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around。 We've seen soldiers boarding the little twin…prop birds。 I've counted four flights today。 We have not seen a Russian chopper since yesterday。〃
〃How's Reykjavik city look？〃 Doghouse asked。
〃It's hard to see into the streets。 We can look down a valley towards the airport； but we can only see down a few streets。 One armored vehicle is visible in there parked； like； at an intersection。 Troops are just hanging around； like cops or something at every intersection we can see。 If I had to guess； I'd say most of their troops are around Reykjavik and Keflavik。 Not many civilians around； and almost no civilian traffic。 There's a lot of movement on the main roads； both along the coast to our west； and also east on Route 1。 It's all back…and…forth traffic； like they're patrolling。 We've counted a total of fifty…some trips； split about even on the two highways。 One other thing。 We saw some Russians using a civilian vehicle。 We haven't seen a jeep yet； except a few of ours on the airport grounds。 The Russians have jeeps…their kind； I mean…right？ I think they've mandeered the people's four…by…fours。 That's practically the national vehicle here； and a lot of them are moving around on the roads。〃
〃Any more ining transport flights？〃
〃Five。 We have clear skies； and we can watch them going in towards Keflavik。 Four were IL…76s； and the other one looked kind of like a C…130。 I don't know the designation for that one。〃
〃Are the fighters flying？〃
〃We saw one take off two hours ago。 I'd say they have a patrol up； and have fighters here and Keflavik both。 That's a guess； but I'll bet money on it。 I'd also say the fighters we're looking at can roll off in less than five minutes。 Looks a lot like a hot…pad alert status。〃
〃Okay； copy that； Beagle。 How is your situation？〃
〃We're pretty well concealed； and the sarge has two escape routes scouted。 We haven't seen the Russians beat any bushes yet。 Mostly they seem to be hanging in populated areas and on the roads。 If they start heading this way； we'll be bugging out。〃
〃Exactly right； Beagle。 We will probably be ordering you off that hill soon anyway。 You're doing good； boy。 Hang in there。 Out。〃
SCOTLAND
〃The kid's doing all right；〃 the major said。 He was in an awkward position…an American officer in a NATO munications post run by Brit intelligence types who were evenly split on Edwards's reliability。
〃I'd say he's doing bloody marvelously；〃 nodded the senior Brit。 He'd lost an eye； quite some time ago by the look of it； but was still one tough looking bastard； the major thought。 〃Notice how he discriminates between what his observations and opinions are。〃
〃Weather forecaster；〃 snorted another。 〃We must get some professionals in there。 How quickly can we whistle some up？〃
〃Perhaps by tomorrow。 The Navy wants to put them in by submarine； though； and I agree。 A bit dicey for a parachute infiltration； you know。 Iceland's covered with rocks； the place is made to break ankles and legs。 Then there's the Soviet fighters。 No hurry on putting troops there； is it？ We've got to reduce their air assets first and generally make life as difficult for them as we can。〃
〃That starts tonight；〃 the major said。 〃Nordic Hammer Phase Two will hit around the local sunset time。〃
〃Hope it works better than Phase One did； old boy。〃
STORNOWAY； SCOTLAND
〃So how are things going up here？〃 Toland asked his Royal Air Force counterpart。 Right before boarding the flight he'd sent the telegram to Marty： I'M ALL RIGHT。 ON THE BEACH FOR A WHILE。 LOVE。 He hoped that would reassure her。 Probably the news of the carrier battle was already in the papers。
〃Could be better。 We've lost eight Tornados trying to assist the Norwegians。 We're about down to a bare minimum for local defense； and Ivan's begun to attack our northern radar installations。 Sorry about what happened to your aircraft carrier； but I must say we're very happy indeed to have you chaps with us for a bit。〃
Nimitz's interceptors and radar birds were split among three RAF bases。 The maintenance crews were still arriving by transport aircraft； and some hitch had developed with the missiles； but the F…14s each carried a full load for one engagement； and they could use RAF Sparrows to reload。 Operating off a land base； the fighter could carry a larger load of fuel and ordnance； packing a heavier punch than off a ship。 The fighter crews were in a foul humor。 Having used their aircraft and precious missiles to kill drones； they had returned to the formation to see the fearful results of the mistake。 The total loss of life was still uncertain； but scarcely two hundred men had escaped from Saipan； and only a thousand from Foch。 In terms of casualties this had been the bloodiest defeat in the history of the United States Navy； with thousands of men gone and not a single kill to offset the losses。 Only the French had scored against the Backfires； succeeding with twenty…year…old Crusaders where the vaunted Tomcats had failed。
