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〃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 ran again to their posts。 Morris looped his binoculars around his neck and ran down the ladder to his battle station in CIC。
The sonar loosed a dozen ranging pings to port as Morris took his position in CIC。 Nothing。 The helo lifted off as the frigate maneuvered north； allowing her towed…array sonar to track on the possible contact。
〃Passive sonar contact； evaluate as possible submarine bearing zero…one…three；〃 announced the towed…array operator。 〃Steam noises； sounds like a possible nuke。〃
〃I got nothing there；〃 said the active…sonar operator。
Morris and his ASW officer examined the water…conditions board。 There was a layer at two hundred feet。 The passive sonar was below it； and could well be hearing a submarine that the active pings could not reach。 The lookout might have seen anything from a spouting whale this was the mating season for humpbacks…to a streak of foam 。 。 。 or the feathery wake left by a periscope。 If it was a submarine； he had plenty of time to duck under the layer。 The target was too close to be bottom bounced and too far for the sonar to blast directly through the layer。
〃Less than five miles；〃 ASW said。 〃More than two。 If this is a sub； we're up against a good one。〃
〃Great。 Get the helo on him right now！〃 Morris examined the plot。 The submarine could have heard his frigate as it sprinted at twenty…five knots。 Now； at reduced speed； and with Prairie/Masker operating； Pharris would be very hard to detect 。 。 。 so the sub's fire…control solution had probably just gone out the window。 But Morris didn't have one either； and the submarine was perilously close。 An urgent contact report was radioed to the screen mander twenty miles away。
The Sea Sprite dropped a pattern of sonobuoys。 Minutes passed。
〃I got a weak signal on number six and a medium on number four；〃 the sonobuoy petty officer said。 Morris watched the plot。 That made the contact less than three miles off。
〃Drop some pingers；〃 he ordered。 Behin