tc.redstormrising-第66部分

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he　ESM　mast　went　up　first；　sniffing　for　hostile　electronic　signals；　then　the　search　periscope。　The　captain　made　a　quick　sweep　around　the　sky；　then　the　surface；　his　executive　officer　closely　watching　the　television　readout　to　back　up　the　skipper's　observations。　Everything　looked　clear。　There　was　a　moderate　sea　running；　with　five…foot　swells；　and　the　clear　blue　sky　was　decorated　with　fair…weather　cumulus　clouds。　On　the　whole；　a　beautiful　day。　Except　for　the　war。
〃Okay；　transmit；〃　McCafferty　ordered。　His　eyes　never　left　the　periscope；　which　he　turned　continuously；　angling　the　lens　up　and　down　to　look　for　trouble。　A　petty　officer　raised　the　UHF　antenna；　and　the　〃okay　to　transmit〃　light　blinked　on　in　the　radio　room　aft　of　the　attack　center。
They　had　been　summoned　to　the　surface　by　an　extremely　low…frequency　radio　message　with　their　call　sip；　QZB。　The　senior　radioman　powered　up　his　transmitter；　keyed　out　QZB　on　the　UHF　satellite　broadcast　band；　and　waited　for　a　reply。　There　was　none。　He　gave　his　neighbor　a　look　and　repeated　the　procedure。　Again　the　satellite　missed　the　signal。　The　petty　officer　took　a　deep　breath　and　transmitted　QZB　yet　a　third　time。　Two　seconds　later　the　hot　printer　in　the　after　er　of　the　room　began　to　print　up　a　coded　reply。　The　munications　officer　keyed　a　mand　into　the　cipher　machine；　and　the　clear　text　came　up　on　another　printer。
TOP　SECRET
FR：　SUBLANT
TO：　USS　CHICAGO
1。　REPORT　LARGE　REDFLT　AMPHIBIOUS　GRP　DEPARTING　KOLA　1150Z19JUNE。　FORCE　POSITION　10…PLUS　PHIBS　WITH　15…PLUS　BATANT　ESCORT　INCL　KIROV；　KIEV。　HEAVY　RPT　HEAVY　AIR　ASW　SUPPORT　THIS　GRP。　EXPECT　ALSO　REDFLT　SS/SSN　SUPPORT　THIS　GRP。　WESTERLY　COURSE；　HIGH　SPEED。
2。　EVALUATE　OBJECTIVE　THIS　GRP　BODO。
3。　PROCEED　AT　BEST　SPEED　TO　70N　16W。
4。　ENGAGE　AND　DESTROY。　REPORT　CONTACT　IF　POSSIBLE　BEFORE　ATTACK。　OTHER　NATO　SS/SSN　TRAFFIC　THISAREA。　AIR　SUPPORT　POSSIBLE　BUT　NOT　RPT　NOT　LIKELY　AT　PRESENT。
5。　WILL　AMPLIFY　LOCATION　THIS　GRP　AS　POSSIBLE。
McCafferty　read　the　dispatch　without　ment；　then　handed　it　to　the　navigator。　〃How　long　to　get　there　at　fifteen　knots？〃
〃About　eleven　hours。〃　The　navigator　took　a　pair　of　dividers　and　walked　them　across　the　chart。　〃Unless　they're　flying；　we'll　be　there　long　before　they　are。〃
〃Joe？〃　the　captain　looked　at　his　executive　officer。
〃I　like　it。　Right　on　the　hundred…fathom　curve；　and　water　conditions　are　a　little　squirrelly　there；　what　with　the　Gulf　Stream　ing　in　so　close　and　fresh　water　ing　out　of　the　fiords。　They　won't　want　to　be　too　close　inshore　because　of　the　Norwegian　diesel　boats；　and　they　won't　stray　too　far　out　because　of　the　NATO　nucs。　If　I　had　to　bet；　I'd　say　they'll　e　right　to　us。〃
〃Okay；　take　her　down　to　nine　hundred　feet　and　head　east。　Secure　from　general　quarters。　Let's　get　everybody　fed　and　rested。〃
Ten　minutes　later；　Chicago　was　on　a　heading　of　zero…eight…one；　steaming　at　fifteen　knots。　Deep；　but　in　relatively　warm　water　from　the　ocean　current　that　begins　in　the　Gulf　of　Mexico　and　runs　all　the　way　to　the　Barents　Sea；　she　enjoyed　sonar　conditions　that　made　detection　by　a　surface　ship　nearly　impossible。　The　water　pressure　prevented　cavitation　noises。　Her　engines　could　drive　the　submarine　at　this　speed　with　only　a　fraction　of　her　total　rated　power；　obviating　the　need　for　the　reactor　pumps。　The　reactor's　cooling　water　circulated　on　natural　convection　currents；　which　eliminated　the　major　source　of　radiated　noise。　Chicago　was　pletely　in　her　element；　a　noiseless　shadow　moving　through　black　water。
