tc.redstormrising-第90节

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converted　bomber　and　detonated　the　remaining　fumes　in　its　refueling　tanks。　The　Soviet　bomber　disappeared　in　a　thundering　orange　flash。
The　fighters　swept　their　radars　around　the　sky；　hoping　to　find　targets　for　their　remaining　missiles。　Six　more　Badgers　were　a　hundred　miles　off；　but　they　had　already　been　warned　by　the　leading　tankers　and　were　heading　north。　The　Tomcats　didn't　have　enough　fuel　to　pursue。　They　turned　for　home　and　landed　at　Stomoway　an　hour　later　with　nearly　dry　tanks。
〃Five　confirmed　kills　and　a　damage；〃　the　squadron　mander　told　Toland。　〃It　worked。〃
〃This　time。〃　Toland　was　pleased　nevertheless。　The　U。S。　Navy　had　just　pleted　its　first　offensive　mission。　Now　for　the　next　one。　Information　was　just　in　on　the　Backfire　raid。　They'd　hit　a　convoy　off　the　Azores；　and　a　pair　of　Tomcats　was　waiting　two　hundred　miles　south　of　Iceland　to　meet　them　on　the　return　leg。

STENDAL；　GERMAN　DEMOCRATIC　REPUBLIC
〃Our　losses　have　been　murderous；〃　said　the　General　of　Soviet　Frontal　Aviation。
〃I　will　tell　our　motor…rifle　troops　just　how　serious　your　losses　have　been；〃　Alekseyev　replied　coldly。
〃We　have　lost　nearly　double　our　projections。〃
〃So　have　we！　At　least　our　ground　troops　are　fighting。　I　watched　an　attack。　You　sent　in　four　attack　fighters。　Four！〃
〃I　know　of　this　attack。　There　was　a　full　regiment　assigned；　more　than　twenty；　plus　your　own　attack　helicopters。　The　NATO　fighters　are　engaging　us　ten　kilometers　behind　the　front。　My　pilots　must　fight　for　their　lives　simply　to　get　where　your　tanks　are…and　then　all　too　often　they　are　engaged　by　our　own　surface…to…air　missiles！〃
〃Explain；〃　ordered　Alekseyev's　superior。
〃rade　General；　the　NATO　radar　surveillance　aircraft　are　not　easy　targets…they　are　too　well　protected。　With　their　airborne　radar；　they　can　vector　their　fighters　against　ours　to　launch　their　missile　attacks　from　beyond　visual　range。　When　our　pilots　learn　that　they　are　being　attacked；　they　must　evade；　no？　Do　your　tankers　sit　still　to　give　their　enemies　an　easy　shot？　This　often　means　that　they　must　drop　their　bombs　to　maneuver。　Finally；　when　they　do　manage　to　reach　the　battle　zone　they　are　frequently　shot　at　by　friendly　missile　units　who　don't　take　the　time　to　distinguish　between　friend　and　foe。〃　It　was　an　old　story；　and　not　merely　a　Soviet　problem。
〃You　are　telling　us　that　NATO　has　mand　of　the　air；〃　Alekseyev　said。
〃No；　they　do　not。　Neither　side　does。　Our　surface…to…air　missiles　deny　them　the　ability　to　control　the　air　over　the　battle　line；　and　their　fighters　helped　by　their　surface…to…air　missiles；　and　ours！…deny　it　to　us。　The　sky　over　the　battlefield　belongs　to　no　one。〃　Except　the　dead；　the　Air　Force　General　thought　to　himself。
Alekseyev　thought　of　what　he　had　seen　at　Bieben；　and　wondered　how　correct　he　was。
〃We　must　do　better；〃　the　Theater　mander　said。　〃The　next　massed　attack　we　launch　will　have　proper　air　support　if　it　means　stripping　fighters　from　every　unit　on　the　front。〃
〃We　are　trying　to　get　more　aircraft　forward　by　using　deceptive　maneuvering。　Yesterday　we　tried　to　feint　NATO's　fighters　to　the　wrong　place。　It　nearly　worked；　but　we　made　a　mistake。　That　mistake　has　been　identified。〃

