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小说: tc.redstormrising 字数: 每页4000字

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ething funny is happening。 They do shoot officers and EM's…but not full colonels who've written for the journal of the general staff; and not for faking a few lines in a readiness statement。〃 He let out a long breath; happy to have gotten this off his chest。 The workboat was proceeding south; her wake rippling out toward them in parallel lines on the mirrored surface。 The image made Toland wish for his camera。
〃Makes sense;〃 Keegan mumbled。
〃Huh?〃
〃What you just said。 That does sound out of pattern。〃
〃Yep。 I stayed in late last night; running down a hunch。 In the past five years; the Red Army has published the names of exactly fourteen executed officers; none higher than a full colonel; and even then only on manpower officer in Soviet Georgia。 The guy was taking payoffs for deferments。 The others broke down into one case of spying; for us or somebody; three derelictions of duty while under the influence of alcohol; and nine conventional corruption cases; selling everything from gasoline to a whole mainframe puter nalyevo; 'on the left;' the shadow market。 Now all of a sudden they waste four regimental manders; all in the same military district。〃
〃You could take that to Redman;〃 Keegan suggested。
〃Waste of time。〃
〃Those other cases…I seem to remember the three guys who…〃
〃Yeah; that was part of the temperance campaign。 Too many guys turn up drunk on duty; and they pick three volunteers; pour encourager les autres。〃 Bob shook his head。 〃Jeez; Voltaire would have loved these guys。〃
〃You talk with people who're into civilian intelligence?〃
〃No; my crowd is all military telemunications。〃
〃At lunch last…Monday; I think; I was talking with a guy from Langley。 Ex…Army; we go way back。 Anyway; he was joking that there's a new shortage over there。〃
〃Another one?〃 Bob was amused。 Shortages were nothing new in Russia。 One month toothpaste; or toilet paper; or windshield wipers…he had heard of many such things over lunch at the NSA missary。
〃Yeah; car and truck batteries。〃
〃Really?〃
〃Yeah; for the last month you can't get a battery for your car or truck over there。 A lot of cars are not moving; and batteries are being stolen left and right; so people are disconnecting their batteries at night and taking them home; would you believe?〃
〃But Togliattishtadt…〃 Toland said; and stopped。 He referred to the massive auto factory…city in European Russia; the construction of which was a 〃Hero Project〃 for which thousands of workers had been mobilized。 Among the most modem auto plexes in the world; it had been built mainly with Italian technology。 〃They have a hell of a battery manufacturing facility there。 Hasn't blown up; has it?〃
〃Working three shifts。 What do you think of that?〃

