tc.redstormrising-第136部分

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Again　the　Vampire　call　came　in；　and　again　Toland　cringed。　Twenty　ining　missiles　were　plotted。　The　formation　activated　jammers　and　SAM　systems；　with　a　pair　of　Aegis　cruisers　on　the　threat　axis。　In　seconds　they　were　launching　missiles；　and　the　other　SM2…equipped　SAM　ships　added　their　own　missiles　to　the　〃basket；〃　allowing　their　birds　to　be　guided　by　the　Aegis　puter　systems。　The　twenty　ining　missiles　had　ninety　SM2s　targeted　on　them。　Only　three　got　through　the　SAM　cloud；　and　only　one　of　them　headed　for　a　carrier。　America's　three　point…defense　guns　tracked　the　AS…6　and　destroyed　it　a　thousand　feet　from　the　ship。　The　other　two　missiles　both　found　the　cruiser　Wainwright　and　exploded　her　four　miles　from　Independence。
〃Damn。〃　Jacobsen's　face　took　a　hard　set。　〃I　thought　we　had　that　one　beat。　Let's　start　recovering　aircraft。　We　got　some　dry　fighters　up　there。〃
Everyone's　attention　turned　to　the　Badgers。　The　northern　Tomcat　groups　were　just　ing　within　range　of　the　older　bombers。　The　Badger　crews　had　expected　to　follow　their　jammers　in；　reversing　earlier　tactics。　Some　were　slow　to　realize　that　they　had　no　electronic　wall　to　hide　behind；　but　none　had　a　choice。　They　detected　ining　fighters　while　still　five　minutes　from　their　launch　points。　The　Badgers　held　course　and　increased　to　full　speed　to　lessen　their　time　of　vulnerability　while　their　crews　looked　anxiously　for　missiles。
The　Tomcat　pilots　were　surprised　that　their　ining　targets　were　not　altering　course；　which　made　the　possibility　of　drones　seem　even　more　likely。　They　closed　to　get　visual　identification　of　their　targets　for　fear　of　being　tricked　again　into　shooting　at　drones。
〃Tallyho！　Badger　at　twelve　o'clock　and　level。〃　The　first　Tomcat　loosed　a　pair　of　missiles　from　forty　miles　out。
Unlike　the　Backfires；　the　Badgers　had　a　location　fix　for　their　targets；　which　enabled　them　to　launch　their　AS…4s　from　maximum　range。　One　by　one；　the　twenty…year…old　bombers　launched　and　turned　as　tight　as　their　pilots　dared　to　escape。　Their　escape　maneuvers　allowed　half　to　survive；　since　the　Navy　fighters　were　unable　to　pursue。　Aboard　the　radar　aircraft；　kills　were　being　tallied　even　as　the　missiles　flew　toward　Stykkisholmur。　Soviet　Naval　Aviation　had　just　taken　fearful　losses。

