tc.thebearandthedragon-第186部分

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


s　a　sufficient　indication　of　his　feelings　about　Robby's　remark。
　〃General；〃　Ryan　said；　〃the　idea　here　is　to　rattle　the　cage　of　their　political　leadership。　Best　way　to　do　that　is　to　go　after　them　in　more　places　than　one；　overload　'em。〃
　〃Sir；　I　agree　with　that　idea；　but　General　Wallace　has　his　point；　too。　Taking　down　their　radar　fence　will　degrade　their　ability　to　use　their　fighters　against　us；　and　they　still　have　a　formidable　fighter　force；　even　though　we've　handled　them　pretty　rough　so　far。〃
　〃Mickey；　if　you　handle　a　girl　this　way　down　in　Mississippi；　it's　called　rape；〃　the　Vice　President　observed。　〃Their　fighter　pilots　look　at　their　aircraft　now　and　they　see　caskets；　for　Christ's　sake。　Their　confidence　has　got　to　be　gone；　and　that's　all　a　fighter　jock　has　to　hold　onto。　Trust　me　on　this　one；　will　ya？〃
　〃But　Gus…〃
　〃But　Gus　is　too　worried　about　his　force。　Okay；　fine；　let　him　send　some　Charlie…Golfs　against　their　picket　fence；　but　mainly　we　want　those　birds　armed　with　Smart　Pigs　to　go　after　their　ground　forces。　The　fighter　force　can　look　after　itself。〃
　For　the　first　time；　General　Mickey　Moore　regretted　Ryan's　choice　of　Vice　President。　Robby　was　thinking　like　a　politician　rather　than　an　operational　mander…and　that　came　as　something　of　a　surprise。　He　was　seemingly　less　worried　about　the　safety　of　his　forces　than　of。。。
　。　。　。　than　of　what　the　overall　objective　was；　Moore　corrected　himself。　And　that　was　not　a　pletely　bad　way　to　think；　was　it？　Jackson　had　been　a　pretty　good　J…3　not　so　long　before；　hadn't　he？
　American　manders　no　longer　thought　of　their　men　as　expendable　assets。　That　was　not　a　bad　thing　at　all；　but　sometimes　you　had　to　put　forces　in　harm's　way；　and　when　you　did　that；　some　of　them　did　not　e　home。　And　that　was　what　they　were　paid　for；　whether　you　liked　it　or　not。　Robby　Jackson　had　been　a　Navy　fighter　pilot；　and　he　hadn't　forgotten　the　warrior　ethos；　despite　his　new　job　and　pay　grade。
　〃Sir；〃　Moore　said；　〃what　orders　do　I　give　General　Wallace？〃
　
　〃Cecil　B。　goddamned　DeMille；〃　Mancuso　observed　crossly。　〃Ever　wanted　to　part　the　Red　Sea？〃　General　Lahr　asked。
　〃I　ain't　God；　Mike；〃　CINCPAC　said　next。
　〃Well；　it　is　elegant；　and　we　do　have　most　of　the　pieces　in　place；〃　his　J…2　pointed　out。
　〃This　is　a　political　operation。　What　the　hell　are　we；　a　goddamned　focus　group？〃
　〃Sir；　you　going　to　continue　to　rant；　or　are　we　going　to　get　to　work　on　this？〃
　Mancuso　wished　for　a　lupara　to　blast　a　hole　in　the　wall；　or　Mike　Lahr's　chest；　but　he　was　a　uniformed　officer；　and　he　did　now　have　orders　from　his　mander…in…chief。
　〃All　right。　I　just　don't　like　to　have　other　people　design　my　operations。〃
　〃And　you　know　the　guy。〃
　〃Mike；　once　upon　a　time；　back　when　I　had　three　stripes　and　driving　a　submarine　was　all　I　had　to　worry　about；　Ryan　and　I　helped　steal　a　whole　Russian　submarine；　yeah…and　if　you　repeat　that　to　anyone；　I'll　have　one　of　my　Marines　shoot　your　ass。　Sink　some　of　their　ships；　yeah；　splash　a　few　of　their　airplanes；　sure；　but　'trailing　our　coat'　in　sight　of　land？　Jesus。〃
　〃It'll　shake　them　up　some。〃
　〃If　they　don't　sink　some　of　my　ships　in　the　attempt。〃
　
　〃Hey；　Tony；〃　the　voice　on　the　phone　said。　It　took　Bretano　a　second　to　recognize　it。
　〃Where　are　you　now；　Al？〃　the　Secretary　of　Defense　asked。　〃Norfolk。　Didn't　you　know？　I'm　on　USS　Gettysburg　upgrading　their　SAMs。　It　was　your　idea；　wasn't　it？〃
　〃Well；　yeah；　I　suppose　it　was；〃　Tony　Bretano　agreed；　thinking　back。
