tc.redstormrising-第94部分

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ed　by　artillery　and　resulting　fires。　He　saw　only　one　building　that　looked　like　it　might　be　habitable。　Five　kilometers　west；　the　same　story　was　repeated；　and　Alekseyev　realized　that　a　whole　regiment　of　tanks　had　been　lost　in　a　ten…kilometer　advance　down　a　single　road。　He　began　to　see　NATO　equipment；　a　German　attack　helicopter　identifiable　only　from　the　tail　rotor　that　stuck　out　from　the　circle　of　ashes；　a　few　tanks　and　infantry　carriers。　For　both　sides　the　proud　vehicles　manufactured　at　the　greatest　expense　and　skill　were　scattered　on　the　landscape　like　trash　thrown　from　a　car　window。　The　Soviets　had　more　to　expend；　the　General　knew；　but　how　many　more？
The　helicopter　landed　at　the　edge　of　a　forest。　Just　within　the　treeline；　Alekseyev　saw；　antiaircraft　guns　tracked　them　all　the　way　to　the　ground。　He　and　Sergetov　jumped　out；　ducking　under　the　still…turning　main　rotor　as　they　ran　into　the　trees。　There　they　found　a　cluster　of　mand　vehicles。
〃Wele；　rade　General；〃　said　a　dirty…faced　Red　Army　colonel。
〃Where　is　the　divisional　mander？〃
〃I'm　in　mand。　The　General　was　killed　day　before　yesterday　by　enemy　artillery　fire。　We　have　to　move　the　CP　twice　a　day。　They　are　being　very　skilled　at　locating　us。〃
〃Your　situation？〃　Alekseyev　asked　curtly。
〃The　men　are　tired；　but　they　can　still　fight。　We　are　not　getting　sufficient　air　support；　and　the　NATO　fighters　give　us　no　rest　at　night。　We　have　about　half　our　nominal　bat　strength；　except　in　artillery。　That's　down　to　a　third。　The　Americans　have　just　changed　tactics　on　us。　Now；　instead　of　attacking　the　leading　tank　formations；　they　are　sending　their　aircraft　after　our　guns　first。　We　were　badly　hurt　last　night。　Just　as　we　were　launching　a　regimental　attack；　four　of　their　ground…attack　fighters　nearly　wiped　out　a　battalion　of　mobile　guns。　The　attack　failed。〃
〃What　about　concealment！〃　Alekseyev　demanded。
〃Ask　the　devil's　mother　why　it　doesn't　work；〃　the　colonel　shot　back。　〃Their　radar　aircraft　can　evidently　track　vehicles　on　the　ground…we've　tried　jamming；　we've　tried　lures。　Sometimes　it　works；　but　sometimes　not。　The　division　mand　post　has　been　attacked　twice。　My　regiments　are　manded　by　majors；　my　battalions　by　captains。　NATO　tactics　are　to　go　for　the　unit　manders；　and　the　bastards　are　good　at　it。　Every　time　we　approach　a　village；　my　tanks　have　to　fight　through　a　swarm　of　missiles。　We've　tried　rockets　and　artillery　to　suppress　them；　but　you　can't　take　the　time　to　blast　every　building　in　sight…we'd　never　get　anywhere。〃
〃What　do　you　need？〃
〃Air　support　and　lots　of　it。　Get　me　the　support　to　smash　through　what's　opposing　me；　and　I'll　give　you　your　damned　breakout！〃　Ten　kilometers　behind　the　front；　a　tank　division　was　waiting　for　this　very　unit　to　rupture　the　front…but　how　could　it　exploit　a　breakthrough　that　was　never　made？
〃Your　supply　situation？〃
〃Could　be　better；　but　we're　getting　enough　forward　to　supply　what　we　have　left…not　enough　to　support　an　intact　division。〃
〃What　are　you　doing　now？〃
〃We　launch　a　two…regiment　attack　just　over　an　hour　from　now。　Another　village；　named　Bieben。　We　estimate　enemy　strength　as　two　understrength　battalions　of　infantry；　supported　by　tanks　and　artillery。　The　village　mands　a　crossroads　we　need。　Same　one　we　tried　to　get　last　night。　This　assault　should　work。　Do　you　wish　to　observe？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then　we'd　better　get　you　forward。　Forget　the　helicopter　unless　you　want　to　die。　Besides〃…the　colonel　smiled…〃I　can　use　it　to　support　the　attack。　I'll　give　you　an　infantry　carrier　to　get　you　forward。　It　will　be　dangerous　up　there；　rade　General；〃　the　colonel　warned。
〃Fine。　You　can　protect　us。　When　do　we　leave？〃

