tc.redstormrising-第138节

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〃Sonar；　how　many　fish　we　got　chasing　us？〃
〃At　least　three；　sir。　Sir；　our　units　are　pinging。　I　believe　they　have　the　target。〃
〃XO；　in　a　few　seconds　we're　going　to　turn　and　change　depth。　When　we　do；　I　want　you　to　fire　off　four　noisemakers　at　fifteen…second　intervals。〃
〃Aye；　Cap'n。〃
McCafferty　went　over　to　stand　behind　the　helmsman。　He'd　just　turned　twenty　the　day　before。　The　rudder　indicator　was　amidships；　with　ten　degrees　of　down　angle　on　the　planes；　and　the　submarine　was　just　passing　through　five　hundred　feet　and　hurtling　down。　The　speed　log　now　showed　thirty　knots。　The　rate　of　acceleration　slowed　as　Chicago　neared　her　maximum　speed。　He　patted　the　boy　on　the　shoulder。
〃Now。　Ten　degrees　rise　on　the　planes　and　e　right　twenty　degrees　rudder。〃
〃Yes；　sir！〃
The　hull　thundered　with　the　news　that　their　fish　had　found　their　target。　Everyone　jumped　or　cringed…they　had　their　own　problems　chasing　after　them。　Chicago's　maneuver　left　a　massive　knuckle　in　the　water　that　the　executive　officer　punctuated　with　four　noisemakers。　The　small　gas　canisters　filled　the　disturbance　with　bubbles　that　made　excellent　sonar　targets　while　Chicago　sped　north。　She　raced　right　under　a　sonobuoy；　but　the　Russians　could　not　put　another　torpedo　down　for　fear　of　interfering　with　those　already　running。
〃Bearing　is　changing　on　all　contacts；　sir；〃　sonar　reported。
McCafferty　started　to　breathe　again。　〃Ahead　one…third。〃
The　helmsman　dialed　the　annunciator　handle。　The　engineers　responded　at　once；　and　again　Chicago　slowed。
〃We'll　try　to　disappear　again。　They　probably　aren't　sure　yet　who　killed　who。　We'll　use　that　time　to　get　back　down　to　the　bottom　and　crawl　northeast。　Well　done；　people；　that　was　sorta　hairy。〃
The　helmsman　looked　up。　〃Skipper；　the　south　side　of　Chicago　ain't　the　baddest　part　of　town　anymore！〃
Sure　as　hell　is　the　tiredest；　though；　the　captain　thought。　They　can't　keep　ing　at　us　this　way。　They　have　to　back　off　and　rethink；　don't　they？　He　had　the　chart　memorized。　Another　hundred　fifty　miles　to　the　icepack。

