tc.redstormrising-第98章

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〃A　possibility；　Ivan　Mikhailovich。　There　is　another　one；　as　well。〃　Alekseyev　turned　back　to　the　papers。　〃That　this　is　all　a　sham。〃

NEW　YORK
The　briefing　was　conducted　by　a　captain。　As　he　spoke；　the　escort　manders　and　their　senior　officers　leafed　through　the　briefing　documents　like　high　school　students　at　a　Shakespeare　play。
〃Outlying　sonar　pickets　will　be　positioned　along　the　threat　axis　here。〃　The　captain　moved　his　pointer　across　the　viewgraph。　The　frigates　Reuben　James　and　Battleaxe　were　to　be　almost　thirty　miles　from　the　rest　of　the　formation。　That　put　them　outside　SAM　coverage　from　the　other　ships。　They　had　their　own　surface…to…air　missiles；　but　they　would　be　pletely　on　their　own。　〃We　will　have　SURTASS　support　for　most　of　the　trip。　The　ships　are　repositioning　themselves　now。　We　can　expect　Soviet　submarine　and　air　attacks。
〃To　deal　with　the　air　threat；　the　carriers　Independence　and　America　will　be　supporting　the　convoy。　The　new　Aegis　cruiser　Bunker　Hill；　as　you　may　have　noticed；　will　be　traveling　in　the　convoy。　Also；　the　Air　Force　will　be　taking　out　the　Russian　radar…ocean…reconnaissance　satellite　on　its　next　pass；　about　twelve　hundred　hours　zulu　tomorrow。〃
〃All　right！〃　a　destroyer　captain　observed。
〃Gentlemen；　we　are　delivering　a　total　load　of　over　two　million　tons　of　equipment；　plus　a　plete　armored　division　made　up　of　reserve　and　National　Guard　formations。　Not　counting　the　materiel　reinforcements；　this　is　enough　supplies　to　keep　NATO　in　action　for　three　weeks。　This　one　goes　through。
〃Any　questions？　No？　Then；　good　luck。〃
The　theater　emptied；　the　officers　filing　past　the　armed　guards　onto　the　sunny　street。
〃Jerry？〃　Morris　said　quietly。
〃Yes；　Captain？〃　The　pilot　donned　his　aviator's　sunglasses。
〃About　last　night…〃
〃Captain；　last　night　we　both　had　too　much　to　drink；　and　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　don't　remember　all　that　much。　Maybe　six　months　from　now　we　can　decide　what　happened。　You　sleep　well？〃
〃Almost　twelve　hours。　My　alarm　clock　didn't　go　off。〃
〃Maybe　you　should　get　a　new　one。〃　They　walked　past　the　bar　both　had　visited　the　night　before。　The　captain　and　the　pilot　gave　it　a　look；　then　laughed。
〃Once　more　into　the　breach；　dear　friends！〃　Doug　Perrin　joined　them。
〃Just　don't　give　us　any　of　this　laying　your　ship　alongside　the　enemy　crap；〃　O'Malley　suggested。　〃That　'away　boarders'　shit　is　dangerous。〃
〃Your　job　is　to　keep　the　bastards　away　from　us；　Jerr…O。　Up　to　it？〃
〃He'd　better　be；〃　Morris　observed　lightly。　〃I'd　hate　to　think　he's　all　talk！〃
〃We　got　a　real　nice　bunch　here；〃　the　pilot　observed　angrily。　〃Jeez；　I　fly　up　all　on　my　own；　find　a　damned　submarine；　give　it　to　Doug　here；　and　do　I　get　any　respect？〃
〃That's　the　problem　with　aviators。　You　don't　tell　them　how　great　they　are　every　five　minutes；　they　go　and　get　depressed　on　you；〃　Morris　said　with　a　smile。　He　was　a　different　person　from　the　one　who　had　mumbled　through　dinner　last　night。　〃Anything　you　need　that　we　might　have；　Doug？〃
〃Perhaps　we　might　exchange　some　foodstuffs？〃
〃No　problem。　Send　your　supply　officer　over。　I'm　sure　we　can　negotiate　something。〃　Morris　checked　his　watch。　〃We　don't　sail　for　another　three　hours。　Let's　have　a　sandwich　and　talk　over　a　few　things。　I　got　an　idea　for　spoofing　those　Backfires　that　I　want　to　try　out　on　you　。　。　。〃
Three　hours　later；　a　pair　of　Moran　harbor　tugs　eased　the　frigates　away　from　the　pier。　Reuben　James　moved　slowly；　her　turbine　engines　pushing　her　through　the　polluted　water　at　a　gentle　six　knots。　O'Malley　watched　from　the　right　seat　of　his　helicopter；　on　alert　for　a　possible　Russian　sub　near　the　entrance　to　the　harbor；　though　four　Orion　patrol　aircraft　were　vigorously　sanitizing　the　area。　Probably　the　Victor　they　had　killed　two　days　before　had　been　detailed　to　trail　and　report　on　the　convoy；　first　to　direct　a　Backfire　raid；　then　to　close　and　launch　her　own　attack。　The　trailer　was　dead；　but　that　did　not　mean　that　the　sailing　was　a　secret。　New　York　was　a　city　of　eight　million；　and　surely　one　of　them　was　standing　at　his　window　with　a　pair　of　binoculars；　cataloging　the　ship　types　and　numbers。　He　or　she　would　make　an　innocent　telephone　call；　and　the　data　would　be　in　Moscow　in　a　few　hours。　Other　submarines　would　close　on　their　expected　track。　As　soon　as　they　were　outside　of　shore…based　air　cover；　Soviet　search　aircraft　would　e　looking；　with　missile…armed　Backfires　behind　them。
So　many　ships；　O'Malley　thought。　They　passed　a　series　of　Ro/Ros；　roll…on/roll…off　container　ships　loaded　with　tanks；　fighting　vehicles；　and　the　men　of　a　whole　armored　division。　Others　were　piled　high　with　containers　that　could　be　loaded　right　onto　trucks　for　dispatch　to　the　front；　their　contents　recorded　on　puter　for　rapid　delivery　to　the　proper　destination。　He　thought　about　the　news　reports；　the　taped　scenes　of　land　bat　in　Germany。　That　was　what　this　was　all　about。　The　Navy's　mission：　keep　the　sea…lanes　open　to　deliver　the　tools　those　men　in　Germany　needed。　Get　the　ships　across。
〃How　does　she　ride？〃　Calloway　asked。
〃Not　too　bad；〃　Morris　answered　the　reporter。　〃We　have　fin　stabilizers。　She　doesn't　roll　very　much。　If　you　have　any　problem；　our　corpsman　can　probably　e　up　with　something。　Don't　be　bashful　about　asking。〃
〃I　will　try　to　keep　out　of　your　way。〃
Morris　gave　the　man　from　Reuters　a　friendly　nod。　He'd　arrived　with　only　an　hour's　warning；　but　he　seemed　to　be　a　pro；　or　at　least　experienced　enough　to　have　all　his　gear　packed　in　one　bag。　He　took　the　last　available　bunk　in　officers'　country。
〃Your　admiral　said　that　you're　one　of　his　best　manders。〃
〃I　guess　we'll　find　that　out；〃　Morris　said。

