tc.redstormrising-第49部分

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two　miles　southeast　of　the　current　NATO　air　base。　It　shows　on　the　maps　as　unusable；　but　I　ran　into　a　guy　who　put　in　two　years　on　Iceland。　That　strip　is　usable；　certainly　for　rough…surface…capable　aircraft　like　our　C…　130。　The　base　personnel　use　it　for　racing　their　go…carts　and　sports　cars。　He　thinks　you　could　use　fighters　out　of　there；　too。　Finally；　every　city　on　that　island　has　a　gravel　strip　for　their　domestic　airline。　The　AUG…23　and　several　other　Russian　fighters　have　a　rough…field　capability；　and　could　use　any　one　of　those。〃
〃You're　full　of　good　news；〃　observed　Nimitz's　mander；　air　group；　known　as　the　CAG。　〃What　about　the　other　base　facilities；　like　fuel？〃
〃The　fuel　depot　right　on　the　base　was　destroyed　in　the　attack；　but　the　base　tank…farm　was　not；　and　neither　was　the　new　terminal　at　Hakotstanger。　Unless　somebody　takes　it　out；　we've　left　the　Russians　enough　jet　fuel　to　operate　for　months。〃
〃How　solid　is　all　this？〃　Baker　wanted　to　know。
〃We　have　an　eyeball　report　from　a　Navy　P…3　crew　who　surveyed　the　damage　immediately　after　the　attack。　The　RAF　sent　two　recce　birds　for　a　look…see。　The　first　one　got　good　shots　of　Keflavik　and　the　surrounding　area。　The　second　didn't　make　it　back；　reason　unknown。〃
〃SAMs。〃　The　CAG　really　looked　unhappy　now。
Toland　nodded。　〃A　good　bet。　The　photos　show　vehicles　consistent　with　the　presence　of　a　reinforced　Soviet　Air　Rifle　division。　Icelandic　radio　and　TV　are　off　the　air。　The　Brits　report　contact　with　ham　radio　operators　on　the　Icelandic　coast；　but　nothing　at　all　is　ing　out　of　the　southwest　corner　of　the　island。　That's　where　most　of　the　people　are；　and　it　looks　to　be　pletely　under　Soviet　control。　We're　getting　some　intel　information；　but　it　can't　last。〃
〃What　you're　telling　us　is　that　we　can't　expect　raid　warning　from　the　Norwegians；　and　we've　lost　our　picket　fence　at　Iceland。　What　other　assets　do　we　have？〃　Svenson　asked。
〃Evidently　something。　I've　been　told　to　expect　possible　raid　warning　from　an　asset　code…named　Realtime。　If　a　large　force　of　Soviet　aircraft　leaves　Kola；　we　ought　to　know　about　it。〃
〃What's　Realtime？〃　the　CAG　asked。
〃They　didn't　tell　me　that。〃
〃Submarine。〃　Baker　smiled　thinly。　〃Jesus　protect　him　when　he　transmits。　Well；　Ivan　sent　his　bombers　against　Iceland　yesterday。　Anybody　wonder　where　they'll　be　ing　today？〃
〃In　case　anyone　wants　it；　my　official　intelligence　estimate　is；　right　here；〃　Toland　said。
〃Always　nice　to　have　a　professional　opinion；〃　the　CAG　observed　acidly。　〃We　ought　to　head　north　and　pound　on　those　Russians〃…by　training　and　experience　the　CAG　was　an　attack　pilot…〃but　we　can't　do　that　until　we　deal　with　the　Backfires。　What　is　the　strength　of　the　threat　to　us？〃
〃I'm　assuming　no　assistance　from　the　Air　Force　units。　With　Soviet　Naval　Aviation　alone　we　have　six　regiments　of　strike　aircraft；　three　each　of　Backfires　and　Badgers。　One　regiment　of　Badger　jammers。　One　regiment　of　Bear　reconnaissance　birds。　Add　some　tanker　assets　to　that。　Twenty…seven　aircraft　to　the　regiment。　That's　about　a　hundred　sixty　strike　aircraft；　each　of　which　can　carry　two　or　three　air…to…surface　missiles。〃
〃Those　Badgers　will　have　to　stretch　to　get　here。　The　round　trip　must　be　a　good　four　thousand　miles；　even　if　they　cut　across　Norway。　Those　are　tired　old　birds；〃　CAG　said。　〃What　about　their　satellites？〃
Toland　checked　his　watch。　〃There　will　be　a　RORSAT　pass　over　us　in　fifty…two　minutes。　They　got　us　twelve　hours　ago；　too。〃
