Sneak Thief
By
Caribou Kid
Chapter 1
Vice Admiral Harriman Nelson (ret) sat quietly in his office reading over the final after-action report on their most recently completed mission. It had all been set into motion following the destruction of the submarine Neptune due to an attack by a huge jellyfish that nearly cost Nelson his life*. Rescued after days in a life raft, he joined Seaview in her quest to locate the remains of the downed submarine to verify the cause. As Harri read the report he felt a flush of shame and embarrassment as he skimmed over the recounting of his meltdown in the Control Room following an adverse reaction to the cortisone prescribed for him by the physicians in Pearl Harbor.
He closed his eyes and shook his head in dismay as his paranoid ravings echoed in his ears as the entire scene played out in front of him. He was still amazed at how clear his memory was of the entire incident, given his total lack of control. It all played back perfectly as though committed to film, and he watched in horror as the parody of himself dissolved into the crazed martinet as the drug overrode more and more of his mental and emotional stability. Despite knowing his actions were beyond his control, he still couldn't excuse his attack on Lee Crane, his chosen captain of Seaview, and how his antics forced the younger man to commit mutiny by drawing a gun on the control room crew to save Seaview and the lives of all aboard. He had stripped the man of his command and laid siege to his character and loyalty. The verbal assault on him and his crew was uncalled for as he demanded that Crane be court martialed for his act of mutiny. Even his friend, Admiral Jiggs Starke, COMSUBPAC, had to admit that Crane was right and followed the only course of action open to him to save all their lives.
As he finished the document he closed the cover and transferred it to his outbox. He sighed in disgust once more at his performance, though did smile just a bit. He still thanked his lucky stars that he had been able to snag Lee as captain of his vessel, that he had forgiven him and agreed to continue on as Seaview's skipper. If anything good could be said to have come out of the whole episode, it was giving Starke a full demonstration of Lee's outstanding command and control of both his vessel and crew. There was a new-found appreciation, and daresay respect, Starke had for the young captain; though if pressed on the issue, his old friend would most likely deny it. He truly meant it when he told Starke that Lee was the best there was, and every action the captain took only served to back Nelson's assessment of the man's innate abilities.
Harri sat back in his chair and refilled his coffee cup from the insulated carafe on his desk, then pulled out another report for review, when his intercom buzzed.
"Yes, Angie" he said.
"Admiral, I have Admiral Richmond on line two for you," his admin assistant informed him.
"Thank you, Angie, put him through." Nelson quickly wondered why the Chief of Naval Operations would be calling him. After a moment there was a click and the call transferred over.
"Nelson."
"Harri, Mike Richmond here. How the hell are you?"
"Morning Mike. I'm doing fine. How about you and Margaret?" Harri replied sticking to the polite amenities for the moment, knowing almost certainly that this was more than just a social call.
"I'm doing well, as is Maggie, thanks for asking. How's that boat of yours, still afloat?"
"Most definitely and ready to sail at a moment's notice. So, Mike, tell me what it is I can do for the Chief of Naval Operations this early in the a.m.?" Harri inquired.
Richmond chuckled softly. "Straight to the point as usual; I've always liked that about you. Harri, we have a situation, and think you and that special boat of yours might just be the solution to our problem," Richmond began.
"And what problem would that be?"
"This is something I need to talk about with you personally … and your captain. If I supply the ride, would the two of you be available to come to DC today?" Richmond replied.
"Today?!" Harri replied as he nearly choked on his coffee. "Must be something big to need us there that quickly."
"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't. The longer this situation exists, the greater the threat becomes," Richmond answered cryptically.
"I'm available, but I'll have to track down my captain. We just came off a rough mission, and I banished him from the facility to get some rest and to unwind. I'm not sure where he is and don't know how long it will take for him to get back once I recall him."
"Understood. Jiggs has already filled me in on what happened, and I totally understand. In fact, I'm somewhat surprised to find you back in harness so soon. Starke's report on your last mission is the reason I'm contacting you now. Once you track down Crane let me know when you're both available to come east, and I'll have a jet dispatched to Santa Barbara to pick you up and deliver you here," Richmond replied.
