tc.redstormrising-第60部分

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utes　the　screen　showed　only　random　noise　patterns。
McCafferty　examined　the　paper　plot。　Their　erstwhile　contact　would　now　be　exactly　two　convergence　zones　away　and　should　have　been　easily　detected；　given　known　water　conditions。　But　their　screens　showed　nothing。
〃We　never　did　have　a　classification。〃　The　executive　officer　shrugged。　〃He's　gone。〃
〃Take　her　up　to　antenna　depth。　Let's　see　what's　cooking　topside。〃　McCafferty　moved　back　to　the　periscope　pedestal。　He　could　not　fail　to　note　the　instant　tension　in　the　partment。　The　last　time　they'd　done　this；　they'd　nearly　been　sunk。　The　submarine　leveled　off　at　a　depth　of　sixty　feet。　Sonar　did　another　check　and　found　nothing。　The　ESM　mast　went　up；　and　the　electronics　technician　reported　only　weak　signals。　The　search　periscope　went　up　next。　McCafferty　made　a　very　quick　check　of　the　horizon…nothing　in　the　air；　nothing　on　the　surface。
〃There's　a　storm　to　the　north；　line　squall；〃　he　said。　〃Down　scope。〃
The　executive　officer　grumbled　an　inaudible　curse。　The　noise　from　the　storm　would　make　the　normally　difficult　task　of　finding　a　conventional　sub　motoring　along　on　battery　power　nearly　impossible。　It　was　one　thing　for　them　to　dart　a　short　distance　out　of　their　patrol　area　with　a　good　chance　for　a　kill。　It　was　another　to　leave　for　a　whole　day　looking　for　something　that　they　might　never　find。　He　looked　at　the　captain；　waiting　for　the　decision　to　be　made。
〃Secure　from　general　quarters；〃　McCafferty　said。　〃XO；　take　us　back　to　station　at　ten　knots。　Keep　her　deep。　I'm　going　to　take　a　nap。　Wake　me　in　two　hours。〃
The　captain　walked　a　few　steps　forward　to　his　stateroom。　The　bunk　was　already　folded　down；　unmade；　from　the　portside　bulkhead。　Instrument　repeaters　would　show　him　course　and　speed；　and　a　TV　set　could　show　him　whatever　the　periscope　might　be　looking　at；　or　a　taped　movie。　McCafferty　had　been　awake　for　about　twenty　hours　now；　and　the　added　stress　that　es　from　a　bat　environment　made　it　feel　like　a　week。　He　took　off　his　shoes　and　lay　down；　but　sleep　would　not　e。

KEFLAVIK；　ICELAND
The　colonel　ran　his　hand　along　the　bomber　silhouette　painted　on　the　side　of　his　fighter。　His　first　bat　victory；　recorded　on　his　gun　cameras。　Not　since　a　handful　of　his　rades　had　fought　in　the　skies　of　North　Vietnam　had　a　Soviet　Air　Force　pilot　won　a　real　air…to…air　victory；　and　this　one　had　been　over　a　nuclear…capable　bomber　that　might　otherwise　have　threatened　the　homeland。
There　were　now　twenty…five　MiG…29　fighters　on　Iceland；　and　four　of　them　were　aloft　at　all　times　to　protect　the　bases　as　the　ground　troops　tightened　their　control　of　the　island。
The　B…52　raid　had　hurt　them。　Their　main　search　radar　was　slightly　damaged；　but　another　was　being　flown　out　today；　a　more　modem；　mobile　unit　whose　position　would　be　changed　twice　a　day。　He　wished　they　had　an　airborne　radar；　but　learned　that　losses　over　Germany　had　severely　limited　their　availability。　The　news　of　the　air　war　there　was　not　good；　though　the　two　regiments　of　MiG…29s　were　doing　well。　The　colonel　checked　his　watch。　In　two　hours　he　would　be　leading　a　squadron　escorting　a　small　force　of　Backfires　that　was　searching　for　a　convoy。

