escort 。 。 。 yeah； better put that in； too。〃
The NATO munications center was about the only thing working as planned。 The munications satellites in their as…yet unreachable orbits over the equator were supplying information to units all over the world； and here in Scotland was one of the main 〃nodes；〃 military parlance for a high…tech telephone exchange。
USS PHARRIS
A good day for contrails； Morris saw。 Just the right mixture of temperature and humidity at high altitude； it would cause condensation in the hot exhaust from aircraft engines。 They could see the tracks of air traffic crossing the Atlantic。 The big twenty…power binoculars usually kept on the bridge wings for surface lookout work had been moved to the flying bridge atop the forward superstructure； and his lookouts were using them to identify the aircraft。 They were mainly looking for Bears； the Soviet search aircraft that scouted targets for the Backfires。
Everyone was tense； and no relief was in sight。 The submarine threat was bad enough； but with the carrier group savaged the day before； the convoy was virtually naked to air attack。 They were too far at sea for any hope of land…based fighter protection。 Pharris had only the most rudimentary air defenses。 She could barely protect herself and was of no use whatever to anyone else。 The ships equipped with surface…to…air missiles were now assembling in line on the north side of the convoy； twenty miles south of the frigate； while Pharris continued her antisubmarine search。 All the frigate could do was keep watch on her threat…warning instruments and radio any data developed。 They were sure that Ivan would be using his own Big Bulge search radars aboard the Bears to locate and classify the target。 The convoy mander's plan was to use the SAM…ships as an additional row of targets； formed up just like the merchantmen。 With luck； an especially curious Bear might mistake them for unarmed ships and be lured in for a visual search。 A long shot； it was the only card they had to play 。 。 。
〃Contact！ We have a Big Bulge radar bearing zero…zero…nine。 Signal strength is low。〃
〃Miss us； you bastard；〃 the tactical action officer breathed。
〃Not much chance of that；〃 Morris said。 〃Get the data to the escort mander。〃
The Bear was on a southerly heading； using its radar only two minutes out of every ten as it approached the convoy。 Soon another was detected slightly to the west。 Plotting teams estimated their positions； and a report was sent via satellite to CINCLANTFLT in Norfolk with an urgent request for assistance。 Norfolk receipted their message； ten minutes later they learned that no help was available。
Pharris manned her gun mount。 The point…defense missile system and Gatling gun radar aft were switched to standby。 Other radar was kept off。 The radar operators in the bat information center sat nervously at their posts； fingering their switches while listening to the ESM reports and stealing an occasional look at the plot。
〃Both of them probably have us now。〃
Morris nodded。 〃Next e the Backfires。〃
The captain thought of the battles he had studied at the naval academy…early in World War II； when the Japanese fleet had had air superiority； or when the Germans had used long…range Condors to circle convoys； radioing their positions to any interested party； and not a thing the Allies back then could do about。 He'd never expected to be in the same fix。 The same tactical situation repeating itself after forty years？ It was absurd； Morris told himself。 Absurd and terrifying。
〃We have a visual sight on a Bear； just over the horizon at two…eight…zero；〃 the talker said。
〃Director； use your optics to track the target aft；〃 the tactical action officer said at once。 He looked over to Morris。 〃Maybe he'll fly close enough for a shot。〃
〃Don't light off any radars just yet。 He might just wander into somebody's missile envelope if he's not careful。〃
〃No way he'll be that dumb。〃
〃He will try to evaluate the convoy defenses；〃 Morris said quietly。 〃He can't have them visually yet； not quite yet。 Then for a while all he'll be able to see is bumps with wakes behind them。 Not easy to identify a ship from an airplane； mister。 Let's see just how curious this guy is 。 。 。〃
〃Aircraft just changed course；〃 the talker reported。 〃Turning east towards us。〃
〃Air action starboard！ Right standard rudder。 All ahead full！ e to new course one…eight…zero；〃 Morris ordered immediately。 He turned south to lure the Bear closer to the SAM ships。 〃Illuminate the target。 Weapons free！ Engage when he gets within range。〃
