tc.redstormrising-第109部分

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rrors　they　had　inflicted　and　endured。
Second　thoughts　now；　Pasha？　he　asked　himself。　And　what　of　those　four　colonels　you　had　shot？　Rather　late　to　discover　a　conscience；　isn't　it？　But　now　it　wasn't　a　map…table　game　or　an　exercise　at　Shpola；　nor　a　handful　of　routine　training　accidents。　It　was　one　thing　for　a　pany　mander　to　see　all　this　after　following　orders　from　above。　It　was　another　for　the　man　who　gave　the　orders　to　view　his　handiwork。
〃There　is　nothing　so　terrible　as　a　battle　won…except　a　battle　lost。〃　Alekseyev　remembered　the　quote　from　Wellington's　mentary　on　Waterloo；　one　of　the　two　million　books　in　the　Frunze　library。　Certainly　not　something　written　by　a　Russian　general。　Why　had　he　ever　been　allowed　to　read　that？　If　soldiers　read　more　of　those　remarks　and　less　of　glory；　then　what　would　they　do　when　their　political　masters　ordered　them　to　march？　Now　there；　the　General　told　himself；　there　is　a　radical　idea　。　。　。　He　urinated　against　a　tree　and　walked　back　towards　the　mand　post。
He　found　Beregovoy　leaning　over　the　map。　A　good　man；　and　an　effective　soldier；　Alekseyev　knew；　what　did　he　think　of　all　this？
〃rade；　that　Belgian　brigade　just　reappeared。　It's　attacking　our　left　flank。　They　caught　two　regiments　moving　into　new　positions。　We　have　a　problem　here。〃
Alekseyev　strode　to　Beregovoy's　side　and　surveyed　the　available　units。　NATO　still　was　not　cooperating。　The　attack　had　e　at　the　junction　of　two　divisions；　one　worn　out；　the　other　fresh　but　unblooded。　A　lieutenant　moved　some　counters。　The　Soviet　regiments　were　pulling　back。
〃Keep　the　reserve　regiment　in　place；〃　Alekseyev　ordered。　〃Have　this　one　move　northwest。　We'll　try　to　catch　the　Belgians'　flank　as　they　approach　this　road　junction。〃　Professionalism　dies　hard　in　the　soldier。

ICELAND
〃Well；　there　it　is。〃　Edwards　handed　his　binoculars　to　Sergeant　Smith。　Hvammsfjordur　was　still　miles　away。　Their　first　sight　of　it　came　from　the　top　of　a　two…thousand…foot　hill。　A　sparkling　river　below　them　fed　into　the　fjord；　more　than　ten　miles　away。　Everyone　kept　low；　afraid　to　be　skylined　with　the　low　sun　behind　them。　Edwards　broke　out　his　radio。
〃Doghouse；　this　is　Beagle。　The　objective　is　in　sight。〃　This　was　a　particularly　dumb　thing　to　say；　Edwards　knew。　Hvammsfjordur　was　almost　thirty　miles　long；　about　ten　miles　across　at　its　widest　point。
The　man　in　Scotland　was　impressed。　Edwards's　party　had　covered　fifteen　kilometers　in　the　past　ten　hours。
〃What　kind　of　shape　are　you　in？〃
〃If　you　want　us　to　go　any　farther；　fella；　this　radio　might　malfunction。〃
〃Roger；　copy　that。〃　The　major　tried　not　to　laugh。　〃Where　exactly　are　you？〃
〃About　five　miles　east　of　Hill　578。　Now　that　we're　here；　maybe　you　might　tell　us　why；〃　Edwards　suggested。
〃If　you　see　any；　repeat　any　Russian　activity；　we　want　to　know　about　it　immediately。　One　guy　taking　a　leak　against　a　rock；　we　want　to　know　about　it。　Do　you　copy　that？〃
〃Roger。　You　want　the　size　in　inches。　No　Russkies　in　view　yet。　Some　ruins　to　our　left；　and　a　farm　a　ways　downriver　from　us。　Nothing　moving　at　either　place。　Any　particular　location　you　want　us？〃
