tc.redstormrising-第90部分

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〃A　large　gamble；　Pasha；〃　CINC…West　breathed。　But　the　odds　here　were　better　than　anything　else　on　the　map。　If　the　NATO　forces　were　stretched　as　thinly　as　his　intelligence　staff　said；　they　had　to　crumble　someplace。　Perhaps　this　was　it？　〃Very　well。　Start　posting　the　orders。〃

FASLANE；　SCOTLAND
〃What　about　their　ASW　forces？〃　asked　the　captain　of　USS　Pittsburgh。
〃Considerable。　We　estimate　that　Ivan　has　two　major　antisubmarine　warfare　groups；　one　centered　on　Kiev；　the　other　on　a　Kresta　cruiser。　There　are　also　four　smaller　groups；　each　posed　of　a　Krivak…class　frigate　and　four　to　six　patrol　frigates　of　the　Grisha　and　Mirka　type。　Add　to　that　a　large　collection　of　ASW　aircraft　and　finally　twenty　or　so　submarines；　half　nuclear；　half　conventional；〃　answered　the　briefing　officer。
〃Why　don't　we　let　them　keep　the　Barents　Sea？〃　muttered　Todd　Simms　of　USS　Boston。
There's　an　idea；　Dan　McCafferty　agreed　silently。
〃Seven　days　to　get　there？〃　Pittsburgh　asked。
〃Yes；　that　gives　us　a　good　deal　of　freedom　on　how　to　enter　the　area。　Captain　Little？〃
The　captain　of　HMS　Torbay　took　the　podium。　McCafferty　wondered　if　the　Brits　had　any　need　for　NFL…style　noseguards　in　their　team　sports。　Under　six　feet；　but　very　broad　across　the　shoulders；　his　head　topped　by　a　shock　of　sandy；　unruly　hair；　James　Little　certainly　looked　like　one。　When　be　spoke；　it　was　with　toughly　won　assurance。
〃We've　been　running　a　campaign　we　call　Keypunch。　The　objective　of　Keypunch　is　to　evaluate　what　ASW　defenses　Ivan　has　operating　in　the　Barents　Sea…and　also；　of　course；　to　lop　off　the　odd　Sov　who　gets　in　our　way。〃　He　smiled。　Torbay　had　four　kills。　〃Ivan's　set　a　barrier　from　Bear　Island　to　the　coast　of　Norway。　The　immediate　area　around　Bear　Island　is　a　solid　minefield。　Ivan's　been　laying　the　things　since　he　took　the　island　by　parachute　assault　two　weeks　ago。　South　of　this　area；　so　far　as　we　can　determine；　the　barrier　is　posed　of　some　small　minefields　and　Tango…class　diesel　subs　as　a　front　line；　backed　by　the　mobile　ASW　groups　and　Victor…III…class　nuclear　submarines。　Their　aim　appears　to　be　not　so　much　prosecute…to…kill　as　prosecute…to…drive…off。　Every　time　one　of　our　submarines　has　made　an　attack　on　this　barrier　line；　there　has　been　a　vigorous　response。
〃Inside　the　Barents；　things　are　pretty　much　the　same。　These　small　hunter…killer　groups　can　be　bloody　dangerous。　I　personally　had　an　encounter　with　a　Krivak　and　four　Grishas。　Inshore；　they　have　helicopters　and　fixed…wing　aircraft　in　direct　support；　and　it　was　a　most　unpleasant　experience。　We　also　found　several　new　minefields。　The　Soviets　appear　to　be　sowing　them　almost　at　random　in　water　as　deep　as　one　hundred　fathoms。　Finally　they　seem　to　have　set　a　number　of　traps。　One　of　them　cost　us　Trafalgar。　They　set　a　small　minefield　and　placed　a　noisemaker　within　it　that　sounds　exactly　like　a　Tango　schnorkeling　her　diesels。　As　near　as　we　can　make　out；　Trafalgar　moved　in　to　collect　the　Tango　and　ran　right　into　a　mine。　Something　to　keep　in　mind；　gentlemen。〃　Little　paused　to　let　that　bit　of　hard…won　intelligence　sink　in。
