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tc.redstormrising-第56部分

小说: tc.redstormrising 字数: 每页4000字

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The ship was moving far too fast to stop。 The soldiers on the dock could already see that; and were slowly backing up; away from the edge; fearing that it would crumble when the ship struck。 Kherov grunted with dark amusement。 So much for the line handlers。 Eight hundred meters。
〃All back full。〃
Six hundred meters。 The ship's whole mass shuddered as the engines fought to slow her。 She headed into the berth at a thirty…degree angle; her speed now eight knots。 Kherov walked to the engine room voice tube。
〃On my order; shut down the engines; pull the manual sprinkler handle; and evacuate the engine spaces。〃
〃What are you doing?〃 the General asked。
〃We cannot moor to the quay;〃 Kherov answered simply。 〃Your soldiers don't know how to handle the lines; and many of my seamen are dead。〃 The berth Kherov had selected was precisely half a meter shallower than his ship's draft。 He went back to the voice tube。
〃Now; rades!〃
Below; the chief engineer gave the orders。 His chief machinist cut off the diesel engines and ran to the escape ladder。 The engineer yanked the emergency handle for the fire…suppression system and followed; after counting heads to make sure that all his men had gotten out。
〃Rudder hard right!〃
A minute later the bow of JULIUS FUCIK rammed the quay at a speed of five knots。 Her bow crumpled as though constructed of paper; and the whole ship pivoted to the right; her side slamming against the rocks in a shower of orange sparks。 The impact ripped the ship's bottom open at the turn of her starboard bilges。 Instantly her lower decks flooded; and the ship settled rapidly to the bottom; only a few feet below her flat keel。 The JULIUS FUCIK would never sail again。 But she had reached her objective。
Kherov waved to the General。 〃My men will deploy the two baby tugboats we have in the stem。 Tell them to remove two barges and set them between the stem and the end of the quay。 My men will show you how to secure the barges properly so they don't drift off。 Then use your bridging equipment to take your vehicles off the elevator onto the barges; then from the barges to the quay。〃
〃We can do this easily。 Now; rade Captain; you will see my surgeon。 I will brook no further argument。〃 The General waved to his orderly and both men assisted the captain below。 There might still be time。

HILL 152; ICELAND
〃You decide who I am yet?〃 Edwards asked testily。 Another really annoying thing was the quarter…second delay caused by the signal's travel time to and from the satellite。
〃That's affirmative。 The problem is; how do we know it's really you?〃 The officer had a telex in his hand confirming that one First Lieutenant Michael D。 Edwards; USAF; had indeed been the met officer for the 57th FIS; information that could easily have been in Russian hands before the attack。
〃Look; turkey; I'm sitting here on Hill 152; east of Hafnarfjordur; okay? There is a Russian helicopter flying around; and some godawful big ship just docked in the harbor。 It's too far to see a flag; but I don't figure the son of a bitch came from New York; y'know? The Russians have invaded this rock。 They pounded hell out of Keflavik; and they got troops all over the place。〃
〃Tell me about the ship。〃
Edwards locked the binoculars to his eyes。 〃Black hull; white superstructure。 Big block letters on the side。 Can't quite make it out。 Something…Lines。 The first word begins with an L。 Some kind of barge…carrying ship。 There's a tugboat moving a barge around right now。〃
〃Have you seen any Russian troops?〃
Edwards paused before answering。 〃No。 I've just heard radio reports of the Marines at Keflavik。 They were being overrun。 They've been off the air ever since。 I can see some people on the dock; but I can't tell what they are。〃
〃Okay; we'll be checking that out。 For the moment I'd suggest that you find a good; safe place to belly…up; and stay off the air。 If we have to contact you; we'll broadcast on the hour; every even hour。 If you want to talk to us; we'll be here。 Understood?〃
〃Roger; copy。 Out。〃 Edwards switched off。 〃I don't believe this。〃
〃Nobody knows what the hell's going on; Lieutenant;〃 Smith observed。 〃Why should they? We sure as hell don't。〃
〃Ain't that the truth!〃 Edwards repacked his radio。 〃If those idiots would listen to me; we could have some fighter…bombers here to blast that ship inside two hours。 God; but she's a big one。 How much equipment can you Marines load in something that big?〃
〃A lot;〃 Smith said quietly。
〃You think they'll be trying to land more troops?〃
〃It figures; sir。 They couldn't have hit Keflavik with all that many…figure a battalion; tops。 This here's a pretty big rock。 I'd sure as hell want more troops to hold it than that。 Course; I'm just a buck sergeant。〃

HAFNARFJORDUR; ICELAND
The General could finally get to work。 The first order of business was to board the single working helicopter; now operating off the dock; its pilots delighted to see the ship sunk alongside the quay。 He left a rifle pany to secure the harbor area; sent another to Reykjavik airport to reinforce that; and detailed his last to get the division's equipment moving off the ship。 Then he flew to Keflavik to survey the situation。
Most of the fires were still burning; he saw。 The aircraft fuel dump nearest the base was ablaze; but the main storage tanks five kilometers away seemed intact; and; he could see; were already guarded by a BMD assault vehicle and some men。 The assault regiment mander met him on one of the undamaged runways。
〃Keflavik air base is secure; rade General!〃 he proclaimed。
〃How did it go?〃
〃Hard。 The Americans were uncoordinated…one of the missiles hit their mand post…but they did not give up easily。 We have nineteen dead and forty…three wounded。 We have accounted for most of the Marines and other security troops; and we are still counting the other prisoners。〃
〃How many armed troops escaped?〃
〃None that we know of。 Too early to tell; of course; but some undoubtedly died in the fires。〃 The colonel waved at the smashed base area to the east。 〃How is the ship? I heard he took a missile hit。〃
〃And we were strafed by American fighters。 He's tied to the dock; and the equipment is being unloaded now。 Can we use this airfield? I…〃
〃Getting that report now。〃 The colonel's radio operator handed his radiophone over。 The colonel spoke for a minute or so。 A five…man party of Air Force personnel had acpanied the second wave and was evaluating the base facilities。
〃rade General; the base radar and radio systems are destroyed。
The runways are littered with debris; and they tell me that they need some hours to sweep them clear。 Also the fuel pipeline is broken in two places。 Fortunately it did not bum。 For the moment we'll have to use the airport's trucks to transfer fuel。 All of them seem to be intact 。 。 。 they remend that the airlift e into Reykjavik。 Have we secured that?〃
〃Yes; and it is intact。 Any hope of getting information from the American aircraft?〃
〃Unfortunately not; rade。 The aircraft were badly damaged from ining missiles。 Those that did not bum of their own accord were burned by their crews。 As I said; they fought hard。〃
〃Very well。 I'll send the remainder of your two battalions with your equipment as soon as we can get things organized。 I'll need the third at the dock for the moment。 Set up your perimeter。 Start the cleanup; we need this airfield operational as soon as possible。 Get the prisoners together and ready to move。 We'll be flying them out tonight。 They are to be treated correctly。〃 His orders on that score were very precise。 Prisoners are assets。
〃As you say; rade General。 And please get me some engineers so that we can repair that fuel pipe。〃
〃Well done; Nikolay Gennadyevich!〃
The General ran back to his helicopter。 Only nineteen dead。 He'd expected a higher number than that。 Taking out the Marine mand center had been a real stroke of luck。 By the time his Hip returned to the dock; the equipment was already rolling off。 The ship's barges had been fitted with loading doors in their hulls; like miniature landing craft; which allowed vehicles to roll straight out。 The units already were being organized on the dock and nearby lots。 His staff officers were fully in charge of things; the General saw。 To this point;

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