tc.thebearandthedragon-第184部分

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enied　them　a　trip　back　to　their　base。　So；　they'd　been　willing　to　trade　over　thirty　fighters　for　a　single　E…3B。　But　there　was　more　to　the　mission　than　that；　the　captain　saw。
　〃Look　here；〃　he　told　his　colonel。　〃Three；　no；　four　reconnaissance　birds　went　northwest。〃　He　ran　the　tape　forward　and　backward。　〃We　didn't　touch　any　of　them。　Hell；　they　didn't　even　see　them。〃
　〃Well；　I'm　not　going　to　fault　the　Sentry　crew　for　that；　Captain。〃
　〃Not　saying　that；　sir。　But　John　Chinaman　just　got　some　pictures　of　Chita；　and　also　of　these　Russian　units　moving　north。　The　cat's　out　of　the　bag；　Colonel。〃
　〃We've　got　to　start　thinking　about　some　counter…air　missions　on　these　airfields。〃
　〃We　have　bombs　to　do　it？〃
　〃Not　sure；　but　I'm　taking　this　to　General　Wallace。　What's　the　score　on　the　air　fight？〃
　〃Colonel　Winters　got　four　for　sure　and　two　probables。　Damn；　that　guy's　really　cleaning　up。　But　it　was　the　…16　guys　saved　the　AWACS。　These　two　J…8s　got　pretty　damned　close　before　Rodeo　splashed　them。〃
　〃We'll　put　some　more　coverage　on　the　E…3s　from　now　on；〃　the　colonel　observed。
　〃Not　a　bad　idea；　sir。〃
　
　〃Yes？〃　General　Peng　said；　when　his　intelligence　officer　came　up　to　him。
　〃Aerial　reconnaissance　reports　large　mechanized　formations　one　hundred　fifty　kilometers　west　of　us；　moving　north　and　northeast。〃
　〃Strength？〃　the　general　asked。
　〃Not　sure。　Analysis　of　the　photos　is　not　plete；　but　certainly　regimental　strength；　maybe　more。〃
　〃Where；　exactly？〃
　〃Here；　rade　General。〃　The　intelligence　officer　unfolded　a　map　and　pointed。　〃They　were　spotted　here；　here；　and　from　here　to　here。　The　pilot　said　large　numbers　of　tanks　and　tracked　vehicles。〃
　〃Did　they　shoot　at　him？〃
　〃No；　he　said　there　was　no　fire　at　all。〃
　〃So；　they　are　rushing　to　where　they　are　going　。　。　。　racing　to　get　to　our　flank；　or　to　get　ahead　of　us　。。。　？〃　Peng　considered　this；　looking　down　at　the　map。　〃Yes；　that's　what　I　would　expect。　Any　reports　from　our　front？〃
　〃rade　General；　our　reconnaissance　screen　reports　that　they　have　seen　the　tracks　of　vehicles；　but　no　visual　sightings　of　the　enemy　at　all。　They　have　taken　no　fire；　and　seen　nothing　but　civilians。〃
　
　〃Quickly；〃　Aleksandrov　urged。　How　the　driver　and　his　assistant　had　gotten　the　ZIL…157　to　this　place　was　a　mystery　whose　solution　didn't　interest　the　captain。　That　it　had　gotten　here　was　enough。　His　lead　BRM　at　that　moment　had　been　Sergeant　Grechko's；　and　he'd　filled　up　his　tanks；　and　then　radioed　to　the　rest　of　the　pany；　which　for　the　first　time　broke　visual　contact　with　the　advancing　Chinese　and　raced　north　to　top　off　as　well。　It　was　dangerous　and　against　doctrine　to　leave　the　Chinese　unseen；　but　Aleksandrov　couldn't　guarantee　that　they'd　all　have　a　chance　to　refuel　otherwise。　Then　Sergeant　Buikov　had　a　question。
　〃When　do　they　refuel；　rade　Captain？　We　haven't　seen　them　do　it；　have　we？〃
　That　made　his　captain　stop　and　think。　〃Why；　no；　we　haven't。　Their　tanks　must　be　as　empty　as　ours。〃
　〃They　had　extra　fuel　drums　the　first　day；　remember？　They　dropped　them　off　sometime　yesterday。〃
　〃Yes；　so　maybe　they　have　one　more　day　of　fuel；　maybe　only　half　a　day；　but　then　someone　must　refill　them…but　who　will　that　be；　and　how　。　。　。　？〃　the　officer　wondered。　He　turned　to　look。　The　fuel　came　out　of　the　portable　pump　at　about　forty　liters　or　ten　gallons　per　minute。　Grechko　had　taken　his　BRM　south　to　reestablish　contact　with　the　Chinese。　They　were　still　sitting　still；　between　frog…leap　bounds；　probably　half　an　hour　away　if　they　stuck　with　their　drill；　from　which　they　hadn't　once　deviated。　And　people　had　once　said　that　the　Red　Army　was　inflexible　。。。