〃We　attack　south　of　Hannover　at　0600　tomorrow。　I　want　two　hundred　aircraft　at　the　front　line　supporting　my　divisions。〃
〃You'll　have　them；〃　the　Air　Force　General　agreed。　Alekseyev　watched　the　flyer　leave。
〃So；　Pasha？〃
〃That's　a　start…if　the　two　hundred　fighters　show　up。〃
〃We　have　our　helicopters；　too。〃
〃I　watched　what　happens　to　helicopters　in　a　missile　environment。　Just　when　I　thought　they'd　blast　a　hole　through　the　German　lines；　a　bination　of　SAMs　and　fighters　nearly　annihilated　them。　They　have　to　expose　themselves　too　greatly　when　they　fire　their　missiles。　The　courage　of　the　pilots　is　remarkable；　but　courage　alone　is　not　enough。　We　have　underestimated　NATO　firepower…no；　more　properly　we　have　overestimated　our　ability　to　neutralize　it。〃
〃We've　been　attacking　prepared　positions　since　this　war　began。　Once　we　break　into　the　open…〃
〃Yes。　A　mobile　campaign　will　reduce　our　losses　and　give　us　a　much　more　even　contest。　We　have　to　break　through。〃　Alekseyev　looked　down　at　the　map。　Just　after　dawn　tomorrow；　an　army…four　motor…rifle　divisions；　supported　by　a　division　of　tanks…would　hurl　itself　into　the　NATO　lines。　〃And　here　seems　to　be　the　place。　I　want　to　be　forward　again。〃
〃As　you　wish；　Pasha。　But　be　careful。　By　the　way；　the　doctor　tells　me　the　cut　on　your　hand　was　from　a　shell　fragment。　You　are　entitled　to　a　decoration。〃
〃For　this？〃　Alekseyev　looked　at　his　bandaged　hand。　〃I've　cut　myself　worse　than　this　shaving。　No　medal　for　this；　it　would　be　an　insult　to　our　troops。

ICELAND
They　were　climbing　down　a　rocky　slope　when　the　helicopter　appeared　two　miles　west　of　them。　It　was　low；　about　three　hundred　feet　over　the　ridge　line；　and　moving　slowly　toward　them。　The　Marines　immediately　fell　to　the　ground　and　crawled　to　places　where　they　might　hide　in　shadows。　Edwards　took　a　few　steps　to　Vigdis　and　pulled　her　down　also。　She　was　wearing　a　white　patterned　sweater　that　was　all　too　easy　to　spot。　The　lieutenant　stripped　off　his　field　jacket　and　draped　it　around　her；　holding　her　head　down　as　he　wrapped　the　hood　over　her　blond　hair。
〃Don't　move　at　all。　They're　looking　for　us。〃　Edwards　kept　his　own　head　up　briefly　to　see　where　his　men　were。　Smith　waved　for　him　to　get　down。　Edwards　did　so；　keeping　his　eyes　open　so　that　he　could　look　sideways　at　the　chopper。　It　was　another　Hind。　He　could　see　rocket　pods　hanging　from　stubby　wings　on　either　side　of　the　airframe。　Both　the　doors　to　the　passenger　partment　were　open；　revealing　a　squad　of　infantrymen；　weapons　at　the　ready；　looking　down。　〃Oh；　shit。〃
The　noise　from　its　turboshaft　engines　increased　as　the　Hind　came　closer；　and　the　massive　five…bladed　main　rotor　beat　at　the　air；　stirring　up　the　volcanic　dust　that　coated　everything　on　the　plateau　they　had　just　left。　Edwards's　hand　tightened　on　the　M…16's　pistol　grip；　and　he　thumbed　off　the　safety。　The　helicopter　was　ing　almost　sideways；　its　rocket　pods　pointed　at　the　flatlands　behind　the　Marines。　Edwards　could　make　out　the　machine　guns　in　the　Hind's　nose；　some　kind　of　rotary　gun　like　the　American　minigun　that　spat　out　four　thousand　rounds　per　minute。　They　wouldn't　have　a　chance　in　hell　against　that。
〃Turn；　you　son　of　a　bitch；〃　Mike　said　under　his　breath。
〃What　is　it　doing？〃　Vigdis　asked。
〃Just　relax。　Don't　move　at　all。〃　Oh；　God；　don't　let　them　see　us　now　。

