tc.redstormrising-第37部分

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〃Navigator；　how　far　to　shallow　water？〃
〃Along　this　channel；　a　minimum　of　twenty…four　fathoms　for　ten　miles。〃
Why　did　the　Delta　surface　this　far　out？
McCafferty　lifted　the　phone。　〃Sonar；　tell　me　about　the　Natya。〃
〃Skipper；　he's　pinging　away　like　mad。　Not　toward　us；　but　we're　getting　lots　of　reflections　and　reverberations　off　the　bottom。〃
The　Natya　was　a　specialized　mine…hunter　。　。　。　also　used；　to　be　sure；　as　an　escort　for　submarines　in　and　out　of　safe　areas。　But　her　minehunting　VHF　sonar　was　operating　。　。　。　dear　God！
〃Left　full　rudder！〃　McCafferty　shouted。
〃Left　full　rudder；　aye！〃　The　helmsman　would　have　hit　the　overhead　but　for　the　seatbelt。　He　instantly　snapped　his　wheel　to　port。　〃Sir；　my　rudder　is　left　full！〃
〃Minefield；〃　the　navigator　breathed。　Heads　all　over　the　room　turned　around。
〃That's　a　good　bet。〃　McCafferty　nodded　grimly。　〃How　far　are　we　from　the　point　where　the　boomer　rendezvoused　with　the　Natya？〃
The　navigator　examined　the　plot　closely。　〃Stopped　about　four　hundred　yards　short　of　it；　sir。〃
〃All　stop。〃
〃All　stop；　aye。〃　The　helmsman　dialed　the　annunciator　handle。　〃Engine　room　answers　all　stop；　sir。　Passing　left　through　one…eight…zero；　sir。〃
〃Very　well。　We　ought　to　be　safe　enough　here。　You　have　to　figure　the　Delta'd　rendezvous　with　the　sweeper　a　few　miles　clear　of　the　field；　right？　Anybody　here　think　Ivan　would　gamble　with　a　boomer？〃　It　was　a　rhetorical　question。　Nobody　ever　gambled　with　boomers。
Everyone　in　the　control　room　took　a　deep　breath　at　the　same　moment。　The　Chicago　slowed　rapidly；　her　turn　taking　her　broadside　to　her　previous　course。
〃Rudder　amidships。〃　McCafferty　ordered　one…third　speed　and　lifted　the　phone　for　sonar。　〃The　boomer　doing　anything　different？〃
〃No；　sir。　Bearing　is　still　constant　at　one…nine…zero。　Speed　still　fifteen　knots。　We　can　still　hear　the　Natya　pinging；　nearing　one…eight…six；　and　her　blade　count　is　now　about　fifteen　knots；　too。〃
〃Navigator；　start　figuring　a　way　for　us　to　get　out　of　here。　We　want　to　keep　well　clear　of　all　those　patrol　boats　and　report　this　news　in　as　quick　as　we　can。〃
〃Aye。　Three…five…eight　looks　pretty　good　for　the　moment；　sir。〃　The　navigator　had　been　updating　that　course　continuously　for　two　hours。
〃Sir；　if　Ivan　really　has　laid　out　a　minefield；　part　of　it's　in　international　waters；〃　the　exec　noted。　〃Cute。〃
〃Yeah。　Of　course；　to　them　it's　territorial　waters；　so　anybody　bumps　into　a　mine；　it's　just　too　damned　bad…〃
〃And　maybe　an　international　incident？〃　Joe　observed。
〃But　why　did　they　ping　at　all？〃；　the　munications　officer　asked。　〃If　they　got　a　clear　channel　they　can　navigate　visually。〃
〃What　if　there's　no　channel　at　all？〃　the　exec　answered。　〃What　if　they　set　ground　mines；　and　moored　mines　strung；　say；　at　a　uniform　depth　of　fifty　feet。　You　have　to　figure　they'd　be　a　little　nervous　that　a　mine　or　two　might　have　too　long　a　mooring　cable。　So　they're　playing　it　safe；　just　like　we'd　do。　What's　all　that　tell　you？〃
〃Nobody　can　trail　their　boomers　without　surfacing the　lieutenant　understood。
〃And　we　sure　as　hell　aren't　going　to　do　that。　Nobody　ever　said　that　Ivan　was　dumb。　They　got　a　perfect　system　here。　They're　putting　all　their　missile　boats　where　we　can't　get　at　them；〃　McCafferty　went　on。　〃Even　SUBROC　can't　make　it　from　where　we　are　into　the　White　Sea。　Final　point；　if　they　have　to　scatter　the　boats；　they　don't　have　to　screw　around　in　a　single　channel；　they　can　all　surface；　spread　out；　and　run　for　daylight。
〃What　this　means；　gentlemen；　is　that　instead　of　detailing　an　attack　boat　to　guard　every　boomer　against　somebody　like　us；　they　can　put　all　the　missile　boats　into　one　nice；　safe　basket　and　release　their　attack　boats　to　other　missions。　Let's　get　the　hell　out　of　here。〃

