tc.redstormrising-第101部分

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y　a　Russian　missile　that　had　gotten　past　her　multilayered　defenses。　One　of　his　sailors　was　looking　that　way；　too；　a　boy　still　in　his　teens；　puffing　on　a　cigarette　which　he　flicked　over　the　side。　Morris　wanted　to　ask　what　he　was　thinking；　but　could　scarcely　describe　his　own　thoughts。
It　went　quickly　after　that。　They　turned　east　at　the　empty　carrier　berthings；　over　the　Hampton　bridge…tunnel；　then　past　the　crowded　amphibious　basin　at　Little　Creek。　Now　the　sea　beckoned　them；　forbiddingly　gray　under　the　cloudy　sky。
HMS　Battleaxe　was　already　out　there；　three　miles　ahead；　a　subtly　different　shade　on　her　hull；　and　the　White　Ensign　fluttering　at　her　mast。　A　signal　light　started　blinking　at　them。
WHAT　THE　DEVIL　IS　A　REUBEN　JAMES；　Battleaxe　wanted　to　know。
〃How　do　you　want　to　answer　that；　sir？〃　a　signalman　asked。
Morris　laughed；　the　ominous　spell　broken。　〃Signal；　'At　least　we　don't　name　warships　for　our　mother…in…law。'〃
〃All　right！〃　The　petty　officer　loved　it。

STORNOWAY；　SCOTLAND
〃The　Blinder　isn't　supposed　to　be　able　to　carry　missiles；〃　Toland　said；　but　what　he　saw　gave　the　lie　to　that　intelligence　assessment。　Six　missiles　had　gotten　through　the　defending　fighters　and　landed　inside　the　perimeter　of　the　RAF　base。　Two　aircraft　were　burning；　half　a　mile　away；　and　one　of　the　base's　radars　was　wrecked。
〃Well；　now　we　know　why　their　activity　has　been　light　the　past　few　days。　They　were　refitting　their　bombers　to　deal　with　our　new　fighter　force；〃　Group　Captain　Mallory　said；　surveying　the　damage　to　his　base。　〃Action；　reaction。　We　learn；　they　learn。〃
The　fighters　were　returning。　Toland　counted　them　off　in　his　head。　He　came　up　short　by　two　Tornados　and　one　Tomcat。　As　soon　as　the　landing　rolls　were　pleted；　each　fighter　taxied　to　its　shelter。　The　RAF　did　not　have　enough　permanent　ones。　Three　of　the　American　fighters　ended　up　in　sandbag　revetments；　where　ground　crews　immediately　refueled　and　rearmed　their　aircraft。　The　crews　climbed　down　their　ladders　to　waiting　jeeps　and　were　driven　off　for　debriefing。
〃Bastards　used　our　own　trick　on　us！〃　one　Tomcat　pilot　exclaimed。
〃Okay；　what　did　you　run　into？〃
〃There　were　two　groups；　about　ten　miles　apart。　Lead　group　was　NEG…23　Floggers　with　the　Blinders　behind　them。　The　MiGs　launched　before　we　did。　They　really　knocked　our　radars　back　with　white　noise；　and　some　of　their　fighters　were　using　something　brand　new；　a　deceptive　jammer　we　haven't　run　across　yet。　They　must　have　been　at　the　edge　of　their　fuel；　'cause　they　didn't　try　to　mix　it　up　with　us。　I　guess　they　just　wanted　to　keep　us　off　the　bombers　until　they　launched。　Damn　near　worked。　A　flight　of　Tornados　came　around　them　on　the　left　and　bagged　four　of　the　Blinders；　I　think。　We　got　a　pair　of　MiGs…no　Blinders…and　the　boss　vectored　the　rest　of　the　Toms　onto　the　missiles。　I　splashed　two。　Anyway；　Ivan's　changed　tactics　on　us。　We　lost　one　Tomcat；　I　don't　know　what　got　him。〃
〃Next　time；〃　another　pilot　said。　〃We　go　up　with　some　of　our　missiles　preset　to　go　after　the　jammers。　We　didn't　have　enough　time　to　set　that　up。　If　we　can　get　the　jammers　first；　it'll　be　easier　to　handle　the　fighters。〃
And　then　the　Russians　will　change　their　tactics　again；　Toland　thought。　Well；　at　least　we　have　them　reacting　to　us　for　a　change

FOLZIEHAUSEN；　FEDERAL　REPUBLIC　OF　GERMANY