USS　NASSAU
Edwards　was　still　in　the　twilight　of　anesthesia　when　he　heard　the　electronic　gonging　of　the　General　Quarters　alarm。　He　was　only　vaguely　aware　of　where　he　was。　He　seemed　to　remember　the　helicopter　ride；　but　his　next　impression　was　that　of　lying　in　a　bunk　with　needles　and　tubes　stuck　in　various　parts　of　his　body。　He　knew　what　the　alarm　meant；　and　knew　intellectually　that　he　should　be　afraid。　But　he　couldn't　quite　work　his　emotions　up　through　the　drug…induced　haze。　He　succeeded　in　raising　his　head。　Vigdis　was　sitting　on　a　chair　next　to　his　bed；　holding　his　right　hand。　He　squeezed　back；　not　knowing　that　she　was　asleep。　A　moment　later　he　was；　too。
Five　levels　up；　Nassau's　captain　was　standing　on　the　bridge　wing。　His　normal　battle　station　was　in　CIC；　but　the　ship　was　not　moving；　and　he　figured　that　this　was　as　good　a　place　as　any　to　watch。　Over　a　hundred　missiles　were　inbound　from　the　northeast。　As　soon　as　raid　warning　had　been　received　an　hour　earlier；　all　of　his　boat　crews　had　set　to　lighting　off　the　smoke　pots　set　on　the　rocks　in　this　so…called　anchorage。　That　was　his　best　defense；　he　knew；　hardly　believing　it　himself。　The　point…defense　guns　at　the　ers　of　the　flight　deck　were　in　automatic　mode。　Called　R2D2s　for　their　shape；　the　Close…In…Weapons…System　Gatling　guns　were　elevated　twenty　degrees；　pointing　off　to　the　threat　axis。　That　was　all　he　could　do。　It　had　been　decided　by　the　air…defense　experts　that　even　firing　off　their　chaff　rockets　would　do　more　harm　than　good。　The　captain　shrugged。　One　way　or　another；　he'd　know　in　five　minutes。
He　watched　the　cruiser　Vincennes　to　the　east；　steaming　in　slow　circles。　Suddenly　four　smoke…trails　erupted　from　her　missile　launchers；　and　the　missile　firing　cycle　began。　Soon　the　northeastern　sky　was　a　solid　mass　of　gray　smoke。　Through　his　binoculars　he　began　to　pick　out　the　sudden　black　puffs　of　successful　intercepts。　They　seemed　to　be　ing　closer；　and　he　noticed　that　the　missiles　were；　too。　And　the　Aegis　cruiser　could　not　get　them　all。　Vincennes　emptied　her　magazines　in　four　minutes；　then　bent　on　full　speed　to　race　between　a　pair　of　rocky　islands。　The　captain　was　amazed　to　see　it。　Someone　was　taking　a　billion…dollar　cruiser　into　a　rock　garden　at　twenty…five　knots！　Even　off　Guadalcanal…
An　explosion　rocked　the　island　of　Hrappsey；　four　miles　away。　Then　another　on　Seley。　It　was　working！
Ten　miles　up；　the　Russian　missiles　switched　on　their　radar　seeker　heads　and　found　their　target　windows　crammed　with　blips。　Overloaded；　they　automatically　scanned　the　largest　for　infrared　signatures。　Many　of　the　blips　gave　off　heat；　and　the　missiles　automatically　selected　the　largest　for　their　attention　as　they　made　their　final　Mach　3　dives。　They　had　no　way　of　knowing　that　they　were　attacking　volcanic　rocks。　Thirty　missiles　got　through　the　SAM　defenses。　Only　five　of　them　actually　aimed　themselves　at　ships。
Two　of　Nassau's　R2D2s　swiveled　together　and　fired　at　a　missile　traveling　too　fast　too　see。　The　captain　looked　in　the　direction　of　the　barrels　just　in　time　to　see　a　white　flash　a　thousand　feet　overhead。　The　sound　that　followed　nearly　deafened　him；　and　he　realized　how　foolish　it　was　to　be　exposed　when　fragments　dinged　off　the　pilothouse　next　to　him。　Two　more　missiles　fell　into　the　town　to　his　west。　Then　the　sky　cleared。　A　fireball　to　the　west　told　him　that　at　least　one　ship　had　been　hit。　But　not　mine！
〃Son　of　a　bitch。〃　He　lifted　the　phone　to　the　bat　Information　Center。　〃bat；　Bridge；　two　missiles　fell　into　Stykkisholmur。　Let's　get　a　helo　over　there；　there's　gonna　be　some　casualties。〃
As　Toland　watched；　the　tapes　of　the　air　engagement　were　replayed　at　fast　speed。　A　puter　tallied　the　kills。　Everything　was　automated　now。
〃Wow；〃　the　intelligence　officer　said　to　himself
〃Not　like　before；　was　it；　son？〃　Jacobsen　observed。　〃Spaulding；　I　want　word　on　the　'phibs！〃
〃Just　ing　in　now；　sir。　Charleston　took　a　hit　and　broke　in　half。　We　have　minor　damage　to　Guam　and　Ponceand　that's　it；　Admiral！〃
〃Plus　Wainwright。〃　Jacobsen　took　a　deep　breath。　Two　valuable　ships　and　fifteen　hundred　men　were　gone；　yet　he　had　to　call　it　a　success。

KEFLAVIK；　ICELAND
〃The　attack　should　be　over　by　now。〃
Andreyev　didn't　expect　rapid　information。　The　Americans　had　finally　succeeded　in　damaging　his　last　radar；　and　he　had　no　way　of　tracking　the　air　battle。　His　radio…intercept　crews　had　copied　numerous　voice　transmissions；　but　they'd　been　too　faint　and　too　fast　for　any　conclusion　other　than　that　a　battle　had　in　fact　been　fought。
〃The　last　time　we　caught　a　NATO　carrier　force；　we　smashed　it；〃　the　operations　officer　said　hopefully。
〃Our　troops　above　Bogarnes　are　still　under　heavy　fire；〃　another　reported。　The　American　battleships　had　been　hitting　them　for　over　an　hour。　〃They　are　taking　serious　losses。〃
〃rade　General；　I　have　a…you'd　better　listen　to　this；　it's　on　our　mand　circuit。〃
The　message　repeated　four　times；　in　Russian：　〃mander　Soviet　Forces　Iceland；　this　is　mander　Strike　Fleet　Atlantic。　If　you　don't　get　this；　somebody　will　get　it　to　you。　Tell　your　bombers　better　luck　next　time。　We'll　be　seeing　you　soon。　Out。〃

