tc.redstormrising-第41部分

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ack　northeast　at　full　power　as　the　Eagles　raced　at　twelve　hundred　knots　to　catch　up。　Three　of　the　interceptors　launched　missiles；　and　they　succeeded　in　killing　a　pair　of　Backfires　and　damaging　a　third。　The　〃Zulu〃　fighters　which　had　scrambled　off　the　deck　could　not　catch　the　Backfires；　the　manding　controller　on　Sentry　One　noted；　cursing　himself　for　not　having　sent　them　after　the　older；　less　valuable　Badgers；　some　of　which　they　might　have　caught。　Instead；　he　ordered　them　to　slow　down；　and　had　his　controllers　vector　them　towards　the　supersonic　missiles。
Penguin　8；　the　first　of　the　P…3C　Orion　antisubmarine　warfare　aircraft；　was　rolling　now；　down　runway　two…two。　It　had　been　on　patrol　only　five　hours　before；　and　its　flight　crew　was　still　trying　to　shake　off　the　sleep　as　they　rotated　the　propjet　aircraft　off　the　concrete。
〃Tipping　over　now；〃　the　radar　operator　said。　The　first　Russian　missile　was　almost　overhead；　beginning　its　terminal　dive。　The　Eagles　had　hit　two　of　the　ining　missiles；　but　courses　and　altitudes　had　been　against　them；　and　most　of　their　Sparrows　had　missed；　unable　to　catch　the　Mach…2　missiles。　The　F…15s　orbited　over　central　Iceland；　well　away　from　their　base；　as　each　pilot　wondered　if　he'd　have　an　airfield　to　return　to。
Edwards　cringed　as　the　first　landed…or　didn't　land。　The　air…to…surface　missile　had　a　radar…proximity　fuse。　It　detonated　twenty　meters　off　the　ground；　and　the　effects　were　horrific。　It　exploded　directly　over　International　Highway；　two　hundred　yards　from　Air…Ops；　its　fragments　ripping　into　a　number　of　buildings；　the　worst　hit　being　the　base　fire　station。　Edwards　fell　to　the　floor　as　fragments　lashed　through　the　wooden　wall。　The　door　was　torn　off　its　hinges　by　the　blast　and　the　air　filled　with　dust。　A　moment　later；　at　the　Esso　facility　a　hundred　yards　away；　a　fuel　truck　exploded；　sending　a　fireball　towering　into　the　sky；　and　dropping　burning　jet　fuel　for　blocks　around。　Electrical　power　was　immediately　lost。　Radars；　radios；　and　room　lights　went　out　at　once；　and　battery…powered　emergency　lights　didn't　e　on　as　they　were　supposed　to。　For　a　terrified　moment；　Edwards　wondered　if　the　first　missile　really　might　have　been　a　nuke。　The　blast　had　rippled　through　his　chest；　and　he　felt　sudden　nausea　as　his　body　tried　to　adjust　to　the　sensations　that　assaulted　it。　He　looked　around　and　saw　a　man　knocked　unconscious　by　a　failing　light　fixture。　He　didn't　know　if　he　was　supposed　to　buckle　his　helmet　strap　or　not；　and　somehow　this　question　seemed　enormously　important　at　the　moment；　though　he　didn't　remember　why。
Another　missile　landed　farther　away；　and　then　for　a　minute　or　so　the　sounds　blended　into　a　series　of　immense　thunderclaps。　Edwards　was　choking　from　the　dust。　It　felt　as　though　his　chest　would　burst；　and　impulsively　he　bolted　for　the　door　to　get　fresh　air。
He　was　greeted　by　a　solid　wall　of　heat。　The　Esso　facility　was　a　roaring　mass　of　flames　which　had　already　engulfed　the　nearby　photo　lab　and　base　thrift　shop。　More　smoke　rose　from　the　enlisted　housing　area　to　the　east。　A　half…dozen　aircraft　still　on　the　flightline　would　never　leave　it；　their　wings　snapped　like　toys　from　the　blast　of　a　missile　that　had　exploded　directly　over　the　runway　crossroads。　A　smashed　E…3A　Sentry　burst　into　flames　before　his　eyes。　He　turned　to　see　that　the　control　tower　had　been　damaged；　too；　all　its　windows　gone。　Edwards　ran　that　way；　not　thinking　to　take　his　jeep。
Two　minutes　later；　he　entered　the　tower　breathlessly　to　find　the　crew　all　dead；　torn　apart　by　flying　glass；　the　tiled　floor　covered　with　blood。　Radio　receivers　were　still　making　noise　over　desk…mounted　speakers；　but　he　couldn't　seem　to　find　a　working　transmitter。

