tc.thebearandthedragon-第207部分

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　〃Yeah；　when　he　left　us　he　took　over　VMH…1。〃
　〃Flies　the　President？〃
　〃Correct。〃
　〃Bummer；〃　Boyle　observed。
　〃How　long　you　been　doing　this？〃
　〃Flying　choppers？　Oh；　eighteen　years。　Four　thousand　hours。　I　was　born　in　the　Huey；　and　grew　up　into　these。　Qualified　in　the　Apache；　too。〃
　〃What　do　you　think　of　the　mission？〃　John　asked。
　〃Long〃　was　the　reply；　and　Clark　hoped　that　was　the　only　cause　for　concern。　A　sore　ass　you　could　recover　from　quickly　enough。
　
　〃I　wish　there　was　another　way　to　do　this　one；　Robby；〃　Ryan　said　over　lunch。　It　seemed　utterly　horrid　to　be　sitting　here　in　the　White　House　Mess；　eating　a　cheeseburger　with　his　best　friend；　while　others…including　two　people　he　knew　well；　Jack　had　learned…were　heading　into　harm's　way。　It　was　enough　to　kill　his　appetite　as　dead　as　the　low…cholesterol　beef　in　the　bun。　He　set　it　down　and　sipped　at　his　Coke。
　〃Well；　there　is…if　you　want　to　wait　the　two　days　it's　going　to　take　Lockheed…Martin　to　assemble　the　bombs；　then　a　day　to　fly　them　to　Siberia；　and　another　twelve　hours　to　fly　the　mission。　Maybe　longer。　The　Black　Jet　only　flies　at　night；　remember？〃　the　Vice　President　pointed　out。
　〃You're　handling　it　better　than　I　am。〃
　〃Jack；　I　don't　like　it　any　more　than　you　do；　okay？　But　after　twenty　years　of　flying　off　carriers；　you　learn　to　handle　the　stress　of　having　friends　in　tight　corners。　If　you　don't；　might　as　well　turn　in　your　wings。　Eat；　man；　you　need　your　strength。　How's　Andrea　doing？〃
　That　generated　an　ironic　smile。　〃Puked　her　guts　out　this　morning。　Had　her　use　my　own　crapper。　It's　killing　her；　she　was　embarrassed　as　a　guy　caught　naked　in　Times　Square。〃
　〃Well；　she's　in　a　man's　job；　and　she　doesn't　want　to　be　seen　as　a　wimp；〃　Robby　explained。　〃Hard　to　be　one　of　the　boys　when　you　don't　have　a　dick；　but　she　tries　real　hard。　I'll　give　her　that。〃
　〃Cathy　says　it　passes；　but　it　isn't　passing　fast　enough　for　her。〃　He　looked　over　to　see　Andrea　standing　in　the　doorway；　always　the　watchful　protector　of　her　President。
　〃She's　a　good　troop；〃　Jackson　agreed。
　〃How's　your　dad　doing？〃
　〃Not　too　bad。　Some　TV　ministry　agency　wants　him　and　Gerry　Patterson　to　do　some　more　salt…and…pepper　shows　on　Sunday　mornings。　He's　thinking　about　it。　The　money　could　dress　up　the　church　some。〃
　〃They　were　impressive　together。〃
　〃Yeah；　Gerry　didn't　do　bad　for　a　white　boy…and　he's　actually　a　pretty　good　guy；　Pap　says。　I'm　not　sure　of　this　TV…ministry　stuff；　though。　Too　easy　to　go　Hollywood　and　start　playing　to　the　audience　instead　of　being　a　shepherd　to　your　flock。〃
　〃Your　father's　a　pretty　impressive　gent；　Robby。〃
　Jackson　looked　up。　〃I'm　glad　you　think　so。　He　raised　us　pretty　good；　and　it　was　pretty　tough　on　him　after　Mom　died。　But　he　can　be　a　real　sundowner。　Gets　all　pissy　when　he　sees　me　drink　a　beer。　But；　what　the　hell；　it's　his　job　to　yell　at　people；　I　suppose。〃
　〃Tell　him　that　Jesus　played　bartender　once。　It　was　his　first　public　miracle。〃
　〃I've　pointed　that　out；　and　then　he　says；　if　Jesus　wants　to　do　it；　that's　okay　for　Jesus；　boy；　but　you　ain't　Jesus。〃　The　Vice　President　had　a　good　chuckle。　〃Eat；　Jack。〃
　〃Yes；　Mom。〃
　
　〃This　food　isn't　half　bad；〃　Al　Gregory　said；　two　miles　away　in　the　wardroom　of　USS　Gettysburg。
　〃Well；　no　women　and　no　booze　on　a　ship　of　war；〃　Captain　Blandy　pointed　out。　〃Not　this　one　yet；　anyway。　You　have　to　have　some　diversion。　So；　how　are　the　missiles？〃
