tc.thebearandthedragon-第173部分

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　〃Move　now；　Captain？〃　Buikov　asked。
　〃No；　let's　sit　still　and　watch。　They　ought　to　stop　at　that　little　ridge　with　the　logging　road。　I　want　to　see　how　predictable　they　are；　Boris　Yevgeniyevich。〃　But　he　did　trigger　his　portable　radio。　〃Stand　by；　they're　jumping　again。〃
　The　other　radio　just　clicked　on　and　off；　creating　a　whisper　of　static；　rather　than　a　spoken　reply。　Good；　his　men　were　adhering　to　their　radio　discipline。　The　second　echelon　of　Chinese　tracks　moved　forward　carefully；　at　about　ten…kilometer　speed；　following　this　opening　in　the　forest。　Interesting；　he　thought；　that　they　weren't　venturing　too　far　into　the　adjoining　woods。　No　more　than　two　or　three　hundred　meters。　Then　he　cringed。　A　helicopter　chattered　overhead。　It　was　a　Gazelle；　a　Chinese　copy　of　the　French　military　helicopter。　But　his　track　was　back　in　the　woods；　and　every　time　it　stopped；　the　men　ran　outside　to　stretch　the　camo…net　around　it。　His　men；　also；　were　well…drilled。　And　that；　he　told　his　men；　was　why　they　didn't　dare　leave　a　visible　trail　if　they　wanted　to　live。　It　wasn't　much　of　a　helicopter；　but　it　did　carry　rockets…and　their　BRM　was　an　armored　personnel　carrier；　but　it　wasn't　that　armored。
　〃What's　he　doing？〃　Buikov　asked。
　〃If　he's　looking；　he's　not　being　very　careful　about　it。〃
　The　Chinese　were　driving　up　a　pathway　built　ages　ago　for　an　unbuilt　spur　off　the　Trans…Siberian　Railroad。　It　was　wide；　in　some　places　five　hundred　meters；　and　fairly　well…graded。　Someone　in　years　past　had　thought　about　building　this　spur　to　exploit　the　unsurveyed　riches　of　Siberia…enough　to　cut　down　a　lot　of　trees；　and　they'd　barely　grown　back　in　the　harsh　winters。　Just　saplings　in　this　pathway　now；　easily　ground　into　splinters　by　tracked　vehicles。　Farther　north；　the　work　was　being　continued　by　army　engineers；　making　a　path　to　the　new　gold　find；　and　beyond　that　to　the　oil　discoveries　on　the　Arctic　Coast。　When　they　got　that　far；　the　Chinese　would　find　a　good　road；　ready…made　for　a　mechanized　force　to　exploit。　But　it　was　a　narrow　one；　and　the　Chinese　would　have　to　learn　about　flank　security　if　they　kept　this　path　up。
　Aleksandrov　remembered　a　Roman　adventure　into　Germany；　a　soldier　named　Quintilius　Varus；　manding　three　legions；　who'd　ignored　his　flanks；　and　lost　his　army　in　the　process　to　a　German　named　Armenius。　Might　the　Chinese　make　a　similar　mistake？　No；　everyone　knew　of　the　Teutonenberg　Forest　disaster。　It　was　a　textbook　lesson　in　every　military　academy　in　the　known　world。　Quintilius　Varus　had　been　a　political　mander；　given　that　mand　because　he'd　been　beloved　of　his　emperor；　Caesar　Augustus；　obviously　not　because　of　his　operational　skill。　It　was　a　lesson　probably　better　remembered　by　soldiers　than　by　politicians。　And　the　Chinese　army　was　manded　by　soldiers；　wasn't　it？
　〃That's　the　fox；〃　Buikov　said。　This　was　the　other　officer　in　the　Chinese　unit；　probably　the　subordinate　of　the　gardener。　Similar　in　size；　but　he　had　less　interest　in　plants　than　he　had　in　darting　about。　As　they　watched；　he　disappeared　into　the　tree　line　to　the　east；　and　if　he　went　by　the　form　card；　he'd　be　invisible　for　five　to　eight　minutes。
　〃I　could　use　a　smoke；〃　Sergeant　Buikov　observed。
　〃That　will　have　to　wait；　Sergeant。〃
　〃Yes；　rade　Captain。　May　I　have　a　sip　of　water；　then？〃　he　asked　petulantly。　It　wasn't　water　he　wanted；　of　course。