〃I　hope　the　Air　Force　gets　its　act　together　with　their　ASAT　pretty　soon；〃　Svenson　said　quietly。　〃If　Ivan　can　real…time　that　satellite　intelligence；　they　don't　need　those　damned　Bears。　They　can　figure　our　course　easily　enough；　and　it's　only　a　four…hour　cruise　down　here　for　them。〃
〃Try　a　course　change　as　it　passes　overhead？〃　CAG　wondered。
〃Not　much　point　in　it；〃　Baker　replied。　〃We've　been　heading　east　for　ten　hours。　They　can't　miss　that；　and　we　can　only　do　twenty　knots。　We　can　give　them　a　plus…minus　of　eighty　miles。　How　long　does　it　take　to　fly　that？〃
Toland　noted　that　Svenson　and　the　CAG　didn't　like　that　decision；　but　neither　disputed　the　point。　He'd　been　told　that　Baker　wasn't　a　man　to　argue　with；　and　wondered　if　that　was　a　good　trait　in　a　bat　mander。

HILL　152；　ICELAND
Edwards　took　some　solace　in　having　predicted　the　cold　front's　arrival　properly。　The　rain　had　e　exactly　on　time；　just　after　midnight。　If　there　was　anything　to　make　the　worst　situation　worse　still；　it　was　a　steady　cold　rain。　The　showers　were　intermittent　now；　a　ceiling　of　gray　clouds　two　thousand　feet　over　their　heads；　blown　along　by　thirty…knot　winds　toward　Iceland's　mountainous　center。
〃Where　are　the　fighters？〃　Edwards　asked。　He　swept　Reykjavik　airport　with　his　binoculars；　but　couldn't　find　the　six　fighters　he'd　reported　on　the　previous　evening。　All　the　transports　were　gone　also。　He　saw　one　Soviet　helicopter　and　some　tanks。　There　was　very　little　traffic　on　the　streets　and　roads　he　could　see。　Certainly　not　much　for　a　Monday　morning。　Surely　the　mercial　fishermen　would　be　driving　to　their　boats？　〃Anybody　see　them　lift　out？〃
〃No；　sir。　Weather　we　had　last　night；　the　whole　Russian　Air　Force　could　have　e　in　and　left。〃　Sergeant　Smith　was　annoyed　too；　mainly　with　the　weather。　〃Could　be　in　those　hangars；　maybe。〃
About　2300　the　previous　night；　they'd　observed　a　streak　of　light　like　that　of　a　rocket　taking　off；　but　whatever　it　had　been　aimed　at　had　been　lost　in　a　rain　shower。　Edwards　had　not　reported　that；　halfway　wondering　if　it　might　have　been　lightning。
〃What's　that？　That's　no　tank。　Garcia；　check　it　out…five　hundred　yards　west　of　the　terminal。〃　The　lieutenant　handed　the　glasses　over。
〃Okay。　That's　some　kinda　tracked　vehicle。　Looks　like　it　has　some　sort　of…not　a　gun；　there's　three　of　them。　Rocket　launcher；　maybe。〃
〃SAMs；〃　the　sergeant　mented。　〃How　much　you　wanna　bet　that's　what　we　saw　shot　off　last　night？〃
〃E。T。；　phone　home。〃　Edwards　started　putting　his　radio　together。
〃How　many　launchers　and　what　type？〃　Doghouse　asked。
〃We　see　one　launcher；　possibly　three　missiles　on　it。　We　can't　tell　the　type。　I　wouldn't　know　the　difference　anyway。　They　might　have　fired　off　a　missile　last　night　about　2300　local。〃
〃Why　the　hell　didn't　you　tell　us？〃　Doghouse　demanded。
〃'Cause　I　didn't　know　what　it　was！''　Edwards　nearly　yelled。　〃Goddammit！　We're　reporting　on　everything　we　see；　and　you　don't　even　believe　half　of　what　we　tell　you！〃
〃Settle　down；　Beagle。　We　believe　you。　I　know　it's　hard。　Anything　else　happening？〃
〃He　knows　it's　hard；〃　Edwards　told　his　men。　〃Can't　see　much　activity　at　all；　Doghouse。　Stiff　early；　but　we'd　expect　civilian　traffic　on　the　streets。〃
〃Copy　that。　Okay　now；　Edwards；　real　fast；　what's　your　father's　middle　name？〃
〃Doesn't　have　one；〃　Edwards　said。　〃What…〃
〃The　name　of　his　boat？〃
〃The　Annie　Jay。　What　the　hell　is　this？〃
〃What　happened　to　your　girlfriend　Sandy？〃