Toland sat in on their first briefing； conducted by the RAF。 The fighter pilots were absolutely silent。 He had trouble gauging their mood。 No jokes。 No whispered remarks。 No smiles。 They knew that the error had not been theirs； that it was not their fault at all； but that didn't seem to matter。 They were shaken by what had happened to their ship。
As was he。 Toland's mind kept ing back to the image of the four…inch…thick flight deck steel bent into the sky like cellophane； a blackened cavern below it where the hangar deck used to be。 The rows of bags…crewmen who had died aboard the world's most powerful warship 。 。 。
〃mander Toland？〃 An airman tapped him on the shoulder。 〃Would you e with me； please？〃 The two men walked to the operations room。 Bob noted instantly that a new raid was being plotted。 The operations officer； a flight lieutenant； motioned for Toland to join him。
〃One regiment； perhaps less。 One of your EP…3s is snooping up there and caught their radio chatter while they were refueling north of Iceland。 They'll be going for one of these convoys； we think。〃
〃You want the Tomcats to ambush them on the way home？ The timing's going to be tricky。〃
〃Extremely。 Another plication。 They will use Iceland as a navigational check and a secure assembly point。 We know Ivan has fighters there； and now it's reported that he has fighters operating from these two airfields on Iceland。〃
〃Is the source for this something called Beagle？〃
〃Ah； you've heard about that one。 Yes。〃
〃What kind of fighters？〃
〃Twin tails； is what your chap reported。 Could be MiG…25s； …29s； or …31s。〃
〃Fulcrums；〃 Toland said。 〃The others are interceptors。 Didn't the B…52s get a look at them？〃 The briefing he'd just left had gone over the Air Force mission against Keflavik。 More good news to cheer the troops up。
〃Evidently not a good one； and superficially they are quite similar。 I agree they're probably Fulcrums； and the sensible thing for Ivan to do is have the fighters establish a safe corridor for his bombers。〃
〃They might have to tank ing back 。 。 。 go for the tankers？〃
〃We've thought of that。 But they have a million square miles of ocean to use。〃 The area on the chart was obvious。 〃The timing for that will be damned near impossible； but we think it would be worth the effort some time in the future。 For the moment our primary concern is air defense。 After that； we think Ivan may be planning an amphibious operation for Norway。 If his surface fleet sorties； it's our job to hammer it。〃
USS PHARRIS
〃Raid warning； skipper；〃 the executive officer said。 〃There's about twenty…five Backfires downbound； target unknown。〃
〃Well； they won't be going after the carrier group； not with twenty…five aircraft now that they're under NATO fighter cover。 Where are they now？〃
〃Probably over Iceland。 Three to five hours off。 We're not the biggest convoy in range； but we are the most exposed。〃
〃On the other hand； if they go for all those independents out there； they can hunt undefended ships in open ocean。 But I wouldn't。 Our ships are carrying war materiel 。 。 。〃 The convoy had only five SAM…equipped ships。 A ripe target。
GRAFARHOLT； ICELAND
〃Contrails； Doghouse； we have contrails overhead； looks like twenty or so。 Passing overhead right now。〃
〃Can you get an ID？〃
〃Negative。 Large aircraft with no engines visible on the wings； but I can't be sure of the type。 They're pretty high； heading south。 Can't gauge the speed； either…no sonic booms； though if they were busting Mach 1； we should have heard it by now。〃
〃Repeat your count；〃 Doghouse ordered。
〃I count twenty…one sets of contrails； two…one sets； heading about one…eight…zero。 All the fighters at Reykjavik lifted off and went north about thirty minutes before they passed overhead。 They still haven't landed back here yet； but we do not know where they are。 The bombers do not appear to be escorted。 Nothing else new to report。〃
〃Roger； Beagle。 Let us know when the fighters land。 Might be nice to get a feel for their cycle time。 Out。〃 The major turned to his sergeant。 〃Get that one out in the printer right now。 Confirm the one…regiment Backfire raid downbound； over Reykjavik right now； estimated course one…eight…zero。 Possibly with fighter escort 。 。 。 yeah； better put that in； too。〃
The NATO munications center was about the only thing w