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〃Damn；〃 he said quietly。 The plan called for him to use his cluster munitions to ignite what the Durandals had burst open。
〃Don't think the Rockeyes are necessary； Duke；〃 Eisly observed
Ellington tried to blink away the dots as he turned away； keeping as low as he could。 He found himself flying right down a road。
The Soviet mander…in…Chief of the Western Theater was already angry； and what he saw to the east didn't help。 He'd just conferred with the mander of the Third Shock Army at Zarrentin to learn that the attack had again bogged down within sight of Hamburg。 Furious that his most powerful tank force had failed to achieve its objective； he'd relieved its mander on the spot and was returning to his own mand post。 Now he saw what could only be one of his three major fuel depots rising into the clear sky。 The General cursed and stood； pushing aside the roof panel on his armored mand vehicle。 As he blinked his dazzled eyes； a black mass seemed to appear at the lower edge of the fireball。
What's that？ Ellington wondered。 His TV display showed four armored vehicles in a tight columnone of them a SAM launcher！ He flicked his bomb…release controls to Armed and dropped his four Rockeye canisters； then turned south。 His tail…mounted strike cameras recorded what followed。
The Rockeyes split open； distributing their bomblets at a shallow angle across the road。 They exploded on impact。
CINC…West died a soldier's death。 His last act was to seize a machine gun and fire at the aircraft。 Four bomblets fell within a few meters of his vehicle。 Their fragments sliced through the light armor； killing everyone inside even before its fuel tank exploded； adding another fireball to a sky that had still not returned to darkness。
USS CHICAGO
The submarine came slowly to the surface； spiraling up to allow her sonar to check the entire area as she rose to antenna depth。 His luck had been bad so far； McCafferty considered； which was not a situation that encouraged risk taking。 As the submarine leveled off beneath the waves； the ESM mast went up first； sniffing for hostile electronic signals； then the search periscope。 The captain made a quick sweep around the sky； then the surface； his executive officer closely watching the television readout to back up the skipper's observations。 Everything looked clear。 There was a moderate sea running； with five…foot swells； and the clear blue sky was decorated with fair…weather cumulus clouds。 On the whole； a beautiful day。 Except for the war。
〃Okay； transmit；〃 McCafferty ordered。 His eyes never left the periscope； which he turned continuously； angling the lens up and down to look for trouble。 A petty officer raised the UHF antenna； and the 〃okay to transmit〃 light blinked on in the radio room aft of the attack center。
They had been summoned to the surface by an extremely low…frequency radio message with their call sip； QZB。 The senior radioman powered up his transmitter； keyed out QZB on the UHF satellite broadcast band； and waited for a reply。 There was none。 He gave his neighbor a look and repeated the procedure。 Again the satellite missed the signal。 The petty officer took a deep breath and transmitted QZB yet a third time。 Two seconds later the hot printer in the after er of the room began to print up a coded reply。 The munications officer keyed a mand into the cipher machine； and the clear text came up on another printer。
TOP SECRET
FR： SUBLANT
TO： USS CHICAGO
1。 REPORT LARGE REDFLT AMPHIBIOUS GRP DEPARTING KOLA 1150Z19JUNE。 FORCE POSITION 10…PLUS PHIBS WITH 15…PLUS BATANT ESCORT INCL KIROV； KIEV。 HEAVY RPT HEAVY AIR ASW SUPPORT THIS GRP。 EXPECT ALSO REDFLT SS/SSN SUPPORT THIS GRP。 WESTERLY COURSE； HIGH SPEED。
2。 EVALUATE OBJECTIVE THIS GRP BODO。
3。 PROCEED AT BEST SPEED TO 70N 16W。
4。 ENGAGE AND DESTROY。 REPORT CONTACT IF POSSIBLE BEFORE ATTACK。 OTHER NATO SS/SSN TRAFFIC THISAREA。 AIR SUPPORT POSSIBLE BUT NOT RPT NOT LIKELY AT PRESENT。
5。 WILL AMPLIFY LOCATION THIS GRP AS POSSIBLE。
McCafferty read the dispatch without ment； then handed it to the navigator。 〃How long to get there at fifteen knots？〃
〃About eleven hours。〃 The navigator took a pair of dividers and walked them across the chart。 〃Unless they're flying； we'll be there long before they are。〃
〃Joe？〃 the captain looked at his executive officer。
〃I like it。 Right on the hundred…fathom curve； and water conditions are a little squirrelly there； what with the Gulf Stream ing in so close and fresh water ing out of the fiords。 They won't want to be too close inshore because of the Norwegian diesel boats； and they won't stray too far out because of the NATO nucs。 If I had to bet； I'd say they'll e right to us。〃