39　…　The　Shores　of　Stykklisholmur

HUNZEN；　FEDERAL　REPUBLIC　OF　GERMANY
They'd　finally　defeated　the　counterattack。　No；　Alekseyev　told　himself；　we　didn't　defeat　it；　we　drove　it　off。　The　Germans　had　withdrawn　of　their　own　accord　after　blunting　half　of　the　Russian　attack。　There　was　more　to　victory　than　being　in　possession　of　the　battlefield。
It　only　got　harder。　Beregovoy　had　been　right　when　he'd　said　that　coordinating　a　large　battle　on　the　move　was　much　harder　than　doing　it　from　a　fixed　mand　post。　Just　the　effort　of　getting　the　right　map　opened　inside　a　cramped　mand　vehicle　was　a　battle　against　time　and　space；　and　eighty　kilometers　of　front　made　for　too　many　tactical　maps。　The　counterattack　had　forced　the　generals　to　move　one　of　their　precious　A　reserve　formations　north；　just　in　time　to　watch　the　Germans　withdraw　after　savaging　the　rear　areas　of　three　B　motor…rifle　divisions；　and　spreading　panic　throughout　the　thousands　of　reservists　who　were　trying　to　cope　with　old　equipment　and　barely　remembered　training。
〃Why　did　they　pull　back？〃　Sergetov　asked　his　general。
Alekseyev　did　not　respond。　There　was　a　fine　question　that　he　had　already　asked　half　a　dozen　times。　There　were　probably　two　reasons；　he　told　himself。　First；　they'd　lacked　the　strength　to　pursue　the　effort　and　had　had　to　settle　for　a　spoiling　attack　to　unbalance　our　operation。　Second；　the　central　axis　of　our　attack　was　on　the　verge　of　reaching　the　Weser；　and　they　might　have　been　called　back　to　deal　with　this　possible　crisis。　The　Army　group　intelligence　officer　approached。
〃rade　General；　we　have　a　disturbing　report　from　one　of　our　reconnaissance　aircraft。〃　The　officer　related　the　sketchy　radio　message　from　a　low…flying　recce　aircraft。　NATO's　control　of　the　air　had　brought　particularly　grim　losses　to　those　all…important　units。　The　pilot　of　this　MiG…21　had　seen　and　reported　a　massive　column　of　allied　armor　on　the　E8　highway　south　of　Osnabruck　before　disappearing。　The　General　immediately　lifted　the　radiophone　to　Stendal。
〃Why　were　we　not　informed　of　this　as　soon　as　you　received　it？〃　Alekseyev　demanded　of　his　superior。

〃It　is　an　unconfirmed　report；〃　CINC…West　replied。
〃Dammit；　we　know　the　Americans　landed　reinforcements　at　Le　Havre！〃
〃And　they　can't　be　at　the　front　for　at　least　another　day。　How　soon　will　you　have　a　bridgehead　on　the　Weser？〃
〃We　have　units　on　the　river　now　at　Ruhle…〃
〃Then　move　your　bridging　units　there　and　get　them　across！〃
〃rade；　my　right　flank　is　still　in　disarray；　and　now　we　have　this　report　of　a　possible　enemy　division　forming　up　there！〃
〃You　worry　about　crossing　the　Weser　and　let　me　worry　about　this　phantom　division！　That's　an　order；　Pavel　Leonidovich！〃
Alekseyev　set　the　phone　back　in　its　place。　He　has　a　better　overall　picture　of　what's　going　on；　Pasha　told　himself。　After　we　bridge　the　Weser；　we　have　no　really　serious　obstacle　in　front　of　us　for　over　a　hundred　kilometers。　After　the　river　Weser；　we　can　race　into　the　Ruhr；　Germany's　industrial　heart。　If　we　destroy　that；　or　even　threaten　it；　then　perhaps　the　Germans　will　seek　their　political　solution　and　the　war　is　won。　That　is　what　he　is　telling　me。
The　General　looked　at　his　maps。　Soon　the　lead　regiment　would　try　to　force　men　across　the　river　at　Ruhle。　A　bridging　regiment　was　already　en　route。　And　he　had　his　orders。
〃Start　moving　the　OMG　troops。〃
〃But　our　right　flank！〃　Beregovoy　protested。
〃Will　have　to　look　after　itself。〃

