tc.redstormrising-第83部分

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Clarke　appeared。　He　was　breathing　heavily。　〃The　bulkhead's　sprung　at　the　tank　tops；　and　there's　a　small　crack；　too。　Leaking　pretty　good。　The　pumps　are　on；　and　just　about　keeping　even。　I　think　we　can　shore　it　up；　but　we　have　to　hustle。〃
The　damage…control　officer　led　the　welders　below　at　once。　Two　men　appeared　with　a　portable　pump。　Morris　ordered　them　below。
〃How　many　men　missing？〃　Morris　asked　Chief　Clarke。　He　was　holding　his　arm　strangely。
〃All　the　guys　made　it　out　of　the　five…inch　mount；　but　I　haven't　seen　anybody　from　belowdecks。　Shit；　I　think　I　broke　something　myself。〃　Clarke　looked　at　his　right　arm　and　shook　his　head　angrily。　〃I　don't　think　many　guys　made　it　outa　the　bow；　sir。　The　watertight　doors　are　twisted　some；　they　gotta　be　jammed　tight。〃
〃Get　that　arm　looked　at；〃　Morris　ordered。
〃Oh；　fuck　the　arm；　skipper！　You　need　me。〃　The　man　was　right。　Morris　went　back　topside　with　Clarke　behind　him。
On　reaching　the　bridge；　Morris　dialed　up　engineering。　The　noise　on　the　phone　answered　his　first　question。
The　engineer　spoke　over　the　hiss　of　escaping　steam。　〃Shock　damage；　Captain。　We　got　some　ruptured　steam　pipes　on　the　number　one　boiler。　I　think　number　two　will　still　work；　but　I've　popped　the　safeties　on　both　just　in　case。　The　diesel　generators　are　on　line。　I　got　some　hurt　men　here。　I'm　sending　them　out。　I…okay；　okay。　We　just　did　a　check　of　number　two　boiler。　A　few　minor　leaks；　but　we　can　fix　'em　quick。　Otherwise　everything　looks　pretty　tight。　I　can　have　it　back　on　line　in　fifteen　minutes。〃
〃We　need　it。〃　Morris　hung　up。
Pharris　lay　dead　in　the　water。　With　the　safety　valves　opened；　steam　vented　onto　the　massive　stack　structure；　giving　off　a　dreadful　rasping　sound　that　seemed　like　the　ship's　own　cry　of　pain。　The　frigate's　sleek　clipper　bow　had　been　replaced　by　a　flat　face　of　torn　metal　and　hanging　wires。　The　water　around　the　ship　was　foul　with　oil　from　ruptured　fuel　tanks。　For　the　first　time　Morris　noticed　that　the　ship　was　down　by　the　stern；　when　he　stood　straight；　the　ship　was　misaligned。　He　knew　he　had　to　wait　for　another　damage…control　report。　As　with　an　accident　victim；　the　prognosis　depended　on　the　work　of　surgeons；　and　they　could　not　be　rushed　or　disturbed。　He　lifted　the　phone　to　CIC。
〃bat；　Bridge。　What's　the　status　of　that　submarine　contact？〃
〃Gallery's　helo　dropped　on　it；　but　the　torp　ran　dry　without　hitting　anything。　Looks　like　he　ran　northeast；　but　we　haven't　had　anything　for　about　five　minutes。　There's　an　Orion　in　the　area　now。〃
〃Tell　them　to　check　inside　of　us。　This　character　isn't　going　to　run　away　unless　he　has　to。　He　might　be　running　in；　not　out。　Tell　the　screen　mander。〃
〃Aye；　Cap'n。〃
He　hadn't　hung　the　phone　up　when　it　buzzed。
〃Captain　speaking。〃
〃She'll　float；　sir；〃　the　damage…control　officer　said　at　once。　〃We're　patching　the　bulkhead　now。　It　won't　be　tight；　but　the　pumps　can　handle　the　leakage。　Unless　something　else　goes　bad　on　us；　we'll　get　her　home。　They　sending　the　tug　out　to　us？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃If　we　get　a　tow；　sir；　it　better　be　sternfirst。　I　don't　want　to　think　about　trying　to　run　this　one　into　a　seaway。〃
〃Right。〃　Morris　looked　at　Clarke。　〃Get　a　gang　of　men　aft。　We'll　be　taking　the　tow　at　the　stem；　rig　it　up。　Have　them　launch　the　whaleboat　to　look　for　survivors。　I　saw　at　least　one　man　in　the　water。　And　get　a　sling　on　that　arm。〃
〃You　got　it；　Cap'n。〃　Clarke　moved　aft。
Morris　went　to　CIC　and　found　a　working　radio。
〃X…Ray　Alfa；　this　is　Pharris；〃　Morris　called　to　the　screen　mander。
〃State　your　condition。〃
〃We　took　one　hit　forward；　the　bow　is　gone　all　the　way　to　the　ASROC　launcher。　We　cannot　maneuver。　I　can　keep　her　afloat　unless　we　hit　some　bad　weather。　Both　boilers　currently　down；　but　we　should　have　power　back　in　less　than　ten　minutes。　We　have　casualties；　but　I　don't　know　how　many　or　how　bad　yet。
〃modore；　we　got　hit　by　a　nuke　boat；　probably　a　Victor。　Unless　I　miss　my　guess；　he's　headed　your　way。〃
〃We　lost　him；　but　he　was　heading　out；〃　the　modore　said。
〃Start　looking　inside；　sir；〃　Morris　urged。　〃This　fellow　got　to　knifefighting　range　and　pulled　a　beautiful　number　on　us。　This　one　isn't　going　to　run　away　for　long；　he's　too　damned　good　for　that。〃
The　modore　thought　that　one　over　briefly。　〃Okay；　I'll　keep　that　in　mind。　Gallery's　en　route　to　you。　What　other　assistance　do　you　need？〃
〃You　need　Gallery　more　than　we　do。　Just　send　us　the　tug；〃　Morris　answered。　He　knew　that　the　submarine　wouldn't　be　ing　back　to　finish　the　kill。　He'd　acplished　that　part　of　his　mission。　Next；　he'd　try　to　kill　some　merchants。
〃Roger　that。　Let　me　know　if　you　need　anything　else。　Good　luck；　Ed。〃
〃Thank　you；　sir。　Out。〃
Morris　ordered　his　helo　to　drop　a　double　ring　of　sonobuoys　around　his　ship　just　in　case。　Then　the　Sea　Sprite　found　three　men　in　the　water；　one　of　them　dead。　The　whaleboat　recovered　them；　allowing　the　helo　to　rejoin　the　convoy。　It　was　assigned　to　Gallery；　which　took　Pharris's　station　as　the　convoy　angled　south。
Below；　welders　worked　their　gear　in　waist…deep　saltwater　as　they　struggled　to　seal　off　the　breaks　in　the　frigate's　watertight　bulkheads。　The　task　lasted　nine　hours；　then　the　pumps　drained　the　water　from　the　flooded　partments。
Before　they　had　finished；　the　fleet　tug　Papago　pulled　alongside　the　frigate's　square　stem。　Chief　Clarke　supervised　as　a　stout　towing　wire　was　passed　across　and　secured。　An　hour　later；　the　tug　was　pulling　the　frigate　on　an　easterly　course　at　four　knots；　backwards　to　protect　the　damaged　bow。　Morris　ordered　his　towed…array　sonar　to　be　strung　over　the　bow；　trailing　it　out　behind　to　give　them　some　small　defense　capability。　Several　extra　lookouts　were　posted　to　watch　for　periscopes。　It　would　be　a　slow；　dangerous　trip　back　home。