〃Okay； take her down to nine hundred feet and head east。 Secure from general quarters。 Let's get everybody fed and rested。〃
Ten minutes later； Chicago was on a heading of zero…eight…one； steaming at fifteen knots。 Deep； but in relatively warm water from the ocean current that begins in the Gulf of Mexico and runs all the way to the Barents Sea； she enjoyed sonar conditions that made detection by a surface ship nearly impossible。 The water pressure prevented cavitation noises。 Her engines could drive the submarine at this speed with only a fraction of her total rated power； obviating the need for the reactor pumps。 The reactor's cooling water circulated on natural convection currents； which eliminated the major source of radiated noise。 Chicago was pletely in her element； a noiseless shadow moving through black water。
The crew's mood changed slightly； McCafferty noticed。 Now they had a mission。 A dangerous mission； but one they had trained for。 Orders were carried out with calm precision。 In the wardroom his tactical officers reviewed tracking and attack procedures long since memorized； and a pair of exercises were run on a puter。 Charts were examined to predict likely places for especially bad water conditions in which they might hide。 In the torpedo room two decks below the attack center； sailors ran electronic tests on green…painted Mk…48 〃fish〃 and the Harpoon missiles in their white canisters。 One weapon showed an electronic fault； and a pair of torpedomen immediately stripped off an inspection plate to replace a ponent。 Similar checks were made of the Tomahawk missiles in their vertical launch tubes nested in the bow。 Finally the weapons…control team ran a puter simulation through the Mk…117 attack director to ensure that it was fully operational。 Within two hours they were sure that every system aboard was operating within expected limits。 The crewmen exchanged hopeful smiles。 After all； they reasoned； it wasn't their fault that no Russian had been dumb enough to e their way； was it？ Just a few days before； hadn't they practically landed on the beach…in Russia！…without being detected？ The Old Man was a real pro； wasn't he？
USS PHARRIS
Dinner was awkward to say the least。 The three Russian officers sat at the end of the table； mindful of the two armed guards ten feet away； and the cook in the wardroom pantry who kept a large knife conspicuously in view。 The officers were served by a young seaman； a beardless boy of seventeen who scowled mightily at the Russians as he served the salad。
〃So；〃 Morris said cordially； 〃do any of you speak English？〃
〃I do；〃 answered one。 〃I am instructed my captain to thank you for rescue our men。〃
〃Tell your captain that war has rules； and so does the sea。 Please tell him also that he showed great skill in his approach。〃 Morris poured some Thousand Island dressing on his lettuce as the message was translated。 His officers were keeping a close eye on their guests。 Morris was careful to avert his gaze。 His remark had the desired effect。 A rapid exchange took place at the other end of the table。
〃My captain ask how you find us。 We…how you say…get away from your helicopters； no？〃
〃Yes； you did；〃 Morris answered。 〃We did not understand your operating pattern。〃
〃Then how you find us？〃
〃I knew you were attacked earlier by the Orion； and that you ran at high speed to catch up with us。 The angle for your attack was predictable。〃
The Russian shook his head。 〃What attack is this？ Who attack us？〃 He turned to his mander and spoke for thirty seconds。
There's another Charlie out there； Morris thought； if he's not lying to us。 We ought to get someone who speaks Russian to talk to the crewmen below。 Damn； why don't I have one of those？
〃My captain says you are mistake in this。 Our first contact with you was from helicopters。 We did not expect your ship to be here。 Is this new tactic？〃
〃No； we've practiced this for some years。〃
〃How you find us； then？〃
〃You know what a towed…array sonar is？ We first detected you on that； about three hours before we shot at you。〃
The Russian's eyes went wide。 〃Your sonar so good as that？〃
〃Sometimes。〃 After this translated the Russian captain spoke what seemed a terse order； and the conversation stopped。 Morris wondered if his radio technicians had wired the microphones into the Russians' quarters yet。 Perhaps what they said among themselves would be useful to fleet intelligence。 Until then he'd continue to make them fortable。 〃How is the food aboard a Soviet submarine？〃
〃Not same as this；〃 the navigator answered after conferring with his boss。 〃Good； but not same。