PENGUIN　8
〃What　the　hell　is　that？〃　the　Orion　pilot　said。　He　turned　his　aircraft　violently　to　the　left　and　increased　power。　They　had　been　orbiting　ten　miles　out　from　Keflavik；　watching　the　smoke　and　flames　rising　from　their　home　field；　when　four　massive　objects　passed　under　them。
〃It's　a…；〃　the　copilot　breathed。　〃Where…〃
The　four　Lebeds　were　moving　at　over　forty　knots；　bouncing　roughly　over　the　four…　to　five…foot　waves。　About　eighty　feet　long　and　thirty…five　wide；　each　had　a　pair　of　ducted　propellers　atop；　immediately　forward　of　a　tall；　aircraft…type　rudder　painted　with　the　Soviet　naval　ensign；　a　red　hammer　and　sickle　over　a　blue　stripe。　They　were　already　too　close　to　shore　for　the　Orion　to　use　any　of　her　weapons。
The　pilot　watched　incredulously　as　he　approached；　and　any　doubts　he　had　ended　as　a　30mm　cannon　fired　at　them。　It　missed　wide；　but　the　pilot　jerked　the　Orion　around　to　the　west。
〃Tacco；　tell　Keflavik　ASW　Ops　they　got　pany　ing。　Four　armed　hovercraft；　type　unknown；　but　Russian…and　they　gotta　be　carrying　troops。〃
〃Flight；〃　the　tactical　coordinator　reported　back　thirty　seconds　later。　〃Keflavik　is　off　the　air。　ASW　Ops　Center　is　gone；　the　tower　is　gone；　too。　I'm　trying　to　raise　the　Sentries。　Maybe　we　can　get　a　fighter　or　two。〃
〃Okay；　but　keep　trying　Keflavik。　Get　our　radar　lit　off。　We'll　see　if　we　can　find　where　they　came　from。　Get　our　Harpoons　lit　off；　too。〃

