tc.redstormrising-第162部分

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ou　not？〃　Sergetov　looked　around　the　table。　〃Such　expertise　as　this　has　brought　us　to　disaster！〃
〃We　will　not　fail！　We　will　defeat　the　West。〃
〃rades；〃　Kosov　walked　into　the　room。　〃Forgive　me　for　being　late。　I　just　received　notification　that　our　forces　on　Iceland　are　surrendering。　The　general　in　mand　cites　thirty…percent　casualties　and　a　hopeless　tactical　situation。〃
〃Have　him　arrested　at　once！〃　Defense　roared。　〃And　arrest　the　family　of　the　traitor。〃
〃Our　rade　Defense　Minister　seems　far　more　efficient　in　arresting　our　own　people　than　in　defeating　our　enemies；〃　Sergetov　observed　dryly。
〃You　young　whelp！〃　The　Defense　Minister　went　white　with　rage。
〃I　do　not　say　that　we　have　been　defeated；　but　it　is　clear　that　we　have　not　yet　been　victorious。　It　is　time　that　we　seek　a　political　conclusion　to　this　war。〃
〃We　could　accept　the　German　terms；〃　the　Foreign　Minister　said　hopefully。
〃I　regret　to　inform　you　that　this　is　no　longer　a　possibility；〃　Kosov　replied。　〃I　have　reason　to　believe　that　this　was　a　sham…a　German　maskirovka。〃
〃But　your　deputy　said　only　the　day　before　yesterday…〃

〃I　warned　him　and　you　that　I　had　my　doubts。　A　story　appeared　today　in　the　French　newspaper　Le　Monde　that　the　Germans　have　rejected　a　Soviet　offer　for　a　political　settlement　to　the　war。　They　give　the　correct　times　and　location　that　the　meetings　took　place…the　story　could　only　have　e　from　official　German　channels；　and　the　clear　implication　is　that　this　was　all　along　a　NATO　effort　to　affect　our　strategic　thinking。　They　are　sending　us　a　message；　rades。　They　say　that　they　are　prepared　to　fight　the　war　to　the　finish。〃
〃Marshal　Bukharin；　what　is　the　strength　of　the　NATO　forces？〃　the　General　Secretary　asked。
〃They　have　taken　massive　losses　in　men　and　materiel。　Their　armies　are　exhausted。　They　must　be；　else　they　would　have　counterattacked　in　strength　already。〃
〃One　more　push；　then；〃　Defense　said。　He　looked　to　the　head　of　the　table　for　support。　〃One　more　very　very　hard　push。　Perhaps　Alekseyev　is　right…we　need　to　coordinate　a　single　massive　attack　to　smash　their　lines。〃
Now　you　are　grasping　at　other　men's　straws；　Sergetov　thought。
〃The　Defense　Council　will　consider　this　in　private；〃　the　General　Secretary　said。
〃No！〃　Sergetov　objected。　〃This　is　now　a　political　question　for　the　entire　Politburo。　The　fate　of　the　country　will　not　be　decided　by　five　men　only！〃
〃You　have　no　place　to　object；　Mikhail　Eduardovich。　You　have　no　vote　at　this　table。〃　Sergetov　was　stunned　to　hear　these　words　from　Kosov。
〃Perhaps　he　should；〃　Bromkovskiy　said。
〃That　is　not　a　question　to　be　decided　now；〃　the　General　Secretary　announced。
Sergetov　watched　the　faces　arrayed　around　the　oak　table。　No　one　had　the　courage　to　speak　up　now。　He　had　almost　altered　the　power　balance　of　the　Politburo；　but　until　it　was　clear　which　faction　was　stronger；　the　old　rules　would　prevail。　The　meeting　adjourned。　The　members　filed　out　except　for　the　five　Defense　Council　members；　who　kept　Bukharin　with　them。
The　candidate　member　lingered　outside　looking　for　allies。　His　fellow　chieftains　filed　past。　Several　met　his　eyes；　then　looked　away。
