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〃No way we'd go into action without at least the Brits to back us up；〃 Diggs said。 〃Good； they're equipped about the same way we are。〃 And better yet； they trained according to the same doctrine。 Hohne； he thought； their 22nd Brigade from Haig Barracks； Brigadier Sam Turner。 Drank whiskey like it was Perrier； but a good thinker and a superior tactician。 And his brigade was all trained up from some fun and games down at Grafenwohr。 〃What about Germans？〃
〃That's a political question；〃 Nosenko admitted。
〃Tell your politicians that Hitler's dead； Valentin。 The Germans are pretty good to have on your side。 Trust me； buddy。 We play with them all the time。 They're down a little from ten years ago； but the German soldier ain't no dummy； and neither are his officers。 Their reconnaissance units are particularly good。〃
〃Yes； but that is a political question；〃 Nosenko repeated。 And that； Diggs knew； was that； at least for now。
The aircraft waiting was an II…86； known to NATO as the Camber； manifestly the Russian copy of Lockheed's C…141 Starlifter。 This one had Aeroflot mercial markings； but retained the gun position in the tail that the Russians liked to keep on all their tactical aircraft。 Diggs didn't object to it at the moment。 They'd scarcely had the chance to sit down and strap in when the aircraft started rolling。
〃In a hurry； Valentin？〃
〃Why wait； General Diggs？ There's a war on；〃 he reminded his guest。
〃Okay； what do we know？〃
Nosenko opened the map case he'd been carrying and laid out a large sheet on the floor as the aircraft lifted off。 It was of the Chinese…Russian border on the Amur River； with markings already penciled on。 The American officers all leaned over to look。
〃They came in here； and drove across the river 。。。〃
〃How fast are they moving？〃 Bondarenko asked。 〃I have a reconnaissance pany ahead of them。 They report in every fifteen minutes；〃 Colonel Tolkunov replied。 〃They are moving in a deliberate manner。 Their reconnaissance screen is posed of WZ…501 tracked APCs； heavy on radios； light on weapons。 They are on the whole not very enterprising； however。 As I said； deliberate。 They move by leapfrogging half a kilometer at a bound； depending on terrain。 We're monitoring their radios。 They're not encrypted； though their spoken language is deceptive in terminology。 We're working on that。〃
〃Speed of advance？〃
〃Five kilometers in an hour is the fastest we've seen； usually slower than that。 Their main body is still getting organized； and they haven't set up a logistics train yet。 I'd expect them to attempt no more than thirty kilometers in a day on flat open ground； based on what I've seen so far。〃
〃Interesting。〃 Bondarenko looked back at his maps。 They'd start going north…northwest because that's what the terrain pelled them to do。 At this speed； they'd be at the gold strike in six or seven days。
Theoretically； he could move 265th Motor Rifle to a blocking position 。。。 here 。。。 in two days and make a stand； but by then they'd have at least three； maybe eight； mechanized divisions to attack his one full…strength unit； and he couldn't gamble on that so soon。 The good news was that the Chinese were bypassing his mand post…contemptuously？ he wondered； or just because there was nothing there to threaten them； and so nothing to squander force on？ No； they'd run as fast and hard as they could； bringing up foot infantry to wall off their line of advance。 That was classic tactics； and the reason was because it worked。 Everyone did it that way； from Hannibal to Hitler。
So； their lead elements moved deliberately； and they were still forming up their army over the Amur bridgehead。
〃What units have we identified？〃
〃The lead enemy formation is their 34th Red Banner Shock Army； manded by Peng Xi…Wang。 He is politically reliable and well…regarded in Beijing； an experienced soldier。 Expect him to be the operational army group mander。 The 34th Army is mainly across the river now。 Three more Group A mechanized armies are lined up to cross as well； the 31st； 29th； and 43rd。 That's a total of sixteen mechanized divisions； plus a lot of other attachments。 We think the 65th Group B Army will be next across。 Four infantry divisions plus a tank brigade。 Their job will be to hold the western flank； I would imagine。〃 That made sense。 There was no Russian force east of the breakthrough worthy of the name。 A classic operation would also wheel east to Vladivostok on the Pacific Coast； but that would only distract forces from the main objection。 So； the turn east would wait for at least a week； probably two or three； with just light screening forces heading that way for the moment。
〃What about our civilians？〃 Bondarenko asked。
〃They're leaving the towns in the Chinese path as best they can； mainly cars and buses。 We have MP units trying to keep them organized。 So far nothing has happened to interfere with the evacuation；〃 Tolkunov said。 〃See； from this it looks as if they're actually bypassing Belogorsk； just passing east of it with their reconnaissance elements。〃
〃That's the smart move； isn't it？〃 Bondarenko observed。 〃Their real objective is far to the north。 Why slow down for anything？ They don't want land。 They don't want people。 They want oil and gold。 Capturing civilians will not make those objectives any easier to acplish。 If I were this Peng fellow； I would be worried about the extent of my drive north。 Even unopposed； the natural obstacles are formidable； and defending his line of advance will be a beast of a problem。〃 Gennady paused。 Why have any sympathy for this barbarian？ His mission was to kill him and all his men； after all。 But how？ If even marching that far north was a problem…and it was…then how much harder would it be to strike through the same terrain with less…prepared troops？ The tactical problems on both sides were the kind men in his profession did not wele。
〃General Bondarenko？〃 a foreign voice asked。
〃Yes？〃 He turned to see a man dressed in an American flight suit。
〃Sir； my name is Major Dan Tucker。 I just flew in with a downlink for our Dark Star UAVs。 Where do you want us to set up； sir？〃
〃Colonel Tolkunov？ Major； this is my chief of intelligence。〃
The American saluted sloppily； as air force people tended to do。 〃Howdy； Colonel。〃
〃How long to set up？〃
The American was pleased that this Tolkunov's English was better than his own Russian。 〃Less than an hour； sir。〃
〃This way。〃 The G…2 led him outside。 〃How good are your cameras？
〃Colonel； when a guy's out taking a piss； you can see how big his dick is。〃
Tolkunov figured that was typical American braggadocio； but it set him wondering。
Captain Feodor Il'ych Aleksandrov manded the 265th Motor Rifle's divisional reconnaissance element…the division was supposed to have a full battalion for this task； but he was all they had…and for that task he had eight of the new BRM reconnaissance tracks。 These were evolutionary developments of the standard BMP infantry bat vehicle； upgraded with better automotive gear…more reliable engine and transmission systems…plus the best radios his country made。 He reported directly to his divisional mander； and also； it seemed； to the theater intelligence coo