johngardner.winloseordie-第2章

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d　in　from　starboard；　knocking　out　another　heavy　machine…gun　crew　as　they　came；　only　to　be　mangled　and　ripped　apart　from　fire　directed　from　the　superstructure。　Four　men　actually　managed　to　land　safely　on　the　stern；　seeking　what　cover　they　could　abafl　the　superstructure；　unhooking　grenades　from　their　webbing　equipment。　Three　more　died　as　they　rode　the　air　down　onto　the　port　side。
　Both　the　gun　crews　for'ard　on　the　deck　were　now　out　of　action；　and；　with　a　withering　fire；　another　pair　of　hang…gliders　reached　the　deck。　The　remainder　were　now　either　blasted　out　of　the　sky。　or　killed　by　smashing　into　the　ship's　hull。　The　seven　who　remained　fought　on。
　Smoke　grenades　gave　some　cover　to　the　trio　who　had　landed　on　the　for'ard　part　of　the　deck；　while　the　four　men　who　were　attacking　from　the　stern　managed；　with　grenade　and　gun；　to　gain　a　foothold　in　the　superstructure　itself。
　The　fighting　lasted　for　almost　half　an　hour。　At　the　end　of　that　bloody　dawn　there　were　several　bodies　of　the　glider…borne　force　strewn　around　the　tanker；　eighteen　officers　and　men　of　the　Son　of　Takashani　were　dead；　and　a　further　seven　wounded。
　The　radio　officer　had　continued　to　put　out　a　distress　signal　throughout　the　whole　battle；　but　it　was　an　hour　later　before　a　US　Navy　frigate　arrived　at　the　scene；　and　by　then；　the　Japanese…being　an　orderly　people；　had　tipped　the　bodies　of　the　attackers　overboard；　washed　down　the　deck；　seen　to　their　own　dead　and　wounded；　and　reorganised　the　tanker　so　that　it　could　continue　on　its　way。
　The　most　senior　officer；　twenty…two　year　old　Zenzo　Yamuda；　who　had　taken　the　place　of　the　dead　Master；　was　able　to　give　the　American　frigate's　captain　a　graphic；　blow　by　blow　account　of　the　action。　The　American　officer　was　perturbed　by　the　lack　of　evidence　left　by　the　Japanese　crew；　but　Yamada　did　not　appear　to　be　worried。　'I　helped　one　of　them　die；'　he　told　the　frigate's　captain。
　'How？'　The　US　officer　was　thirty　years　of　age；　a　Lieutenant…mander　called　Ed　Potts；　and　a　man　who　appreciated　order　himself。
　'He　was　dying。　I　finish　him　off。'
　The　American　nodded。　'He　say　anything？'
　'One　word；　only。'
　'Yeah？'
　'He　say；　win。〃　The　Japanese　officer　laughed　at　the　thought。
　'Win；　huh？　Well；　he　didn't；　did　he？'
　'Man　not　win。　He　lost；　and　died。'　The　Japanese　officer　laughed　again；　as　though　it　was　the　funniest　thing　fie　had　heard　in　a　long　time。
　Later；　others　did　not　find　it　so　amusing。

2

Voices　from　the　Air
　
　The　repercussions　which　sprang　from　the　strange　attack　on　the　tanker；　Son　of　Tukashani；　were　predictable。　Japan　accused　first　Iran；　then　Iraq。　Both　countries　denied　plicity。　No　terrorist　organisation　owned　up。　though　the　Intelligence　munities　of　the　West　kept　their　eyes　and　ears　open。
　Much　of　the　traffic　concerning　the　Japanese　tanker　passed　across　James　Bond's　desk　in　that　faceless　building　overlooking　Regent's　Park　where　he　was。　to　his　fruslration；　chained　to　an　administrative　job。　He　could　not　know　that　he　would；　eventually；　bee　deeply　involved　in　the　business；
　In　these　days　of　high…tech　clecironics。　it　is　not　unusual　for　people；　who　should　know　belief；　to　claim　thai　HUMINT　…　the　gathering　of　intelligence　by　human　agents　in　the　field　…　is　either　dead；　or　lives　only　on　borrowed　time。　Bond　had　recently　laughed　aloud　when　hearing　a　writer　of　adventure　stories　claim　that　the　spy　novel　was　dead；　because：　These　days；　it's　all　done　by　satellites。'
　Certainly　those　electronic　wizards　girdling　the　earth　can　pluck　photographs；　and　even　military　transmissions；　from　ihe　air；　but　there　was　far　more　to　it　than　that。　The　satellite　in　war　can　give　armies；　navies　and　air　forces　（he　edge；　but　in　peace；　when　there　is　more　time　at　the　disposal　of　intelligence　agencies；　the　back…up　analysis　of　photographs　and　spoken　information　can　only　be　achieved　by　the　man　or　woman　in　the　field。　Apart　from　that；　there　are　often　delicate　covert　operations　which　cannot　be　acplished　by　whole　echelons　of　electronics；　only　by　humans。
