tc.redstormrising-第117部分

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〃Doesn't　mean　they're　saving　it　for　a　museum；　mister。〃
〃Nothing；　sir；〃　Willy　reported。
Reuben　James　came　off　sprint；　turning　to　a　southerly　heading　to　bring　her　sonar　to　bear　on　the　remaining　contact。　If　only　Battleaxe　still　had　her　tail；　Morris　thought；　we　could　triangulate　on　every　contact；　and　with　two　helos　。　。　。
〃Contact；　evaluate　as　possible　submarine；　bearing　zero…eight…one；　bearing…changing　slowly；　looks　like。　Yeah；　bearing　changing　north　to　south。〃　The　data　went　at　once　to　Battleaxe　and　the　screen　mander。　Another　helicopter　joined　the　hunt。
〃Down　dome！〃　This　was　the　thirty…seventh　time　today；　O'Malley　thought。　〃My　ass　is　asleep。〃
〃Wish　mine　was。〃　Ralston　laughed　without　much　humor。　Again　they　detected　nothing。
〃How　can　something　be　exciting　and　boring　at　the　same　time？〃　the　ensign　asked；　unconsciously　echoing　the　Tomcat　pilot　days　ago。
〃Up　dome！　You　know；　I've　wondered　that　a　few　times　myself。〃　O'Malley　keyed　his　radio。　〃Bravo；　Hammer；　I　got　an　idea　for　you。〃
〃We're　listening；　Hammer。〃
〃You　have　Hatchet　dropping　a　line　of　buoys　south　of　us。　Deploy　another　line　west。　Then　I　start　pinging。　Maybe　we　can　flush　the　guy　into　doing　something。　You　ever　get　herded　by　a　dipping　helo　when　you　were　driving　subs？〃
〃Not　herded；　Hammer；　but　I　have　gone　far　out　of　my　way　to　avoid　one。　Stand　by　while　I　get　things　organized。〃
〃You　know；　this　one's　a　nervy　bastard。　He's　gotta　know　we're　onto　him；　but　he　isn't　breaking　off。　He　really　thinks　he　can　beat　us。〃
〃He　has　for　the　last　four　hours；　boss；〃　Willy　observed。
〃You　know　what　the　most　important　part　of　gambling　is？　You　have　to　know　when　it's　time　to　quit。〃　O'Malley　circled　up　high　and　turned　his　search　radar　on　for　the　first　time　that　day。　It　was　not　very　useful　for　detecting　a　periscope；　but　it　might　just　scare　a　sub　running　near　the　surface　into　heading　back　under　the　layer。　The　sun　was　sinking；　and　O'Malley　could　pick　out　the　two　other　helicopters　working　this　contact　from　their　flying　lights。　They　dropped　two　lines　of　passive　sonobuoys；　each　eight　miles　long；　at　right　angles　to　each　other。
〃The　picket　lines　are　in　place；　Hammer；〃　Captain　Perrin　called。　〃Begin。〃
〃Willy：　hammer！〃　Six　hundred　feet　below　the　helicopter；　the　sonar　transducer　pounded　the　water　with　high…frequency　sonar　pulses。　He　did　this　for　one　minute；　then　reeled　in　and　flew　southeast。　The　process　lasted　half　an　hour。　By　this　time　his　legs　were　knotting　up；　making　his　control　movements　awkward。
〃Take　over　for　a　few　minutes。〃　O'Malley　took　his　feet　off　the　pedals　and　worked　his　legs　around　to　restore　circulation。
〃Hammer；　Bravo；　we　have　a　contact。　Buoy　six；　line　Echo。〃　This　was　the　east…west　line。　Buoy　number　six　was　third　from　the　west　end；　where　the　north…south　〃November〃　line　began。　〃Weak　signal　at　this　time。〃
O'Malley　took　the　controls　back　and　headed　west　while　the　other　two　helicopters　circled　behind　their　respective　lines。
〃Gently；　gently；〃　he　murmured　over　the　inter。　〃Let's　not　spook　him　too　much。〃　He　picked　his　course　carefully；　never　heading　directly　for　the　contact；　never　heading　far　away　from　it。　Another　half　hour　passed；　one　miserable　second　at　a　time。　Finally　they　had　the　contact　running　east　at　about　ten　knots；　far　below　the　layer。
〃We　now　have　him　on　three　buoys；〃　Perrin　reported。　〃Hatchet　is　moving　into　position。〃