　〃There；　that's　it；〃　Aleksandrov's　driver　said。　He　handed　the　hose　back　and　capped　the　tank。
　〃You；〃　the　captain　told　the　driver　of　the　fuel　truck。　〃Go　east。〃
　〃To　where？〃　the　man　asked。　〃There's　nothing　there。〃
　That　stopped　his　thinking　for　a　few　seconds。　There　had　been　a　sawmill　here　once；　and　you　could　see　the　wide　swaths　of　saplings　left　over　from　when　whoever　had　worked　here　had　cut　trees　for　lumber。　It　was　the　closest　thing　to　open　ground　they'd　seen　in　over　a　day。
　〃I　came　from　the　west。　I　can　get　back　there　now；　with　the　truck　lighter；　and　it's　only　six　kilometers　to　the　old　logging　road。〃
　〃Very　well；　but　do　it　quickly；　corporal。　If　they　see　you；　they'll　blast　you。〃
　〃Farewell　then；　rade　Captain。〃　The　corporal　got　back　into　the　truck；　started　up；　and　turned　to　the　north　to　loop　around。
　〃I　hope　someone　gives　him　a　drink　tonight。　He's　earned　it；〃　Buikov　said。　There　was　much　more　to　any　army　than　the　shooters。
　〃Grechko；　where　are　you？〃　Aleksandrov　called　over　his　radio。
　〃Four　kilometers　south　of　you。　They're　still　dismounted；　Captain。　Their　officer　seems　to　be　talking　on　the　radio。〃
　〃Very　well。　You　know　what　to　do　when　they　remount。〃　The　captain　set　the　radio　microphone　down　and　leaned　against　his　track。　This　business　was　getting　very　old。　Buikov　lit　a　smoke　and　stretched。
　〃Why　can't　we　just　kill　a　few　of　them；　rade　Captain？　Would　it　not　be　worth　it　to　get　some　sleep？〃
　〃How　many　times　must　I　tell　you　what　our　fucking　mission　is；　Sergeant！〃　Aleksandrov　nearly　screamed　at　his　sergeant。
　〃Yes；　Captain；〃　Buikov　responded　meekly。
　
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　56
　March　to　Danger
　
　Lieutenant　Colonel　Giusti　started　off　in　his　personal　HMMWV；　the　new　incarnation　of　the　venerable　Jeep。　Using　a　Bradley　would　have　been　more　fortable；　even　more　sensible；　but　overly　dramatic；　he　thought；　and　there　wouldn't　be　any　contact　anytime　soon。　Besides；　the　right　front　seat　in　this　vehicle　was　better　for　his　back　after　the　endless　train　ride。　In　any　case；　he　was　following　a　Russian　UAZ…469；　which　looked　like　a　Russian　interpretation　of　an　American　SUV；　and　whose　driver　knew　the　way。　The　Kiowa　Warrior　helicopter　he'd　seen　at　the　railyard　was　up　and　flying；　scouting　ahead　and　reporting　back　that　there　was　nothing　there　but　mostly　empty　road；　except　for　some　civilian　traffic　being　kept　out　of　the　way　by　Russian　MPs。　Right　behind　Giusti's　mand　vehicle　was　a　Bradley　flying　the　red…and…white　guidon　of　the　First　of　the　Fourth　Cavalry。　The　regiment　had；　for　American　arms；　a　long　and　distinguished　history…its　bat　action　had　begun　on　July　30；　1857；　against　the　Cheyenne　Indians　at　Solomon　River…and　this　campaign　would　add　yet　another　battle　streamer　to　the　regimental　standard　。　。　。　and　Giusti　hoped　he'd　live　long　enough　to　attach　it　himself。　The　land　here　reminded　him　of　Montana；　rolling　foothills　with　pine　trees　in　abundance。　The　views　were　decently　long；　just　what　a　mechanized　trooper　liked；　because　it　meant　you　could　engage　an　enemy　at　long　range。　American　soldiers　especially　preferred　that；　because　they　had　weapons　that　could　reach　farther　than　those　of　most　other　armies。
　〃DARKHORSE　SIX　to　SABRE　SIX；　over；〃　the　radio　crackled。
　〃SABRE　SIX；〃　LTC　Giusti　responded。