〃Right。　What　we　intend　you　chaps　to　do　is　head　north…northwest　towards　the　edge　of　the　Greenland　Icepack；　then　east　along　the　edge　of　the　pack　to　the　Svyatana　Anna　Trough。　Five　days　from　today　three　of　our　submarines　will　raise　pure　bloody　hell　on　the　barrier；　supported　by　our　own　ASW　aircraft　and　some　fighters　if　that　can　be　arranged。　That　ought　to　get　Ivan's　attention　and　draw　his　mobile　forces　west。　You　should　then　be　able　to　proceed　south　to　your　objective。　It's　a　roundabout　route；　of　course；　but　it　enables　you　to　use　your　towed　sonars　for　the　maximum　period　of　time；　and　you　should　be　able　to　run　at　relatively　high　speed　at　the　edge　of　the　icepack　without　being　detected。〃
McCafferty　thought　that　one　over。　The　edge　of　the　icepack　was　a　noisy　place；　with　billions　of　tons　of　ice　in　constant　movement。
〃The　route　has　been　scouted；　by　HMS　Sceptre　and　Superb。　They　encountered　minor　patrolling　only。　Two　Tangos　were　found　in　that　area。　Our　chaps　had　orders　not　to　engage。〃　That　told　the　Americans　how　important　this　mission　was。　〃They　will　be　waiting　for　you；　so　do　be　careful　about　engaging　something　in　your　path。〃
〃How　do　we　get　out？〃　Todd　Simms　wondered。
〃As　quickly　as　you　can。　By　that　time　we　should　have　at　least　one　more　submarine　to　assist　you。　They'll　stay　roughly　twelve　hours　ahead　of　your　estimate　speed　of　advance；　eliminating　any　opposition　they　find。　Once　you　reach　the　icepack；　you're　on　your　own。　Our　chaps　will　be　there　only　as　long　as　it　takes　to　reach　the　pack。　After　that　they　have　other　duties　to　perform。　We　expect　that　Ivan's　ASW　groups　will　e　after　you…no　surprise　there；　is　it？　We'll　try　to　maintain　pressure　south　of　Bear　Island　to　tie　down　as　many　as　we　can；　but　speed　will　be　your　best　defense　in　this　case。〃
The　skipper　of　USS　Boston　nodded。　He　could　run　faster　than　the　Russians　could　hunt。　　
〃Further　questions？〃　asked　mander；　Submarines；　Eastern　Atlantic。　〃Good　luck；　then。　We'll　give　you　all　the　support　we　can。〃
McCafferty　leafed　through　his　briefing　papers　to　check　for　the　firing　orders；　then　tucked　the　ops　orders　into　his　back　pocket。　Operation　Doolittle。　He　and　Simms　left　together。　Their　submarines　were　at　the　same　quay。　It　was　a　short；　quiet　drive。　They　arrived　to　see　Tomahawk　missiles　being　loaded；　in　Chicago's　case　into　the　twelve　vertical　tubes　installed　forward　of　the　pressure　hull　in　the　submarine's　bow。　Boston　was　an　older　boat　and　had　had　to　offload　some　of　her　torpedoes　to　make　room　for　them。　No　submarine　captain　is　ever　happy　offloading　torpedoes。
〃Don't　worry；　I'll　back　you　up；〃　McCafferty　said。
〃You　do　that。　Looks　like　they're　almost　finished。　Be　nice　to　have　one　more　beer；　wouldn't　it？〃　Simms　chuckled。
〃See　you　when　we　get　back。〃　Simms　and　McCafferty　shook　hands。　A　minute　later　both　were　below；　seeing　to　the　final　arrangements　for　going　back　to　sea。

USS　PHARRIS
The　Sikorsky　Sea　King　helicopter　was　a　tight　fit　on　the　frigate's　helo　deck；　but　for　casualties　the　rules　were　always　bent。　The　ten　worst　cases；　all　scald/burns　and　broken　limbs；　were　loaded　aboard　after　the　helo　was　refueled；　and　Morris　watched　it　lift　off　for　the　beach。　The　captain　of　what　was　left　of　USS　Pharris　put　his　cap　back　on　and　lit　another　cigarette。　He　still　didn't　know　what　had　gone　wrong　with　that　Victor…class。　Somehow　the　Russian　skipper　had　teleported　himself　from　one　place　to　another。
〃We　killed　three　o'　the　bastards；　sir；〃　Chief　Clarke　appeared　at　Morris's　side。　〃Maybe　this　one　just　got　lucky。〃
〃Reading　minds；　Chief？〃
〃Beg　pardon；　sir。　You　wanted　me　to　report　on　some　things。　The　pumps　have　just　about　dried　things　out。　I'd　say　we're　leaking　ten　gallons　an　hour　at　the　crack　on　the　lower　starboard　corner；　hardly　worth　talking　about。　The　bulkhead's　holding；　and　we　got　people　keeping　an　eye　on　it。　Same　story　with　the　tow　cable。　Those　tugboat　guys　know　their　stuff。　The　engineer　reports　both　boilers　are　fully　repaired；　number　two　still　on　line。　The　Prairie　Masker　is　operating。　The　Sea　Sparrow　is　working　again　in　case　we　need　that；　but　the　radars're　still　down。〃
