"Hogan, James P - The Genesis Machine p260-end" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hogan James P)

УItТs those two crazy bastards up there!Ф he ~
turning purple. УTheyТre wiping out our own
lites!Ф
At the end of an hour the situation was
1)01)
Neither side was left with the means of delivering a strategic attack from orbit, both having lost their ORBS systems entirely. However, since the East had suffered the loss of its system in the first swift blow, it had been obliged to attempt to redress the balance by sending its anti-satellite missiles against the ORBS system of the West, which at that time had been still intact. This had forced the West to respond by firing off much of its stock of antimissile missiles.
The result was that the East was left with ample stocks of antimissile missiles, having had no attacking waves to contend with, while the West was not . . . at least, until the West had had time to redeploy its defenses. The implications of the situation slowly dawned on the military staffs present. A worried Carlohm explained to Sherman:
УUntil weТve had time to reorganize our defenses, weТre wide open. Our antimissile systems have been depleted, and for the time being weТve got nothing that would effectively stop a classical attack from subs and ICBMs. The problem is that the other side hasnТt had any reason to fire off their antimissile systems, so the chances of success for a counterstrike by us wouldnТt be too good. Those guys over there arenТt stupid; the message must be obvious to them, too. If I were in their position, IТd hit now and hit hard.Ф
His concern was soon proved to be well-founded. Reports began pouring in all over the Command
Floor:
УSalvo of sixteen missiles launched from underwater, three hundred miles south of Nova Scotia. Climbing and turning due west.Ф
УLaunchings reported from four positions in the eastern Pacific. First course indications point to western U.S.A.Ф
УMass launch profiles in northern Siberia, heading
north over the Pole. Launches in central Siberia directed west toward Europe.Ф
УMissiles climbing over inshore regions of Algeria and Tunisia, heading north toward Mediterranean.Ф
A peppering of red traces started to appear across the enormous map of the world that was framed by the largest of the mural displays. The apprehension of the watchers rose to a point bordering on panic. The calm and composure that Sherman had exhibited throughout at last broke down. He stared aghast at the thin red lines that were beginning to elongate on the map, his mind refusing to accept what was demanded of him now. The lines began consolidating into irregular arcs that covered the North American continent from three sides, Europe from the south and east, and Australia from the north. The arcs were converging, agonizingly slowly, but relentlessly.
УInitial computations of trajectories put first missile on target in four-point-five minutes,Ф a voice announced. УOrigin, west Atlantic. Impact point, New York area. Impacts in Spain predicted at four-pointnine minutes, Italy, five minutes, British Isles, fivepoint-three minutes. Further data coming in now.Ф
Carlohm and Foreshaw faced the President expectantly, but Sherman just stood immobilized, his eyes glazed and his head shaking weakly from side to side.
УItТs an all-out attack,Ф Carlohm said after a few seconds. УYou have to order full retaliation . . . now.Ф Sherman slowly sank into a chair. The color had drained from his face; perspiration glistened on his brow.
УWhat will that achieve flow?Ф he whispered in a strangled voice. УIt can change nothing. Sheer, futile savagery. . . for no purpose..
УYou have to,Ф Foreshaw said grimly. УItТs the price.Ф
Sherman brought his hands up to cover his face. He shook his head mutely and became paralyzed. Suddenly Reyes stepped forward and proclaimed in a firm and decisive voice:
УI declare the President temporarily incapacitated and unable to carry out his duties. I therefore assume Presidential authority and accept full responsibility for my decisions. General Carlohm, order a full retaliatory offensive to be launched immediately.Ф
Carlohm hesitated for a second, then nodded to his staff officers. Within thirty seconds the whole strategic missile arsenal of the Western world was thundering skyward. On the map above them, chains of dots of bright green was added to the story that was already there. Both sides had now hurled in everything they had; the difference was that the longer traces in red, now closing in on the frontiers of their target countries, would be almost unopposed.
УFirst computed impact now confirmed as New York. Time to impact, thirty-two seconds. Further confirmed targets are Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, Montreal, and Ottawa. Los Angeles and San Francisco confirmed on the West Coast. Trajectories of following missiles being computed. We expect they will fractionate into independent warheads.Ф
УWhatТs the defensive situation?Ф Reyes asked Carlohm.
УTheyТre firing what they can. Most emplacements arenТt programmed for local interceptions, since that was supposed to be taken care of by the orbital defensive system.Ф
УReport status now,Ф Reyes called out.
УObject previously reported homing on New York was a decoy. Full salvo of interceptors expended. Missile following has now altered course toward same
target. Area Defense Commander reports insufficient reserves to intercept. Revised time to impact, fortythree seconds.Ф
УJesus. . . !У Somebody breathed.
УImpact will coincide with arrival time of first expected on targets in southern Europe,Ф the report continued. УMore decoys causing uncertainties in previous predictions.Ф
УNever mind them now,Ф Reyes snapped. УRead me that one thatТs zeroing on New York.Ф
УDue on target in twenty-two seconds . . . twenty
fifteen.. . CONTACT LOST!Ф
УWhat the . . . ? You mean we got it?Ф Reyes was nonplused.
УNegative, sir. There were no defensive missiles near. It just seems to have . . . vanished.Ф The voice came again, now sounding utterly at a loss. УPredicted impacts in southern Europe deleted from latest computations. Traces of incoming missiles have been lost. . . Disregard confirmations for Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia . . .У The voice grew totally bewildered. УDisregard confirmations previously given for West Coast . .
All over the map the leading lines in red were stopping as soon as they got anywhere near their targets, as if an invisible eraser were working along the coastlines of North America. The same pattern developed along the approaches to Europe, Australia, and Japan. The attacking waves were being wiped out by the score.
УYour defenses arenТt doing that?Ф Reyes asked, incredulous.
УTheyТve fired everything they had left,Ф Carlohm answered, equally bemused. УI doubt if thereТs more than a handful of serviceable missiles left in the whole of the West.Ф
УTheyТre being J-bombed!Ф Foreshaw exclaimed abruptly. УCanТt you see what those guys are doing? TheyТve lured the whole damn Commie missile force up into the sky at once; now theyТre J-bombing it out of existence.Ф
УNot their whole missile force,Ф Carlohm reminded him. УOnly their attack force. DonТt forget they still havenТt used their antimissile missiles.Ф
Soon the whole of the network of red lines had frozen into immobility, marking the limit of penetration that had been reached before the last warhead was vaporized. Not one had made it past the frontier of any territory of a Western Alliance nation. Only the green traces were left in motion now, crawling inexorably onward toward their own destinations. By now the leading ones, fired from patrolling allied and U.S. submarines, were getting close.
Sherman had by this time recovered from his despair and had gotten involved in the proceedings again. УNothing will threaten our security for a long time to come now.Ф He turned toward Carlohm. УThat attack thatТs going on there no longer has any purpose. It must be stopped. Order immediate remote disarming of all warheads.Ф
Carlohm looked amazed for a second, then started to protest.
УBut thereТs nothing to lose now. ThereТll never be another chance like. .
УThose weapons were conceived and built only as a deterrent. Now thereТs nothing left to deter anybody from using. Do it.Ф
Carlohm gave the order. From a score of command centers around the world, the transmissions were broadcast to transform the most sophisticated instrument of total destruction that the world had ever seen into just so many free-falling chunks of harmless metal.
OnЧ
The green tentacles continued stretching their way forward to condense into a thorny girdle around the Eastern world. It was the picture of a little while earlier all over again, but in reverse. A speckled haze of red pinpoints began to appear, adorning the enemy coastlines and borders.