BRUSSELS；　BELGIUM
SACEUR　was　still　worried　about　his　supplies。　He'd　also　been　forced　to　gamble　in　giving　highest　transport　priority　to　the　armored　division　now　approaching　Springe。　The　container　ships　loaded　with　munitions；　spare　parts；　and　the　millions　of　other　specialty　items　were　just　now　sending　their　cargoes　to　the　front。　His　largest　reserve　formation；　the　tank　force；　was　about　to　team　up　with　two　German　brigades；　and　what　was　left　of　the　11th　Armored　Cavalry　Regiment；　once　a　brigade　in　all　but　name；　now　only　two　battalions　of　weary　men。
His　supply　situation　was　still　tenuous。　Many　of　his　line　units　were　down　to　four　days　of　consumable　stores；　and　the　resupply　effort　would　take　two　days；　even　if　things　went　perfectly：　a　thin　margin　that　in　a　prewar　exercise　might　have　seemed　equitable　enough；　but　not　now；　when　men　and　nations　were　at　stake。　Yet　what　choice　did　he　have？
〃General；　we　have　a　report　here　of　a　regiment…sized　attack　on　the　Weser。　It　looks　like　Ivan's　trying　to　put　troops　on　the　left　bank。〃
〃What　do　we　have　there？〃
〃One　battalion　of　Landwehr；　and　they're　pretty　beat　up。　There　are　two　panies　of　tanks　on　the　way；　ought　to　be　there　in　a　little　over　an　hour。　There　are　preliminary　indications　that　Soviet　reinforcements　are　heading　that　way。　This　might　be　the　main　axis　of　their　attack；　at　least　it　seems　that　they're　orienting　in　that　direction。〃
SACEUR　rocked　back　in　his　chair；　looking　up　at　the　map　display。　He　had　one　reserve　regiment　within　three　hours　of　Ruhle。　The　General　was　a　man　who　loved　to　gamble。　He　was　never　happier　than　when　sitting　at　a　table　with　a　deck　of　cards　and　a　few　hundred　dollars'　worth　of　chips。　He　usually　won。　If　he　attacked　south　from　Springe　and　failed　。　。　。　the　Russians　would　put　two　or　three　divisions　across　the　Weser；　and　he　had　precisely　one　regiment　in　reserve　to　stand　in　their　way。　If　he　moved　his　new　tank　division　there；　and　by　some　miracle　they　got　there　in　time；　he　would　have　frittered　away　his　best　chance　for　a　counterattack　by　reacting　to　a　Soviet　move　again。　No；　he　couldn't　just　react　anymore。　He　pointed　to　Springe。
〃How　long　before　they're　ready　to　move？〃
〃The　whole　division…six　hours　at　best。　We　can　divert　the　units　still　on　the　road　south　to…〃
〃No。〃
〃Then　we　go　south　from　Springe　with　what's　ready　now？〃
〃No。〃　SACEUR　shook　his　head　and　outlined　his　plan　。　。　。

ICELAND
〃I　see　one；〃　Garcia　called。　Edwards　and　Nichols　were　beside　him　in　a　moment。
〃Hello；　Ivan；〃　Nichols　said　quietly。
Even　with　binoculars；　the　distance　was　still　a　little　over　three　miles。　Edwards　saw　a　tiny　figure　walking　along　the　crest　of　the　mountaintop。　He　carried　a　rifle　and　appeared　to　be　wearing　a　soft　hat…perhaps　a　beret…instead　of　a　helmet。　The　figure　stopped　and　brought　his　hands　up　to　his　face。　He　had　binoculars；　too；　Edwards　saw。　He　looked　north；　slightly　downward；　training　his　field　glasses　left　to　right　and　back　again。　Then　he　turned　and　looked　off　in　the　direction　of　Keflavik。
Another　man　appeared；　approaching　the　first。　Perhaps　they　were　talking；　but　it　was　impossible　to　tell　at　this　distance。　The　one　with　binoculars　pointed　at　something　to　the　south。
〃What　do　you　suppose　this　is　all　about？〃　Edwards　asked。
〃Talking　about　the　weather；　girls；　sports；　food…who　knows？〃　Nichols　replied。　〃Another　one！〃
The　third　figure　appeared；　and　the　trio　of　Russian　paratroopers　stood　together　doing　whatever　it　was　that　they　were　doing。　One　had　to　be　an　officer；　Edwards　decided。　He　said　something；　and　the　others　moved　off　quickly；　dropping　out　of　sight　below　the　crest。　What　order　did　you　just　give？
Presently　a　group　of　men　appeared。　The　light　was　bad；　and　they　shuffled　around　too　much　to　get　an　accurate　count；　but　there　had　to　be　at　least　ten。　About　half　of　them　were　carrying　their　personal　weapons；　and　these　started　moving　downhill。　To　the　west。
〃Right；　he's　a　smart