tc.thebearandthedragon-第195部分

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ed　mander。
　Intact　enemy　armored　vehicles　were　rarely　seen　by　the　advancing　First　Brigade。　Where　it　went；　Apache　attack　helicopters　had　gone　before；　looking　for　targets　for　their　Hellfire　missiles；　and　killing　them　before　the　ground　troops　could　get　close。　All　in　all；　it　was　a　perfect　military　operation；　totally　unfair　in　the　balance　of　forces。　It　wasn't　the　least　bit　sporting；　but　a　battlefield　is　not　an　Olympic　stadium；　and　there　were　no　uniformed　officials　to　guard　the　supposed　rules　of　fair　play。
　The　only　exciting　thing　was　the　appearance　of　a　Chinese　army　helicopter；　and　two　Apaches　blazed　after　it　and　destroyed　it　with　air…to…air　missiles；　dropping　it　in　the　Amur　River　close　to　the　floating　bridges；　which　were　now　empty　of　traffic　but　not　yet　destroyed。
　
　〃What　have　you　learned；　Wei？〃　Marshal　Luo　asked；　when　he　emerged　from　the　conference　room　he'd　used　for　his　nap。
　〃The　picture　is　still　unclear　in　some　respects；　rade　Minister；〃　the　general　answered。
　〃Then　tell　me　what　is　clear；〃　Luo　ordered。
　〃Very　well。　At　sea；　we　have　lost　a　number　of　ships。　This　evidently　includes　our　ballistic　missile　submarine　and　its　escorting　hunter　submarine；　cause　unknown；　but　their　emergency　beacons　deployed　and　transmitted　their　programmed　messages　starting　at　about　zero…two…hundred　hours。　Also　lost　are　seven　surface　warships　of　various　types　from　our　South　Sea　Fleet。　Also；　seven　fleet　bases　were　attacked　by　American　aircraft；　believed　to　be　naval　carrier　aircraft；　along　with　a　number　of　surface…to…air　missile　and　radar　sites　on　the　southeastern　coast。　We've　succeeded　in　shooting　down　a　number　of　American　aircraft；　but　in　a　large　fighter　battle；　we　took　serious　losses　to　our　fighter　regiments　in　that　region。〃
　〃Is　the　American　navy　attacking　us？〃　Luo　asked。
　〃It　appears　that　they　are；　yes；〃　General　Wei　answered；　choosing　his　words　with　care。　〃We　estimate　four　of　their　aircraft　carriers；　judging　by　the　number　of　aircraft　involved。　As　I　said；　reports　are　that　we　handled　them　roughly；　but　our　losses　were　severe　as　well。〃
　〃What　are　their　intentions？〃　the　minister　asked。
　〃Unclear。　They've　done　serious　damage　to　a　number　of　bases；　and　I　doubt　we　have　a　single　surface　ship　surviving　at　sea。　Our　navy　personnel　have　not　had　a　good　day；〃　Wei　concluded。　〃But　that　is　not　really　a　matter　of　importance。〃
　〃The　attack　on　the　missile　submarine　is；〃　Luo　replied。　〃That　is　an　attack　on　a　strategic　asset。　That　is　something　we　must　consider。〃　He　paused。　〃Go　on；　what　else？〃
　〃General　Qi　of　Sixty…fifth　Army　is　missing　and　presumed　dead；　along　with　all　of　his　senior　staff。　We've　made　repeated　attempts　to　raise　him　by　radio；　with　no　result。　The　191st　Infantry　Division　was　attacked　last　night　by　heavy　forces　of　unknown　identity。　They　sustained　heavy　losses　due　to　artillery　and　aircraft；　but　two　of　their　regiments　report　that　they　are　holding　their　positions。　The　735th　Guards　Infantry　Regiment　evidently　took　the　brunt　of　the　attack；　and　reports　from　there　are　fragmentary。
　〃The　most　serious　news　is　from　Harbin　and　Bei'an。　Enemy　aircraft　attacked　all　of　the　railroad　bridges　in　both　cities；　and　all　of　them　took　damage。　Rail　traffic　north　has　been　interrupted。　We're　trying　now　to　determine　how　quickly　it　might　be　reestablished。〃
　〃Is　there　any　good　news？〃　Marshal　Luo　asked。