　〃You　must　have　seen　this　Chinese　thing　ing　a　long　way　off；　man。〃
　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　we…〃　The　SecDef　paused　for　a　second。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃I　mean；　if　the　Chims　loft　an　ICBM　at　us；　this　Aegis　system　does　give　us　something　to　fall　back　on；　if　the　puter　simulations　are　right。　They　ought　to　be。　I　wrote　most　of　the　software；〃　Gregory　went　on。

　Secretary　Bretano　didn't　want　to　admit　that　he　hadn't　really　thought　about　that　eventuality。　Thinking　things　through　was　one　of　the　things　he　was　paid　for；　after　all。　〃How　ready　are　you？〃
　〃The　electronics　stuff　is　okay；　but　we　don't　have　any　SAMs　aboard。　They're　stashed　at　some　depot　or　something；　up　on　the　York　River；　I　think　they　said。　When　they　load　them　aboard；　I　can　upgrade　the　software　on　the　seeker　heads。　The　only　missiles　aboard；　the　ones　I've　been　playing　with；　they're　blue　ones；　exercise　missiles；　not　shooters；　I　just　found　out。　You　know；　the　Navy's　a　little　weird。　The　ship's　in　a　floating　dry　dock。　They're　going　to　lower　us　back　in　the　water　in　a　few　hours。〃　He　couldn't　see　his　former　boss's　face　at　the　moment。　If　he　could；　he　would　have　recognized　the　oh；　shit　expression　on　his　Italian　face。
　〃So；　you're　confident　in　your　systems？〃
　〃A　full…up　test　would　be　nice；　but　if　we　can　loft　three　or　four　SAMs　at　the　inbound；　yeah；　I　think　it　oughta　work。〃
　〃Okay；　thanks；　Al。〃
　〃So；　how's　this　war　going？　All　I　see　on　TV　is　how　the　Air　Force　is　kicking　some　ass。〃
　〃They　are；　the　TV's　got　that　right；　but　the　rest…can't　talk　about　it　over　the　phone。　Al；　let　me　get　back　to　you；　okay？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　In　his　office；　Bretano　switched　buttons。　〃Ask　Admiral　Seaton　to　e　in　to　see　me。〃　That　didn't　take　very　long。
　〃You　rang；　Mr。　Secretary；〃　the　CNO　said　when　he　came　in。
　〃Admiral；　there's　a　former　employee　of　mine　from　TRW　in　Norfolk　right　now。　I　set　him　up　to　look　at　upgrading　the　Aegis　missile　system　to　engage　ballistic　targets。〃
　〃I　heard　a　little　about　that。　How's　his　project　going？〃　Dave　Seaton　asked。
　〃He　says　he's　ready　for　a　full…up　test。　But；　Admiral；　what　if　the　Chinese　launch　one　of　their　CSS…4s　at　us？〃
　〃It　wouldn't　be　good；〃　Seaton　replied。
　〃Then　how　about　we　take　our　Aegis　ships　and　put　them　close　to　the　likely　targets？〃
　〃Well；　sir；　the　system's　not　certified　for　ballistic　targets　yet；　and　we　haven't　really　run　a　test；　and…〃
　〃Is　it　better　than　nothing？〃　the　SecDef　asked；　cutting　him　off。
　〃A　little；　I　suppose。〃
　〃Then　let's　make　that　happen；　and　make　it　happen　right　now。〃
　Seaton　straightened　up。　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　〃Gettysburg　first。　Have　her　load　up　what　missiles　she　needs；　and　bring　her　right　here；〃　Bretano　ordered。
　〃I'll　call　SACLANT　right　now。〃
　
　It　was　the　strangest　damned　thing；　Gregory　thought。　This　ship…not　an　especially　big　ship；　smaller　than　the　one　he　and　Candi　had　taken　a　cruise　on　the　previous　winter；　but　still　an　oceangoing　ship…was　in　an　elevator。　That's　what　a　floating　dry　dock　was。　They　were　flooding　it　now；　to　make　it　go　down；　back　into　the　water　to　see　if　the　new　propeller　worked。　Sailors　who　worked　on　the　dry　dock　were　watching　from　their　perches　on…whatever　the　hell　you　called　the　walls　of　the　damned　thing。
　〃Weird；　ain't　it；　sir？〃
　Gregory　smelled　the　smoke。　It　had　to　be　Senior　Chief　Leek。　He　turned。　It　was。
　〃Never　seen　this　sort　of　thing　before。〃