28　…　Breakthroughs


STENDAL；　GERMAN　DEMOCRATIC　REPUBLIC
〃Be　careful；　Pasha。〃
〃As　always；　rade　General。〃　Alekseyev　smiled。　〃e；　Captain。〃
Sergetov　fell　in　behind　his　superior。　Unlike　during　their　previous　frontline　outing；　both　men　wore　protective　body　armor。　The　General　carried　only　a　sidearm　to　go　along　with　his　map　case；　but　the　captain　was　now　officially　a　bodyguard　in　addition　to　a　staff　officer　and　had　a　small　Czech　submachine　gun　slung　over　his　shoulder。　He　was　a　different　man　today；　the　captain　saw。　On　Alekseyev's　first　trip　to　the　front；　he'd　been　tentative；　almost　hesitant　in　manner…it　hadn't　occurred　to　the　younger　man　that；　as　senior　as　Alekseyev　was；　he　had　never　seen　bat　before　and　had　approached　this　gravest　of　contests　with　the　same　sort　of　apprehension　as　a　new　private。　No　longer。　He　had　smelled　the　smoke。　Now　he　knew　how　things　worked　or　didn't　work。　The　change　was　remarkable。　His　father　was　right；　Sergetov　thought；　he　was　a　man　to　be　reckoned　with。　They　were　joined　in　their　helicopter　by　an　Air　Force　colonel。　The　Mi…24　lifted　off　in　darkness；　its　fighter　escort　overhead。