"I'll get right on it as soon as we hang up. No hint whatsoever on why?" Nelson inquired again.
"Not on an unsecured line, Harri. Contact my aide once you've located your captain, and he'll make all the arrangements."
"Will do, Mike. See you soon," Nelson responded and ended the call. He then selected another line and quickly dialed Lee's cell phone.
"Crane," came the groggy sounding response after one ring.
"Lee, Nelson here."
"Morning, sir. What can I do for you?" Lee asked, immediately alert.
"What is your location?"
"I'm just outside San Francisco, sir. Why?"
"I just received a call from the CNO, and he has ordered us to report to Washington ASAP. How long would it take you to get back to Santa Barbara?" Nelson replied.
"Probably about 6 hours give or take."
Harri quickly ran through a number of options in his head figuring what would be the quickest method to get him home. "Let me give Richmond a call back, maybe he can find you a ride out of Travis. It didn't sound like he wanted to wait more than the time it takes to fly cross-country. Do you still have a full uniform in your office?"
"Yes, sir, there's one in my office closet in a black garment bag. There's also a pair of shoes in the box on the floor."
"Good. I'll have Angie give you a call with your flight information shortly," Nelson responded.
"Did the CNO say why he needs us back east so quickly?" Lee inquired, hoping for some hint as to the reason.
"Nope. He just said that there is a situation that he thinks Seaview and you are the best options to resolve it."
"Me?!" Lee replied incredulously. "Well, that could be just about anything, couldn't it? I'll be ready to roll whichever way you need me to go in about 20 minutes."
"All right, I'll pass that on to Angie. See you soon," Nelson replied and hung up.
(((())))
Three hours later, Nelson greeted Lee as he climbed out of the private jet that had transported him from Travis AFB to the Santa Barbara airport. "Good to see you made it, lad," he said. "How was your flight?"
"Nice to see you too, sir," Lee replied. "Uneventful, which is just the way I like them."
"Do you need to pick up anything here in town?" Nelson inquired.
"No, sir. All my stuff is in my carry-on. I'm ready to head out as soon as you are."
Nelson smiled and patted him on the back. "Very good, our ride arrived about 45 minutes ago from North Island," he said as he pointed to the private jet parked across the tarmac. They both turned and started walking towards the other plane.
"Have you received any more information on why the CNO wants to speak with us?" Lee asked.
"Not so much as a hint. They're really being tight-lipped about this, so it must be something big."
They continued the rest of their walk to the plane in silence, each trying to develop possible reasons the CNO would need the specific capabilities of the Seaview. As they reached the plane, they were immediately met by Captain Milner, the CNO's personal aide.
"Good afternoon, Admiral, Commander. Thank you for coming so quickly."
"Morning, Jack," Nelson replied. He looked quickly over at Lee and knew by his expression he'd never met the man. "Jack Milner, my captain of Seaview, Commander Lee Crane. Lee this is Captain Jack Milner, Admiral Richmond's personal aide." Both men shook hands and exchanged brief greetings.
"If you're ready to go, we best get started on our way to DC," Milner said as he turned and began climbing the steps into the Lear jet.
As they entered the craft, they were greeted by a Lt. Commander. "Good afternoon, sirs, and welcome aboard. I'm Evan Schmidt, your pilot today. If you would claim a seat and get buckled in we'll be on our way at once."
"Thanks, Evan," Milner replied, as he made his way towards the rear of the cabin and took a seat. Nelson and Crane nodded as they entered and likewise moved aft and claimed a seat.
"Thank you, sirs. We'll get all buttoned up and be on our way shortly. Once we're aloft, I'll give you an ETA on our arrival in DC. Please sit back and relax. After we've hit 10,000 feet and I'm able to turn off the seatbelt sign, please feel free to help yourselves to food and drinks located in galley in the back of the cabin." The men nodded and Milner turned, hit the button retracting the steps, pulled the cabin door shut and secured it for the flight, then entered the cockpit and closed the door.
Within minutes they felt the plane begin to move as it taxied to the end of the runway then began its run down the tarmac and lifted quickly up into the air and began its climb rapidly out of the airport air space. Nelson and Crane were somewhat surprised at the haste of their departure, which further punctuated the CNO's need to speak with them as soon as possible.