　〃Yes；　rade　Minister。　General　Peng　and　his　forces　are　getting　ready　now　to　resume　their　attack。　We　expect　to　have　the　Russian　gold　field　in　our　control　by　midday；〃　Wei　answered；　inwardly　glad　that　he　didn't　have　to　say　what　had　happened　to　the　logistical　train　behind　Peng　and　his　34th　Shock　Army。　Too　much　bad　news　could　get　the　messenger　killed；　and　he　was　the　messenger。
　〃I　want　to　talk　to　Peng。　Get　him　on　the　phone；〃　Luo　ordered。
　〃Telephone　lines　have　been　interrupted　briefly；　but　we　do　have　radio　contact　with　him；〃　Wei　told　his　superior。
　〃Then　get　me　Peng　on　the　radio；〃　Luo　repeated　his　order。
　
　〃What　is　it；　Wa？〃　Peng　asked。　Couldn't　he　even　take　a　piss　without　interruption？
　〃Radio；　it's　the　Defense　Minister；〃　his　operations　officer　told　him。
　〃Wonderful；〃　the　general　groused；　heading　back　to　his　mand　track　as　he　buttoned　his　fly。　He　ducked　to　get　inside　and　lifted　the　microphone。　〃This　is　General　Peng。〃
　〃This　is　Marshal　Luo。　What　is　your　situation？〃　the　voice　asked　through　the　static。
　〃rade　Marshal；　we　will　be　setting　off　in　ten　minutes。　We　have　still　not　made　contact　with　the　enemy；　and　our　reconnaissance　has　seen　no　sizable　enemy　formations　in　our　area。　Have　you　developed　any　intelligence　we　can　use？〃
　〃Be　advised　we　have　aerial　photography　of　Russian　mechanized　units　to　your　west；　probably　division　strength。　I　would　advise　you　to　keep　your　mechanized　forces　together；　and　guard　your　left　flank。〃
　〃Yes；　rade　Marshal；　I　am　doing　that；〃　Peng　assured　him。　The　real　reason　he　stopped　every　day　was　to　allow　his　divisions　to　close　up；　keeping　his　fist　tight。　Better　yet；　29th　Type　A　Group　Army　was　right　behind　his　if　he　needed　support。　〃I　remend　that　43rd　Army　be　tasked　to　flank　guard。〃
　〃I　will　give　the　order；〃　Luo　promised。　〃How　far　will　you　go　today？〃
　〃rade　Marshal；　I　will　send　a　truckload　of　gold　back　to　you　this　very　evening。　Question：　What　is　this　I've　heard　about　damage　to　our　line　of　supply？〃
　〃There　was　an　attack　last　night　on　some　railroad　bridges　in　Harbin　and　Bei'an；　but　nothing　we　can't　fix。〃
　〃Very　well。　rade　Marshal；　I　must　see　to　my　dispositions。〃
　〃Carry　on；　then。　Out。〃
　Peng　set　the　microphone　back　in　its　holder。　〃Nothing　he　can't　fix；　he　says。〃
　〃You　know　what　those　bridges　are　like。　You'd　need　a　nuclear　weapon　to　hurt　them；〃　Colonel　Wa　Cheng…Gong　observed　confidently。
　〃Yes；　I　would　agree　with　that。〃　Peng　stood；　buttoned　his　tunic；　and　reached　for　a　mug　of　morning　tea。　〃Tell　the　advance　guard　to　prepare　to　move　out。　I'm　going　up　front　this　morning；　Wa。　I　want　to　see　this　gold　mine　for　myself。〃
　〃How　far　up　front？〃　the　operations　officer　asked。
　〃With　the　LEAD　elements。　A　good　officer　leads　from　the　front；　and　I　want　to　see　how　our　people　move。　Our　reconnaissance　screen　hasn't　detected　anything；　has　it？〃
　〃Well；　no；　rade　General；　but…〃
　〃But　what？〃　Peng　demanded。
　〃But　a　prudent　mander　leaves　leading　to　lieutenants　and　captains；〃　Wa　pointed　out。
　〃Wa；　sometimes　you　talk　like　an　old　woman；〃　Peng　chided。
　