Pharris heeled hard to the left as she changed course。 Forward； the five…inch gun mount rotated clockwise as the ship brought her stem across the target bearing。 As soon as the gun mount was unmasked； firecontrol radars gave it a target solution； and the long…barrel gun elevated to thirty degrees and locked on the target。 The point…defense missile mount on the fantail did the same。
〃Target is at thirty thousand feet； range fifteen miles and closing。〃
The escort mander still had not authorized a missile launch。 Better to have Ivan shoot his missiles first； before he knew what lay in his path。 Data from the carrier battle was already out to the fleet。 The big Russian air…to…surface missiles were not especially hard targets to hit； since they ran straight for their targets； though you did have to react in a hurry： they were mighty fast。 He figured that the Bear was still doing a target evaluation and did not yet know the strength of the escort force。 The longer he was kept in the dark； the better； because the Backfires would not have much time to loiter this far from their bases。 And if the Bear came in just a little closer 。 。 。
〃mence firing！〃 the TAO shouted。
Pharris's gun mount went to full…automatic mode； firing a round every two seconds。 The Bear was barely within range of her gun； and there was scant chance of a kill； but it was time to give him something to worry about。
The first five rounds fell short； exploding harmlessly a mile from the Bear； but the next three came closer； one exploding only two hundred yards from his left wing。 The Soviet pilot instinctively turned right to evade。 That was a mistake。 He didn't know that the nearest row of 〃merchantmen〃 carried missiles。
Seconds later； two missiles launched and the Bear immediately dove to evade； a shower of chaff in her wake as she headed right for Pharris； which gave the frigate's gun crew another chance to score a kill。 They fired off twenty new rounds as the plane approached。 Perhaps two were close enough to damage the bomber； but there was no visible result。 The missiles came in next； tiny white darts trailing columns of gray smoke。 One missed and detonated in the chaff cloud； but the second detonated a hundred yards away from the bomber。 The warhead expanded explosively like a watchspring； breaking into thousands of fragments； and several ripped into the Bear's port wing。 The massive propJet lost power in one engine and suffered major wing damage before the pilot regained control just outside Pharris's gun range。 She headed off north； trailing smoke。
The other Bear remained discreetly out of everyone's range。 The raid mander had just learned a lesson that he'd pass on to his regimental intelligence officer。
〃More radars ing on。 Down Beats！〃 warned the ESM technician。 〃I count ten…count is increasing。 Fourteen…eighteen！〃 the air…search radar operator sang out next。
〃Radar contacts； bearing zero…three…four； range one…eight…zero miles。 I count four targets； now five…six targets。 Course two…one…zero； speed six hundred knots。〃
〃Here e the Backfires；〃 TAO said。
〃Radar contact！〃 came the next call。 〃Vampire！ Vampire！ We have inbound missiles。〃
Morris cringed inwardly。 The escorts all switched on their radar transmitters。 Missiles trained out on the ining targets。 But Pharris was not part of that game。 Morris ordered his ship to flank speed； turning north to race away from the missiles' probable target area。
〃The Backfires are turning back。 The Bear is holding position。 We have some radio chatter。 Now twenty…three inbound missiles。 Bearing changing on all contacts；〃 TAO said。 〃They're all headed for the convoy。 Looks like we're in the clear。〃
Morris could hear the crew in the bat Information Center take one deep collective breath。 He watched the radar display with marginal relief。 The missiles were streaking in from the northeast； and the SAMs were ing up to meet them。 The convoy was again ordered to scatter； the merchantmen racing away from the center of the target。 What followed had an eerie resemblance to an arcade game。 Of the twenty…three Soviet…launched missiles； nine broke through the SAMs and dove into the convoy。 They hit seven merchantmen。
All seven were lost。 Some disintegrated at once under the hammering impact of the thousand…kilogram warheads。 The others lingered long enough for their crews to escape with their lives。 The convoy had left the Delaware with thirty ships。 Only twenty were left； and there was almost fifteen hundred miles of open ocean between them and Europe。
GRAFARHOLT； ICELAND
Two Backfires ran short of fuel and decided to land at Keflavik。 Behind them was the damaged Bear。 It circled Reykjavik waiting for the Backfires to clear the runway。 Edward