KEFLAVIK；　ICELAND
Edwards　was　surveying　the　damage　through　binoculars　when　he　heard　the　message　e　in…and　could　not　answer　it。　Now　what　do　I　do？　He　looked　around　and　saw　one　useful　thing；　a　Hammer　Ace　radio。　He　took　the　oversized　backpack　and　ran　down　the　steps。　He　had　to　find　the　Marine　officers　and　warn　them。
The　hovercraft　raced　up　Djupivogur　Cove　and　came　to　land　a　minute　later　less　than　a　mile　from　the　airbase。　The　troopers　gratefully　noted　the　smoother　ride　as　their　craft　spread　out　to　line　abreast；　three　hundred　yards　between　them　as　they　tore　across　the　flat；　rocky　gorse　toward　the　NATO　air　base。
〃What　in　the　hell…〃　a　Marine　corporal　said。　Like　a　dinosaur　ing　to　the　picnic；　a　massive　object　appeared　on　the　horizon；　apparently　ing　overland　at　high　speed。
〃You！　Marine；　get　over　here！〃　Edwards　screamed。　A　jeep　with　three　enlisted　men　stopped；　then　raced　toward　him。　〃Get　me　to　your　CO　fast！〃
〃CO's　dead；　sir；〃　the　sergeant　said。　〃CP　took　a　hit；　Lieutenant…fuckin'　gone！〃
〃Where's　the　alternate？〃
〃Elementary　school。〃
〃Go；　I　gotta　let　them　know；　we　got　bad　guys　ing　in　from　the　seas　hit！　You　got　a　radio。〃
〃Tried　calling；　sir；　but　no　answer。〃　The　sergeant　turned　south　down　International　Highway。　At　least　three　missiles　had　landed　here；　judging　by　the　smoke。　All　around；　the　small　city　that　had　been　the　Keflavik　air　base　was　a　loose　collection　of　smoking　fires。　A　number　of　people　in　uniforms　were　running　around；　doing　things　that　Edwards　didn't　have　time　to　guess　at。　Was　anybody　in　charge？
The　elementary　school　had　also　been　hit。　The　third　of　the　building　still　standing　was　a　mass　of　flame。
〃Sergeant；　that　radio　work？〃
〃Yes；　sir；　but　it　ain't　tuned　into　the　perimeter　guards。〃
〃Well；　fix　it！〃
〃Right。〃　The　sergeant　dialed　into　a　different　frequency。
The　Lebeds　halted　in　two　pairs；　each　a　quarter　mile　from　the　perimeter。　The　bow　door　on　each　opened；　and　out　rolled　a　pair　of　BMD　infantry　assault　vehicles；　followed　by　mortar　crews　who　began　at　once　to　set　up　their　weapons。　The　73mm　guns　and　missile　launchers　on　the　minitanks　began　to　engage　the　Marine　defensive　positions　as　the　reinforced　pany　in　each　vehicle　advanced　slowly　and　skillfully；　using　their　cover　and　taking　advantage　of　their　fire　support。　The　assault　force　had　been　handpicked　from　units　that　had　fought　in　Afghanistan。　Every　man　had　been　under　fire　before。　The　Lebeds　immediately　turned　crablike　and　sped　back　to　sea　to　pick　up　yet　more　infantrymen。　Already；　elements　of　two　elite　airborne　battalions　were　engaging　a　single　pany　of　Marines。
The　frantic　words　on　the　platoon　radio　nets　were　all　too　clear。　The　base　electrical　supply　was　cut；　and　along　with　it　the　main　radios。　The　Marine　officers　were　dead；　and　there　was　no　one　to　coordinate　the　defense。　Edwards　wondered　if　anyone　really　knew　what　the　hell　was　going　on。　He　decided　that　it　probably　didn't　matter。
〃Sergeant；　we　gotta　get　the　hell　outa　here！〃
〃You　mean　run　away！〃
〃I　mean　get　away　and　report　what's　happened　here。　Looks　like　we　lost　this　one；　Sarge。　Somebody's　gotta　report　in　so　they　don't　send　any　more　planes　to　land　here。　What's　the　fastest　way　to　Reykjavik？〃
〃Dammit；　sir；　there's　Marines　out　there…〃
〃You　wanna　be　a　Russian　prisoner？　We　lost！　I　say　we　gotta　report　in　and　you'll　do　what　I　Goddamned　tell　you；　Sergeant；　you　got　that！〃
〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
〃How　we　fixed　for　weapons？〃
On　his　own；　a　private　ran　to　what　was　left　of　the　school。　A　Marine　was　lying　there　facedown；　a　pool　of　red　spreading　from　some　invisible；　fatal　wound。　The　private　came　back　with　the　man's　M…16；　field　pack；　and　ammo　belt；　handing　the　collection　to　Edwards。
〃We　all　got　one　now；　sir。〃
〃Let's　get　the　hell　outa　here。〃
The　sergeant　threw　the　jeep　into　gear。　〃How　we　gonna　report　in？〃
〃Let　me　worry　about　that；　okay？〃
〃You　say　so。〃　The　sergeant　turned　the　jeep　pletely　around；　back　up　International；　toward　the　wrecked　satellite　antennae。

MV　JULIUS　FUCIK
〃Aircraft　sighted；　port　bow！〃　a　lookout　screamed。　Kherov　raised　his　binoculars　to　his　eyes　and　swore　softly。　He　saw　what　could　only　be　missiles　dangling　from　each　wing　of　the　multiengined　aircraft。

PENGUIN　8
〃Well；　lookie　what　we　got　here；〃　the　Orion's　pilot　said　quietly。　〃Our　old　friend；　the　Doctor　Lykes。　bat；　Flight；　what　else　is　around？〃
〃Nothin'；　Flight；　not　another　surface　ship　for　over　a　hundred　miles。〃　They　had　just　pleted　a　plete　circuit　of　the　horizon；　scanning　with　their　surface…search　radar。
〃And　it's　for　Goddamned　sure　those　hovercraft　didn't　e　in　off　no　submarine。〃　The　pilot　adjusted　course　to　pass　within　two　miles　of　the　ship；　with　the　sun　behind　the　four…engine　patrol　aircraft。　His　copilot　examined　the　ship　through　binoculars。　Onboard　TV　cameras　operated　by　the　weapons　crew　would　provide　even　better　close…up　pictures。　They　saw　a　pair　of　helicopters　warming　up。　Someone　aboard　the　Fucik　panicked　and　fired　a　hand…held　SA…7　missile。　It　failed　to　lock　onto　the　Orion　and　blazed　off　directly　into　the　low　sun。

MV　JULIUS　FUCIK
〃Idiot！〃　Kherov　growled。　The　smoke　from　the　rocket　motor　didn't　even　e　close　to　the　aircraft。　〃He'll　shoot　at　us　now。　All　ahead　flank！　Helmsman；　be　alert！〃

PENGUIN　8
〃Okay；〃　the　pilot　said；　turning　away　from　the　merchantman。　〃Tacco；　we　got　a　target　for　your　Harpoons。　Any　lu