　〃Yes；　I'd　like　a　shot　of　vodka；　too；　but　I　neglected　to　bring　any　with　me；　as；　I　am　sure；　you　did　as　well。〃
　〃Regrettably；　yes；　rade　Captain。　A　good　slug　of　vodka　helps　keep　the　chill　away　in　these　damp　woods。〃
　〃And　it　also　dulls　the　senses；　and　we　need　our　senses；　Boris　Yevgeniyevich；　unless　you　enjoy　eating　rice。　Assuming　the　Chinks　take　prisoners；　which　I　rather　doubt。　They　do　not　like　us；　Sergeant；　and　they　are　not　a　civilized　people。　Remember　that。〃
　So；　they　don't　go　to　the　ballet。　Neither　do　I；　Sergeant　Buikov　didn't　say　aloud。　His　captain　was　a　Muscovite；　and　spoke　often　of　cultural　matters。　But　like　his　captain；　Buikov　had　no　love　for　the　Chinese；　and　even　less　now　that　he　was　looking　at　Chinese　soldiers　on　the　soil　of　his　country。　He　only　regretted　not　killing　some；　but　killing　was　not　his　job。　His　job　was　watching　them　piss　on　his　country；　which　somehow　only　made　him　angrier。
　〃Captain；　will　we　ever　get　to　shoot　them？〃　the　sergeant　asked。
　〃In　due　course；　yes；　it　will　be　our　job　to　eliminate　their　reconnaissance　elements；　and　yes；　Boris；　I　look　forward　to　that　as　well。〃　And；　yes；　I　could　use　a　smoke　as　well。　And　I'd　love　a　glass　of　vodka　right　now。　But　he'd　settle　for　some　black　bread　and　butter；　which　he　did　have　in　his　track；　three　hundred　meters　to　the　north。
　Six　and　a　half　minutes　this　time。　The　fox　had　at　least　looked　into　the　woods　to　the　east；　probably　listened　for　the　sound　of　diesel　engines；　but　heard　nothing　but　the　chirping　of　birds。　Still；　this　Chink　lieutenant　was　the　more　conscientious　of　the　two；　in　Buikov's　opinion。　They　should　kill　him　first；　when　the　time　came；　the　sergeant　thought。　Aleksandrov　tapped　the　sergeant　on　the　shoulder。　〃Our　turn　to　leapfrog；　Boris　Yevgeniyevich。〃
　〃By　your　mand；　rade　Captain。〃　And　both　men　moved　out；　crouching　for　the　first　hundred　meters；　and　taking　care　not　to　make　too　much　noise；　until　they　heard　the　Chinese　tracks　start　their　engines。　In　five　more　minutes；　they　were　back　in　their　BRM　and　heading　north；　slowly　picking　their　way　through　the　trees；　Aleksandrov　buttered　some　bread　and　ate　it；　sipping　water　as　he　did　so。　When　they'd　traveled　a　thousand　meters；　their　vehicle　stopped；　and　the　captain　got　on　his　big　radio。
　
　〃Who　is　Ingrid？〃　Tolkunov　asked。　〃Ingrid　Bergman；〃　Major　Tucker　replied。　〃Actress；　goodlookin'　babe　in　her　day。　All　the　Dark　Stars　are　named　for　movie　stars；　Colonel。　The　troops　did　it。〃　There　was　a　plastic　strip　on　the　monitor　top　to　show　which　Dark　Star　was　up　and　transmitting。　Marilyn　Monroe　was　back　at　Zhigansk　for　service；　and　Grace　Kelly　was　the　next　one　up；　scheduled　to　go　in　fifteen　hours。　〃Anyway〃…he　flipped　a　switch　and　then　played　a　little　with　his　mouse　control…〃there's　the　Chinese　lead　elements。〃
　〃Son　of　a　bitch；〃　Tolkunov　said；　demonstrating　his　knowledge　of　American　slang。
　Tucker　grinned。　〃Pretty　good；　ain't　it？　Once　I　sent　one　over　a　nudist　colony　in　California…that's　like　a　private　park　where　people　walk　around　naked　all　the　time。　You　can　tell　the　difference　between　the　flat…chested　ones　and　the　ones　with　nice　tits。　Tell　the　natural　blondes　from　the　peroxide　ones；　too。　Anyway；　you　use　this　mouse　to　control　the　camera…well；　somebody　else　is　doing　it　now　up　at　Zhigansk。　Anything　in　particular　that　you're　interested　in？〃
　〃The　bridges　on　the　Amur；〃　Tolkunov　said　at　once。　Tucker　picked　up　a　radio　microphone。
　〃This　is　Major　Tucker。　We　have　a　tasking　request。　Slew　Camera　Three　onto　the　big　crossing　point。〃