　〃Nobody　does　real　often；　'cept'n　those　guys　over　there　who　operate　this　thing。　Did　you　take　the　chance　to　walk　under　the　ship？〃
　〃Walk　under　ten　thousand　tons　of　metal？〃　Gregory　responded。　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　〃You　was　a　soldier；　wasn't　you？〃
　〃Told　you；　didn't　I？　West　Point；　jump　school；　ranger　school；　back　when　I　was　young　and　foolish。〃
　〃Well；　Doc；　it's　no　big　deal。　Kinda　interesting　to　see　how　she's　put　together；　'specially　the　sonar　dome　up　forward。　If　I　wasn't　a　radar　guy；　I　probably　woulda　been　a　sonar　guy；　'cept　there's　nothing　for　them　to　do　anymore。〃
　Gregory　looked　down。　Water　was　creeping　across　the　gray　metal　floor…deck？　he　wondered…of　the　dry　dock。
　〃Attention　on　deck！〃　a　voice　called。　Sailors　turned　and　saluted；　including　Chief　Leek。
　It　was　Captain　Bob　Blandy；　Gettysburg's　CO。　Gregory　had　met　him　only　once；　and　then　just　to　say　hello。
　〃Dr。　Gregory。〃
　〃Captain。〃　They　shook　hands。
　〃How's　your　project　been　going？〃
　〃Well；　the　simulations　look　good。　I'd　like　to　try　it　against　a　live　target。〃
　〃You　got　sent　to　us　by　the　SecDef？〃
　〃Not　exactly；　but　he　called　me　in　from　California　to　look　at　the　technical　aspects　of　the　problem。　I　worked　for　him　when　he　was　head　of　TRW。〃
　〃You're　an　SDI　guy；　right？〃
　〃That　and　SAMs；　yes；　sir。　Other　things。　I'm　one　of　the　world's　experts　on　adaptive　optics；　from　my　SDI　days。〃
　〃What's　that？〃　Captain　Blandy　asked。
　〃The　rubber　mirror；　we　called　it。　You　use　puter…controlled　actuators　to　warp　the　mirror　to　pensate　for　atmospheric　distortions。　The　idea　was　to　use　that　to　focus　the　energy　beam　from　a　free…electron　laser。　But　it　didn't　work　out。　The　rubber　mirror　worked　just　fine；　but　for　some　reason　we　never　figured　out；　the　damned　lasers　didn't　scale　up　the　way　we　hoped　they　would。　Didn't　e　up　to　the　power　requirements　to　smoke　a　missile　body。〃　Gregory　looked　down　in　the　dry　dock　again。　It　certainly　took　its　time；　but　they　probably　didn't　want　to　drop　anything　this　valuable。　〃I　wasn't　directly　involved　in　that；　but　I　kibitzed　some。　It　turned　out　to　be　a　monster　of　a　technical　problem。　We　just　kept　bashing　our　heads　against　the　wall　until　we　got　tired　of　the　squishy　sound。〃
　〃I　know　mechanical　engineering；　some　electrical；　but　not　the　high…energy　stuff。　So；　what　do　you　think　of　our　Aegis　system？〃
　〃I　love　the　radar。　Just　like　the　Cobra　Dane　the　Air　Force　has　up　at　Shemya　in　the　Aleutians。　A　little　more　advanced；　even。　You　could　probably　bounce　a　signal　off　the　moon　if　you　wanted　to。〃
　〃That's　a　little　out　of　our　range　gate；〃　Blandy　observed。　〃Chief　Leek　here　been　taking　good　care　of　you？〃
　〃When　he　leaves　the　Navy；　we　might　have　a　place　for　him　at　TRW。　We're　part　of　the　ongoing　SAM　project。〃
　〃And　Lieutenant　Olson；　too？〃　the　skipper　asked。
　〃He's　a　very　bright　young　officer；　Captain。　I　can　think　of　a　lot　of　panies　who　might　want　him。〃　If　Gregory　had　a　fault；　it　was　being　too　truthful。
　〃I　ought　to　say　something　to　discourage　you　from　that；　but…〃
　〃Cap'n！〃　A　sailor　came　up。　〃Flash…traffic　from　SACLANT；　sir。〃　He　handed　over　a　clipboard。　Captain　Blandy　signed　the　acknowledgment　sheet　and　took　the　message。　His　eyes　focused　very　closely。
　〃Do　you　know　if　the　SecDef　knows　what　you're　up　to？〃
　〃Yes；　Captain；　he　does。　I　just　spoke　to　Tony　a　few　minutes　ago。〃
　〃What　the　hell　did　you　tell　him？〃
　Gregory　shrugged。　〃Not　much；　just　that　the　project　was　ing　along　nicely。〃
　〃Uh…huh。　Chief　Leek；　how's　your　hardware？〃
　〃Everything's　a　hundred　percent　on　line；　Cap'n。　We　got　a　jo