Morris　nodded。　〃Thank　you；　Chief。　How　are　the　men？〃
〃Busy。　Kinda　quiet。　Mad。〃
That's　one　advantage　they　have　over　me；　Morris　thought。　They're　busy。
〃If　you'll　pardon　me　saying　so；　skipper；　you　look　awful　tired；〃　Clarke　said。　The　bosun　was　worried　about　his　captain；　but　had　already　said　more　than　he　was　supposed　to。
〃We'll　all　get　a　good　rest　soon　enough。〃

SUNNYVALE；　CALIFORNIA
〃We　show　one　bird　lifting　off；〃　the　watch　officer　told　North　American　Aerospace　Defense　mand。　〃ing　out　of　Baikonur　Kosmodrome　on　a　heading　of　one…five…five；　indicating　a　probable　orbital　inclination　of　sixty…five　degrees。　Signature　characteristics　say　it's　either　an　SS…11　ICBM　or　an　F…1…type　space　booster。〃
〃Only　one？〃
〃Correct；　one　bird　only。〃
A　lot　of　U。S。　Air　Force　officers　had　suddenly　bee　very　tense。　The　missile　was　on　a　heading　that　would　take　it　directly　over　the　central　United　States　in　forty　to　fifty　minutes。　The　rocket　in　question　could　be　many　things。　The　Russian　SS…9　missile；　like　many　American　counterparts；　was　obsolete　and　had　been　adapted　as　a　satellite　booster　rocket。　Unlike　its　American　counterparts；　it　had　been　originally　designed　as　a　fractional…orbital…bombardment　system：　FOBS；　a　missile　that　could　put　a　25…megaton　nuclear　warhead　into　a　flight　path　mimicking　that　of　a　harmless　satellite。
〃Booster…engine　cutoff…okay；　we　show　separation　and　second…stage　ignition；〃　the　colonel　said　on　the　phone。　The　Russians　would　freak　if　they　knew　how　good　our　cameras　are；　he　thought。　〃Flight　path　continues　as　before。〃
Already　NORAD　had　flashed　a　warning　to　Washington。　If　this　was　a　nuclear　strike；　National　mand　Authority　was　ready　to　react。　So　many　current　scenarios　began　with　a　large　warhead　exploded　at　orbital　height　over　the　target　country；　causing　massive　electromagnetic　damage　to　munications　systems。　The　SS…9　FOBS　system　was　tailor…made　for　that　sort　of　thing。
〃Second…stage　cutoff　。　。　。　and　there's　third…stage　ignition。　Do　you　copy　our　position　fix；　NORAD？〃
〃That's　a　roger；〃　acknowledged　the　general　under　Cheyenne　Mountain。　The　signal　from　the　early…warning　satellite　was　linked　into　NORAD　headquarters；　and　a　watch　crew　of　thirty　was　holding　its　breath；　watching　the　image　of　the　space　booster　move　across　the　map　projection。　Dear　God；　don't　let　it　be　a　nuke　。　。　。
Ground…based　radar　in　Australia　now　tracked　the　vehicle；　showing　the　climbing　third　stage　and　the　spent　second　stage　falling　into　the　Indian　Ocean。　Their　information　also　was　linked　by　satellite　to　Sunnyvale　and　Cheyenne　Mountain。
〃That　looks　like　shroud　release；〃　the　man　in　Sunnyvale　said。　The　radar　picture　showed　four　new　objects　fluttering　away　from　the　third　stage。　Probably　the　protective　aluminum　shroud　needed　for　atmospheric　flight；　but　unnecessary　weight　for　a　space　vehicle。　People　began　to　breathe　more　regularly。　A　reentry　vehicle　needed　such　a　shroud；　but　a　satellite　did　not。　After　five　tense　minutes；　this　was　the　first　piece　of　good　news。　The　FOBS　didn't　do　that。
An　Air　Force　RC…135　aircraft　was　already　lifting　off　the　ground　at　Tinker　Air　Force　Base；　Oklahoma；　its　engines　firewalled　as　the　flight　crew　raced　the　converted　707　airliner　to　altitude。　The　roof　of　what　otherwise　would　be　a　passenger　partment　h