〃Mikhail　Eduardovich？〃　It　was　the　Minister　for　Agriculture。　〃How　much　fuel　will　be　available　for　food　distribution？〃
〃How　much　food　will　there　be？〃　Sergetov　asked。　How　much　food　can　there　be？
〃More　than　you　think。　We　have　tripled　the　size　of　private　plots　throughout　the　Russian　Republic…〃
〃What？〃
〃Yes；　the　old　people　on　the　farms　are　growing　plenty　of　food　now…at　least　enough　to　feed　us　for　the　time　being。　The　problem　is　now　one　of　distribution。〃
〃No　one　told　me。〃　Some　good　news？　Sergetov　wondered。
〃Do　you　know　how　many　times　I　have　proposed　this？　No；　you　weren't　here　last　July；　were　you？　I've　said　for　years　that　by　doing　this　we　could　solve　many　problems；　and　finally　they　listened　to　me！　We　have　food；　Mikhail　Eduardovich。　I　just　hope　we　will　have　people　to　eat　it！　I　need　fuel　to　transport　it　to　the　cities。　Will　I　have　the　fuel？〃
〃I　will　see　what　I　can　do；　Filip　Moiseyevich。〃
〃You　have　spoken　well；　rade。　I　hope　some　will　listen。〃
〃Thank　you。〃
〃Your　son　is　well？〃
〃The　last　I　heard　from　him；　yes。〃
〃I　am　ashamed　that　my　son　is　not　there；　too。〃　The　Minister　for　Agriculture　paused。　〃We　must…well；　we　have　no　time　for　that　now。　Get　me　the　fuel　figures　as　quickly　as　you　can。〃
A　convert？　Or　an　agent　provocateur？

STENDAL；　GERMAN　DEMOCRATIC　REPUBLIC
Alekseyev　held　the　message　in　his　hand：　FLY　AT　ONCE　TO　MOSCOW　FOR　CONSULTATIONS。　Was　it　his　death　sentence？　The　General　summoned　his　deputy。
〃Nothing　new。　We　have　some　probes　around　Hamburg；　and　what　looks　like　preparations　for　an　attack　north　of　Hannover；　but　nothing　we　should　not　be　able　to　handle。〃
〃I　have　to　go　to　Moscow。〃　Alekseyev　saw　the　concern　on　the　man's　face。　〃'Don't　worry；　Anatoliy；　I　haven't　been　in　mand　long　enough　to　be　shot。　We　will　have　to　arrange　our　personnel　transfers　in　a　systematic　way　if　we　have　any　hope　of　transforming　these　C　divisions　into　a　fighting　force。　I　should　be　back　in　twenty…four　hours　or　less。　Tell　Major　Sergetov　to　get　my　map　case　and　meet　me　outside　in　ten　minutes。〃
Alekseyev　handed　his　aide　the　message　form　in　the　back　of　the　staff　car；　along　with　an　ironic　look。
〃What　does　this　mean？〃
〃We'll　find　out　in　a　few　hours；　Vanya。〃

MOSCOW；　R。S。F。S。R。
〃They　are　truly　mad。〃
〃You　should　choose　your　words　with　greater　care；　Boris　Georgiyevich；〃　Sergetov　said。　〃What　has　NATO　done　now？〃
The　KGB　Chief　shook　his　head　in　surprise。　〃I　mean　the　Defense　Council；　you　young　fool！〃
〃This　young　fool　has　no　vote　on　the　Politburo。　You　pointed　that　out　yourself。〃　Sergetov　had　held　the　fleeting　hope　that　the　Politburo　might　be　brought　to　its　senses。
〃Mikhail　Eduardovich；　I　have　worked　very　hard　to　protect　you　to　this　point。　Please　do　not　make　me　regret　this。　If　you　had　managed　to　force　a　Politburo　decision　in　the　open；　you　would　have　lost　and　possibly　destroyed　yourself。　As　it　is〃…Kosov　paused　for　another　of　his　grins…〃as　it　is；　they　have　asked　me　to　discuss　their　decision　with　you　in　hope　of　getting　your　support。