35　…　Time　on　Target

USS　REUBEN　JAMES
The　first　two　days　went　well。　The　escort　force　sailed　first；　blasting　with　their　sonars　at　the　shallow　coastal　water　for　possible　submarines　and　finding　none。　The　merchant　ships　followed；　forming　slowly　into　eight　columns　of　ten　each。　The　twenty…knot　convoy　was　in　a　hurry　to　deliver　its　goods。　Covered　by　a　massive　umbrella　of　land…based　aircraft；　it　pressed　on　through　the　first　forty…eight　hours　with　only　minor　zigzagging　as　it　sailed　past　the　coast　of　New　England　and　Eastern　Canada；　Sable　Island；　and　the　Grand　Banks。　The　easy　part　was　behind　them　now。　As　they　left　coastal　waters　for　the　Atlantic　Ocean　proper；　they　entered　the　unknown　territory。
〃About　filing　my　dispatches　。　。　。　〃　Calloway　said　to　Morris。
〃Twice　a　day　you　can　use　my　satellite　transmitter　as　long　as　it　doesn't　interfere　with　official　traffic。　You　understand　that　your　reports　will　be　run　through　Norfolk　for　sensitive　information？〃
〃Quite　so。　Captain；　you　may　believe　me　when　I　say　that　as　long　as　I'm　here　with　you；　I　will　reveal　nothing　that　would　endanger　your　ship！　I　had　quite　enough　excitement　this　year　in　Moscow。〃
〃What？〃　Morris　turned　and　lowered　his　binoculars。　Calloway　explained　what　his　spring　had　been　like。
〃Patrick　Flynn；　my　opposite　number　from　Associated　Press；　is　aboard　Battleaxe。　Doubtless　drinking　beer；〃　he　concluded。
〃So　you　were　there　when　all　this　boiled　up。　Do　you　know　why　all　this　started？〃
Calloway　shook　his　head。　〃If　I　did；　Captain；　I'd　have　filed　the　story　long　ago。〃
A　messenger　appeared　on　the　bridge　wing　with　a　clipboard。　Morris　took　it；　read　through　three　messages；　and　signed　for　them。
〃Something　dramatic？〃　Calloway　asked　hopefully。
〃Fleet　weather…update　and　something　about　that　Russian　reconnaissance　satellite。　It　es　overhead　in　another　three　hours。　The　Air　Force　is　going　to　try　and　shoot　it　down　before　it　gets　to　us；　though。　Nothing　major。　You're　fortable；　I　presume。　Any　problems？〃
〃None；　Captain。　Nothing　like　a　nice　sea　voyage。〃
〃True　enough。〃　Morris　stuck　his　head　into　the　pilothouse。　〃General　Quarters；　Air　Action。〃
Morris　led　the　reporter　into　the　bat　Information　Center；　explaining　that　the　drill　he　was　about　to　see　was　to　make　sure　his　men　could　do　everything　properly　even　in　the　dark。
〃One　of　those　dispatches　give　you　a　warning？〃
〃No；　but　in　six　hours　we'll　be　outside　of　land…based　fighter　cover。　That　means　Ivan　is　going　to　e　looking　for　us。〃　And　it's　going　to　get　awfully　lonely　out　here　by　ourselves；　Morris　thought。　He　gave　his　men　an　hour's　worth　of　drill。　The　CIC　crew　ran　a　pair　of　puter　simulations。　On　the　second　one　an　enemy　missile　got　through　their　defenses。