The　crew's　mood　changed　slightly；　McCafferty　noticed。　Now　they　had　a　mission。　A　dangerous　mission；　but　one　they　had　trained　for。　Orders　were　carried　out　with　calm　precision。　In　the　wardroom　his　tactical　officers　reviewed　tracking　and　attack　procedures　long　since　memorized；　and　a　pair　of　exercises　were　run　on　a　puter。　Charts　were　examined　to　predict　likely　places　for　especially　bad　water　conditions　in　which　they　might　hide。　In　the　torpedo　room　two　decks　below　the　attack　center；　sailors　ran　electronic　tests　on　green…painted　Mk…48　〃fish〃　and　the　Harpoon　missiles　in　their　white　canisters。　One　weapon　showed　an　electronic　fault；　and　a　pair　of　torpedomen　immediately　stripped　off　an　inspection　plate　to　replace　a　ponent。　Similar　checks　were　made　of　the　Tomahawk　missiles　in　their　vertical　launch　tubes　nested　in　the　bow。　Finally　the　weapons…control　team　ran　a　puter　simulation　through　the　Mk…117　attack　director　to　ensure　that　it　was　fully　operational。　Within　two　hours　they　were　sure　that　every　system　aboard　was　operating　within　expected　limits。　The　crewmen　exchanged　hopeful　smiles。　After　all；　they　reasoned；　it　wasn't　their　fault　that　no　Russian　had　been　dumb　enough　to　e　their　way；　was　it？　Just　a　few　days　before；　hadn't　they　practically　landed　on　the　beach…in　Russia！…without　being　detected？　The　Old　Man　was　a　real　pro；　wasn't　he？

USS　PHARRIS
Dinner　was　awkward　to　say　the　least。　The　three　Russian　officers　sat　at　the　end　of　the　table；　mindful　of　the　two　armed　guards　ten　feet　away；　and　the　cook　in　the　wardroom　pantry　who　kept　a　large　knife　conspicuously　in　view。　The　officers　were　served　by　a　young　seaman；　a　beardless　boy　of　seventeen　who　scowled　mightily　at　the　Russians　as　he　served　the　salad。
〃So；〃　Morris　said　cordially；　〃do　any　of　you　speak　English？〃
〃I　do；〃　answered　one。　〃I　am　instructed　my　captain　to　thank　you　for　rescue　our　men。〃
〃Tell　your　captain　that　war　has　rules；　and　so　does　the　sea。　Please　tell　him　also　that　he　showed　great　skill　in　his　approach。〃　Morris　poured　some　Thousand　Island　dressing　on　his　lettuce　as　the　message　was　translated。　His　officers　were　keeping　a　close　eye　on　their　guests。　Morris　was　careful　to　avert　his　gaze。　His　remark　had　the　desired　effect。　A　rapid　exchange　took　place　at　the　other　end　of　the　table。
〃My　captain　ask　how　you　find　us。　We…how　you　say…get　away　from　your　helicopters；　no？〃
〃Yes；　you　did；〃　Morris　answered。　〃We　did　not　understand　your　operating　pattern。〃
〃Then　how　you　find　us？〃
〃I　knew　you　were　attacked　earlier　by　the　Orion；　and　that　you　ran　at　high　speed　to　catch　up　with　us。　The　angle　for　your　attack　was　predictable。〃
The　Russian　shook　his　head。　〃What　attack　is　this？　Who　attack　us？〃　He　turned　to　his　mander　and　spoke　for　thirty　seconds。
There's　another　Charlie　out　there；　Morris　thought；　if　he's　not　lying　to　us。　We　ought　to　get　someone　who　speaks　Russian　to　talk　to　the　crewmen　below。　Damn；　why　don't　I　have　one　of　those？
〃My　captain　says　you　are　mistake　in　this。　Our　first　contact　with　you　was　from　helicopters。　We　did　not　expect　your　ship　to　be　here。　Is　this　new　tactic？〃
〃No；　we've　practiced　this　for　some　years。〃
〃How　you　find　us；　then？〃
〃You　know　what　a　towed…array　sonar　is？　We　first　detected　you　on　that；　about　three　hours　before　we　shot　at　you。〃
The　Russian's　eyes　went　wide。　〃Your　sonar　so　good　as　that？〃
