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eykjavik； unloading； and rolling back out to the northeast。〃
〃Beagle； are you sure； repeat are you sure of your count。〃
〃That is affirmative； Doghouse。 The takeoff run brings them right over our heads； and we got a paper record。 No shit； mister； five…zero aircraft〃 …Smith held up his pad…〃make that five…three aircraft； and the operation is continuing。 We also have six single…seat aircraft sitting at the end of runway four。 I can't make out the type； but they sure as hell look like fighters。 You copy that； Doghouse？〃
〃I copy five…three transports and six possible fighters。 Okay； Beagle； we gotta get this information upstairs fast。 Sit tight and we'll keep to the regular transmission schedule。 Is your position safe？〃
That's a good question； Edwards thought。 〃I hear you； Doghouse We're staying put。 Out。〃 He took off the headset。 〃We safe； Sergeant？〃
〃Sure； Lieutenant； I haven't felt this safe since Beirut。〃
HAFNARFJORDUR； ICELAND
〃A beautiful operation； rade General。〃 The Ambassador beamed。
〃Your support was most valuable；〃 the General lied through his teeth。 The Soviet embassy to Iceland had over sixty members； almost all intelligence types of one sort or another。 Instead of doing something useful； like seizing the telephone exchange； on donning their uniforms they had been rounding up local political figures。 Most of the members of Iceland's ancient Parliament； the Althing； had been arrested。 Necessary； the General agreed； but too roughly done； with one of them killed in the process and two more shot。 Better to be gentle with them； he thought。 This was not Afghanistan。 The Icelanders had no warrior tradition； and a gentler approach might have shown better returns。 But that aspect of the operation was under KGB control； its control team already in place with the embassy personnel。 〃With your permission； there is much yet to be done。〃
The General went back up the jacob's ladder onto the Fucik… Problem had developed in off…loading the division's missile battalion。 The barges that contained that equipment had been damaged by the missile strike The newly installed landing doors had jammed solid and had to be torched free。 He shrugged。 Up to now； Polar Glory had been a near textbook operation。 Not bad for a scratch crew。 Most of his rolling equipment…two hundred armored vehicles and many trucks…had already been mated with their troops and dispersed。 The SA…11 battalion was all that remained。 〃
Bad news； rade General；〃 the SAM mander reported。
〃Must I wait for it？〃 the General asked testily。 It had been a very long day。
〃We have three usable rockets。〃
〃Three？〃
〃Both these barges were ruptured when the American missile hit us。 The shock damage accounted for several。 The main damage came from the water used to fight the fire。〃
〃Those are mobile missiles；〃 the General objected。 〃Surely the designers anticipated that they might get wet！〃
〃Not with saltwater； rade。 This is the army version； not the naval； and it is not protected against saltwater corrosion。 The men who fought the fire did so with great gusto； and most of the rockets were soaked。 The exposed control wiring and the radar seeker beads on the missile noses were badly damaged。 My men have run electronic tests of all the rockets。 Three are fully functional。 Four more we can probably clean off and repair。 The rest are ruined。 We have to fly more in。〃
The General controlled his temper。 So； a small thing that no one had thought of。 Aboard ship； fires are fought with saltwater。 They should have asked for the naval variant of this rocket。 It was always the small things。
〃Divide your launchers as planned。 Place all the usable missiles at the Reykjavik airport； and the ones you think you can fix at Keflavik。 I'll order the replacement rockets to be flown in。 Is there other damage？〃
〃Apparently not。 The radar antennae were covered with plastic； and the instruments inside the vehicles were safe because the vehicles themselves were sealed。 If we get new rockets； my battalion is fully ready。 We'll be ready to travel in twenty minutes。 Sorry； rade。〃
〃Not your fault。 You know where you are to go？〃
〃Two of my battery manders have already checked the routes。〃
〃Excellent。 Carry on； rade Colonel。〃 The General climbed back up the ladder to the bridge to look for his munications officer。 Within two hours a plane loaded with forty SA…11 surface…to…air missiles was rolling off Murmansk's Kilpyavr airfield bound for Iceland。
20 … The Dance of the Vampires
USS NIMITZ
Toland had been a busy fellow for the past twelve hours。 The data on Iceland came in slowly； one confusing piece at a time； and even now he didn't have enough to call a clear picture。 The group's orders had been changed； though only after too many hours of indecision。 The mission to reinforce Iceland was a washout。 For the past ten hours the battle group had been heading due east toward friendly air cover from England and France。 Someone had decided that if the Marines could not go to Iceland； then they might find useful employment in Germany。 Bob had expected them to be diverted to Norway； where a Marine Amphibious Brigade was already in place； but getting them there could prove difficult。 A furious air battle had been raging over northern Norway for almost twenty hours； with losses heavy on both sides。 The Norwegians had started the war with scarcely a hundred modem fighters。 They were screaming for help； but there was no help for anyone as yet。
〃They're not just chewing the Norwegians up；〃 Toland observed。 〃They're driving them south。 Most of the attacks are on the northern bases； and they're not giving them any breather at all。〃
Chip nodded。 〃That figures。 Gives their Backfires a straighter shot at us。 Briefing time。〃
〃Yeah。〃 Toland packed up his notes and walked again toward flag country。 It was easier this time。
〃Okay； mander；〃 Admiral Baker said。 〃Start with the peripheries。〃
〃Nothing much seems to be happening in the Pacific as yet。 The Soviets are evidently putting a lot of diplomatic pressure on Japan。 The same story they've given the rest of the world…it's all a German plot。〃
〃Horseshit；〃 Baker observed。