LAMMERSDORF；　FEDERAL　REPUBLIC　OF　GERMANY
Not　many　people　appreciated　the　importance　of　the　videocassette　recorder。　A　useful　convenience　for　the　home；　to　be　sure；　but　not　until　a　captain　in　the　Royal　Dutch　Air　Force　had　demonstrated　a　bright　idea　two　years　before　had　its　battlefield　utility　been　proven　in　secret　exercises　first　in　Germany；　then　in　the　Western　United　States。
NATO　radar　surveillance　aircraft　kept　their　customary　positions　high　over　the　Rhein。　The　E…3A　Sentry　aircraft；　better　known　as　AWACS；　and　the　smaller；　lesser…known　TR…1；　flew　their　missions　in　boring　circles　or　straight　lines　far　behind　the　fighting　front。　They　had　similar　but　different　functions。　The　AWACS　was　mainly　concerned　with　air　traffic。　The　TR…1；　an　upgraded　version　of　the　venerable　U…2；　looked　for　vehicles　on　the　ground。　Initially　the　TR…1　had　been　something　of　a　failure。　Because　it　tracked　too　many　targets；　many　of　them　immobile　radar　reflectors　set　everywhere　by　the　Soviets；　the　NATO　manders　had　been　deluged　with　information　that　was　too　disordered　to　use。　Then　came　the　VCR。　All　the　data　relayed　from　the　aircraft　was　recorded　on　videotape　anyway　since　it　was　a　convenient　medium　for　data　storage；　but　the　VCRs　built　into　the　NATO　system　possessed　only　a　few　operating　features。　The　Dutch　captain　thought　to　bring　his　personal　machine　into　his　office；　and　demonstrated　how　by　using　fast　forward　and　fast　reverse；　the　radar　data　could　be　used　to　show　not　only　where　things　were　going；　but　also　where　they　had　e　from　puter　support　made　the　task　easier　by　eliminating　items　that　moved　no　more　than　once　every　two　hours…thus　erasing　the　Russian　radar　lures…and　there　it　was；　a　brand…new　intelligence　tool。
With　several　copies　made　of　each　tape；　a　staff　of　over　a　hundred　intelligence　and　traffic…control　experts　examined　the　data　round　the　clock。　Some　engaged　in　straight　tactical　intelligence。　Others　looked　for　patterns。　A　large　number　of　trucks　moving　at　night　to　and　from　front…fine　units　could　only　mean　shuttle　runs　to　fuel　and　ammunition　dumps。　A　number　of　vehicles　breaking　away　from　a　divisional　convoy　and　deploying　in　line　parallel　to　the　front　meant　artillery　preparing　for　an　attack。　The　real　trick；　they　had　learned；　was　to　get　the　data　to　the　forward　manders　quickly　enough　so　they　could　make　use　of　it。
At　Lammersdorf；　a　Belgian　lieutenant　was　just　finishing　up　a　tape　that　was　six　hours　old；　and　his　report　was　sent　by　land　line　to　the　forward　NATO　manders。　At　least　three　divisions　had　been　moved　north　and　south　on　Autobahn…7；　he　reported。　The　Soviets　would　attack　at　Bad　Salzdetfurth　in　strength；　sooner　than　expected。　Immediately；　reserve　units　from　the　Belgian；　German；　and　American　armies　were　rushed　forward；　and　allied　air　units　alerted　for　a　major　land　action。　Fighting　in　this　sector　had　been　vicious　enough　already。　The　German　forces　covering　the　area　south　of　Hannover　were　at　less　than　50…percent　strength；　and　the　battle　that　had　not　yet　begun　was　already　a　race；　as　both　sides　tried　to　get　reserves　to　the　point　of　attack　before　the　other。

HOLLE；　FEDERAL　REPUBLIC　OF　GERMANY
〃Thirty　minutes；〃　Alekseyev　told　Sergetov。　Four　motor…rifle　divisions　were　on　line；　covering　a　front　of　less　than　twenty　kilometers。　Behind　them　a　tank　division　waited　to　exploit　the　first　breach　in　German　lines。　The　objective　was　the　town　of　Alfeld　on　the　Leine　River。　The　town　manded　two　roads　being　used　by　NATO　to　shuttle　units　and　supplies　north　and　south；　and　its　capture　would　open　a　breach　in　the　NATO　lines；　allowing　the　Soviet　o