〃Sometimes。〃　After　this　translated　the　Russian　captain　spoke　what　seemed　a　terse　order；　and　the　conversation　stopped。　Morris　wondered　if　his　radio　technicians　had　wired　the　microphones　into　the　Russians'　quarters　yet。　Perhaps　what　they　said　among　themselves　would　be　useful　to　fleet　intelligence。　Until　then　he'd　continue　to　make　them　fortable。　〃How　is　the　food　aboard　a　Soviet　submarine？〃
〃Not　same　as　this；〃　the　navigator　answered　after　conferring　with　his　boss。　〃Good；　but　not　same。　We　eat　different　foods。　More　fish；　less　meat。　We　have　tea；　not　coffee。〃
Ed　Morris　saw　that　his　prisoners　were　going　after　their　plates　with　scarcely　concealed　gusto。　Even　our　sub　guys　don't　get　enough　fresh　vegetables；　he　reminded　himself。　An　enlisted　man　entered　the　wardroom　and　stood　by　the　door。　It　was　his　leading　radioman。　Morris　waved　him　over。
The　sailor　handed　the　captain　a　message　form。　THE　SPECIAL　JOB　IS　DONE；　it　read；　and　Morris　noted　that　the　man　had　taken　the　time　to　print　it　up　on　a　standard　message　format　so　that　no　one　would　suspect　what　it　meant。　The　Russians'　acmodations　were　all　bugged　now。　Morris　dismissed　his　man　with　a　nod　and　pocketed　the　form。　His　bosun　had　miraculously　discovered　two　bottles　of　hard　liquor…probably　from　the　chiefs'　quarters；　but　Morris　knew　better　than　to　inquire…and　these　would　find　their　way　to　the　Russians　tonight。　He　hoped　the　liquor　would　loosen　tongues。

24　…　Rape

USS　PHARRIS
Morris　didn't　wave　at　the　low…flying　aircraft；　but　wanted　to。　The　French　Navy's　patrol　plane　signaled　that　they　were　within　range　of　land…based　air　cover。　It　would　take　a　very　brave　Russian　sub　skipper　to　want　to　play　games　here；　with　a　screen　of　French　diesel　subs　a　few　miles　north　of　the　convoy　lane　and　several　ASW　patrol　aircraft　forming　a　tricolored　umbrella　over　the　convoy。
The　French　had　also　sent　out　a　helicopter　to　collect　the　Russian　submariners。　They　were　being　flown　to　Brest　for　a　full　interrogation　by　NATO　intelligence　types。　Morris　didn't　envy　them　the　trip。　They'd　be　held　by　the　French；　and　he　had　no　doubt　that　the　French　Navy　was　in　an　evil　mood　after　the　loss　of　one　of　its　carriers。　The　tapes　his　crew　had　made　of　their　conversations　were　also　being　sent。　The　Russians　had　talked　among　themselves；　aided　by　the　chiefs'　liquor；　and　perhaps　their　whispered　conversations　had　some　value。
They　were　about　to　turn　the　convoy　over　to　a　mixed　British…French　escort　force　and　take　over　a　group　of　forty　merchantmen　bound　for　America。　Morris　stood　on　the　bridge　wing；　turning　every　five　minutes　or　so　to　look　at　the　two　half　and　one　full　silhouettes　that　the　bosun　had　painted　on　both　sides　of　the　pilothouse…〃No　sense　having　some　jerk　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　ship　missing　them；〃　the　bosun　had　pointed　out　seriously。　Their　ASW　tactics　had　worked　fairly　well。　With　Pharris　as　outlying　sonar　picket；　and　heavy　support　from　the　Orions；　they　had　intercepted　all　but　one　of　the　inbound　Russian　subs。　There　had　been　a　lot　of　skepticism　on　this　point；　but　the　tactic　had　worked；　by　God。　But　it　had　to　work　better　still。
Morris　knew　that　things　would　be　getting　harder。　For　the　first　trip　the　Soviets　had　been　able　to　put　no　more　than　a　fraction　of　their　submarines　into　action　against　them。　Those　submarines　were　now　forcing　their　way　down　the　Denmark　Strait。　The　NATO　sub　force　trying　to　block　the　passage　no　longer　had　the　SOSUS　line　to　give　them　intercept　vectors；　nor　Orions　to　pounce　on　the　contacts　that　submarines　could　not　reach。　They　would　score　kills；　but　would　they　score　enough？　How　much　larger　would　t