O'Malley　watched　the　blinking　red　lights　about　three　miles　away。　Hatchet　dropped　a　pair　of　directional　DIFAR　buoys　and　waited。　The　display　came　up　on　O'Malley's　scope。　The　contact　passed　right　between　the　DIFARS。
〃Torpedo　away！〃　Hatchet　called。　The　black…painted　Stingray　dropped　invisibly　into　the　water；　half　a　mile　in　front　of　the　oning　submarine。　O'Malley　closed　and　dropped　his　own　buoy　to　listen　as　he　brought　the　Seahawk　into　hover。
Like；　the　American　Mark…48　torpedo；　the　Stingray　didn't　use　conventional　propellers；　which　made　it　hard　to　locate　on　sonar　both　for　O'Malley　and　the　submarine。　Suddenly　they　heard　the　sound　of　propeller　cavitation　as　the　submarine　went　to　full　power　and　turned。　Then　came　hullpopping　noises　as　she　changed　depth　abruptly　to　throw　the　fish　off。　It　didn't　work。　Next　came　the　metallic　crash　of　the　exploding　warhead。
〃Hit！〃　Hatchet　called。
〃Down　dome！〃
Willy　lowered　the　sonar　transducer　one　last　time。　The　submarine　was　ing　up。
〃Again！〃　Ralston　wondered。　〃That's　two　in　a　row。〃
〃Set　it　up！　Willy；　hammer　him。〃
〃Range　four　hundred；　bearing　one…six…three；　I　have　an　up…doppler。〃
〃Circular　search；　initial　search　depth　one　hundred。〃
〃Set；〃　Ralston　replied。
O'Malley　dropped　his　torpedo　at　once。　〃Up　dome！　Bravo；　the　hit　did　not　kill　the　target；　we　just　dropped　another　one　on　him。〃
〃He　might　be　trying　to　surface　to　get　his　crew　off；〃　Ralston　said。
〃He　might　want　to　fire　his　missiles；　too。　He　should　have　run　when　he　had　the　chance。　I　would　have。〃
The　second　hit　finished　the　submarine。　O'Malley　flew　straight　back　to　Reuben　James。　He　let　Ralston　land　the　Seahawk。　As　soon　as　its　wheels　were　chocked　and　chained　down；　he　got　out　and　walked　forward。　Morris　met　him　in　the　passageway　between　the　helo　hangars。
〃Great　job；　Jerry。〃
〃Thanks；　skipper。〃　O'Malley　had　left　his　helmet　in　the　aircraft。　His　hair　was　matted　to　his　head　with　perspiration　and　his　eyes　stung　from　hours　of　it。
〃I　want　to　talk　over　a　few　things。〃
〃Can　we　do　it　while　I　shower　and　change；　Cap'n？〃　O'Malley　went　through　the　wardroom　and　into　his　stateroom。　He　stripped　out　of　his　clothing　in　under　a　minute　and　headed　for　the　officers'　shower。
〃How　many　pounds　you　sweat　off　on　a　day　like　this？〃　Morris　said。
〃A　lot。〃　The　pilot　pushed　the　shower　button；　closing　his　eyes　as　the　cold　water　sprayed　over　him。　〃You　know；　I've　been　saying　for　ten　years　that　the　…46　needed　a　bigger　warhead。　I　hope　to　hell　those　bastards　in　ordnance　will　listen　to　me　now！〃
〃The　second　one。　What　was　it？〃
〃If　I　had　to　bet；　I'd　say　it　was　Papa。　Great　job　from　the　sonar　guys。　Those　steers　you　gave　us　were　beautiful。〃　He　pushed　the　button　again　for　more　cold　water。　O'Malley　emerged　a　minute　later；　looking　and　feeling　human　again。
〃The　modore　is　writing　you　up　for　something。　Your　third　DFC；　I　guess。〃
O'Malley　thought　about　that　briefly。　His　first　two　were　for　rescues；　not　for　killing　other　men。
〃How　soon　will　you　be　ready　to　go　up　again？〃
〃How　does　next　week　grab　you？〃
〃Get　dressed。　We'll　talk　in　the　wardroom。〃
The　pilot　raked　his　hair　into　place　and　changed　into　fresh　clothing。　He　remembered　the　last　time　his　wife　had　told　him　to　use　baby　powder　to　protect　his　skin　from　the　abuse　of　sweaty；　tight　clothes；　and　how　stupid　he'd　been　to　reject　the　suggestion　as　not　in　keeping　with　aviator　machismo。　Despite　the　shower；　there　were　a　few　patches　of　skin　that　would　continue　to　itch　and　chafe。　When　he　went　to　the　wardroom；　he　found　Morris　waiting　for　him　with　a　pitcher　of　iced　bug　juice。