After　eight　hours　of　vicious　fighting　that　saw　artillery　fire　dropping　on　the　forward　mand　post；　Beregovoy　and　Alekseyev　stopped　the　Belgian　counterattack。　But　stopping　them　wasn't　enough。　They'd　advanced　six　kilometers　before　running　into　a　solid　wall　of　tanks　and　missiles；　and　the　Belgian　artillery　was　laying　heavy　intermittent　fire　on　the　main　road　supporting　the　Russian　advance　toward　Hameln。　Certainly　they　were　preparing　for　another　attack；　Alekseyev　thought。　We　have　to　hit　them　first…but　with　what？　He　needed　his　three　divisions　to　advance　on　the　British　formations　standing　before　Hameln。
〃Every　time　we　break　through；〃　Major　Sergetov　observed　quietly；　〃they　slow　us　down　and　counterattack。　This　was　not　supposed　to　happen。〃
〃A　splendid　observation！〃　Alekseyev　snarled；　then　regained　his　temper。　〃We　expected　that　a　breakthrough　would　have　the　same　effect　as　in　the　last　war　against　the　Germans。　The　problem　is　these　new　light　antitank　missiles。　Three　men　and　a　jeep〃…he　even　used　the　American　title　for　it…〃can　race　along　the　road；　set　up；　fire　one　or　two　missiles；　be　gone　before　we　can　react；　then　repeat　the　process　a　few　hundred　meters　away。　Defensive　firepower　was　never　so　strong　before；　and　we　failed　to　appreciate　how　effectively　a　handful　of　rearguard　troops　can　slow　down　an　advancing　column。　Our　security　is　based　on　movement〃…Alekseyev　explained　the　basic　lesson　from　tank　school…〃a　mobile　force　under　these　conditions　cannot　afford　to　be　slowed　down。　A　simple　breakthrough　is　not　enough！　We　must　blast　a　massive　hole　in　their　front　and　race　at　least　twenty　kilometers　to　be　free　of　these　roving　missile…crews。　Only　then　can　we　switch　over　to　true　mobile　doctrine。〃
〃You　say　we　cannot　win？〃　Sergetov　had　begun　to　have　his　own　doubts；　but　did　not　expect　to　hear　them　from　his　mander。
〃I　say　what　I　did　four　months　ago；　and　I　was　correct：　this　campaign　of　ours　has　bee　a　war　of　attrition。　For　the　moment；　technology　has　defeated　the　military　art；　ours　and　theirs。　What　we're　doing　now　is　seeing　who　runs　out　of　men　and　arms　first。〃
〃We　have　more　of　both；〃　Sergetov　said。
〃That　is　true；　Ivan　Mikhailovich。　I　have　many　more　young　men　to　throw　away。〃　More　casualties　were　arriving　at　the　field　hospital。　The　line　of　trucks　running　in　and　out　never　stopped。
〃rade　General；　I　received　a　message　from　my　father。　He　wishes　to　know　how　things　progress　at　the　front。　What　should　I　tell　him？〃
Alekseyev　walked　away　from　his　aide　for　a　minute　to　ponder　that。
〃Ivan　Mikhailovich；　tell　the　Minister　that　NATO　opposition　is　far　more　serious　than　we　expected。　The　key　now　is　supplies。　We　need　the　best　information　we　can　get　on　NATO's　supply　situation　and　a　determined　effort　to　worsen　that　situation。　We　have　received　little　information　on　how　well　the　naval　operations　to　kill　NATO　convoys　are　going。　I　need　that　in　order　to　evaluate　NATO's　endurance。　I　don't　want　analyses　out　of　Moscow。　I　want　the　raw　data。〃
〃You　are　unhappy　with　what　we　get　from　Moscow？〃
〃We　were　told　that　NATO　was　politically　divided　and　militarily　uncoordinated。　How　would　you　evaluate　that　report；　rade　Major？〃　Alekseyev　asked　sharply。　〃I　can't　go　through　military　channels　with　that　sort　of　request；　can　I？　Write　up　your　travel　orders。　I　want　you　back　here　in　thirty…six　hours。　I'm　sure　we'll　still　be　here。〃

ICELAND
〃They　should　be　there　in　half　an　hour。〃
〃Roger　that；　Doghouse〃；　Edwards　replied。　〃Like　I　said；　no　Russians　visible。　We　haven't　seen　any　aircraft　all　day。　There　was　some　movement　on　the　road　west　of　us　six　hours　ago。　Four　jeep…type　vehicles。　Too　far　off　to　tell　what　was　in　them；　and　they　were　southbound。　The　coast　is　clear。　Over。〃