〃True enough； Admiral； but it's a plausible enough story that Greece is refusing to honor its treaty mitments； and a lot of neutral and third…world countries are buying it。 Anyway； the Russians are making noises about giving the Sakhalin Islands back if they play ball…or pounding hell out of them if they don't。 Bottom line： Japan is not allowing any bases on its soil to be used for offensive strikes against the Soviet Union。 What we have in Korea is needed there。 The only carrier group we have in the Western Pacific is centered on Midway。 They're well out to sea at present； and they don't have the moxie to go after Kamchatka alone。 There's some air activity in the South China Sea west of the Philippines； but nothing major yet。 Cam Ranh Bay appears to be empty of Soviet shipping。 So the Pacific is quiet； but that won't last long。
〃In the Indian Ocean； somebody launched a missile attack against Diego Garcia； probably a submarine。 Not much damage…just about everything there was sent out to sea five days ago…but it got their attention。 At last report； their 10 squadron was at fifteen…north； ninety…east； a long way from our guys； and heading south。
〃No activity at all on NATO's southern flank。 The Turks aren't about to attack Russia on their own hook； and Greece is staying out of what they call 'this German…Russian dispute。' So Ivan has a secure southern flank； too； and so far it looks like he's happy enough to keep it that way。 So far the Russians are only fighting in Western Europe and against selected American installations elsewhere。 They are telling anyone who'll listen that they don't even want to fight us。 They've even guaranteed the safety of American tourists and businessmen in the Soviet Union。 Supposedly； they're flying them all out through India。 We've underestimated the political dimension here； sir。 So far it's working for them。
〃Okay。 In Europe their operations began with from twenty to thirty Spetznaz mando attacks throughout Germany。 For the most part they were defeated； but they scored big in two places。 The port of Hamburg has been blocked。 A pair of merchantmen was scuttled in the main channel； and the team that pulled it off got away clean。 The same thing was attempted in Bremen…they blocked one channel partially and burned three ships at one of the container terminals。 This team didn't get away。 The other attacks were against nuclear weapons storage sites； munications posts； and one big one against a tank site。 Our guys were ready for it。 We took losses； but those Spetznaz troops got chewed up in most cases。
〃The Soviet Army attacked west just before dawn yesterday。 The good news here is that the Air Force pulled something really wild。 That new Stealth fighter we've been hearing rumblings about is in squadron service； and it was used to raise a lot of hell behind Russian lines。 The Air Force says they've got air superiority； or something close to it； so Ivan must have taken a big hit。 Whatever they did； the initial Russian attack was not as powerful as expected。 They're moving forward； but as of midnight nothing more than fifteen kilometers； and in two places they got stopped cold。 So far no word on nukes or chemical weapons。 Losses are reported heavy on both sides； especially up in northern Germany； where they moved the farthest。 Hamburg is threatened。 The Kiel Canal may have been hit with an airborne or airmobile attack； we're not sure； but part is under Russian control。 That situation is a little confused。 A lot of activity on the Baltic； too。 The fast attack boats of the German and Danish navies claim to have beaten up hard on a bined Soviet and East German attack； but again things are pretty confused。〃
Toland went on to describe the situation in Norway。
〃The direct threats against us are from submarines and aircraft。 Ivan's subs have been pretty busy。 We have reports of twenty…two merchant ships sunk。 The worst was Ocean Star； a Panamanian…flag passenger liner ing back from a Med cruise。 Eight hundred miles northwest of Gibraltar she took a missile hit； type unknown； but probably from a Juliet。 She burned； lots of casualties。 Two Spanish frigates are moving in for the search…and…rescue。
〃We have three submarines reported close to our course track； an Echo； a Tango； and a Foxtrot。 There could be more； but intelligence reports have most of them south and west of us。 When Iceland got neutralized； we lost the G…I…UK SOSUS line； and that will allow Ivan's subs an easier access to the North Atlantic。 SACLANT is dispatching subs to block the gaps。 They'll have to hustle； we have reports of numerous Soviet submarines heading for the Denmark Strait。〃
〃How many subs have we taken out？〃 Svenson asked。
''Lajes and Brunswick claim four kills。 The P…3s got off to a good start。 The bad news here is that one Orion is missing； and another reported being shot at by a sub…launched missile。 This is being evaluated now； and we expect something firm by noon。 In any case； the main threat to us now appears to be from aircraft； not subs。 That could change by tomorrow； though。〃
〃One day at a time。 Get to Iceland；〃 Baker ordered。
〃The reports we had yesterday were correct。 Evidently a regimental…sized unit came in by sea； and the rest of its division was airlifted in； starting around 1400 hours。 We have to assume they're all in by now。〃
〃Fighters？〃 Svenson asked。
〃None reported； but it's possible。 Iceland has four usable airfields〃
〃Wrong； Toland； it's three；〃 Baker said harshly。
〃Beg pardon； sir； four。 The big base is Keflavik。 Five runways； two of them over ten thousand feet long。 We built the place to stage B…52s out of； and it's quite a facility。 Ivan got it virtually intact。 His attack was planned deliberately not to crater the runways。 Second； they have the civilian airfield at Reykjavik。 The longest runway there is about two thousand meters； plenty big enough for fighters； and it's got a city wrapped around it。 Hitting that place means running the risk of civilian casualties。 On the north side of the island is Akureyri； one hard…surface strip。 The fourth one； Admiral； is old Keflavik； about two miles southeast of the current NATO air base。 It shows on the maps as unusable； but I ran into a