〃We're　working　on　that。　Sit　tight　for　the　moment。　Find　a　nice　place　to　hide　and　stay　put。　What's　your　food　situation？〃
〃We　have　enough　fish　to　last　out　the　day；　and　I　can　see　a　lake　where　we　might　get　some　more。　Remember　when　you　said　you'd　have　some　pizzas　sent　out；　Doghouse？　Right　now　I'd　kill　for　one。　Pepperoni　and　onions。〃
〃Fish　is　good　for　you。　Beagle；　your　signal　strength　is　down。　You　want　to　start　thinking　about　conserving　your　batteries。　Anything　else　to　report？〃
〃Negative。　We'll　be　back　if　we　see　anything。　Out。〃　Edwards　slapped　his　hand　down　on　the　power　switch。　〃People；　we　are　home！〃
〃That's　nice；　skipper。〃　Smith　laughed。　〃Where's　home？〃
〃Budhardalur　is　other　side　that　mountain；〃　Vigdis　offered。　〃My　Uncle　Helgi　live　there。〃
We　could　probably　get　a　decent　meal　there；　Edwards　told　himself。　Maybe　some　lamb；　a　few　beers　or　something　stronger；　and　a　bed　。　。　。　a　real；　soft　bed　with　sheets　and　the　down　quilts　they　use　here。　A　bath；　hot　water　to　shave。　Toothpaste。　Edwards　could　smell　every　part　of　himself　They　tried　to　wash　in　the　streams　when　they　could；　but　mostly　they　couldn't。　I　smell　like　a　goat；　Edwards　thought。　Whatever　a　goat　smells　like。　But　we　didn't　walk　this　far　to　do　something　as　stupid　as　that。
〃Sarge；　let's　secure　this　place。〃
〃You　got　it；　skipper。　Rodgers；　sack　out。　Garcia；　you　and　me　have　the　first　watch。　Four　hours。　You　take　that　little　knoll　over　there。　I'll　head　over　to　the　right。〃　Smith　stood　and　looked　down　at　Edwards。　〃Good　idea　that　we　all　get　some　rest　while　we　can；　skipper。〃
〃Sounds　great　to　me。　You　see　anything　important；　give　me　a　kick。〃　Smith　nodded　and　moved　about　a　hundred　yards。
Rodgers　was　already　half　asleep；　his　head　resting　on　his　folded　jacket。　The　private's　rifle　was　cradled　on　his　chest。
〃We　stay　here？〃　Vigdis　asked。
〃I'd　sure　like　to　go　see　your　uncle；　but　there　might　be　Russians　in　that　town。　How　do　you　feel？〃
〃Tired。〃
〃Tired　as　us？〃　he　asked　with　a　grin。
〃Yes；　tired　as　you；〃　she　admitted。　Vigdis　lay　back　next　to　Edwards。　She　was　filthy。　Her　woolen　sweater　was　torn　in　several　places；　and　her　boots　scuffed　beyond　repair。　〃What　will　happen　to　us　now？〃
〃I　don't　know。　They　wanted　us　here　for　a　reason；　though。〃
〃But　they　don't　tell　you　reason！〃　she　objected。
Now　there's　an　intelligent　observation；　Edwards　thought。
〃They　tell　you　and　you　not　tell　us？〃　Vigdis　asked。
〃No；　you　know　as　much　as　I　do。〃
〃Michael；　why　all　this　happen？　Why　do　the　Russians　e　here？〃
〃I　don't　know。〃
〃But　you　are　officer。　You　must　know。〃　Vigdis　propped　herself　up　on　her　elbows。　She　seemed　genuinely　astonished。　Edwards　smiled。　He　couldn't　blame　her　for　being　confused。　Iceland's　only　armed　force　was　its　police。　A　real…to…life　Peaceable　Kingdom；　the　country　had　no　military　to　speak　of　A　few　small　armed　ships　for　fishery　protection　and　the　police　were　all　the　country　had　ever　needed　to　maintain　security。　This　war　had　ruined　their　perfect　record。　For　a　thousand　years；　without　an　army　or　a　navy；　Iceland　had　never　been　attacked。　It　had　only　happened　now　because　they　were　in　the　way。　He　wondered　if　that　would　have　happened　if　NATO　hadn't　built　its　base　at　Keflavik。　Of　course　not！　You　idiot；　you've　seen　what　wonderful　folks　the　Russians　are！　NATO　base　or　not；　Iceland　was　in　their　way。　But　why　the　hell　had　all　this　happened？