　〃SABRE；　I'm　now　at　checkpoint　Denver。　The　way　continues　to　be　clear。　Negative　traffic；　negative　enemy　indications；　over。　Proceeding　east　to　checkpoint　Wichita。〃
　〃Roger　that；　thank　you；　out。〃　Giusti　checked　the　map　to　be　sure　he　knew　exactly　where　the　chopper　was。
　So；　twenty　miles　ahead　there　was　still　nothing　to　be　concerned　about；　at　least　according　to　the　captain　flying　his　lead　helicopter。　Where　would　it　start？　Giusti　wondered。　On　the　whole；　he　would　have　preferred　to　stand　still　and　sit　in　on　the　divisional　mander's　conference；　just　to　find　out　what　the　hell　was　happening；　but　as　cavalry…screen　mander；　it　was　his　job　to　go　out　forward　and　find　the　enemy；　then　report　back　to　IRON　SIX；　the　divisional　mander。　He　really　didn't　have　much　of　a　mission　yet；　aside　from　driving　up　to　the　Russian　fuel　depot；　refueling　his　vehicles　there；　and　setting　up　security；　then　pulling　out　and　continuing　his　advance　as　the　leading　elements　of　the　First　Armored's　heavy　forces　got　there。　It　was　his　job；　in　short；　to　be　the　ham　in　the　sandwich；　as　one　of　his　troop　manders　liked　to　joke。　But　this　ham　could　bite　back。　Under　his　mand　were　three　troops　of　armored　cavalry；　each　with　nine　M1A2　Abrams　main　battle　tanks　and　thirteen　M3A2　Bradley　cavalry　scout　vehicles；　plus　a　FISTV　track　for　forward　observers　to　call　in　artillery　support…somewhere　behind　him；　the　First　Armored's　artillery　would　be　off…loading　soon　from　its　train；　he　hoped。　His　most　valuable　assets　were　D　and　E　troops；　each　with　eight　OH…58D　Kiowa　Warrior　helicopters；　able　both　to　scout　ahead　and　to　shoot　with　Hellfire　and　Stinger　missiles。　In　short；　his　squadron　could　look　after　itself；　within　reasonable　limits。
　As　they　got　closer；　his　troopers　would　bee　more　cautious　and　circumspect；　because　good　as　they　were；　they　were　neither　invincible　nor　immortal。　America　had　fought　against　China　only　once；　in　Korea　nearly　sixty　years　earlier；　and　the　experience　had　been　satisfactory　to　neither　side。　For　America；　the　initial　Chinese　attack　had　been　unexpected　and　massive；　forcing　an　ignominious　retreat　from　the　Yalu　River。　But　for　China；　once　America　had　gotten　its　act　together；　the　experience　had　cost　a　million　lives；　because　firepower　was　always　the　answer　to　raw　numbers；　and　America's　lasting　lesson　from　its　own　Civil　War　was　that　it　was　better　to　expend　things　than　to　expend　people。　The　American　way　of　war　was　not　shared　by　everyone；　and　in　truth　it　was　tailored　to　American　material　prosperity　as　much　as　to　American　reverence　for　human　life；　but　it　was　the　American　way；　and　that　was　the　way　its　warriors　were　schooled。
　
　I　think　it's　about　time　to　roll　them　back　a　little；〃　General　Wallace　observed　over　the　satellite　link　to　Washington。
　〃What　do　you　propose？〃　Mickey　Moore　asked。
　〃For　starters；　I　want　to　send　my　F…16CGs　after　their　radar　sites。　I'm　tired　of　having　them　use　radar　to　direct　their　fighters　against　my　aircraft。　Next；　I　want　to　start　going　after　their　logistical　choke　points。　In　twelve　hours；　the　way　things　are　going；　I'll　have　enough　ordnance　to　start　doing　some　offensive　warfare　here。　And　it's　about　time　for　us　to　start；　General；〃　Wallace　said。
　〃Gus；　I　have　to　clear　that　with　the　President；〃　the　Chairman　told　the　Air　Force　mander　in　Siberia。
　〃Okay；　fine；　but　tell　him　we　damned　near　lost　an　AWACS　yesterday…with　a　crew　of　thirty　or　so…and　I'm　not　in　a　mood　to　write　that　many　letters。　We've　been　lucky　so　far；　and　an　AWACS　is　a　hard　kill。