NORTH　ATLANTIC
〃Ship　in　view；　this　is　U。S。　Navy　aircraft　on　your　port　beam。　Please　identify；　over。〃　Captain　Kherov　handed　the　bridge…to…bridge　phone　to　a　Red　Army　major。
〃Navy；　this　is　the　Doctor　Lykes。　How　are　y'all？〃　Kherov　spoke　halting　English。　The　major's　Mississippi　accent　might　as　well　have　been　Kurdish　for　all　he　understood　of　it。　They　could　barely　make　out　the　haze…gray　patrol　aircraft　that　was　now　circling　their　ship…circling；　they　noted；　at　a　five…mile　distance　and　certainly　inspecting　them　through　binoculars。
〃Amplify；　Doctor　Lykes；　〃　the　voice　ordered　tersely。
〃We're　out　of　New　Orleans；　bound　for　Oslo　with　general　cargo；　Navy。　What's　the　big　deal？〃
〃You're　well　north　of　a　course　to　Norway。　Please　explain；　over。〃
〃Y'all　read　the　damned　papers；　Navy？　It's　liable　to　get　dangerous　out　here；　and　this　big　ole　ship　costs　money。　We　got　orders　from　the　home　office　to　keep　close　to　some　friendly　folks。　Hell；　we're　glad　to　see　ya'；　boy。　Y'all　want　to　escort　us　a　ways？〃
〃Roger；　copy。　Doctor　Lykes；　be　advised　no　submarines　known　to　be　in　this　area。〃
〃Y'all　guarantee　that？〃
This　drew　a　laugh。　〃Not　hardly；　Doc。〃
〃That's　about　what　I　thought；　Navy。　Well；　if　it's　all　right　with　you；　we'll　keep　heading　north　a　ways　and　try　to　stay　under　your　air　cover；　over。〃
〃We　can't　detail　an　aircraft　to　escort　you。〃
〃Understood；　but　you　will　e　if　we　call　you…right？〃
〃That's　a　roger；〃　agreed　Penguin　8。
〃Okay；　we'll　continue　north；　then　turn　east　for　the　Faroes。　Will　you　warn　us　if　any　bad　guys　show　up；　over。〃
〃If　we　find　any；　Doc；　the　idea　is　we'll　try　an'　sink　'em　first；〃　the　pilot　exaggerated。
〃Fair　enough。　Good　huntin'；　boy。　Out。〃

PENGUIN　8
〃God；　do　people　really　talk　like　that？〃　the　pilot　of　the　Orion　wondered　aloud。
〃Never　heard　about　Lykes　Lines？〃　his　copilot　chuckled。　〃They　used　to　say　they　wouldn't　hire　a　guy　'less　he　had　a　Southern　accent。　I　never　believed　it　until　now。　Nothing　like　tradition。　He　is　kinda　off　the　beaten　track；　though。〃
〃Yeah；　but　until　the　convoys　form　up；　hell；　I'd　try　to　bounce　from　one　protected　area　to　another。　Anyway；　let's　finish　the　visual。〃　The　pilot　increased　power　and　headed　in　closer　while　his　copilot　lifted　the　recognition　book。
〃Okay；　we　have　an　all…black　hull　with　'Lykes　Lines'　on　the　side；　midships。　White　superstructure　with　black　diamond；　a　block　L　inside　the　diamond。〃　He　lifted　his　binoculars。　〃Lookout　mast　forward　of　the　superstructure。　Check。　Superstructure　is　nicely　raked。　Electronics　mast　is　not。　Proper　ensign　and　house　flag。　Black　funnels。　Winches　aft　by　the　barge　elevator…doesn't　say　how　many　winches。　Damn；　she's　carrying　a　full　load　of　barges；　isn't　she？　Paintwork　looks　a　little　shabby。　Anyway；　it　all　checks　with　the　book；　that's　a　friendly。〃
〃Okay；　let's　give　her　a　wave。〃　The　pilot　turned　the　yoke　to　the　left；　taking　the　Orion　directly　over　the　barge…carrier。　He　waggled　his　wings　slightly　as　he　passed　overhead；　and　two　men　on　the　bridge　waved　back　at　them。　The　flyers　couldn't　pick　out　the　two　men　tracking　them　with　handheld　SAMs。　〃Good　luck；　fella。　You　might　need　it。〃