GRAFARHOLT；　ICELAND
〃Okay；　Doghouse；　I　can　see　six　fighter　aircraft　sitting　on　the　runways　at　Reykjavik。　They　all　got　red　stars　on　them。　They　have　twin…rudder　configuration　and　appear　to　be　armed　with　air…to…air　missiles。　Two　SAM　launchers；　and　some　kind　of　gun…looks　like　a　Gatling　gun…mounted　on　a　tracked　vehicle。〃
〃That's　a　Zulu…Sierra…Uniform　Three…Zero；　Beagle。　They're　very　bad　news。　We　want　to　know　all　about　those　bastards。　How　many　of　them？〃
〃Only　one；　located　on　the　grassy　triangle　a　few　hundred　yards　west　of　the　terminal　building。〃
〃Are　the　fighters　together　or　dispersed？〃
〃Dispersed；　two　on　each　runway。　There's　a　small　van　with　each　pair；　plus　five　or　six　soldiers。　I　estimate　a　hundred　troops　here；　with　two　armored　vehicles　and　nine　trucks。　They're　patrolling　the　airport　perimeter；　and　there　are　several　machine…gun　emplacements。　The　Russians　also　seem　to　be　using　the　local　short…haul　airliners　for　moving　troops　around。　We've　seen　soldiers　boarding　the　little　twin…prop　birds。　I've　counted　four　flights　today。　We　have　not　seen　a　Russian　chopper　since　yesterday。〃
〃How's　Reykjavik　city　look？〃　Doghouse　asked。
〃It's　hard　to　see　into　the　streets。　We　can　look　down　a　valley　towards　the　airport；　but　we　can　only　see　down　a　few　streets。　One　armored　vehicle　is　visible　in　there　parked；　like；　at　an　intersection。　Troops　are　just　hanging　around；　like　cops　or　something　at　every　intersection　we　can　see。　If　I　had　to　guess；　I'd　say　most　of　their　troops　are　around　Reykjavik　and　Keflavik。　Not　many　civilians　around；　and　almost　no　civilian　traffic。　There's　a　lot　of　movement　on　the　main　roads；　both　along　the　coast　to　our　west；　and　also　east　on　Route　1。　It's　all　back…and…forth　traffic；　like　they're　patrolling。　We've　counted　a　total　of　fifty…some　trips；　split　about　even　on　the　two　highways。　One　other　thing。　We　saw　some　Russians　using　a　civilian　vehicle。　We　haven't　seen　a　jeep　yet；　except　a　few　of　ours　on　the　airport　grounds。　The　Russians　have　jeeps…their　kind；　I　mean…right？　I　think　they've　mandeered　the　people's　four…by…fours。　That's　practically　the　national　vehicle　here；　and　a　lot　of　them　are　moving　around　on　the　roads。〃
〃Any　more　ining　transport　flights？〃
〃Five。　We　have　clear　skies；　and　we　can　watch　them　going　in　towards　Keflavik。　Four　were　IL…76s；　and　the　other　one　looked　kind　of　like　a　C…130。　I　don't　know　the　designation　for　that　one。〃
〃Are　the　fighters　flying？〃
〃We　saw　one　take　off　two　hours　ago。　I'd　say　they　have　a　patrol　up；　and　have　fighters　here　and　Keflavik　both。　That's　a　guess；　but　I'll　bet　money　on　it。　I'd　also　say　the　fighters　we're　looking　at　can　roll　off　in　less　than　five　minutes。　Looks　a　lot　like　a　hot…pad　alert　status。〃
〃Okay；　copy　that；　Beagle。　How　is　your　situation？〃
〃We're　pretty　well　concealed；　and　the　sarge　has　two　escape　routes　scouted。　We　haven't　seen　the　Russians　beat　any　bushes　yet。　Mostly　they　seem　to　be　hanging　in　populated　areas　and　on　the　roads。　If　they　start　heading　this　way；　we'll　be　bugging　out。〃
〃Exactly　right；　Beagle。　We　will　probably　be　ordering　you　off　that　hill　soon　anyway。　You're　doing　good；　boy。　Hang　in　there。　Out。〃

SCOTLAND
〃The　kid's　doing　all　right；〃　the　major　said。　He　was　in　an　awkward　position…an　American　officer　in　a　NATO　munications　post　run　by　Brit　intelligence　types　who　were　evenly　split　on　Edwards's　reliability。
〃I'd　say　he's　doing　bloody　marvelously；〃　nodded　the　senior　Brit。　He'd　lost　an　eye；　quite　some　time　ago　by　the　look　of　it；　but　was　still　one　tough　looking　bastard；　the　major　thought。　〃Notice　how　he　discriminates　between　what　his　observations　and　opinions　are。〃
〃Weather　forecaster；〃　snorted　another。　〃We　must　get　some　professionals　in　there。　How　quickly　can　we　whistle　some　up？〃
〃Perhaps　by　tomorrow。　The　Navy　wants　to　put　them　in　by　submarine；　though；　and　I　agree。　A　bit　dicey　for　a　parachute　infiltration；　you　know。　Iceland's　covered　with　rocks；　the　place　is　made　to　break　ankles　and　legs。　Then　there's　the　Soviet　fighters。　No　hurry　on　putting　troops　there；　is　it？　We've　got　to　reduce　their　air　assets　first　and　generally　make　life　as　difficult　for　them　as　we　can。〃
〃That　starts　tonight；〃　the　major　said。　〃Nordic　Hammer　Phase　Two　will　hit　around　the　local　sunset　time。〃
〃Hope　it　works　better　than　Phase　One　did；　old　boy。〃