〃You　got　a　diesel　boat　and　two　missile　boats。　How　were　they　operating？　Anything　unusual？〃
〃Awfully　aggressive。　That　Papa　should　have　backed　off。　The　Charlie　took　a　smart　route；　but　he　was　boring　in　pretty　hard；　too。〃　O'Malley　thought　it　over　as　he　drained　his　first　glass。　〃You're　right。　They　are　pushing　awful　hard。〃
〃Harder　than　I　expected。　They're　taking　chances　they　ordinarily　wouldn't　take。　What's　that　tell　us？〃
〃It　tells　us　we　got　two　more　busy　days　ahead；　I　guess。　Sorry；　Captain；　I'm　a　little　too　wasted　for　deep　thinking　at　the　moment。〃
〃Get　some　rest。〃

37　…　The　Race　of　the　Cripples

STENDAL；　GERMAN　DEMOCRATIC　REPUBLIC
Two　o'clock　in　the　morning。　The　attack　would　begin　in　four　hours　despite　all　his　efforts　to　change　it。　Alekseyev　stared　at　the　map　with　its　symbols　of　friendly　units　and　intelligence　estimates　of　enemies。
〃Cheer　up；　Pasha！〃　mander…in…Chief　West　said。　〃I　know　that　you　think　we　use　up　too　much　fuel。　It　will　also　destroy　their　remaining　stocks　of　war　supplies。〃
〃They　can　resupply；　too。〃
〃Nonsense。　Their　convoys　have　suffered　heavily；　as　our　own　intelligence　reports　have　told　us。　They　are　sending　one　massive　shipment　across　now；　but　the　Navy　tells　me　they　are　sending　everything　they　have　against　it。　And　in　any　case　it　will　arrive　too　late。〃
Alekseyev　told　himself　that　his　boss　was　probably　right。　After　all；　he　had　made　his　rank　on　the　basis　of　a　distinguished　career。　But　still　。　。　。
〃Where　do　you　want　me？〃
〃With　the　OMG　mand　post。　No　closer　to　the　front　than　that。〃
The　OMG　mand　post；　Pavel　thought　ironically。　First　20th　Guards　Tank　Division　was　supposed　to　be　the　operational…maneuver　group；　then　a　two…division　formation；　then　three　divisions。　Every　time　the　breakthrough　maneuver　had　been　frustrated；　until　the　very　term　〃operational…maneuver　group〃　sounded　like　some　kind　of　absurd　joke。　His　pessimism　returned。　The　reserve　formations　held　for　exploitation　of　the　attack　were　far　behind　the　front；　so　as　to　be　able　to　move　to　wherever　the　best　penetration　of　NATO　lines　happened。　It　might　take　hours　for　them　to　reach　the　proper　point。　NATO　had　demonstrated　a　remarkable　ability　to　pensate　for　sudden　breakthroughs；　he　reminded　himself。　Alekseyev　set　this　thought　aside　as　he　had　with　so　many　others　and　left　the　mand　center；　collected　Sergetov；　and　once　again　found　a　helicopter　to　take　him　on　the　trip　west。　His　aircraft　waited　on　the　ground　for　its　usual　fighter　escort。
The　use　of　fighters　to　escort　a　single　helicopter　lifting　off　from　Stendal　was　a　pattern　NATO　air…control　officers　had　noted　before；　but　they'd　never　had　the　available　units　to　do　anything　about　it。　This　time　it　was　different。　An　AWACS　control　aircraft　over　the　Rhein　watched　the　chopper　lift　off　with　three　MiGs　in　attendance。　The　sector　controller　had　a　pair　of　F…4　Phantoms　returning　from　a　counter…air　mission　south　of　Berlin；　and　he　vectored　them　north。　The　fighters　skimmed　the　trees；　their　own　radars　off　as　they　followed　a　safe…transit　lane　used　by　Russian　aircraft。
Alekseyev　and　Sergetov　sat　alone　in　the　back　of　the　Mi…24　attack　helicopter。　There　was　room　for　eight　bat…loaded　infantrymen；　so　both　had　room　to　stretch　and　Sergetov　took　the　chance　for　a　nap。　Their　escorting　MiGs　were　a　thousand　meters　overhead；　circling　continuously　as　they　watched　for　low…flying　NATO　fighters。
〃Six　miles；〃　came　the　call　from　the　AWACS。
One　Phantom　popped　up；　illuminated　two　MiGs　with　its　radar；　and　loosed　a　pair　of　Sparrow　missiles。　The　other　fired　two　Sidewinders　at　the　he