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30…class blank cartridges were inserted into the firing ports of the breechblocks； and the guns were fully ready。 The last step was called 〃pulling the string；〃 and was fairly accurate。 You just jerked the lanyard rope to fire the blank cartridge and that ignited the powder bags； and then the shell went north at high speed。
〃How many guns total； Sergeant？〃 the captain asked。
〃A whole goddamned pisspot full； sir。〃
〃I can see that。 What about a number？〃 the officer asked。
〃North of six hundred； and that's just in this here sector； Cap'n。 Plus four hundred mobile rocket launchers。〃
〃We spotted air assets yet？〃
〃No； sir。 The Chinese aren't nighttime flyers yet； least not for bombing。〃
〃EAGLE Seven to Zebra； over；〃 the AWACS senior controller radioed back to Zhigansk。
〃Zebra to Seven； reading you five…by…five；〃 the major running the ground base replied。
〃We got bogies； call it thirty…two ing north out of Siping； estimate they're Sierra…Uniform Two…Sevens。〃
〃Makes sense；〃 the major on the ground told his wing mander。 〃Siping's their 667th Regiment。 That's their best in terms of aircraft； and stick…time。 That's their varsity； Colonel。〃
〃Who do we have to meet them？〃
〃Our Russian friends out of Nelkan。 Nearest American birds are well north and…〃
〃…and we haven't got orders to engage anybody yet；〃 the colonel agreed。 〃Okay； let's get the Russians alerted。〃
〃EAGLE Seven to Black Falcon Ten； we have Chinese fighters three hundred kilometers bearing one…nine…six your position； angels thirty； speed five hundred knots。 They're still over Chinese territory； but not for much longer。〃
〃Understood；〃 the Russian captain responded。 〃Give me a vector。〃 〃Remend intercept vector two…zero…zero；〃 the American controller said。 His spoken Russian was pretty good。 〃Maintain current speed and altitude。〃
〃Roger。〃
On the E…3B's radar displays； the Russian Su…27s turned to head for the Chinese Su…27s。 The Russians would have radar contact in about nine minutes。
〃Sir； this don't look real nice；〃 another major in Zhigansk said to his general。
〃Then it's time to get a warning out；〃 the USAF two…star agreed。 He lifted a phone that went to the Russian regional mand post。 There hadn't as yet been time to get a proper downlink to them。
〃General； a call from the American technical mission at Zhigansk；〃 Tolkunov said。
〃This is General Bondarenko。〃
〃Hello； this is Major General Gus Wallace。 I just set up the reconnaissance shop here。 We just put up a stealthy recon…drone over the Russian Chinese border at。 。 。〃 He read off the coordinates。 〃We show people getting ready to fire some artillery at you； General。〃
〃How much？〃 Bondarenko asked。
〃Most I've ever seen； upwards of a thousand guns total。 I hope your people are hunkered down； buddy。 The whole damned world's about to land on 'em。〃
〃What can you do to help us？〃 Bondarenko asked。
〃My orders are not to take action until they start shooting；〃 the American replied。 〃When that happens； I can start putting fighters up； but not much in the way of bombs。 We hardly have any to drop；〃 Wallace reported。 〃I have an AWACS up now； supporting your fighters in the Chulman area； but that's all for now。 We have a C…130 ferrying you a downlink tomorrow so that we can get you some intelligence directly。 Anyway； be warned； General； it looks here as though the Chinese are going to launch their attack momentarily。〃
〃Thank you； General Wallace。〃 Bondarenko hung up and looked at his staff。 〃He says it's going to start at any moment。〃
And so it did。 Lieutenant Komanov saw it first。 The line of hills his men called Rice Ridge was suddenly backlit by yellow flame that could only be the muzzle flashes of numerous field guns。 Then came the upward…flying meteor shapes of artillery rockets。
〃Here it es；〃 he told his men。 Unsurprisingly； he kept his head up so that he could see。 His head； he reasoned； was a small target。 Before the shells landed； he felt the impact of their firing； the rumble came through the ground like a distant earthquake； causing his loader to mutter； 〃Oh； shit；〃 probably the universal observation of men in their situation。
〃Get me regiment；〃 Komanov ordered。
〃Yes； Lieutenant；〃 the voice answered。
〃We are under attack； rade Colonel； massive artillery fire to the south。 Guns and rockets car ing our…〃
Then the first impacts came； mainly near the river； well to his south。 The exploding shells were not bright； but like little sparks of light that fountained dirt upward； followed by the noise。 That did sound like an earthquake。 Komanov had heard artillery fire before； and seen what the shells do at the far end； but this was as different from that as an exploding oil tank was from a cigarette lighter。
〃rade Colonel； our country is at war；〃 Post Five six Alfa reported to mand。 〃I can't see enemy troop movement yet； but they're ing。〃
〃Do you have any targets？〃 regiment asked。
〃No； none at this time。〃 He looked down into the bunker。 His various positions could just give a direction to a target； and when another confirmed it and called in its own vector； they'd have a pre…plotted artillery target for the batteries in the rear…
…but those were being hit already。 The Chinese rockets were targeted well behind him； and that's what their targets had to be。 He turned his head to see the flashes and hear the booms from ten kilometers back。
A moment later； there was a fountaining explosion skyward。 One of the first flight of Chinese rockets had gotten lucky and hit one of the artillery positions in the rear。 Bad news for that gun crew； Komanov thought。 The first casualties in this war。 There would be many more 。。。 perhaps including himself。 Surprisingly； that thought was a distant one。 Someone was attacking his country。 It wasn't a supposition or a possibility anymore。 He could see it； and feel it。 This was his country they were attacking。 He'd grown up in this land。 His parents lived here。 His grandfather had fought the Germans here。 His grandfather's two brothers had； too； and both had died for their country； one west of Kiev and the other at Stalingrad。 And now these Chink bastards were attacking his country； too？ More than that； they were attacking him； Senior Lieutenant Valeriy Mikhailovich Komanov。 These foreigners were trying to kill him； his men； and trying to steal part of his country。
Well； fuck that！ he thought。
〃Load HE！〃 he told his loader。
〃Loaded！〃 the private announced。 They all heard the breech clang shut。
〃No target； rade Lieutenant；〃 the gunner observed。
〃There will be； soon enough。〃
〃Post Five Nine； this is Five six Alfa。 What can you see？〃
〃We just spotted a boat； a rubber boat； ing out of the trees on the south bank。。。 more； more； more； many of them； maybe a hundred； maybe more。〃
〃Regiment； this is Fifty…six Alfa； fire mission！〃 Komanov called over the phone。
The gunners ten kilometers back were at their guns； despite the falling Chinese shells and rockets that had already claimed three of the fifteen gun crews。 The fire mission was called in； and the preset concentration dialed in from range books so old they might as well have been engraved in marble。 In each cas