As the plane leveled off, Nelson fixed Milner in his sights. "Well, now that we're on our way, is there anything that you can share with us on this situation, Jack?"
Milner gave Nelson an apologetic smile as he shook his head. "Sorry, Admiral, I've been sworn to secrecy."
"Well hell, what good are you then?" Nelson kidded.
Jack laughed. "Not much at the moment, Harri. I was actually in San Diego visiting family when I got the call this morning as well. The one thing I do know is that the situation poses a threat to us and all our allies with naval operations."
"Wow," Lee replied. "That is far reaching indeed." Milner and Nelson nodded in agreement. Just then there were two tones and the 'Fasten Seatbelt' indicator winked out. Lee unbuckled his belt and pushed to his feet. "I don't know about you two, but I'm a bit parched and in need of some serious caffeine. Can I get either of you a cup of coffee while I'm up?"
"That would be great, Lee," Nelson replied.
"I'll take one as well, Commander," Milner replied.
Lee nodded and headed back to the galley to get them all a cup.
They chatted about nothing in particular the rest of the trip. About an hour out from landing, Crane changed into his uniform so they would be ready to go to the Pentagon as soon as they landed.
Upon landing they were met by a limousine on the tarmac and whisked off the base and on to the Pentagon. As they climbed out of the limo and started making their way up the steps, they were met at the top by the COMSUBPAC, Admiral Jiggs Starke.
"Afternoon, Harri, Jack, Crane," Starke said in greeting. Lee quietly bit his tongue and worked as hard as he could to keep from rolling his eyes. "Follow me, the meeting starts as soon as we arrive."
They all walked after Starke towards an elevator and quickly entered when the doors opened. Starke touched his ID card to the scanner then depressed a button sending them deep into the bowels of the Pentagon complex. Nelson arched his eyebrows in surprise, recognizing the floor they were going to which further emphasized the degree of secrecy that enshrouded this mission.
When the doors finally opened, Starke escorted them down the hallway to the sentry station located in front of a featureless door. They all presented their credentials, then Nelson and Crane were issued temporary passes and admitted to the area behind the door.
They followed Starke down the hallway and entered a door to the left revealing a conference room already occupied by the SECNAV, CNO, COMSUBLANT, ONI, their aides, and senior officials from several allied nations with naval forces. Harri and Lee exchanged a quick glance which conveyed a 'wow' of astonishment at those assembled.
"Ah, Harriman, so glad you and Commander Crane were able to make it today," Robert Casey, Secretary of the Navy said. "In case there are those of you who don't already know them, this is Admiral Harriman Nelson, head of the Nelson Institute of Marine Research, inventor, and owner of the SSRN Seaview; and his captain, Commander Lee Crane." Harri and Lee nodded in response to their introduction.
"Gentlemen, please take a seat, we have much to discuss," Casey continued. "I'm quite sure you're wondering why we've asked you here. There has a been disturbing development with the People's Republic naval forces that are proving problematic, and potentially dangerous to us and the other nations you see represented here."
"And what might that be Mr. Secretary?" Nelson inquired.
"Jiggs, would you care to inform our guests?" Casey responded.
"Yes, sir. Recently, it has become exceedingly apparent, that the PR has developed a new passive sonar system that is enabling them to easily detect and locate our submarines, even when running silent. It may also have the capability to further mask their signals rendering them nearly undetectable. Each of our forces has been bounced by PR submarines appearing out of nowhere. They come in behind our boats and ping them, then bugger off," Jiggs began.
"Through our intelligence connections, we have been made aware that this new system is part of an advanced towed sonar array that is deployed by both PR surface vessels and submarines. Our contact has told us that the PR is finishing up the last of their shakedown tests before deploying them en masse to their surface and subsurface fleets."
"That is troubling," Nelson interjected, having been involved in numerous altercations and encounters with PR subs since Seaview's commissioning. "So, what has that to do with Seaview?"