STORNOWAY；　SCOTLAND
〃So　how　are　things　going　up　here？〃　Toland　asked　his　Royal　Air　Force　counterpart。　Right　before　boarding　the　flight　he'd　sent　the　telegram　to　Marty：　I'M　ALL　RIGHT。　ON　THE　BEACH　FOR　A　WHILE。　LOVE。　He　hoped　that　would　reassure　her。　Probably　the　news　of　the　carrier　battle　was　already　in　the　papers。
〃Could　be　better。　We've　lost　eight　Tornados　trying　to　assist　the　Norwegians。　We're　about　down　to　a　bare　minimum　for　local　defense；　and　Ivan's　begun　to　attack　our　northern　radar　installations。　Sorry　about　what　happened　to　your　aircraft　carrier；　but　I　must　say　we're　very　happy　indeed　to　have　you　chaps　with　us　for　a　bit。〃
Nimitz's　interceptors　and　radar　birds　were　split　among　three　RAF　bases。　The　maintenance　crews　were　still　arriving　by　transport　aircraft；　and　some　hitch　had　developed　with　the　missiles；　but　the　F…14s　each　carried　a　full　load　for　one　engagement；　and　they　could　use　RAF　Sparrows　to　reload。　Operating　off　a　land　base；　the　fighter　could　carry　a　larger　load　of　fuel　and　ordnance；　packing　a　heavier　punch　than　off　a　ship。　The　fighter　crews　were　in　a　foul　humor。　Having　used　their　aircraft　and　precious　missiles　to　kill　drones；　they　had　returned　to　the　formation　to　see　the　fearful　results　of　the　mistake。　The　total　loss　of　life　was　still　uncertain；　but　scarcely　two　hundred　men　had　escaped　from　Saipan；　and　only　a　thousand　from　Foch。　In　terms　of　casualties　this　had　been　the　bloodiest　defeat　in　the　history　of　the　United　States　Navy；　with　thousands　of　men　gone　and　not　a　single　kill　to　offset　the　losses。　Only　the　French　had　scored　against　the　Backfires；　succeeding　with　twenty…year…old　Crusaders　where　the　vaunted　Tomcats　had　failed。
Toland　sat　in　on　their　first　briefing；　conducted　by　the　RAF。　The　fighter　pilots　were　absolutely　silent。　He　had　trouble　gauging　their　mood。　No　jokes。　No　whispered　remarks。　No　smiles。　They　knew　that　the　error　had　not　been　theirs；　that　it　was　not　their　fault　at　all；　but　that　didn't　seem　to　matter。　They　were　shaken　by　what　had　happened　to　their　ship。
As　was　he。　Toland's　mind　kept　ing　back　to　the　image　of　the　four…inch…thick　flight　deck　steel　bent　into　the　sky　like　cellophane；　a　blackened　cavern　below　it　where　the　hangar　deck　used　to　be。　The　rows　of　bags…crewmen　who　had　died　aboard　the　world's　most　powerful　warship　。　。　。
〃mander　Toland？〃　An　airman　tapped　him　on　the　shoulder。　〃Would　you　e　with　me；　please？〃　The　two　men　walked　to　the　operations　room。　Bob　noted　instantly　that　a　new　raid　was　being　plotted。　The　operations　officer；　a　flight　lieutenant；　motioned　for　Toland　to　join　him。
〃One　regiment；　perhaps　less。　One　of　your　EP…3s　is　snooping　up　there　and　caught　their　radio　chatter　while　they　were　refueling　north　of　Iceland。　They'll　be　going　for　one　of　these　convoys；　we　think。〃
〃You　want　the　Tomcats　to　ambush　them　on　the　way　home？　The　timing's　going　to　be　tricky。〃
〃Extremely。　Another　plication。　They　will　use　Iceland　as　a　navigational　check　and　a　secur