〃Okay；　let　us　know　when　they　get　there。〃
〃Will　do。　Out。〃　Edwards　killed　the　radio。　〃People；　we　got　some　friends　ing　in。〃
〃Who　and　when；　skipper？〃　Smith　asked　at　once。
〃Didn't　say；　but　they'll　be　here　in　half　an　hour。　Must　be　an　air　drop。〃
〃They　e　take　us　out？〃　Vigdis　asked。
〃No；　they　can't　land　a　plane　here。　Sarge；　you　got　any　opinions？〃
〃Same　as　yours；　I　'spect。〃
The　plane　was　early；　and　for　once　Edwards　saw　it　first。　The　C…130　Hercules　four…engine　transport　skimmed　down　from　the　northwest；　only　a　few　hundred　feet　over　the　eastern　slope　of　the　ridge　they　were　on。　A　stiff　breeze　blew　from　the　west　as　four　small　shapes　emerged　from　the　aft　cargo　door　and　the　Hercules　turned　abruptly　north　to　leave　the　area。　Edwards　concentrated　on　the　descending　parachutes。　Instead　of　drifting　down　into　the　valley　below　them；　the　parachutists　were　ing　straight　down　to　a　rock…filled　slope。
〃Oh；　shit；　he　misjudged　the　wind！　e　on！〃
The　parachutes　dropped　below　them　as　they　ran　downhill。　One　by　one　they　stopped；　losing　their　shape　in　the　semidarkness　as　the　men　landed。　Edwards　and　his　party　moved　rapidly；　trying　to　remember　where　the　men　had　landed。　Their　camouflage　'chutes　turned　invisible　as　Soon　as　they　touched　the　ground。
〃Halt！〃
〃Okay；　okay。　We're　here　to　meet　you〃；　Edwards　said。
〃Identify　yourself！〃　The　voice　had　an　English　accent。
〃Code　name　Beagle。〃
〃Proper　name？〃
〃Edwards；　first　lieutenant；　U。S。　Air　Force。〃
〃Approach　slowly；　mate。〃
Mike　went　forward　alone。　At　length　he　saw　a　vague　shape　half…hidden　by　a　rock。　The　shape　held　a　submachine　gun。
〃Who　are　you？〃
〃Sergeant　Nichols；　Royal　Marines。　You　picked　a　bloody　poor　place　to　receive　us；　Lieutenant。〃
〃I　didn't　do　it！〃　Edwards　answered。　〃We　didn't　know　you　were　ing　until　an　hour　ago。〃
〃Balls…up；　another　bloody　balls…up。〃　The　man　stood　and　walked　forward　with　a　pronounced　limp。　〃Parachuting's　dangerous　enough　without　ing　into　a　fucking　rock　garden！〃　Another　figure　came　up。
〃We　found　the　lieutenant…I　think　he's　dead！〃
〃Need　help？〃　Mike　asked。
〃I　need　to　wake　up　and　find　myself　home　in　bed。〃
Edwards　soon　found　that　the　party　sent　to　rescue　himor　whatever　their　mission　washad　gotten　off　to　a　disastrous　start。　The　lieutenant　in　mand　of　the　group　had　landed　on　one　boulder　and　fallen　backward　on　another。　His　head　hung　from　the　rest　of　his　body　as　if　on　a　string。　Nichols　had　sprained　his　ankle　badly；　and　the　other　two　were　uninjured　but　shaken。　It　took　over　an　hour　to　locate　all　their　gear。　There　was　no　time　for　sentiment。　The　lieutenant　was　wrapped　in　his　parachute　and　covered　with　loose　rocks。　Edwards　led　the　rest　back　to　his　perch　on　the　hilltop。　At　least　they'd　brought　a　new　battery　pack　for　his　radio。
〃Doghouse；　this　is　Beagle；　and　things　suck；　over。〃
〃What　took　so　long？〃
〃Tell　that　Herky…Bird　driver　to　get　a　new　eye　doctor。　The　Marines　you　sent　here　got　their　boss　killed；　and　their　sergeant　ripped　his　ankle　up。〃
〃Have　you　been　spotted？〃
〃Negative。　They　landed　in　rocks。　It's　a　miracle　they　weren't　all　killed。　We're　back　on　the　hilltop。　We　covered　our　tracks。〃
Sergeant　Nichols　was　a　smoker。　He　and　Smith　found　a　sheltered　spot　to　light　up。
〃Sounds　rather　excitable；　your　lieutenant。〃
〃He's　only　a　wing…wiper；　but　he's　doin'　all　right。　How's　the　ankle？〃
〃I'll　have　to　walk　on　it　whether　it's　fit　or　not。　Does　he　know　what　he's　about？〃
〃The　skipper？　I　watched　him　kill　three　Rus