　〃There；〃　Yefremov　said。　〃They　took　the　bait。〃　It　was　just　after　midnight　in　Moscow；　and　the　embassy　of　the　People's　Republic　of　China　had　most　of　its　lights　off；　but　not　all；　more　to　the　point；　three　windows　had　their　lights　on；　and　their　shades　fully　open；　and　they　were　all　in　a　row。　It　was　just　as　perfect　as　what　the　Americans　called　a　〃sting〃　operation。　He'd　stood　over　Suvorov's　shoulder　as　he'd　typed　the　message：　I　have　the　pieces　in　place　now。　I　have　the　pieces　in　place　now。　If　you　wish　for　me　to　carry　out　the　operation；　leave　three　windows　in　a　row　with　the　lights　on　and　the　windows　fully　open。　Yefremov　had　even　had　a　television　camera　record　the　event；　down　to　the　point　where　the　traitor　Suvarov　had　tapped　the　ENTER　key　to　send　the　letter　to　his　Chink　controller。　And　he'd　gotten　a　TV　news　crew　to　record　the　event　as　well；　because　the　Russian　people　seemed　to　trust　the　semi…independent　media　more　than　their　government　now；　for　some　reason　or　other。　Good；　now　they　had　proof　positive　that　the　Chinese　government　was　conspiring　to　kill　President　Grushavoy。　That　would　play　well　in　the　international　press。　And　it　wasn't　an　accident。　The　windows　all　belonged　to　the　Chief　of　Mission　in　the　PRC　embassy；　and　he　was；　right　now；　asleep　in　his　bed。　They'd　made　sure　of　that　by　calling　him　on　the　phone　ten　minutes　earlier。
　〃So；　what　do　we　do　now？〃
　〃We　tell　the　president；　and　then；　I　expect；　we　tell　the　TV　news　people。　And　we　probably　spare　Suvarov's　life。　I　hope　he　likes　it　in　the　labor　camp。〃
　〃What　about　the　killings？〃
　Yefremov　shrugged。　〃He　only　killed　a　pimp　and　a　whore。　No　great　loss；　is　it？〃
　
　Senior　Lieutenant　Komanov　had　not　exactly　enjoyed　his　last　four　days；　but　at　least　they'd　been　spent　profitably；　training　his　men　to　shoot。　The　reservists；　now　known　as　BOYAR　FORCE；　had　spent　them　doing　gunnery；　and　they'd　fired　four　basic　loads　of　shells　over　that　time；　more　than　any　of　them　had　ever　shot　on　active　duty；　but　the　Never　Depot　had　been　well　stocked　with　shells。　Officers　assigned　to　the　formation　by　Far　East　mand　told　them　that　the　Americans　had　moved　by　to　their　south　the　previous　day；　and　that　their　mission　was　to　slide　north　of　them；　and　do　it　today。　Only　thirty　kilometers　stood　between　them　and　the　Chinese；　and　he　and　his　men　were　ready　to　pay　them　a　visit。　The　throaty　rumble　of　his　own　diesel　engine　was　answered　by　the　THUNDER　of　two　hundred　others；　and　BOYAR　started　moving　northeast　through　the　hills。
　
　Peng　and　his　mand　section　raced　forward；　calling　ahead　on　their　radios　to　clear　the　way；　and　the　military…police　troops　doing　traffic　control　waved　them　through。　Soon　they　reached　the　mand　section　of　the　302nd　Armored；　his　Leading　〃fist〃　formation；　manded　by　Major　General　Ge　Li；　a　squat　officer　whose　incipient　corpulence　made　him　look　rather　like　one　of　his　tanks。
　〃Are　you　ready；　Ge？〃　Peng　asked。　The　man　was　well…named　for　his　task。　〃Ge〃　had　the　primary　meaning　of　〃spear。〃
　〃We　are　ready；〃　the　tanker　replied。　〃My　Leading　regiments　are　turning　over　and　straining　at　the　leash。〃
　〃Well；　shall　we　observe　from　the　front　together？〃
　〃Yes！〃　Ge　jumped　aboard　his　own　mand　tank…he　preferred　this　to　a　personnel　carrier；　despite　the　poorer　radios；　and　led　the　way　forward。　Peng　immediately　established　a　direct　radio　connection　with　his　subordinate。
　〃How　far　to　the　front？〃
　〃Three　kilometers。　The　reconnaissance　people　are　moving　now；　and　they　are　another　two　kilometers　ahead。〃
　〃LEAD　on；　Ge；〃　Peng　urged。　〃I　want　to　see　that　gold　mine。〃
　
　It　was　a　good　spot；　Aleksandrov　thought；　unless　the　enemy　got　his　artillery　set　up　sooner　than　expected；　and　he　hadn't　seen　or　heard　Chinese　artillery　yet。　He　was　on　the　fairly　steep　reverse　side　of　an　open　slope　that　faced　south；　rather　like　a　lengthy　ramp；　perhaps　three　kilometers　in　length；　not　unlike　a　practice　shooting　range　at　a　regimental　base。　The　sun　was　starting　to　crest　the　eastern　horizon；　and　they　could　see　now；　which　always