tc.redstormrising-第18部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

batants。　Although　this　number　represents　a　small　increase；　operational　patterns　are　different　from　what　we've　bee　accustomed　to。　Instead　of　sailing　from　one　point　to　another　and　just　dropping　the　hook；　their　surface　batants　appear　to　be　running　more　realistic　exercises。　They've　done　this　before；　but　never　without　announcing　it。
〃So　what　we　are　seeing　in　the　Soviet　Navy　is　an　extensive　stand…down　acpanied　by　increasing　tempos　in　the　actual　exercises　that　are　being　run。　Matched　with　what　we're　seeing　in　the　Soviet　Army　and　Air　Force；　it　appears　that　their　military　readiness　is　being　increased　across　the　board。　At　the　same　time　that　they　are　proposing　reductions　in　strategic　nuclear　weapons；　their　conventional　forces　are　rapidly　improving　their　ability　to　engage　in；　bat　operations。　We　in　Intentions　regard　this　bination　of　factors　as　potentially　dangerous。〃
〃Looks　kind　of　hazy　to　me；〃　an　admiral　said　around　his　pipe。　〃How　are　we　supposed　to　persuade　somebody　that　this　means　anything？〃
〃A　good　question；　sir。　Any　of　these　indicators　taken　in　isolation　would　appear　entirely　logical　in　and　of　itself。　What　concerns　us　is　why　they　are　all　happening　at　once。　The　problem　of　manpower　utilization　in　the　Soviet　military　has　been　around　for　generations。　The　problem　of　training　norms；　and　integrity　in　their　officer　corps；　is　not　exactly　new　either。　What　caught　my　interest　was　the　battery　thing。　We　are　seeing　the　beginnings　of　what　could　bee　a　major　disruption　within　the　Soviet　economy。　The　Russians　plan　everything　centrally　in　their　economy；　and　on　a　political　basis　as　well。　The　main　factory　that　makes　batteries　is　operating　three　shifts　instead　of　the　usual　two；　so　production　is　up；　but　supply　in　the　civilian　economy　is　down。　In　any　case；　Admiral；　you're　correct。　Individually；　these　things　mean　nothing　at　all。　It's　only　when　taken　in　bination　that　we　see　anything　to　be　concerned　about。〃
〃But　you're　concerned；〃　CINCLANT　said。
〃Yes；　sir。〃
〃Me　too；　son。　What　else　are　you　doing　about　it？〃
〃We　have　an　inquiry　into　SACEUR　to　notify　us　of　anything　they　think　is　unusual　in　the　current　activities　of　the　Group　of　Soviet　Forces　in　Germany。　The　Norwegians　have　increased　their　surveillance　in　the　Barents　Sea。　We're　starting　to　get　more　access　to　satellite　photography　of　ports　and　fleet　bases。　DIA　has　been　informed　of　our　data；　and　is　running　its　own　investigation。　More　bits　and　pieces　are　beginning　to　show　up。〃
〃What　about　CIA？'
〃DIA　is　handling　that　for　us　through　their　headquarters　at　Arlington　Hall。〃
〃When　do　their　spring　maneuvers　begin？〃　CINCLANT　asked。
〃Sir；　the　annual　Warsaw　Pact　spring　exercise…they're　calling　it　Progress　this　year…is　scheduled　to　begin　in　three　weeks。　There　are　indications　that　in　keeping　with　the　spirit　of　d？tente；　the　Soviets　will　invite　NATO　military　representatives　to　keep　an　eye　on　things；　and　Western　news　crews　as　well…〃
〃I'll　tell　you　what's　scary　about　this；〃　mander；　Naval　Surface　Forces；　Atlantic；　grunted。　〃All　of　a　sudden　they've　started　doing　what　we've　always　asked　them　to　do。〃
