several　facial　cuts。　It　had　taken　eleven　hours　to　find　him。　On　the　whole；　the　colonel　considered　himself　lucky　for　a　fool　who　had　allowed　his　mand　to　be　ambushed　by　a　superior　force。
〃Five　aircraft　are　mission　capable；〃　he　was　told。　〃Of　the　damaged　ones；　we　can　repair　two。〃
The　colonel　swore；　angered　in　spite　of　the　morphine　that　coursed　through　his　veins。　〃My　men？〃
〃We've　found　six；　including　you。　Two　are　uninjured　and　can　still　fly。　The　rest　are　in　the　hospital。〃
Another　helicopter　landed　close　by。　The　paratroop　general　got　out　and　came　over。
〃Good　to　see　you　alive。〃
〃Thank　you；　rade　General。　You　are　continuing　the　search？〃
〃Yes。　I　have　detailed　two　helicopters　to　the　task。　What　happened？〃
〃The　Americans　staged　a　raid　with　heavy　bombers。　We　never　saw　them；　but　we　could　tell　from　the　jamming。　They　had　fighters　mixed　in　with　them。　The　bombers　fled　when　we　approached。〃　The　Air　Force　colonel　tried　to　put　the　best　face　on　it；　and　the　General　did　not　press　him。　This　was　an　exposed　post；　and　such　things　were　expected。　The　MiGs　could　hardly　have　ignored　the　American　raid。　There　was　no　point　in　punishing　this　man。
The　General　had　already　radioed　for　more　fighters；　though　he　didn't　expect　any。　The　plan　said　they　would　not　be　necessary；　but　the　plan　had　also　said　his　division　had　to　hold　the　island　unsupported　for　only　two　weeks。　By　that　time　Germany　was　supposed　to　be　fully　defeated；　and　the　land　war　in　Europe　mainly　over。　He　received　reports　from　the　front　that　were　mere　embellishments　of　the　news　on　Radio　Moscow。　The　Red　Army　was　driving　on　the　Rhein…and　they'd　been　driving　on　the　Rhein　since　the　first　day　of　the　damned　war！　The　names　of　the　cities　under　daily　attack　were　strangely　left　out。　His　intelligence　chief　was　risking　his　life　by　listening　in　on　Western　radio　broadcasts…the　KGB　regarded　it　as　a　disloyal　act…in　order　to　get　an　idea　of　how　the　fighting　was　going。　If　Western　reports　were　true…he　didn't　really　believe　them　either…the　campaign　in　Germany　was　a　bloody　mess。　Until　that　was　over；　he　was　vulnerable。
Would　NATO　try　to　invade？　His　operations　officer　said　it　was　impossible　unless　the　Americans　were　able　to　destroy　the　long…range　bombers　flying　out　of　Kirovsk　first；　and　the　whole　point　of　seizing　Iceland　had　been　to　prevent　the　American　carriers　from　moving　to　a　position　from　which　they　could　do　just　that。　On　paper；　then；　the　General　expected　only　increased　air　attacks；　and　he　had　surface…to…air　missiles　to　defend　against　those。　But　he　hadn't　bee　a　divisional　mander　by　merely　shuffling　papers。

NORTH　ATLANTIC
〃What　the　hell　happened？〃　The　captain　looked　up　to　see　a　tube　stuck　in　his　arm。　The　last　thing　he　remembered　was　being　on　the　bridge　halfway　through　the　afternoon　watch。　Now　the　porthole　on　the　starboard　side　of　his　stateroom　was　covered。　Darkened　ship：　it　was　night　outside。
〃You　passed　out；　Captain；〃　the　chief　hospital　corpsman　said。　〃Don't…〃
The　captain　tried　to　rise。　His　head　made　it　about　eighteen　inches　off　the　pillow　when　his　strength　gave　way。
〃You　have　to　rest。　You　got　internal　bleeding；　skipper。　You　threw　up　blood　last　night。　I　think　it's　a　perforated　ulcer。　You　scared　the　hell　outa　me　last　night。　Why　didn't　you　e　see　me？〃　The　chief　held　up　a　bottle　of　Maalox　tablets。　People　gotta　be　so　damned　smart　about　everything。　〃Your　blood　pressure's　down　twenty　points　and　you　durned　near　went　into　shock　on　me。　This　ain't　no　bellyache　you　got；　Captain。　You　might　have　to　have　surgery。　There's　a　helo　on　the　way　out　now　to　medevac　you　to　the　beach。〃
〃I　can't　leave　the　ship；
〃Doc's　orders；　Captain。　If　you　die　on　me　I　lose　my　perfect　record。　I'm　sorry；　sir；　but　unless　you　get　real　medical　attention　real　quick；　you　could　be　in　real　trouble。　You're　heading　for　the　beach。〃

32　…　New　Names；　New　Faces

NORFOLK；　VIRGINIA
〃Good　morning；　Ed。〃　mander；　Naval　Surface　Forces；　U。S。　Atlantic　Fleet　was　seated　behind　a　desk　covered　with　dispatches　that　seemed　to　be　organized　into　piles。　Morning…half　an　hour　after　midnight。　Morris　hadn't　left　Norfolk　since　arriving　at　dawn　on　the　previous　day。　If　he　went　home；　he'd　have　to　sleep　again　。。。
〃Morning；　sir。　What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　Morris　didn't　want　to　sit　down。
〃You　want　to　go　back　out？〃　NAVSURFLANT　asked　bluntly。
〃Who　with？〃
〃Reuben　James's　skipper　came　down　with　a　bleeding　ulcer。　They　flew　him　in　this　morning。　She　arrives　in　another　hour　with　the　'phibs　from　PACFLT。　I'm　assigning　her　to　convoy　duty。　We　have　a　big　one　assemblin