USS　PHARRIS
The　calm　sea　meant　that　Pharris　was　back　on　port…and…starboard　steaming。　Half　the　crew　was　always　on　duty　as　the　frigate　held　her　station　north　of　the　convoy。　The　towed　sonar　was　streamed　aft；　and　the　helicopter　sat　ready　on　the　flight　deck；　its　crew　dozing　in　the　hangar。　Morris　slept　also；　snoring　away　in　his　leather　bridge　chair；　to　the　amusement　of　his　crewmen。　So；　officers　did　it；　too。　The　crew　acmodations　often　sounded　like　a　convention　of　chainsaws。
〃Captain；　message　from　CINCLANTFLT。〃
Morris　looked　up　at　the　yeoman　and　signed　for　the　message　form。　An　eastbound　convoy　one　hundred　fifty　miles　north　of　them　was　under　attack。　He　walked　back　to　the　chart　table　to　check　distances。　The　submarines　there　were　not　a　threat　to　him。　That　was　that。　He　had　his　own　concerns；　and　his　world　had　shrunk　to　include　them　only。　Another　forty　hours　to　Norfolk；　where　they　would　refuel；　replace　expended　ordnance；　and　sail　again　within　twenty…four　hours。
〃What　the　hell's　that？〃　a　sailor　said　loudly。　He　pointed　to　a　low…lying　trail　of　white　smoke。
〃That's　a　missile；〃　answered　the　officer　of　the　deck。　〃General　quarters！　Captain；　that　was　a　cruise　missile　southbound　a　mile　ahead　of　us。〃
Morris　snapped　upright　in　his　seat　and　blinked　his　eyes　clear。　〃Signal　the　convoy。　Energize　the　radar。　Fire　the　chaff。〃　Morris　ran　to　the　ladder　to　CIC。　The　ship's　alarm　was　sounding　its　strident　note　before　he　got　there。　Aft；　two　Super…RBOC　chaff　rockets　leaped　into　the　sky　and　exploded；　surrounding　the　frigate　with　a　cloud　of　aluminum　foil。
〃I　count　five　inbounds；〃　a　radar　operator　was　saying。　One's　heading　towards　us。　Bearing　zero…zero…eight；　range　seven　miles；　speed　five　hundred　knots。〃
〃Bridge；　e　right　full　rudder　to　zero…zero…eight；〃　the　tactical　action　officer　ordered。　〃Stand　by　to　fire　off　more　chaff。　Air　action　forward；　weapons　free。〃
The　five…inch　gun　swiveled　slightly　and　loosed　several　rounds；　none　of　which　came　near　the　ining　missile。
〃Range　two　miles　and　closing；〃　reported　the　radar　man。
〃Fire　four　more　Super…Rocs。〃
Morris　heard　the　rockets　launch。　The　radar　showed　their　chaff　as　an　opaque　cloud　that　enveloped　the　ship。
〃CIC；〃　called　a　lookout。　〃I　see　it。　Star　bound　bow；　inbound…it's　gonna　miss；　I　got　a　bearing　change。　There…there　it　goes；　passing　aft。　Missed　us　by　a　couple　hundred　yards。〃
The　missile　was　confused　by　the　chaff。　Had　its　brain　had　the　capacity　to　think；　it　would　have　been　surprised　that　it　struck　nothing。　Instead；　on　ing　back　to　a　clear　sky；　the　radar　seeker　merely　looked　for　another　target。　It　found　one；　fifteen　miles　ahead；　and　altered　course　toward　it。
〃Sonar；〃　Morris　ordered；　〃check　bearing　zero…zero…eight。　There's　a　missile…armed　sub　out　there。〃
〃Looking　now；　sir。　Nothing　shows　on　that　bearing。〃
〃A　five…hundred…knot　sea…skimmer。　That's　a　Charlie…class　sub；　maybe　thirty　miles　out；〃　Morris　said。　〃Get　the　helo　out　there。　I'm　going　topside。〃
The　captain　reached　the　bridge　just　in　time　to　see　the　explosion　on　the　horizon。　That　was　no　freighter。　The　fireball　could　only　mean　a　warship　had　had　her　magazines　exploded　by　a　missile；　perhaps　the　one　that　had　just　missed　them。　Why　hadn't　they　been　able　to　stop　it？　Three　more　explosions　followed。　Slowly　the　noise　traveled　across　the　sea　toward　them；　reaching　Pharris　as　the　deep　sound　of　an　enormous　bass　drum。　The　frigate's　Sea　Sprite　helicopter　was　just　lifting　off；　racing　north　in　the　hope　of　catching　the　Soviet　sub　near　the　surface。　Morris　ordered　his　ship　to　slow　to　five　knots　in　the　hope　that　the　lower　speed　would　allow　his　sonar　to　perform　just　a　little　better。　Still　nothing。　He　returned　to　CIC。
The　helicopter's　crew　dropped　a　dozen　sonobuoys。　Two　showed　something；　but　the　contact　faded；　and　was　not　reestablished。　Soon　an　Orion　showed　up　and　carried　on　the　search；　but　the　submarine　had　escaped　cleanly；　her　missiles　having　killed　a　destroyer　and　two　merchantmen。　Just　like　that；　Morris　thought。　No　warning　at　all。

STORNOWAY；　SCOTLAND
〃Raid　warning　again；〃　the　Group　Captain　said。
〃Realtime？〃　Toland　asked。
〃No；　an　asset　we　have　in　Norway。　Contrails　overhead　southwest。　He　counts　twenty　or　so；　aircraft　type　unknown。　We　have　a　Nimrod　patrolling　north　of　Iceland　now。　If　they're　Backfires；　and　if　they　rendezvous　with　a　tanker　group；　we　might　just　get　something。　See　if　your　idea　works；　Bob。〃
Four　Tomcat　interceptors　were　sitting　ready　on　the　flight　line。　Two　were　armed　with　missiles。　The　other　pair　carried　buddy…stores；　fuel　tanks　designed　to　transfer　fuel　to　other　aircraft。　The　distance　they　expected　for　a　successful　intercept　meant　a　round　trip　of　two　thousand　miles；　which　meant　that　only　two　aircraft　could　reac