〃Try　selling　that　to　the　papers；〃　mander；　Naval　Air　Forces；　Atlantic；　suggested。
〃Remendations？〃　CINCLANT　asked　his　operations　officer。
〃We're　already　running　a　pretty　active　training　schedule　ourselves。　I　don't　suppose　it　would　hurt　to　beef　that　up。　Toland；　you　said　that　what　tipped　you　to　this　situation　was　this　battery　thing　in　the　civilian　economy。　Are　you　looking　for　other　economic　disruptions？〃
〃Yes；　sir；　we　are。　That's　DIA's　brief；　and　my　contact　in　Arlington　Hall　is　also　asking　CIA　to　run　some　additional　checks。　If　I　might　amplify　on　this　point；　gentlemen；　the　Soviet　economy　is　centrally　managed；　as　I　said　earlier。　Those　industrial　plans　they　have　are　fairly　rigid。　They　don't　deviate　from　them　lightly；　since　those　deviations　tend　to　have　a　ripple　effect　throughout　the　economy　as　a　whole。　'Disruption'　may　be　too　strong　a　word　at　present…〃
〃You　just　have　a　nasty　suspicion；〃　CINCLANT　said。　〃Fine；　Toland；　that's　what　we　pay　you　for。　Good　brief。〃
Bob　took　his　cue　and　left。　The　admirals　stayed　put　to　talk　things　over。
It　was　a　relief　to　leave。　Much　as　he　liked　the　attention；　being　examined　by　senior　officials　like　a　tissue　culture　on　a　petrie　dish　could　make　you　old　rather　quickly。　He　walked　through　a　covered　walkway　back　to　his　building；　and　watched　the　late　arrivals　wander　about　looking　for　parking　places。　The　grass　was　greening　up。　A　civilian　crew　was　mowing　while　another　was　fertilizing。　The　shrubbery　was　already　beginning　to　grow；　and　he　hoped　they'd　let　the　bushes　expand　a　bit　before　they　trimmed　them　back　again。　Norfolk　could　be　pleasant　in　the　spring；　he　knew；　with　the　fragrance　of　azaleas　on　the　salt…laden　air。　He　wondered　how　pleasant　it　would　be　in　summer。
〃How'd　it　go？〃　Chuck　asked。
Toland　stripped　off　his　jacket　and　allowed　his　knees　to　sag　theatrically　in　front　of　the　Marine。　〃Pretty　well。　Nobody　snapped　my　head　off。〃
〃Didn't　want　to　worry　you　before；　but　there's　people　in　there　been　known　to　do　that。　They　say　CINCLANT　likes　nothing　better　for　breakfast　than　fried　mander　garnished　with　diced　lieutenant。〃
〃Big　surprise。　He's　an　admiral；　isn't　he？　I've　done　briefs　before；　Chuck。〃　All　Marines　thought　all　sailors　were　wimps；　Toland　reminded　himself。　No　sense　giving　Chuck　more　encouragement　for　that　view。
〃Any　conclusions？〃
〃CINCLANT　ops　talked　about　increasing　training　schedules。　I　got　excused　right　after　that。〃
〃Good。　We　ought　to　have　a　packet　of　satellite　shots　later　today。　There　are　some　questions　ing　in　from　Langley　and　Arlington。　Nothing　firm　yet；　but　I　think　they　might　be　stumbling　onto　some　odd　data。　If　it　turns　out　you're　right；　Bob…well；　you　know　how　it　works。〃
〃Sure。　Somebody　closer　to　D。C。　will　make　The　Discovery。　Shit；　I　don't　care　about　that；　Chuck；　I　want　to　be　wrong！　I　want　this　whole　friggin'　thing　to　blow　over；　then　I　can　go　home　and　play　in　my　garden。〃
〃Well；　maybe　I　got　some　good　news　for　you。　We　got　our　TV　tied　into　a　new　satellite　receiver。　I　talked　the　munications　guys　into　letting　us　tap　into　Russian　television　to　catch　their　evening　news。　We　won't　learn　anything　hard；　but　it's　a　good　way　of　catching　moods。　Just　tried　it　out　before　you　got　here；　and　found　out　Ivan's　running　a　film　festival　for　all　of　Sergey　Eisenstein's　classics。　Tonight；　The　Battleship　Potemkin；　followed　by　all　the　others；　and　ending　on　May　30　with　Alexander　Nevsky。