〃There！　Look　there　at　one　o'clock；〃　the　gunner　said　from　the　front　seat　of　the　helicopter。
〃So　this　mission　isn't　a　waste　after　all；〃　the　pilot　replied。　〃Go　ahead。〃
The　gunner　centered　Ins　sights　and　armed　the　machine　gun；　setting　his　selector　for　a　five…shot　burst。　His　target　was　agreeably　still　as　he　depressed　the　trigger。
〃Got　him！〃

Edwards　jumped　at　the　sound。　Vigdis　didn't　move　at　all。　The　lieutenant　moved　his　rifle　slightly；　bringing　it　to　bear　on　the　chopper…which　moved　south；　dropping　below　the　ridgeline。　He　saw　three　heads　e　up。　What　had　they　shot　at？　The　engine　sounds　changed　as　the　helicopter　landed；　not　far　away。
The　gunner　had　hit　the　buck　with　three　bullets；　with　little　damage　to　the　edible　tissue。　There　was　just　enough　in　the　eighty…pound　animal　to　feed　the　squad　and　the　helicopter　crew。　The　paratroop　sergeant　slit　the　deer's　throat　with　his　bat　knife；　then　set　to　remove　the　viscera。　The　local　deer　were　nothing　like　the　animals　his　father　hunted　in　Siberia；　but　for　the　first　time　in　three　weeks　he'd　have　some　fresh　meat。　That　was　sufficient　to　make　this　boring　mission　worthwhile。　The　carcass　was　loaded　into　the　Hind。　Two　minutes　later　it　circled　up　to　cruise　altitude　and　flew　back　to　Keflavik。
They　watched　it　depart；　the　stuttering　rotor　sound　diminishing　on　the　breeze。
〃What　was　that　all　about？〃　Edwards　asked　his　sergeant。
〃Beats　the　hell　out　of　me；　skipper。　I　think　we　better　boogie　on　outa　here。　They　were　sure　as　hell　looking　for　something；　and　I'll　betcha　it's　us。　Let's　keep　to　places　with　some　kind　of　cover。〃
〃You　got　it；　Jim。　Lead　off。〃　Edwards　walked　back　to　Vigdis。
Is　safe　now？〃
They've　gone。　Why　don't　you　keep　that　jacket　on。　It　makes　you　harder　to　spot。〃
It　was　two　sizes　too　large　for　Edwards；　and　looked　like　a　tent　on　Vigdis's　diminutive　frame。　She　held　her　arms　out　straight　in　an　effort　to　get　her　hands　out　of　the　sleeves；　and　for　the　first　time　since　he　met　her；　Vigdis　Agustdottir　smiled。

USS　PHARRIS
〃All　ahead　one…third；〃　the　executive　officer　ordered。
〃All　ahead　one…third；　aye；〃　the　quartermaster　of　the　watch　responded；　moving　the　annunciator　handle　up　from　the　Ahead　Full　setting。　A　moment　later　the　inside　pointer　changed　also。　〃Engine　room　answers　all　ahead　one…third。〃
〃Very　well。〃
Pharris　slowed；　ing　off　a　twenty…five…knot　sprint　to　mence　another　drift　maneuver；　and　allowing　her　towed…array　sonar　to　listen　for　hostile　submarines。　Morris　was　in　his　bridge　chair；　going　over　messages　from　shore。　He　rubbed　his　eyes　and　lit　up　another　Pall　Mall。
〃Bridge；〃　called　the　urgent　voice　of　a　lookout。　〃Periscope　feather　on　the　port　bow！　Halfway　to　the　horizon；　port　bow！〃　Morris　snatched　his　binoculars　from　the　holder　and　had　them　to　his　eyes　in　an　instant。　He　didn't　see　anything。
〃Battle　stations！〃　ordered　the　XO。　The　alarm　gong　went　off　a　second　later　and　weary　men　r