Jiggs smiled. "I'm getting there. Once we discovered this, we set out to capture one of the arrays so we could study it and counteract the technology. We needed to do it in such a way that it appears as though the towed array became entangled on something in the water and got ripped off the cable, so as not to alert them to our pilfering. The black op boys at the Navy Research Lab developed a device that is deployed using an ROV which attaches to the cable then gnaws through it making it look as though it was lost during operations."
"That sounds rather tricky and difficult to pull off," Harri, replied as he tried to think how it would be done.
"It is," Admiral Richmond, the CNO answered. "The device has to be placed on the cable using an ROV while the surface vessel is under way. That means a submarine must come up under the ship and pass through their propeller wash, to remain hidden from the detection equipment on the array. After that, the boat needs to slowly increase depth and distance from the ship, deploy the ROV and clamp onto the tow cable. Once the cable is severed, the ROV drops away towards the bottom where it and the array are recovered by the waiting sub."
Nelson and Crane exchanged surprised looks. "That really requires some expert boat handling and operation of the ROV," Lee commented, quickly understanding why they were interested in Seaview.
"You're quite right, Commander," the CNO replied. "We've tried to pull it off three times and have run into issues each time, which brings us to why we've asked you here. Given the unique nature of your sub, Harri, and your captaining abilities, Commander, we think Seaview is the best platform from which to carry out this mission. Following your mission to locate the downed sub Neptune, Admiral Starke has spoken highly of the capabilities of both man and machine, and we are hoping you are willing to take a shot."
Lee's startled look at Starke's praise, and Jiggs muffled harrumph, nearly made Nelson burst out laughing. After a moment, now fully back in control, he sat back in his chair and blew out a breath of air. He looked quickly at Lee, regarded his expression and saw the confirmation he expected. "So, what all is involved in this?" Harri asked. "What kind of support vessels are we looking at from the PR? Are they using a submarine when the array is towed by a surface ship? How big is the equipment, and will we be operating it or do you provide that?"
The CNO nodded to Starke indicating he should address Nelson's questions. "In some runs they use one of their subs to verify contact identification, other times the vessel goes out with one to three other boats. As best we can figure, there is a sub within a day's travel to render assistance if required. Our ROV is about the size of your mini-sub, with the clamp and cutter attached to the bottom. Once the cable is cut, the ROV drops down and the Seaview would then rendezvous with it, and pull it aboard along with the array. According to our contact, they play out about four to six miles of cable when they're actively towing and monitoring an area, so you have a little room to play with in working your way to the array. We have trained ROV operators, but if you want one of your own men to do it, we can facilitate his training."
Nelson nodded silently as Jiggs spoke, visualizing how it would all fit together and operate. "Yes…I think we can support your request," he finally said. "What are your feelings about this Captain?"
Lee nodded as well. "Yes, sir, I think that is well within our capabilities. One question Admiral Starke, where are they primarily testing this device? Is it a specific area or is it ocean-wide?"
Starke gave Nelson a quick grin. "Testing has been primarily conducted up in the Bering Sea, north Pacific and Arctic Oceans. We anticipate a shift south as their confidence grows with the system."
"Thank you, sir." Lee replied. "I think that gives us a good chance of pulling this off. With testing focused up towards the Arctic and northern Pacific waters, we could initiate a survey mission some point in the southern hemisphere then break off once we go deep, head north, come in under the ice cap and take their prize. If done correctly, it should take us out as a possible source of the theft."
The group in the room all nodded in concurrence and relief that Nelson had agreed to accept this challenge.
"Thank you, gentlemen, we truly appreciate you taking this on," Richmond replied. "I think we can leave you now with the experts on the system and PR operations, and let you get everything put in order to make this mission happen."
"Agreed, sir," Jiggs replied and quickly made eye contact with those experts in the room. "We'll make sure that Harri and his crew are well prepared."
"It should be noted that the President wants no hint that the US is behind the theft. Complete secrecy must be maintained at all times," Richmond stressed.
"Very good. I think our work here is done for today, people. Let's get out of their hair," the SECNAV said as he rose. Everyone in the room immediately stood as well and those not involved in mission prep followed him out into the hallway.