LANGLEY　AIR　FORCE　BASE；　VIRGINIA
The　F…15　fighter　rolled　to　a　halt　just　outside　the　shelter　building。　The　crew　chief　set　the　ladder　next　to　the　aircraft；　and　Major　Nakamura　climbed　down；　already　looking　aft　at　her　scorched　airplane。　She　walked　over　to　examine　the　damage。
〃Don't　look　bad；　Major；〃　the　sergeant　assured　her。　A　fragment　from　the　exploding　rocket　motor　had　drilled　a　hole　the　size　of　a　beer　can　right　through　her　left　wing；　missing　a　fuel　tank　by　three　inches。　〃I　can　fix　that　in　a　couple　of　hours。〃
〃You　all　right？〃　the　Lockheed　engineer　asked。
〃It　blew；　fifty　feet　away；　and　it　just　blew　the　hell　up。　You　were　wrong；　by　the　way。　When　they　blow；　it's　pretty　spectacular。　Pieces　all　over　the　damned　place。　I　was　lucky　I　only　caught　one　of　them。〃　It　had　scared　hell　out　of　the　pilot；　but　she'd　then　had　an　hour　to　recover。　Now　she　was　just　mad。
〃Sorry；　Major。　Wish　I　could　say　more　than　that。〃
〃Just　have　to　try　again；〃　Buns　said；　looking　up　at　the　sky　through　the　hole。　〃When's　the　next　window？〃
〃Eleven　hours；　sixteen　minutes。〃
〃That's　it；　then。〃　She　walked　into　the　building；　then　upstairs　to　the　pilots'　lounge。　There　was　carpeting　on　the　walls　of　the　building　for　noise　absorption。　It　also　prevented　serious　injury　to　the　pilots'　fists。

KIROVSK；　R。S。F。S。R。
Unhampered；　the　Radar　Ocean　Reconnaissance　Satellite　continued　its　orbit；　and　on　its　next　pass　over　the　North　Atlantic　found　itself　looking　down　on　a　collection　of　nearly　a　hundred　ships　in　even　columns。　This　must　be　the　convoy　their　intelligence　reports　had　told　them　about；　the　Russian　analysts　decided…and；　they　noted　with　satisfaction；　it　was　out　in　the　open；　right　where　they　could　get　at　it。
Ninety　minutes　later；　two　regiments　of　missile…armed　Backfire　bombers；　preceded　by　Bear…D　search　aircraft；　lifted　off　the　four　airfields　around　Kirovsk；　topped　off　their　fuel　tanks；　and　headed　for　the　radar　gap　over　Iceland。

USS　REUBEN　JAMES
〃So　this　is　the　surprise　you　have　in　store　for　them？〃　Calloway　asked。　He　tapped　some　symbols　on　the　main　tactical…display　scope。
Morris　nodded　thoughtfully。　〃So　far　we've　sent　most　of　the　convoys　across　under　EMCON…that's　emission　control…with　their　radars　blacked　out　to　make　them　hard　to　find。　This　time　we're　doing　something　a　little　different。　This　is　the　display　from　the　SPS…49　radar…〃
〃That　black　monster　atop　the　pilothouse？〃
〃Right。　These　symbols　are　Tomcats　from　the　carrier　America。　This　is　a　KC…135　tanker；　and　this　baby　here　is　an　E…2C　Hawkeye　radar　bird。　The　Hawkeye's　radar　is　shut　down。　When　Ivan　shows　up；　he'll　have　to　close　to　see　what's　here。〃
〃But　he　already　knows；〃　Calloway　objected。
〃No；　he　knows　there's　a　convoy　around　here　somewhere。　That's　not　good　enough　to　launch　missiles。　All　he　knows　for　sure　is　that　there　is　one　operating　SPS…49　radar。　He'll　have　to　light　off　his　own　radar　to　see　what's　on　the　water。　If　Mr。　Bear　does　that；　we　see　him；　and　we'll　have　fighters　on　his　ass　so　fast　he'll　never　know　what　hit　him。〃
〃And　if　the　Backfires　don't　e　today？〃
〃Then　we'll　see　them　some　other　time。　The　Bears　talk　to　submarines；　too；　Mr。　Calloway。