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o been made of old tank turrets…in their case from truly ancient KV…2s that had fought the Germans before rusting in retirement…set in concrete boxes。 The additional height of their hill meant that they could see into China； whose territory started less than four kilometers away。 And that was close enough to hear things on a calm night。
Especially if the thing they heard was a few hundred diesel engines starting up at once。
〃Engines；〃 agreed Komanov's sergeant。 〃A fucking lot of them。〃
The lieutenant hopped down from his perch inside the turret and walked the three steps to the phone switchboard。 He lifted the receiver and punched the button to the regimental mand post； ten kilometers north。
〃This is Post Five six Alfa。 We can hear engines to our south。 It sounds like tank engines； a lot of them。〃
〃Can you see anything？〃 the regimental mander asked。
〃No； rade Colonel。 But the sound is unmistakable。〃
〃Very well。 Keep me informed。〃
〃Yes； rade。 Out。〃 Komanov set the phone back in its place。 His most…forward bunker was Post Five Nine； on the south slope of the first rank of hills。 He punched that button。
〃This is Lieutenant Komanov。 Can you see or hear anything？〃
〃We see nothing；〃 the corporal there answered。 〃But we hear tank engines。〃
〃You see nothing？〃
〃Nothing； rade Lieutenant；〃 Corporal Vladimirov responded positively。
〃Are you ready？〃
〃We are fully ready；〃 Vladimirov assured him。 〃We are watching the south。〃
〃Keep me informed；〃 Komanov ordered； unnecessarily。 His men were alert and standing…to。 He looked around。 He had a total of two hundred rounds for his main gun； all in racks within easy reach of the turret。 His loader and gunner were at their posts； the former scanning the terrain with optical sights better than his own officer's binoculars。 His reserve crewmen were just sitting in their chairs； waiting for someone to die。 The door to the escape tunnel was open。 A hundred meters through that was a BTR…60 eight…wheeled armored personnel carrier ready to get them the hell away； though his men didn't expect to make use of it。 Their post was impregnable； wasn't it？ They had the best part of a meter of steel on the gun turret； and three meters of reinforced concrete； with a meter of dirt atop it…and besides； they were hidden in a bush。 You couldn't hit what you couldn't see； could you？ And the Chinks had slitty little eyes and couldn't see very well； could they？ Like all the men in this crew； Komanov was a European Russian； though there were Asians under his mand。 This part of his country was a mishmash of nationalities and languages； though all had learned Russian； if not at home； then in school。
〃Movement；〃 the gunner said。 〃Movement on Rice Ridge。〃 That was what they called the first ridge line in Chinese territory。 〃Infantrymen。〃
〃You're sure they're soldiers？〃 Komanov asked。
〃I suppose they might be shepherds； but I don't see any sheep； rade Lieutenant。〃 The gunner had a wry sense of humor。
〃Move；〃 the lieutenant told the crewman who'd taken his place in the mand hatch。 He reclaimed the tank mander's seat。 〃Get me the headset；〃 he ordered next。 Now he'd be connected to the phone system with a simple push…button microphone。 With that； he could talk to his other eleven crews or to regiment。 But Komanov didn't don the earphones just yet。 He wanted his ears clear。 The night was still； the winds calm； just a few gentle breezes。 They were a good distance from any real settlement； and so there were no sounds of traffic to interfere。 Then he leveled his binoculars on the far ridge。 Yes； there was the ghostly suggestion of movement there； almost like seeing someone's hair blowing in the wind。 But it wasn't hair。 It could only be people。 And as his gunner had observed； they would not be shepherds。
For ten years； the officers in the border bunkers had cried out for low…light goggles like those issued to the Spetsnaz and other elite formations； but； no； they were too expensive for low…priority posts； and so such things were only seen here when some special inspection force came through； just long enough for the regular troops to drool over them。 No； they were supposed to let their eyes adapt to the darkness。。。 as though they think we're cats； Komanov thought。 But all the interior battle lights in the bunkers were red； and that helped。 He'd forbidden the use of white lights inside the post for the past week。
Brothers of this tank turret had first been produced in late 1944… the JS…3 had stayed in production for many years； as though no one had summoned the courage to stop producing something with the name losif Stalin on it； he thought。 Some of them had rolled into Germany； invulnerable to anything the Fritzes had deployed。 And the same tanks had given serious headaches to the Israelis； with their American… and English…built tanks； as well。
〃This is Post Fifty。 We have a lot of movement； looks like infantry； on the north slope of Rice Ridge。 Estimate regimental strength；〃 his earphones crackled。
〃How many high…explosive shells do we have？〃 Komanov asked。
〃Thirty…five；〃 the loader answered。
And that was a goodly amount。 And there were fifteen heavy guns within range of Rice Ridge； all of them old ML…20 152…mm howitzers； all sitting on concrete pads next to massive ammo bunkers。 Komanov checked his watch。 Almost three…thirty。 Ninety minutes to first light。 The sky was cloudless。 He could look up and see stars such as they didn't have in Moscow； with all its atmospheric pollution。 No； the Siberian sky was clear and clean； and above his head was an ocean of light made brighter still by a full moon still high in the western sky。 He focused his eyes through his binoculars again。 Yes； there was movement on Rice Ridge。
So？〃 Peng asked。 〃At your mand；〃 Wa replied。
Peng and his staff were forward of their guns； the better to see the effect of their fire。
But seventy thousand feet over General Peng's head was Marilyn Monroe。 Each of the Dark Star drones had a name attached to it； and given the official name of the platform； the crews had chosen the names of movie stars； all of them； of course； of the female persuasion。 This one even had a copy of the movie star's Playboy centerfold from 1953 skillfully painted on the nose； but the eyes looking down from the stealthy UAV were electronic and multi…spectrum rather than china blue。 Inside the fiberglass nosecone； a directional antenna cross…linked the 〃take〃 to a satellite； which then distributed it to many places。 The nearest was Zhigansk。 The farthest was Fort Belvoir； Virginia； within spitting distance of Washington； D。C。； and that one sent its feed via fiberoptic cable to any number of classified locations。 Unlike most spy systems； this one showed real…time movie…type imagery。
〃Looks like they're getting ready； sir；〃 an Army staff sergeant observed to his immediate boss； a captain。 And sure enough； you could see soldiers ramming shells into the breeches of their field pieces； followed by the smaller cloth bags that contained the propellant。 Then the breeches were slammed shut； and the guns elevated。 The 30…30…class blank cartridges were inserted into the firing ports of the breechblocks； and the guns were