　In　one　area；　that　of　FLINT；　the　collection　of　intelligence　by　electronic　means；　both　the　human　agent；　the　SATS　（munications　Satellites）；　and　ELINT　itself　were　welded　together　as　a　team。　In　recent　years　the　micro　bug；　used　so　successfully　to　tap　into　telephone　and　other　conversations；　was　sparingly　taken　into　the　field；　usually　only　on　close…quarter　covert　operations。
　Indeed；　the　new　buzzword　is　ELINT。　Entire　areas　of　towns；　cities；　and　even　the　countryside　can　be　monitored；　world…wide。　No　person　is　safe　from　the　listeners；　for　eavesdropping　has　bee　part　of　life；　necessary　because　of　that　other　horror　with　which　all　countries　and　peoples　are　forced　to　cohabit　…　terrorism；　in　its　many　faces　and　forms。
　Every　twenty…four　hours；　electronic　listening　devices　scan　sensitive　areas　and；　as　they　scan；　so　the　giant　memories　of　puters；　at　hundreds　of　installations；　will　strain　to　pick　up　particular　trigger　words　and　phrases。　In　parts　of　certain　cities　which　are　considered　sensitive；　if　you　talk　to　your　girlfriend　about　Semtex；　or　accidentally　speak　a　code　word　or　phrase　used　by　known　terrorists；　your　conversation　will　almost　certainly　be　monitored　until　the　listeners　decide　your　idle　chatter　is　harmless。
　Only　human　beings　can　install　the　small；　very　powerful　listening　stations　at　prescribed　points；　and　other　humans　insert　the　key　words　and　phrases　into　the　puter　databases。　After　that；　the　machines　take　over；　making　decisions　to　transcribe　conversations；　pinpoint　their　locations；　even　name　those　who　are　talking　by　identifying　voice　prints。　More　human　beings　analyse　these　transcripts；　sometimes　at　leisure；　more　often　at　speed；　lest　the　advantage　is　lost。
　Just　over　a　month　after　the　Son　of　Takashani　incident；　two　men　met　in　a　villa　overlooking　the　Mediterranean。　They　were　smooth…skinned；　immaculately　turned　out。　and；　to　all　intents　and　purposes；　businessmen　taking　coffee　on　a　vine…covered　patio　from　which　they　had　an　uninterrupted　view　of　spectacular　beauty：　cypresses；　olive　groves；　rough　grazing　land　for　sheep　and　goats；　the　twinkling　sea；　and；　in　the　distance；　the　baked　red　and　white　roofs　of　a　small　village。　Neither　of　the　men　could　have　known　that　a　powerful　receiver　was　hidden　in　that　village　which　looked　so　peaceful　and　secluded。
　The　receiver　scanned　an　area　of　some　fifty　miles；　shooting　a　million　or　so　words　a　second；　spoken　in　streets；　bars；　private　houses　and　on　telephones；　through　one　of　the　SATS　and　on　into　the　puters　of　two　large　listening…posts。　One　of　the　puters　picked　up　an　entire　phrase；　spoken　by　one　of　Ihe　two　men　as　they　drank　their　sweet　coffee。　The　phrase　was；　'Health　depends　on　strength。'　It　was　spoken　as　a　toast；　and　the　puter　memories　metaphorically　sal　up　and　took　noiice　as　the　four　words　were　repeated。　They　had　only　recently　been　inserted　into　the　wordscan　programs。
　'Health　depends　on　strength。'　the　younger；　dark…haired　man　smiled　as　he　lifted　his　cup　towards　his　older　panion　…　a　sleek；　olive…skinned　fellow　with　broad　shoulders　and　a　distinguished　grey　flecking　his　temples。
　'WIN　was　a　spectacular　disaster。'　the　older　man　said。　There　was　no　hint　of　criticism　in　his　voice；　only　a　trace　of　distaste。
　'I　apologise；'　his　panion　bowed　his　head　slightly；　'I　had　greal　confidence。　The　training　was　exceptional　。　。　。'
　'And　cost　a　small　fortune　。　。　。'
