[Matt Wiser]

It continues:


0030 Hours: K-236, The Gulf of Mexico


After disposing of the Zampolit's attempted mutiny, Captain Padorin returned to his mission. He had K-236 come to antenna depth to listen for any messages, and was about to lower the antenna when a message came in. “Get that message decoded quickly!” he ordered, and had the boat remain at antenna depth. The communications officer disappeared into his spaces, where not even the Captain could go, and was busy decoding the message. After a few minutes, he returned with a message form. “Comrade Captain, message from Fleet Command.”

“Thank you, Gennady,” Padorin said. Then he read the message. “Well, they want us to report on the American amphibious force, but to take no action. Our primary mission is more important.”

“That's a change,” the Starpom said. “You'd think someone would want us to have a go at the amphibious group.”

“I'm just as curious,” Shelpin said. Though he was KGB, he'd paid rapt attention in sub school to not only the technical side, but the tactics as well. “Who is so bloody important that we'd have to let those amphibious ships go?”

Padorin nodded. “That, Comrades, is a very good question.” He turned to the navigator. “Where did we encounter the amphibious force, and the battleships?”

The navigator checked his chart. “Right about here, Comrade Captain,” he said, pointing.

Padorin and the Starpom looked at it. “Very well. Plot that position, and we'll get it off to Fleet Command.”

The navigator did so, and Padorin went to his cabin to compose the message. Then he summoned the communications officer. “Get this off to Fleet Command at once.”

“Right away, Comrade Captain,” the officer said.

After the message was sent, Padorin made a periscope sweep “No contacts, scope clear.”

“Orders, Comrade Captain?” asked the Starpom.

“Make your depth 250 meters. Speed: ten knots. Course two-seven zero.”

K-236 dove and headed west. One thing Padorin quickly noted; with the Zampolit gone, the boat was a much more happy one, and a lot of crewmen were breathing easier with Zirinsky out of the way.


0055 Hours: 8th Guards Tank Regiment, 20th GTD, near Rio Grande Valley International Airport:


Major Krylov lead his regiment forward, towards the airport. Off in the distance, he could easily see the flashes of gunfire, and fireballs of exploding vehicles in quantity. The only problem was, that there was no way to tell who was getting the worst of the fight. He called his deputy in the regimental command vehicle. “Dagger Two, this is Dagger One. Anything from division?”

“Dagger One, negative. Orders are to advance to contact, and report upon encountering the enemy.” his deputy replied.

“Acknowledged,” Krylov responded. He then ordered his regiment's reconnaissance company forward, and right behind that, his motor-rifle battalion in BMP-2s. Somewhere out there, the Americans were lurking, and he didn't want the first sign of the enemy to be exploding vehicles. And his regiment's air defense battery, with the Strela-1M missile vehicles (SA-9B Gaskin) and ZSU-23-4 mobile AA guns were at the alert; with AH-64s reported, it was vital that the air-defense troops not only gave early warning of an attack, but successfully defend the regiment as it advanced.

“Dagger One, this is Hammer,” one of his battalion commanders called. “We have friendly vehicles to our right flank.”

“Stand by, Hammer,” Krylov radioed. “I'm coming over.” Krylov ordered his driver to move to the east, and he found Hammer One, Captain Vassily Reiter, with another officer, and a command BTR-70. “Who have you found, Vassily?”

“Comrade Major, this is Major Loginov, 356th MRR, 120th Motor-Rifles.”

“Major, where is your unit headed?” Krylov asked, shaking hands with the newcomer.

“I would ask you the same thing: we're supposed to be searching for an American attack, but so far, we've found nothing,” Loginov replied.

“Stand by, Major.” Krylov said. He mounted his tank, and called his regiment's command vehicle so he could speak to his deputy. While he was waiting for the deputy, things on their right flank exploded violently: other units from the Rogachev Guards had found the Americans. And T-64Bs and BMP-1s from the latter began to explode. “Dagger Two, We've found the enemy as well as the 120th Motor-Rifles. Does Division have any new orders?”

“Dagger One, affirmative. Continue to move and support the 120th, and maintain contact with them if at all possible.” the deputy radioed.

“Copy, Dagger Two.” Krylov said. “Major Loginov, my regiment will be on your left. We will support you.”

“Understood!” Loginov said as he mounted his own command vehicle.

Unkown to either officer, other elements of 7th Armored Division were watching. A Bradley troop from the division's cavalry squadron was taking note, and relaying the information back to Division HQ. And as these Russians advance, they'll be in for a rude surprise.


0110 Hours: Headquarters, 4th Guards Tank Army: Harlingen, Texas.


“So, Comrades. General Powell has thrown us a surprise.” Suraykin said, pointing at the map.

His intelligence officer nodded. “We had assumed that Fifth Army was in reserve around San Antonio, Comrade General. If, however, Powell has secured at least one division from that Army...”

“It's possible there are others,” Golvoko said, finishing for the intelligence chief.

“Very possible, Comrades,” The intelligence man said.