　〃The　software　is　fully　loaded；　and　I　e…mailed　the　upgrade　like　you　said。　So　all　the　other　Aegis　ships　ought　to　have　it。〃
　〃Just　heard　this　morning　that　the　Aegis　office　in　the　Pentagon　is　having　a　bit　of　a　conniption　fit　over　this。　They　didn't　approve　the　software。〃
　〃Tell　'em　to　take　it　up　with　Tony　Bretano；〃　Gregory　suggested。
　〃Explain　to　me　again；　what　exactly　did　you　upgrade？〃
　〃The　seeker　software　on　the　missile　warhead。　I　cut　down　the　lines　of　code　so　it　can　recycle　more　quickly。　And　I　reprogrammed　the　nutation　rate　on　the　laser　on　the　fusing　system　so　that　I　can　handle　a　higher　rate　of　closure。　It　should　obviate　the　problem　the　Patriots　had　with　the　Scuds　back　in　'91…I　helped　with　that　software　fix；　too；　back　then；　but　this　one's　about　half　an　order　of　magnitude　faster。〃
　〃Without　a　hardware　fix？〃　the　skipper　asked。
　〃It　would　be　better　to　increase　the　range　of　the　laser；　yes；　but　you　can　get　away　without　it…at　least　it　worked　okay　on　the　puter　simulations。〃
　〃Hope　to　hell　we　don't　need　to　prove　it。'
　〃Oh；　yeah；　Captain。　A　nuke　headed　for　a　city　is　a　bad　thing。〃
　〃Amen。〃
　
　There　were　five　thousand　of　them　now；　with　more　ing；　summoned　by　the　cell　phones　that　they　all　seemed　to　have。　Some　even　had　portable　puters　tied　into　cellular　phones　so　that　they　could　tap　into　the　Internet　site　out　here　in　the　open。　It　was　a　clear　night；　with　no　rain　to　wreck　a　puter。　The　Leaders　of　the　crowd…they　now　thought　of　it　as　a　demonstration…huddled　around　them　to　see　more；　and　then　relayed　it　to　their　friends。　The　first　big　student　uprising　in　Tiananmen　Square　had　been　fueled　by　faxes。　This　one　had　taken　a　leap　forward　in　technology。　Mainly　they　milled　around；　talking　excitedly　with　one　another；　and　summoning　more　help。　The　first　such　demonstration　had　failed；　but　they'd　all　been　toddlers　then　and　their　memory　of　it　was　sketchy　at　best。　They　were　all　old　and　educated　enough　to　know　what　needed　changing；　but　not　yet　old　and　experienced　enough　to　know　that　change　in　their　society　was　impossible。　And　they　didn't　know　what　a　dangerous　bination　that　could　be。
　
　The　ground　below　was　dark　and　unlit。　Even　their　night…vision　goggles　didn't　help　much；　showing　only　rough　terrain　features；　mainly　the　tops　of　hills　and　ridges。　There　were　few　lights　below。　There　were　some　houses　and　other　buildings；　but　at　this　time　of　night　few　people　were　awake；　and　all　of　the　lights　were　turned　off。
　The　only　moving　light　sources　they　could　see　were　the　rotor　tips　of　the　helicopters；　heated　by　air　friction　to　the　point　that　they　would　be　painful　to　touch；　and　hot　enough　to　glow　in　the　infrared　spectrum　that　the　night　goggles　could　detect。　Mainly　the　troops　were　lulled　into　stuporous　lassitude　by　the　unchanging　vibration　of　the　aircraft；　and　the　semi…dreaming　state　that　came　with　it　helped　to　pass　the　time。
　That　was　not　true　of　Clark；　who　sat　in　the　jump　seat；　looking　down　at　the　satellite　photos　of　the　missile　base　at　Xuanhua；　studying　by　the　illumination　of　the　IR　light　on　his　goggles；　looking　for　information　he　might　have　missed　on　first　and　twenty…first　inspection。　He　was　confident　in　his　men。　Chavez　had　turned　into　a　fine　tactical　Leader；　and　the　troops；　experienced　sergeants　all；　would　do　what　they　were　told　to　the　extent　of　their　considerable　abilities。