NORFOLK; VIRGINIA
Toland examined himself in the full…sized mirror in the Norfolk BOQ plex。 He'd made the drive down the evening before。 The uniform still fit; he noted; maybe a little tight at the waist; but that was nature at work; wasn't it? His 〃salad bar〃 of decorations was a bleak row and a half; but he had his surface warfare officer's badge; his 〃water wings〃 he hadn't always been a glorified radio operator。 His sleeves bore the two and a half stripes of a lieutenant mander。 A final swipe of a cloth across his shoes and he was out the door; ready on this bright Monday morning for his annual two weeks of duty with the fleet。
Five minutes later; he was driving down Mitcher Avenue toward headquarters of the mander…in…Chief; Atlantic Fleet…CINCLANTFLT …a flat; thoroughly undistinguished building that had once been a hospital。 An habitual early riser; Toland found the Ingersoll Street parking lot half empty; but he was still careful to take an unmarked space lest he incur the wrath of a senior officer。
〃Bob? Bob Toland!〃 a voice called。
〃Ed Morris!〃
It was now mander Edward Morris; USN; Toland noted; and a shiny gold star on his uniform jacket designated him as the mander of some ship or other。 Toland saluted his friend before shaking hands。
〃Still playing bridge; Bob?〃 Toland; Morris; and two other officers had once established the most regular bridge foursome at the Pearl Harbor officers club。
〃Some。 Marty isn't much of a card player; but we got a bunch at work that meets once a week。〃
〃Good as we used to be?〃  Morris asked as they headed off in the same direction。
〃Are you kidding? You know where I work now?〃
〃I heard you ended up at Fort Meade after you hung it up。〃
〃Yeah; and there's bridge players at NSA who're wired into the damn puters…I'm talking assassins!〃
〃So how's the family?〃
〃Just great。 How's yours?〃
〃Growing up too damned fast…makes you feel old。〃
〃That's the truth;〃 Morris chuckled。 He jabbed a finger at his friend's star。 〃Now you can tell me about your new kid。〃
〃Look at my car。〃
Toland turned around。 Morris's Ford had a personalized license plate: FF…1094。 To the uninitiated it was an ordinary license number; but to a sailor it advertised his mand: antisubmarine frigate number one thousand ninety…four; USS PHARRIS。
〃You always were nice and modest;〃 Toland noted with a grin。 〃That's all right; Ed。 How long you had her?〃
〃Two years。 She's big; she's pretty; and she's mine! You should have stayed in; Bob。 The day I took mand…hell; it was like the day Jimmy was born。〃
〃I hear you。 The difference; Ed; is that I always knew you'd have your ship; and I always knew I wouldn't。〃 In Toland's personnel jacket was a letter of admonishment for grounding a destroyer while he had the deck。 It had been no more than bad luck。 An ambiguity on the chart and adverse tidal conditions had caused the error; but it didn't take much to ruin a Navy career。
〃So; doing your two weeks?〃
〃That's right。〃
〃Celia is off visiting her parents; and I'm baching it。 What're you doing for dinner tonight?〃
〃McDonald's?〃 Toland laughed。
〃Like hell。 Danny McCafferty's in town; too。 He's got the Chicago; tied up at Pier 22。 You know; if we can scare up a fourth; maybe we can play a little bridge; just like the old days。〃 Morris poked his friend in the chest 〃I gotta head along。 Meet me in the O…Club lobby at 1710; Bob。  Danny invited me over to his boat for dinner at 1830; and we'll have an hour's worth of Attitude Adjustment before we drive over。 We'll have dinner in the wardroom and a few hours of cards; just like old times。〃
〃Aye; aye; mander。〃

〃Anyway; there I was on Will Rogers; 〃 McCafferty said。 〃Fifty days out on patrol and I got the watch; right? Sonar says they have a goofy signal; bearing zero…five…two。 We're at periscope depth; so I put the search scope up; train it out to zero…five…two; and sure enough; there's this Gulfstream36 sailboat; moving along at four or five knots with the autosteering set。 What the hell; it's a dull day; so I flip the scope to hi…power; and guess what? The captain and the mate…there's one gal who'll never drown!…are on top the deckhouse; horizontal and superimposed。 The boat was maybe a thousand yards away…just like being there。 So we turn on the scope TV camera and get the tape machine running。 Had to maneuver for a better view; of course。 Lasted fifteen minutes。 The crew ran the tape for the next week。 Great for morale to know just what you're fighting for。〃 All three officers laughed。
〃Like I always told you; Bob;〃 Morris noted。 〃These sub…drivers are a nasty; sneaky bunch。 Not to mention perverts。〃
〃So how long you had the Chicago; Danny〃 Toland asked over his second cup of after…dinner coffee。 The three had the submarine's wardroom to themselves。 The only officers aboard were either standing watch or asleep。
〃Three busy months; not counting yard time;〃 McCafferty said; finishing off his milk。 He was the first skipper for the new attack sub; the best of all possible worlds; a captain and a 〃plankowner。〃 Toland noted that Dan had not joined him and Morris for 〃attitude adjustment〃 at the base officers' club; during which they'd tossed down three stiff drinks apiece。 It wasn't like the McCafferty of old。 Perhaps he was unwilling to leave his sub; lest the dream of his career somehow end while he was away from her。
〃Can't you tell from the pale; pasty look mon to cave…dwellers and submariners?〃 Morris joked。 〃Not to mention the faint glow associated with nuclear reactor types〃〃 McCafferty grinned; and the

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