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406 had submarine…launched ballistic missiles aboard； twelve Ju Lang…1 CSS…N…3s； each with a single megaton…range warhead。 The name meant 〃Great Wave；〃 so the intelligence book said。 It also said they had a range of less than three thousand kilometers； which was less than half the range needed to strike California； though it could hit Guam； which was American territory。 That didn't really matter。 What did matter was that 406 and Hai Long were ships of war belonging to a nation with which the United States was now trading shots。
The VLS radio fed off an antenna trailed off the after corner of Tucson's sail； and it received transmissions from a monstrous； mainly underground transmitter located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula。 The tree…huggers plained that the energy emanating from this radio confused migrating geese in the fall； but no hunters had yet plained about smaller bags of waterfowl； and so the radio remained in service。 Built to send messages to American missile submarines； it still transmitted to the fast…attacks that remained in active service。 When a transmission was received； a bell went off in the submarine's munications room； located aft of the attack center； on the starboard side。
The bell dinged。 The sailor on watch called his officer； a lieutenant； j。g。； who in turn called the captain； who took the submarine back up to antenna depth。 Once there； he elevated the munications laser to track in on the Navy's own munications satellite； known as SSIX； the Submarine Satellite Information Exchange； telling it that he was ready for a transmission。 The reply action message came over a directional S…band radio for the higher bandwidth。 The signal was cross…loaded into the submarine's crypto machines； decoded； and printed up。
TO： USS TUCSON （SSN…770） FROM： CINCPAC
1。 UPON RECEIVING 〃XQT SPEC OP〃 SIGNAL FROM VLS YOU WILL ENGAGE AND DESTROY PRC SSBN AND ANY PRC SHIPS IN CONTACT。
2。 REPORT RESULTS OF ATTACK VIA SSIX。
3。 SUBSEQUENT TO THIS OPERATION； CONDUCT UNRESTRICTED OPERATIONS AGAINST PRC NAVAL UNITS。
4。 YOU WILL NOT RPT NOT ENGAGE MERCIAL TRAFFIC OF ANY KIND。 CINCPAC SENDS
END MESSAGE
〃Well； it's about goddamned time；〃 the CO observed to his executive officer。
〃Doesn't say when to expect it；〃 the XO observed。
〃Call it two hours；〃 the captain said。 〃Let's close to ten thousand yards。 Get the troops perked up。 Spin up the weapons。〃
〃Aye。〃
〃Anything else close？〃
〃There's a Chinese frigate off to the north； about thirty miles。〃
〃Okay； after we do the subs； we'll Harpoon that one； then we'll close to finish it off； if necessary。〃
〃Right。〃 The XO went forward to the attack center。 He checked his watch。 It was dark topside。 It didn't really matter to anyone aboard the submarine； but darkness made everybody feel a little more secure for some reason or other； even the XO。
It was tenser now。 Giusti's reconnaissance troopers were now within twenty miles of the expected Chinese positions。 That put them inside artillery range； and that made the job serious。
The mission was to advance to contact； and to find a hole in the Chinese positions for the division to exploit。 The secondary objective was to shoot through the gap and break into the Chinese logistical area； just over the river from where they'd made their breakthrough。 There they would rape and pillage； as LTC Giusti thought of it； probably turning north to roll up the Chinese rear with one or two brigades； and probably leaving the third to remain in place astride the Chinese line of munications as a blocking force。
His troopers had all put on their 〃makeup；〃 as some called it； their camouflage paint； darkening the natural light spots of the face and lightening the dark ones。 It had the overall effect of making them look like green and black space aliens。 The advance would be mounted； for the most part； with the cavalry scouts mostly staying in their Bradleys and depending on the thermal…imaging viewers used by the driver and gunner to spot enemies。 They'd be jumping out occasionally； though； and so everyone checked his PVS…11 personal night…vision system。 Every trooper had three sets of fresh AA batteries that were as important as the magazines for their M16A2 rifles。 Most of the men gobbled down an MRE ration and chased it with water； and often some aspirin or Tylenol to ward off minor aches and pains that might e from bumps or sprains。 They all traded looks and jokes to lighten the stress of the night； plus the usual brave words meant as much for themselves as for others。 Sergeants and junior officers reminded the men of their training； and told them to be confident in their abilities。
Then； on radioed mand； the Bradleys started off； leading the heavier main…battle tanks off to the enemy； moving initially at about ten miles per hour。
The squadron's helicopters were up； all sixteen of them； moving very cautiously because armor on a helicopter is about as valuable as a sheet of newspaper； and because someone on the ground only needed a thermal…imaging viewer to see them； and a heat…seeking missile would snuff them out of the sky。 The enemy had light flak； too； and that was just as deadly。
The OH…58D Kiowa Warriors had good night…vision systems； and in training the flight crews had learned to be confident of them； but people didn't often die in training。 Knowing that there were people out there with live weapons and the orders to make use of them made everyone discount some of the lessons they'd learned。 Getting shot down in one of those exercises meant being told over the radio to land； and maybe getting a tongue…lashing from the pany mander for screwing up； which usually ended with a reminder that in real bat operations； he'd be dead； his wife a widow； and his children orphans。 But they weren't； really； and so those words were never taken as seriously as they were now。 Now it could be real； and all of the flight crews had wives or sweethearts； and most of them had children as well。
And so they moved forward； using their own night…vision equipment to sweep the ground ahead； their hands a little more tingly than usual on the controls。
Division Headquarters had its own Dark Star terminal set up； with an Air Force captain running it。 Diggs didn't much like being so far in the rear with his men going out in harm's way； but mand wasn't the same thing as leadership。 He'd been told that years before at Fort Leavenworth's mand and General Staff School； and he'd experienced it in Saudi Arabia only the previous year； but even so； he felt the need to be out forward； close to his men； so that he could share the danger with them。 But the best way for him to mitigate the danger to them was to stay back here and establish effective control over operations； along with Colonel Masterman。
〃Cookstoves？〃 Masterman asked。
〃Yep；〃 the USAF captain…his name was Frank Williams…agreed。 〃And these bright ones are campfires。 Cool night。 Ground temperature's about forty…three degrees； air temperature is forty…one。 Good contrast for the thermal viewing systems。 They seem to use the kind of stoves we had in the Boy Scouts。 Damn； there's a bunch of 'em。 Like hundreds。〃
〃Got a hole in their lines？〃
〃Looks thi