　〃Roger；〃　the　speaker　next　to　the　monitor　said。
　The　picture　changed　immediately；　seeming　to　race　across　the　screen　like　a　ribbon　from　ten　o'clock　down　to　four　o'clock。　Then　it　stabilized。　The　field　of　view　must　have　been　four　kilometers　across。　It　showed　a　total　of　what　appeared　to　be　eight　bridges；　each　of　them　approached　by　what　looked　like　a　parade　of　insects。
　〃Give　me　control　of　Camera　Three；〃　Tucker　said　next。
　〃You　got　it；　sir；〃　the　speaker　acknowledged。
　〃Okay。〃　Tucker　played　with　the　mouse　more　than　the　keyboard；　and　the　picture　zoomed　in…〃isolated〃…on　the　third　bridge　from　the　west。　There　were　three　tanks　on　it　at　once；　moving　at　about　ten　kilometers　per　hour　south　to　north。　The　display　showed　a　pass　rose　in　case　you　got　disoriented；　and　it　was　even　in　color。　Tolkunov　asked　why。
　〃No　more　expensive　than　black…and…white　cameras；　and　we　put　it　on　the　system　because　it　sometimes　shows　you　things　you　don't　get　from　gray。　First　time　for　overheads；　even　the　satellites　don't　do　color　yet；〃　Tucker　explained。　Then　he　frowned。　〃The　angle's　wrong；　can't　get　the　divisional　markings　on　the　tanks　without　moving　the　platform。　Wait。〃　He　picked　up　the　microphone　again。　〃Sergeant；　who's　crossing　the　bridges　now？〃
　〃Appears　to　be　their　Three…Oh…Second　armored　division；　sir；　part　of　the　Twenty…Ninth　Group…A　Army。　The　Thirty…Fourth　Army　is　fully　across　now。　We　estimate　one　full　regiment　of　the　Three…Oh…Second　is　across　and　moving　north　at　this　time；〃　the　intel　weenie　reported；　as　though　relating　the　baseball　scores　from　yesterday。
　〃Thanks；　Sarge。〃
　〃Roger　that；　Maj。〃
　〃And　they　can't　see　this　drone？〃　Tolkunov　asked。
　〃Well；　on　radar　it's　pretty　stealthy；　and　there's　another　little　trick　we　have　on　it。　Goes　back　to　World　War　II；　called　Project　Yehudi　back　then；　you　put　lights　on　the　thing。〃
　〃What？〃　Tolkunov　asked。
　〃Yeah；　you　spot　airplanes　because　they're　darker'n　the　sky；　but　if　you　put　lightbulbs　on　'em；　they　turn　invisible。　So；　there　are　lights　on　the　air…frame；　and　a　photo　sensor　dials　the　brightness　automatically。　They're　damned　near　impossible　to　spot…they　cruise　at　sixty　thousand　feet；　way　the　hell　above　contrail　level；　and　they　got　no　infrared　signature　at　all；　hardly…even　if　you　know　where　to　look；　and　they　tell　me　you　can't　hardly　make　an　air…to…air　missile　lock　onto　one。　Pretty　cool　toy；　eh？〃
　〃How　long　have　you　had　this？〃
　〃I've　been　working　on　it；　oh；　about　four　years　now。〃
　〃I've　heard　of　Dark　Star；　but　this　capability　is　amazing。〃
　Tucker　nodded。　〃Yeah；　it's　pretty　slick。　Nice　to　know　what　the　other　guy's　doing。　First　time　we　deployed　it　was　over　Yugoslavia；　and　once　we　learned　how　to　use　it；　and　how　to　coordinate　it　with　the　shooters；　well；　we　learned　to　make　their　lives　pretty　miserable。　Tough　shit；　Joe。〃
　〃Joe？〃
　〃Joe　Chink。〃　Tucker　pointed　at　the　screen。　〃That's　what　we　mainly　call　him。〃　The　friendly　nickname　for　Koreans　had　once　been　Luke　the　Gook。　〃Now；　Ingrid　doesn't　have　it　yet；　but　Grace　Kelly　does；　a　laser　designator；　so　you　can　use　these　things　to　clobber　targets。　The　fighter　just　lofts　the　bomb　in　from；　oh；　maybe　twenty　miles　away；　and　we　guide　it　into　the　target。　I've　only　done　that　at　Red　Flag；　and　we　can't　do　it　from　here　with　this　terminal；　but　they　can　up　at　Zhigansk。〃
　〃Guide　bombs　from　six　hundred　kilometers　away？〃
　〃Yeah。　Hell；　you　can　do　it　from　Washington　if　you　want。　It　all　goes　over　the　satellite；　y'know？〃
　〃Yob　tvoyu　maht！〃
　〃Soon　we're　going　to　make　the　fighter　jocks　o