　True。　But　it　does　prove　that　if　we　are　to　take　all　of　them；　when　they're　aboard　what　they　like　to　call　Birdsnest　Two。　we　require　a　much　more　subtle　approach。　Even　if　we　had　doubled；　or　maybe　trebled　the　f；orce　for　WIN　there　would　have　been　carnage。　Birdsnest　Two　is　geared　for　any　kind　of　attack。　They　would　have　taken　out　our　hang…gliders　long　before　they　came　within　500　feet　of　the　target。　Also　it　will　probably　have　to　be　done　in　hard　winter　weather。'
　The　older　man　nodded；　'Which　means　the　atlack　can　really　only　e　from　within。'
　'You　mean　we　should　have　people　on　board？'　The　dark…haired　one　sounded　alarmed。
　〃Can　you　ihink　of　a　better　way？'
　'It's　impossible。　How　can　you　infiltrate　such　a　service　at　short　notice？　We've　less　than　twelve　months　to　go。　If　thai　had　ever　been　an　option　we'd　have　used　it；　saved　a　lot　of　time；　and　also　a　great　de？al　of　money。'
　On　the　tapes　that　were　finally　studied；　the　listeners　strained　their　ears　through　a　long　pause。　In　the　distance　came　the　sound　of　an　aircraft　high　and　a　long　way　off。　Nearer　at　hand；　a　dog　barked　angrily。　Then　the　older　man　spoke　…
　〃Ah；　my　friend；　so　often　we　go　for　a　plex　solution；　how　would　it　be　if　we　made　this　more　simple？　One　man。　One　man　aboard　Birdsnest　Two　would　be　all　we　need；　for　one　man　could　unlock　the　gates；　and　let　others　in。　Or　even　someone　in　the　retinue；　a　discontented　Flag　Officer；　for　instance。　One　is　all　we　require。　A　single　Trojan　Horse。'
　〃Even　one　would　be　。　。　。'
　'Difficult？　No。　not　if　he　is　already　there；　in　place。'
　'But　we　have　nobody　who　。　。　。'
　'Maybe　we　do　have　somebody　already　in　place；　and　maybe　even　he　does　not　yet　know　it。　Your　people　are　skilled；　surely　they　could　fell　who　this　man　is；　and　bring　pressure　to　bear？'
　Again　a　pause；　plete　with　the　barking　dog。　Then　…
　'promise。　Yes。　an　obvious　solution。'
　'So　obvious　that　you　had　to　waste　the　lives　of　twenty　mercenaries；　not　to　mention　the　finance　of　training　and　equipping　them。　Now；　go　and　find　the　agent　we　need。　Officer；　or　enlisted　man。　Crew　or　visitor。　Ii　doesn't　matter　which。　Just　find　him。'
　M　tossed　the　transcript　back　onto　his　desk　and　looked　up　at　his　Chief　of　Staff。　Bill　Tanner；　who　appeared　to　be　studying　the　old　Admiral's　face　as　a　strategist　would　examine　the　terrain　of　battle。
　'Well。'　M　said。　It　was　a　grunt　from　the　ihroal　rather　than　a　word　clearly　spoken。　'Well；　we　know　who　these　people　are；　and　we　know　the　target；　what　we　don't　know　is　the　full　objective。　Any　ments。　Tanner？'
　'Only　the　obvious；　sir。〃
　'Meaning？'　M　was　in　an　unashamedly　bellicose　mood　today。
　'Meaning；　sir；　that　we　can　have　things　altered。　We　can　have　the　brass　hats　moved　at　the　last　moment。　Put　them　on　a　cruiser　instead　of　Birdsnesl　Two　。　。　。'
　'Oh。　for　heaven's　sake。　Tanner；　we　know　Birdsnest　Two's　HMS　Invincible；　so　say　Invincible。'　HMS　Invincible　is　one　of　the　three　remaining　aircraft…carriers　…　capital　ships　…　of　the　Royal　Navy：　in　fact　ihree　of　the　largest　gas　turbine…powered　warships　in　the　world。　All　are　designated　as　TDCs　…　'Through　Deck　Cruiser'　…　of　the　invincible　class；　and　all　had　gone　through　major　refits　of　electronics；　weapons　and　aircraft　capabilities　since　the　lessons　learned　in　the　Falklands　war。
　With　only　the　slightest　pause。　Tanner　continued；　'Put　them　in　another　ship　。。。　at　the　last　minute　？　…　。'
　'What　other　ship？　A　destroyer；　or　a　frigate？　There　are　three　of　them。　Tanner。　Three　top　brass；　plete　with　their　staff。　I'd　say　around　twelve　or　fifteen　bodies　at　the　least。　Use　your　sense；　man。　they'd　have　to　share　bunks　on　a　frigate　or　destroyer；　and　that　might　be　all　very　well　for　the　Russkies。　but　I　cannoi　see　our　American　friends；　or　Sir　Geoffrey　Gould　taking　kindly　to　that。'
　'Call　it　off；　sir？'
　　Ll　think　there　would　be　rumblings　everywhere；　including　our　wonderful　Press　and　TV　Defence　Correspondents。　They'd　be　asking　〃why？〃　before　we　even　concocted　a　story。　In　any　case。　Landsea　'89　is　essential。　All　our　bined　exercises　are　essential；　and　what　with　this　wretched　bus