(((())))
Chapter 2
After three days of intense briefings and mission planning, Nelson and Crane were more than thrilled to be back home. Upon their return, Nelson called a briefing of his senior staff on Seaview instead of his office. The change of venue was unusual but not unheard of yet alerted his men to an unusual mission. Harri chose the meeting place to eliminate any chance that the details of what they were charged to carry out could be overheard by anyone.
Prior to the meeting, Lee conducted an extensive inspection of Seaview, especially the admiral's cabin to ensure that no listening devices were anywhere to be found. He even went so far as to pick up a white noise generator from one of the labs to distort and mask what was said if he perchance missed anything.
Morton, O'Brien, Sharkey, Fox, and Richards assembled in the admiral's cabin as directed, finding Nelson and Crane already there. "Be seated, gentlemen," Nelson said when the last man entered and shut the door. They all quickly claimed a chair or a spot on the admiral's bunk and looked expectantly at both the admiral and captain for an explanation for their summons.
"Gentlemen, the captain and I have just returned from three days of briefings at the Pentagon with top secret orders issued by the Secretary of the Navy. Complete secrecy is essential in this matter and the reason for us meeting aboard Seaview, so as to avoid any chance that we are overheard by prying ears. You five men are the only other NIMR personnel that will be fully briefed on this mission to further reduce the chance on any leaks. To the rest of the crew this will be just a routine mission until we are well out to sea. Do you understand?" Nelson began.
"Aye, sir," they all answered, fully aware that this was no doubt a mission critical to the security of the nation.
"Excellent," Nelson replied. "Apparently, the PR has developed a new hyper-sensitive towed sonar array that is capable of detecting virtually any submarine, even running silent. They have been testing this device in the northern waters of the Bering Sea, and the Pacific and Arctic Oceans for the past few months. There have been numerous incidents where their subs have come in behind ours and other allied nation's subs and bounced them."
All the men sat up straighter, looks of surprise and concern evident on their faces. This development could significantly change the face of submarine warfare and US supremacy, if true.
"The Navy, in coordination with our allies, have developed a plan to capture one of these arrays so it can be studied and hopefully develop a way to either mask our signatures or scramble their signals so it eliminates any advantage the device gives them. They have tried to implement the plan three times to date and have run into problems executing the mechanics. At the suggestion of COMSUBPAC, following his participation on our last mission, he feels that Seaview and her crew are the team that can successfully pull this off."
"What specifically does this plan entail?" Chip Morton inquired.
"Captain, would you care to fill them in?" Nelson responded.
"Gladly, Admiral." Lee replied. "The team at the Navy Research Lab developed a device that will be clamped onto the cable towing the array then essentially gnaw through the cable making it appear as though the array got snagged on something causing it to break. The means of attaching said device, is to maneuver a remotely operated underwater vehicle up next to the cable, activate the clamp, and when the cable parts dropping the array, the ROV also drops down towards the bottom, towing the disabled array with it to be recovered by Seaview. Simple." The looks of incredulity on his crew's face almost made him laugh.
"Simple?!" Morton choked out. "I can see why they've had problems pulling that one off. Is that the best NRL could come up with?"
"It makes perfect sense, Chip, if you think about it. To pull this off and not alert the PR that their new toy has been hijacked, it has to look as though it was lost through normal operations because it caught on an outcrop or other submerged snag in the water. The Navy loses arrays occasionally due to those unavoidable hazards, so it shouldn't make the PR too surprised when they pull up the damaged cable minus their array. Because of the unique feature of Seaview's windows, it will allow the captain to maneuver the boat up under the vessel towing the array, using visual cues in addition to sonar, thereby becoming lost in the surface ship's signal. Once that's accomplished, we cut power and let the vessel move forward until we find the array, then clamp on and relieve them of their device," Nelson replied.
"Glad that one's yours, Skipper," Chip responded. "Is the Navy providing an ROV operator for this junket?"
Lee smiled somewhat evilly at the question. "No. Given your almost fanatical obsession with video games and all things computer, you get to learn the system and make the grab."
"What?! That's not fair," whined Chip, then grinned.
"Wouldn't want you to feel left out on this, Mr. Morton," Lee answered with a chuckle. Chip sneered at him causing the others in the room to chuckle as well. "So how do I train for this endeavor?"