〃They　are　doubly　mad；〃　Kosov　went　on。　〃First；　the　Defense　Minister　wishes　to　initiate　the　use　of　a　few　small　tactical　nuclear　warheads。　Second；　he　hopes　for　your　support。　They　propose　the　maskirovka　all　over　again。　They　will　explode　a　small　tactical　device　in　the　DDR；　forcing　us　to　retaliate　while　proclaiming　that　NATO　has　violated　the　no…first…use　agreement。　But　it　could　be　worse。　They've　summoned　Alekseyev　to　Moscow　to　seek　his　assessment　of　the　plan　and　how　best　to　implement　it。　He　should　be　on　his　way　here　now。〃
〃The　Politburo　will　never　agree　to　this。　We're　not　all　crazy；　are　we？　Have　you　told　them　how　NATO　will　react？〃
〃Of　course。　I've　told　them　that　NATO　will　not　react　at　all　at　first；　they　will　be　too　confused。〃
〃You　encouraged　them？〃
〃I　wish　you　would　keep　in　mind　that　they　prefer　Larionov's　opinions　to　my　own。〃
rade　Kosov；　Sergetov　thought　to　himself；　you　care　less　about　the　danger　to　the　Rodina　than　you　do　for　your　own　future。　You'd　be　quite　satisfied　to　bring　the　whole　country　down　if　you　bring　them　down　first；　wouldn't　you？
〃The　votes　on　the　Politburo　。　。　。　〃
〃Will　support　the　Defense　Council。　Think。　Bromkovskiy　will　vote　no；　perhaps　Agriculture　also；　though　I　doubt　it。　They　want　you　to　speak　in　favor　of　the　plan。　This　will　reduce　the　opposition　to　old　Petya。　Petya　is　a　good　old　man；　but　no　one　really　listens　to　him　anymore。〃
〃I　will　never　do　this！〃
〃But　you　must。　And　Alekseyev　must　agree。〃　Kosov　got　up　and　looked　out　the　window。　〃There　is　nothing　to　fear…no　nuclear　bombs　will　be　used。　I　have　already　seen　to　that。〃
〃What　do　you　mean？〃
〃Surely　you　know　who　controls　the　nuclear　weapons　in　this　country？〃
〃Certainly；　the　strategic　rocket　forces；　the　Army's　artillerymen〃
〃Excuse　me；　I　phrased　my　question　poorly。　Yes；　they　control　the　rockets。　It　is　my　people　who　control　the　warheads；　and　Josef　Larionov's　faction　does　not　include　that　segment　of　the　KGB！　This　is　why　you　must　play　along。〃
〃Very　well。　Then　we　must　warn　Alekseyev。〃
〃With　caution　now。　No　one　seems　to　have　noticed　that　your　son　has　made　several　trips　to　Moscow；　but　if　you　are　seen　with　General　Alekseyev　before　he　meets　with　them　。　。　。　〃
〃Yes；　I　can　understand　that。〃　Sergetov　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Perhaps　Vitaly　can　meet　them　at　the　airport　and　pass　a　message？〃
〃Very　good！　I　will　make　a　chekist　of　you　yet！〃
The　Minister's　driver　was　summoned　and　handed　a　written　note。　He　departed　at　once；　taking　the　Minister's　Zil　out　toward　the　airport。　A　military　convoy　of　wheeled　armored　personnel　carriers　held　him　up。　Forty　minutes　later；　he　noticed　that　his　gas　gauge　was　down。　Odd；　he'd　just　filled　the　car　up　the　day　before…the　Politburo　members　were　never　short　of　anything。　But　it　kept　dropping。　Then　the　engine　stopped。　Vitaly　pulled　the　car　over；　seven　kilometers　from　the　airport；　got　out；　and　opened　the　hood。　The　chauffeur　checked　belts　and　electrical　connections。　Everything　seemed　as　it　should。　He　got　back　in　and　tried　to　start　the　car；　and　nothing　happened。　He　figured　out　a　moment　later　that　the　alternator　had　gone　bad；　and　the　car　had　been　running　off　battery　power。　He　tried　the　car　phone。　The　battery　was　pletely　flat。
Alekseyev's　transport　was　just　arriving。　A　staff　car　provided　by　the　mander　of　the　Moscow　Military　Dis