SACK；　FEDERAL　REPUBLIC　OF　GERMANY
Sergetov　staggered　up　to　the　traffic…control　point　in　time　to　see　a　battalion　of　tanks　move　down　the　road　toward　Alfeld。　He　stood　slumped　over；　hands　on　his　knees；　as　he　watched　the　tanks　roll　off。
〃Identify　yourself！〃　It　was　a　KGB　lieutenant。　The　KGB　had　taken　over　traffic　management。　The　authority　to　shoot　violators　came　easy　to　the　KGB。
〃Major　Sergetov。　I　must　see　the　area　mander　at　once。〃
〃Attached　to　what　unit；　Sergetov？〃
Ivan　stood　up　straight。　Not　rade　Major；　not　rade；　just　Sergetov。
〃I　am　personal　aide　to　General　Alekseyev；　Deputy　mander　West。　Now　get　me　the　hell　to　your　mander！〃
〃Papers。〃　The　lieutenant　held　out　his　hand；　a　coldly　arrogant　look　on　his　face。
Sergetov　smiled　thinly。　His　identification　documents　were　in　a　waterproof　plastic　envelope。　He　handed　the　top　card　over　to　the　KGB　officer。　It　was　something　his　father　had　managed　to　get　for　him　before　mobilization。
〃And　what　might　you　be　doing　with　a　Class…1…Priority　pass？〃　The　lieutenant　was　wary　now。
〃And　who　the　fuck　are　you　to　ask？〃　The　son　of　a　Politburo　member　brought　his　face　to　within　a　centimeter　of　the　other　man's。　〃Get　me　to　your　mander　now　or　we'll　see　who　gets　shot　here　today！〃
The　chekist　deflated　abruptly　and　led　him　to　a　farm　cottage。　The　mander　of　the　traffic…control　station　was　a　major。　Good。
〃I　need　a　radio　on　the　Army　mand　circuit；〃　Sergetov　snapped。
〃All　I　have　is　regimental　and　division；〃　the　major　answered。
〃Nearest　division　headquarters？〃
〃Fortieth　Tanks　at…〃
〃It's　destroyed。　Damn；　I　need　a　vehicle。　Now！　There　is　an　American　force　at　Alfeld。〃
〃We　just　sent　off　a　battalion…〃
〃I　know。　Call　them　back。〃
〃I　have　no　such　authority。〃
〃You　damned　fool；　they're　heading　into　a　trap！　Call　them　now！''
〃I　don't　have　the　auth…〃
〃Are　you　a　German　agent？　Haven't　you　seen　what's　going　on　there？〃　〃It　was　an　air　attack；　wasn't　it？〃
〃There　are　American　tanks　in　Alfeld；　you　idiot。　We　must　launch　a　counterattack；　but　one　battalion　isn't　enough。　We…〃　The　first　explosions　started；　six　kilometers　away。　〃Major；　I　want　one　of　two　things。　Either　you　give　me　transport　right　now　or　you　give　me　your　name　and　service　number　so　that　I　can　denounce　you　properly。〃
The　two　KGB　officers　shared　a　look　of　incredulity。　Nobody　talked　that　way　to　them；　but　anyone　who　did　。　。　。　Sergetov　got　his　vehicle　and　raced　off。　Half　an　hour　later　he　was　in　the　supply　base　at　Holle。　There　he　found　a　radio。
〃Where　are　you；　Major？〃　Alekseyev　demanded。
〃Holle。　The　Americans　got　through　our　lines。　They　have　at　least　one　battalion　of　tanks　at　Alfeld。〃
〃What？〃　The　radio　was　silent　for　a　moment。　〃Are　you　certain？〃
〃rade　General；　I　had　to　swim　the　damned　river　to　get　here。　I　counted　a　column　of　twenty…five　armored　vehicles　a　few　kilometers　north　of　the　town。　They　shot　up　the　tank…repair　station　and　massacred　a　column　of　trucks。　I　repeat；　General；　there　is　an　American　force　at　Alfeld　in　at　least　battalion　strength。〃

〃Get　transport　to　Stendal　and　re