It　was　like　a　knife　in　the　guts。　The　tone　of　his　voice　answered　for　him。　〃You　go　and　fuck　yourself　1〃
〃Copy　that；〃　the　voice　replied。　〃Sorry；　Lieutenant；　but　you　had　to　pass　that　test。　We　have　no　further　orders　for　you　yet。　Tell　you　the　truth；　nobody's　decided　what　to　do　about　you。　Stay　cool　and　avoid　contact。　Same　transmission　schedule。　If　you　get　tagged　and　they　try　to　make　you　play　radio　games；　start　off　every　transmission　with　our　call　sign　and　say　that　everything　is　going　great。　Got　that？　Going　great。〃
〃Roger。　If　you　hear　me　say　that；　you　know　something's　wrong。　Out。〃

KEFLAVIK；　ICELAND
The　major　manding　the　Air　Force　detachment　was　enjoying　himself　despite　having　been　up　for　over　thirty　hours。　Keflavik　was　a　magnificent　base；　and　the　paratroopers　had　captured　it　nearly　intact。　Most　importantly；　the　Americans　had　thoughtfully　stored　their　maintenance　equipment　in　protective　shelters　dispersed　throughout　the　base；　and　all　of　it　had　survived。　As　he　watched　from　the　smashed　control　tower；　a　half…dozen　sweeper　trucks　were　brushing　the　last　fragments　from　runway　nine。　In　thirty　minutes　it　would　be　safe　to　use。　Eight　fuel　bowsers　sat　filled　and　ready　on　the　field；　and　by　the　end　of　the　day　the　pipeline　should　be　repaired。　Then　this　would　be　a　fully　functional　Soviet　air　base。
〃How　long　before　our　fighters　arrive？〃
〃Thirty　minutes；　rade　Major。〃
〃Get　the　radar　operating。〃
The　Soviets　had　packed　most　of　the　equipment　for　a　forward　air　base　in　one　of　the　Fucik's　barges。　A　mobile　long…range　radar　was　now　operating　just　west　of　the　main　runway　intersection；　plus　a　van　from　which　ground　controllers　could　direct　radar　intercepts　of　ining　targets。　Three　truck…vans　of　spare　parts　and　air…to…air　missiles　were　on　the　base；　and　three　hundred　maintenance　personnel　had　been　flown　in　the　previous　day。　A　full　battery　of　SA…11　missiles　guarded　the　runways；　plus　eight　mobile　antiaircraft　guns　and　a　platoon　of　infantrymen　armed　with　handheld　SAMs　for　low…flying　raiders。　The　only　hangup　had　been　with　the　SAMs；　and　the　replacements　flown　in　a　few　hours　ago　had　already　been　loaded　on　the　launcher　vehicles。　Any　NATO　aircraft　that　came　waltzing　into　Iceland　was　in　for　a　rude　surprise；　as　a　Royal　Air　Force　Jaguar　had　discovered　the　night　before；　shot　out　of　the　sky　over　Reykjavik　before　its　pilot　could　react。
〃Runway　nine　is　cleared　for　operation；〃　the　radio　operator　reported。　〃Excellent！　Now　get　them　working　on　one…eight。　I　want　every　strip　operational　by　this　afternoon。〃

HILL　152；　ICELAND
〃What's　that？〃　Edwards　saw　it　first　for　a　change。　The　wide　silver　wings　of　a　Badger　bomber　skirted　in　and　out　of　the　lower　cloud　layer。　Then　something　else。　It　was　smaller；　and　it　disappeared　back　into　the　clouds。
〃Was　that　a　fighter？〃
〃I　didn't　see　anything；　sir。〃　Garcia　had　been　looking　in　the　wrong　direction。　The　sound　passed　overhead；　the　distinctive　whine　of　turbojets　on　a　low　throttle　setting。
The　lieutenant　was　being　a　master　at　getting　his　radio　in　operation。　〃Doghouse；　this　is　Beagle；　and　things　are　rotten。　Do　you　copy？〃
〃Roger；　Beagle。　What　do　you　have　for　us？〃
〃We　have　aircraft　flying　overhead；　westbound；　probably　for　Keflavik。　Stand　by。〃
〃I　can　hear　'em；　but　I　don't　see　nothin'。〃　Garcia　handed　the　glasses　over。
〃I　saw　one　twin…engine　aircraft；　probably　a　bomber；　and　one　other　aircraft；　a　lot　smaller；　like　a　fighter。　We　have　aircraft　sounds　overhead；　but　we　got　solid　clouds　at　about　two　thousand　feet。　No　more　visual　sightings。〃
〃You　say　heading　towards　K