Suraykin pointed again. “That weakens our counterattack plan to support 52nd Tanks and the 105th Guards Airborne. And I'm sure that whoever is commanding XVIII Airborne Corps had that in mind when he unleashed the 7th Armored.”

The operations officer came up. “Comrade General, 20th Tanks has met up with the 120th Guards Motor-Rifle from 28th Army. And they're moving to contact the enemy.”

Suraykin nodded. “That puts the Americans here, right at the airport.”

Golvoko looked at the map. “It does, Comrade General. If this breakthrough had happened just a day or so earlier....”

“If it had, we'd be moving to meet it, instead of having a prepared defense,” Suraykin said. “And any chance of fighting a delaying action would be gone. A meeting engagement would've been trouble. Especially in daylight.”

“Quite so, Comrade General,” Golvoko agreed. “What about 38th Tank Division? Do they move to support the 20th?”

“No. We still need some kind of counterattack force. And apart from the 41st Independent Tank Regiment, the 38th is all we've left.” Suraykin noted. “We'll need them to assist the 105th Guards.”


0125 Hours: Soviet Headquarters, Brownsville.

Marshal Alekeseyev (it was still a new thing, thinking of himself as a Marshal of the Soviet Union, he thought) looked at the situation map. Clearly, this penetration was a serious one, and Malinsky was worried. If the Americans could split the 28th and 4th Guards Tank Armies, they could bypass Harlingen, get to U.S. 77-83, and not only block the 4th GTA's line of communication, but that of 8th Guards and 3rd Shock as well. And according to Malinsky, 28th Army had committed its last reserves, the 120th Guards MRD, while Suraykin had sent in half of his counterattack force, the 20th Tank Division. He turned to Chibisov. “Thoughts, Pavel Pavlovitich?”

“This has to be a way for Powell-or at the very least, XVIII Airborne Corps-to divert Suraykin's reserves away from the junction. Once they do that, I'd wager that the 105th Guards Airborne-and the 52nd Tanks-will be in a heap of trouble before too long. If 52nd Tanks goes, that leaves 6th GMRD to stop the 24th Mechanized Division, and they won't be in any shape to do that for very long,” commented Chibisov.

“My thoughts exactly. That means Suraykin has to move his remaining reserves to assist 6th GMRD, and leaves the 105th Guards to fend for themselves. And whoever is behind 29th Infantry Division can simply pass through, blast a way forward, and be down the highway before anything can be done about it,” Alekseyev observed.

“And we have to keep 47th Tank Brigade and Andreyev's 76th Guards Airborne available to counter any amphibious landings,” Chibisov said.

“Correct. Now, let's hope that doesn't happen. Powell had a chance for an amphibious operation at Corpus Christi last year, and from what our intelligence said, the Marine generals were pushing for one. He refused, and the Americans' own Joint Chiefs of Staff supported his decision,” Alekseyev said.

“Comrade Marshal, that was last year. Now, such a landing can decide the issue-and in a few hours,” Chibisov noted.

“True. But the threat of such a landing ties down those two units, which could be used elsewhere,” Alekseyev said. “

Admiral Gordikov came in. He was now a Vice-Admiral, and like the others, knew what Moscow was thinking when the promotions were issued. And like the others, he was a professional to the end. “Comrade Marshal, here's a message from Caribbean Squadron Headquarters in Cienfuegos,” he said, handing a message form to Alekseyev.

Alekseyev took it. “So, one of our submarines had an encounter with the American amphibious force?”

“Yes, Comrade Marshal,” Gordikov said. “The position puts them only six hours or so from the beach at the eastern end of Highway 4.”

“Four battleships?” asked Alekseyev.

“I'm afraid so, Comrade Marshal,” Gordikov said. “Plus a heavy cruiser, and several destroyers.”

Chibisov noted, “That's a lot of firepower.”

“It is, Comrade General.” Gordikov said. “And they can stand off the beach and use those guns to rip into any counterattack. Granted, it was over forty years ago, but they did the same thing in their landings in Sicily, at Salerno, Anzio, and of course, in Normandy.”

“And any counterattack force would be pounded from the air by carrier-based aircraft, and smashed up by naval guns,” Alekseyev said. It was not a question.

“That would be so, Comrade Marshal.”

Alekseyev nodded. “Colonel Sergetov!”

His aide came up. “Yes, Comrade Marshal?”

“Go down to General Andreyev and bring him here. I have his final orders.”

“Right away, Comrade General,” Sergetov said. Then he left to find Andreyev.

“We've got a day, maybe two,” Alekseyev commented. “Not much longer than that.”

Both Chibisov and Gordikov nodded. “Admiral, you've done all you can here. Do you still wish to stay?” Alekseyev asked.

“Yes, Comrade Marshal. There are naval personnel who will never make it out of here, and a final sortie-with missile boats and minesweepers would be throwing lives away for no purpose-even if there weren't mines in the way-we'd just be targets for carrier-based aircraft. If they can't leave, then neither will I.” Gordikov said.