　The　Russians　in　the　other　helicopters　would　do　okay；　too；　he　thought。　Younger…by　eight　years　on　average…than　the　RAINBOW　troopers；　they　were　all　missioned　officers；　mainly　lieutenants　and　captains　with　a　leavening　of　a　few　majors；　and　all　were　university　graduates；　well　educated；　and　that　was　almost　as　good　as　five　years　in　uniform。　Better　yet；　they　were　well　motivated　young　professional　soldiers；　smart　enough　to　think　on　their　feet；　and　proficient　in　their　weapons。
　The　mission　should　work；　John　thought。　He　leaned　to　check　the　clock　on　the　helicopter's　instrument　panel。　Forty　minutes　and　they'd　find　out。　Turning　around；　he　noticed　the　eastern　sky　was　lightening；　according　to　his　goggles。　They'd　hit　the　missile　field　just　before　dawn。
　
　It　was　a　stupidly　easy　mission　for　the　Black　Jets。　Arriving　overhead　singly；　about　thirty　seconds　apart；　each　opened　its　bomb　bay　doors　and　dropped　two　weapons；　ten　seconds　apart。　Each　pilot；　his　plane　controlled　by　its　automatic　cruising　system；　put　his　laser　dot　on　a　preplanned　section　of　the　runway。　The　bombs　were　the　earliest　Paveway…II　guidance　packages　bolted　to　Mark…84　2；000…pound　bombs　with　cheap…7。95　each；　in　fact…M905　fuses　set　to　go　off　a　hundredth　of　a　second　after　impact；　so　as　to　make　a　hole　in　the　concrete　about　twenty　feet　across　by　nine　feet　deep。　And　this　all　sixteen　of　them　did；　to　the　shocked　surprise　of　the　sleepy　tower　crew；　and　with　enough　noise　to　wake　up　every　person　within　a　five…mile　radius…and　just　that　fast；　Anshan　fighter　base　was　closed；　and　would　remain　so　for　at　least　a　week。　The　eight　F…117s　turned　singly　and　made　their　way　back　to　their　base　at　Zhigansk。　Flying　the　Black　Jet　wasn't　supposed　to　be　any　more　exciting　than　driving　a　737　for　Southwest　Airlines；　and　for　the　most　part　it　wasn't。
　
　〃Why　the　hell　didn't　they　send　one　of　those　Dark　Stars　down　to　cover　the　mission？〃　Jack　asked。
　〃I　suppose　it　never　occurred　to　anybody；〃　Jackson　said。　They　were　back　in　the　situation　room。
　〃What　about　satellite　overheads？〃
　〃Not　this　time；〃　Ed　Foley　advised。　〃Next　pass　over　is　in　about　four　hours。　Clark　has　a　satellite　phone。　He'll　clue　us　in。〃
　〃Great。〃　Ryan　leaned　back　in　a　chair　that　suddenly　wasn't　terribly　fortable。
　Objective　in　sight；〃　Boyle　said　over　the　inter。　Then　the　radio。　〃BANDIT　SIX　to　chicks；　objective　in　sight。　Check　in；　over。〃
　〃Two。〃　〃Three。〃　〃Four。〃　〃Five。〃　〃Six。〃　〃Seven。〃　〃Eight。〃　〃Nine。〃　〃Ten。〃
　〃COCHISE；　check　in。〃
　〃This　is　COCHISE　LEADER　with　five；　we　have　the　objective。〃
　〃Crook　with　five；　objective　in　sight；〃　the　second　attack…helicopter　team　reported。
　〃Okay；　move　in　as　briefed。　Execute；　execute；　execute！〃
　Clark　was　perked　up　now；　as　were　the　troops　in　the　back。　Sleep　was　shaken　off；　and　adrenaline　flooded　into　their　bloodstreams。　He　saw　them　shake　their　heads　and　flex　their　jaws。　Weapons　were　tucked　in　tight；　and　every　man　moved　his　left　hand　to　the　twist…dial　release　fitting　on　the　belt　buckle。
　COCHISE　flight　went　in　first；　heading　for　the　barracks　of　the　security　battalion　tasked　to　guard　the　missile　base。　The　building　could　have　been　transported　bodily　from　any　WWII　American　army　base…a　two…story　wood…frame　construction；　with　a　pitched　roof；　and　painted　white。　There　was　a　guard　shack　outside；　also　painted　white；　and　it　glowed　in　the　thermal　sights　of　the　Apache　gunners。　They　could　even　see　the　two　soldiers　there；　doubtless　approaching　the　end　of　their　duty　tour；　standing　slackly；　their　weapons　slung　over　their　shoulders；　because　nobody　ever　came　out　here；　rarely　enough　during　the　day；　and　never　in　living　memory　at　night…