MV　JULIUS　FUCIK
〃The　new　paint　scheme　will　make　visual　spotting　difficult；　rade　General；〃　the　air…defense　officer　said　quietly。　〃I　saw　no　air…to…surface　missiles　attached。〃
〃That　will　change　quickly　enough。　As　soon　as　our　fleet　puts　to　sea；　they　will　load　them。　Besides；　if　they　identify　us　as　enemy；　how　far　can　we　run　while　they　call　up　other　aircraft；　or　simply　fly　to　their　base　to　rearm？〃　The　General　watched　the　aircraft　depart。　His　heart　had　been　in　his　throat　for　the　whole　episode；　but　now　he　could　walk　out　to　where　Kherov　stood　on　the　open　bridge　wing。　Only　the　ship's　officers　had　been　issued　American…style　khaki　uniforms。
〃My　pliments　to　your　language　officer。　I　presume　he　was　speaking　English？〃
Andreyev　laughed　jovially；　now　that　the　danger　was　past。　〃So　I　am　told。　The　Navy　requested　a　man　with　his　particular　skills。　He's　an　intelligence　officer；　served　in　America。〃
〃In　any　case；　he　succeeded。　Now　we　may　approach　our　objective　safely；〃　Kherov　said；　using　the　last　word　relatively。
〃It　will　be　good　to　be　on　land　again；　rade　Captain。〃　The　General　didn't　like　being　on　such　a　large；　unprotected　target　and　would　not　feel　safe　until　he　had　solid　ground　under　his　feet。　At　least　as　an　infantryman　you　had　a　rifle　with　which　to　defend　yourself；　usually　a　hole　to　hide　in；　and　always　two　legs　to　run　away。　Not　so　on　a　ship；　he　had　learned。　A　ship　was　one　large　target；　and　this　one　was　virtually　unprotected。　Amazing；　he　thought；　that　anything　would　feel　worse　than　being　on　a　transport　aircraft。　But　here　he　had　a　parachute。　He　had　no　illusions　about　his　ability　to　swim　to　land。

SUNNYVALE；　CALIFORNIA
〃There　goes　another　one；〃　the　chief　master　sergeant　said。
It　was　almost　boring　now。　Never　in　the　colonel's　memory　had　the　Soviets　had　more　than　six　photographic　reconnaissance　satellites　in　orbit。　There　were　now　ten；　plus　ten　electronic…intelligence　gatherers；　some　launched　from　the　Baikonor　Cosmodrome　outside　Leninsk　in　the　Kazakh　S。S。R。；　the　other　half　from　Plesetsk　in　northern　Russia。
〃That's　an　F…type　booster；　Colonel。　Burn　time　is　wrong　for　the　A…type；〃　the　sergeant　said；　looking　up　from　his　watch。
This　Russian　booster　was　a　derivation　of　the　old　SS…9　ICBM；　and　it　had　only　two　functions…to　launch　radar　ocean　reconnaissance　satellites；　called　RORSATS；　that　monitored　ships　at　sea　and　to　loft　the　Soviet　antisatellite　system。　The　Americans　were　watching　the　launch　from　a　newly　launched　KH…11　reconnaissance　satellite　of　their　own；　sweeping　over　the　central　region　of　the　USSR。　The