〃Oh？　I　have　Nevsky　on　tape。〃
〃Yeah；　well；　they　took　the　original　negatives；　flew　them　to　EMI　in　London　to　make　digitalized　masters；　and　rerecorded　the　original　Prokofiev　score　on　a　Dolby　format。　We'll　be　making　tapes。　Your　machine　VHS　or　Beta？〃
〃VHS。〃　Toland　laughed。　〃Maybe　this　job　has　a　few　bennies　after　all。　So；　what　new　stuff　do　we　have？〃
Lowe　handed　him　a　six…inch　file　of　documents。　Time　to　get　back　to　work。　Toland　settled　in　his　chair　and　began　sorting　through　the　papers。

KIEV；　THE　UKRAINE
〃Things　are　looking　better；　rade；〃　Alekseyev　reported。　〃Discipline　in　the　officer　corps　has　improved　immeasurably。　The　exercise　with　261st　Guards　went　very　well　this　morning。〃
〃And　173rd　Guards？〃　CINC…Southwest　asked。
〃They　too　need　further　work；　but　they　should　be　ready　in　time；〃　Alekseyev　said　confidently。　〃The　officers　are　acting　like　officers。　Now　we　need　to　get　the　privates　to　act　like　soldiers。　We'll　see　when　Progress　begins。　We　must　have　our　officers　turn　away　from　the　usual　set…piece　choreography　and　seek　realistic　engagement　scenarios。　We　can　use　Progress　to　identify　leaders　who　cannot　adapt　to　a　real　bat　environment　and　replace　them　with　younger　men　who　can。〃　He　sat　down　opposite　his　mander's　desk。　Alekseyev　calculated　that　he　was　exactly　one　month　behind　in　his　sleep。
〃You　look　weary；　Pasha；〃　CINC…Southwest　observed。
〃No；　rade　General；　I　haven't　had　the　time。〃　Alekseyev　chuckled。　〃But　if　I　make　one　more　helicopter　trip　I　think　I　shall　sprout　wings。〃
〃Pasha；　I　want　you　to　go　home　and　not　return　for　twenty…four　hours。〃
〃I…〃
〃If　you　were　a　horse；〃　the　General　observed；　〃you　would　have　broken　down　by　now。　This　is　an　order　from　your　mander…in…chief。　Twenty…four　hours　of　rest。　I　would　prefer　that　you　spend　it　all　sleeping；　but　that　is　your　affair。　Think；　Pavel　Leonidovich。　Were　we　now　engaged　in　bat　operations；　you　would　be　better　rested…regulations　require　it；　a　harsh　lesson　from　our　last　war　with　the　Germans。　I　need　your　talents　unhindered…and　if　you　drive　yourself　too　hard　now；　you　won't　be　worth　a　damn　when　I　really　need　you！　I　will　see　you　at　1600　tomorrow　to　go　over　our　plan　for　the　Persian　Gulf。　You　will　be　clear　of　eye　and　straight　of　back。〃
Alekseyev　stood。　His　boss　was　a　gruff　old　bear；　so　much　like　his　own　father　had　been。　And　a　soldier's　soldier。　〃Let　the　record　show　that　I　obey　all　orders　from　my　mander…in…chief。〃　Both　men　laughed。　Both　needed　it。
Alekseyev　left　the　office　and　walked　downstairs　to　his　official　car。　When　it　arrived　at　the　apartment　block　a　few　kilometers　away；　the　driver　had　to　awaken　his　general。

USS　CHICAGO
〃Close…approach　procedures；〃　McCafferty　ordered。
McCafferty　had　been　tracking　a　surface　ship　for　two　hours；　ever　since　his　sonarmen　had　detected　her　at　a　range　of　forty…four　miles。　The　approach　was　being　made　on　sonar　only；　and　under　the　captain's　orders；　sonar　had　not　told　the　fire…control　party　what　they　were　tr