〃Vigdis；　I'm　a　meteorologist…a　weatherman；　I　predict　the　weather　for　the　Air　Force。〃　That　only　made　her　more　confused。
〃Not　soldier？　Not；　ah；　Marine　soldier？〃
Mike　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　an　officer　in　the　U。S。　Air　Force；　yes；　but　I　am　not　really　a　soldier　like　the　sergeant。　I　have　a　different　job。〃
〃But　you　save　my　life。　You　are　soldier。〃
〃Yeah；　I　suppose　I　am…by　accident。〃
〃When　this　all　over；　what　will　you　do？〃　Her　eyes　held　a　great　deal　of　interest　now。
〃One　thing　at　a　time。〃　He　was　thinking　in　terms　of　hours；　not　days　or　weeks。　If　we　do　survive；　then　what？　Put　that　one　aside。　First　es　survival　You　think　about　〃after　the　war；〃　and　there　won't　be　any。　〃I'm　too　tired　to　think　about　that。　Let's　get　some　sleep。〃
She　fought　it。　He　knew　that　she　wanted　to　know　things　he　hadn't　consciously　considered；　but　she　was　more　fatigued　than　she'd　admitted；　and　ten　minutes　later　she　was　asleep。　She　snored。　Mike　hadn't　noticed　before。　This　was　no　china　doll。　She　had　strengths　and　weaknesses；　good　points　and　bad。　She　had　the　face　of　an　angel；　but　she'd　gotten　herself　pregnant…so　what！　Edwards　thought。　She's　braver　than　she's　beautiful。　She　saved　my　life　when　that　chopper　came　in　on　us。　A　man　could　do　far　worse。
Edwards　manded　himself　to　lie　down　and　sleep。　He　couldn't　think　about　this。　First　he　had　to　survive。

SCOTLAND
〃If　the　area　checks　out？〃　the　major　asked。　He　had　never　really　expected　Edwards　and　his　party　to　make　it　this　far；　not　with　eight　thousand　Russian　troops　on　the　island。　Every　time　he　thought　about　those　five　people　trekking　over　bare；　rocky　ground　and　Soviet　helicopters　circling　overhead；　his　skin　crawled。
〃Around　midnight；　I　think；〃　the　man　from　Special　Operations　Executive　said。　You　could　see　the　smile　crinkling　the　skin　around　his　eyepatch。　〃You　chaps　had　better　decorate　this　young　man。　I've　been　in　his　boots　myself　You　cannot　imagine　how　difficult　it　is　to　do　what　these　people　have　done。　And　having　a　bloody　Hind　helicopter　sit　right　on　top　of　them！　I've　always　said　it's　the　quiet　little　bastards　that　you　have　to　watch　out　for。〃
〃In　any　case；　it's　time　we　got　some　professionals　in　to　back　them　up；〃　pronounced　the　captain　of　Royal　Marines。
〃Make　sure　they　take　in　some　food；〃　suggested　the　USAF　major。

LANGLEY　AIR　FORCE　BASE；　VIRGINIA
〃So；　what's　the　problem？〃　Nakamura　asked。
〃There　are　irregularities　in　some　of　the　rocket　motor　casings；〃　the　engineer　explained。
〃'Irregularities；　meaning　they　go　boom？〃
〃Possibly；〃　the　engineer　admitted。
〃Super；〃　said　Major　Nakamura。　〃I'm　supposed　to　carry　that　monster　seventeen　miles　straight　the　hell　up　and　then　find　out　who　goes　into　orbit；　me　or　it！〃
〃When　this　sort　of　rocket　explodes；　it　doesn't　do　much。　It　just　breaks　into　a　couple　of　pieces　that　burn　out　by　themselves。〃
〃I　imagine　from　seventeen　miles　off　it　doesn't　look　like　much…what　about　when　the　sucker　ignites　twenty　feet　from　my　F…15？〃　A　long　way　to　skydi