"Some of it will be with a computer simulation, the hands-on portion will be completed at NRL and while we're en route from the south Atlantic," Nelson interjected.
"South Atlantic, sir? I thought you said they're using the new system in the Arctic and Pacific oceans," O'Brien inquired.
"Our cover for this mission will be a research trip to gather samples and information in the Puerto Rico Trench in the southern Atlantic. Once we get there, we will then very quietly make a U-turn head north where we go under the ice cap and transit to their testing area unobserved. ONI has contacts that have access to the testing schedule and will provide the information on vessel-only testing runs. Last thing we want to run into is a PR sub while we're pilfering their gadget," Nelson explained.
"This may turn into a rather lengthy mission depending on our ability to move without being detected. If we have to run silent all the way across the Arctic Ocean, it will not be a rapid transit. Then, once we've succeeded in capturing our prize, we have to transit back to our research area, again undetected. There can't be any hint that we are even remotely near where all this takes place," Lee added.
"So, now that you know our game plan, here are your assignments. Chip, you will be working with the ROV and grappling device making sure you can fully operate it. Bobby, you will take on Chip's duties in preparing for the mission, so he can concentrate on his task. Sharkey, you need to back up Mr. O'Brien and make sure everything mechanical is in top notch condition. Darren, as head of security, you need to make sure this facility is locked down tight and nothing gets in or out without you and your people knowing about it, but while simultaneously not tipping our hand that something is up. We'll need to extend covert patrols beyond the fence line to make sure there's no one watching our activities. Rich, as MMA, you need to ensure that Seaview is kept secure and nothing comes aboard that you don't know about. I don't want so much as a flea gaining access without your approval," Lee directed. "Do you all understand your roles? Do you have any questions?"
The men nodded their understanding and all remained quiet indicating they had no questions at the moment. They all fully grasped the gravity of the situation and the implications if they should fail.
Nelson gave a quick nod, confident that everyone was on board and ready to move. "All right, gentlemen, we will be shoving off in three weeks. For planning purposes, we will count on four months at sea to complete the mission. If luck is with us, we can pull this off quickly and return to port in under two. I want us prepared for the long haul, just in case."
They all nodded their understanding.
"Okay, be about your business, dismissed," Nelson ordered. The men all stood and exited Nelson's cabin to begin implementing their portion of the mission.
(((())))
Morton and O'Brien walked up the hill to the Admin building side by side, as Chip provided a download to Bobby on what he needed to do to get the vessel and crew ready for their departure. As they entered the building, O'Brien headed off to his office to begin preparations as Chip headed upstairs to his office to collect the forms and other information Bobby would need.
Entering his office, he quickly spied an envelope sitting in the center of his desk with his name on it. He picked it up and slit it open to find a flight itinerary and lodging instructions. As he scanned down the document, it dawned on him, that he only had five hours to tie things up at NIMR, then get to the Santa Barbara Airport in time to make his flight.
"This has really got them scared," Chip said quietly to himself and shuddered as he set about transferring files to O'Brien to make sure the XO duties were fully covered. With only two hours to spare, he shut off his computer, grabbed his briefcase as he headed out the door to pack and make it to the airport.
Meanwhile, Bobby sat in front of his computer screen, nearly stunned in disbelief at what seemed to be a never-ending list of files and checklists necessary to take over Chip's duties, appeared in his email inbox. "Whatever they pay him, it ain't enough," he said to himself, and was startled to hear an amused chuckle from his office door.
"Let me guess," Lee said, as he regarded the rather befuddled young officer, "Chip has dumped his entire prep package on your virtual door step and skipped town?"
Bobby blushed somewhat embarrassed at being overheard by his commanding officer, but nodded in agreement. "I can't believe how much he does in mission preparation," he said somewhat in awe as he scrolled through the list of emails then pushed a hand through his hair.
"You know, he really doesn't do all of that, he just makes it looks like he does," Lee replied and settled in the chair next to Bobby's desk. "Delegation is the key to survival, Mr. O'Brien and you will find out just how well Mr. Morton has mastered that lesson both up and down the command chain."
Bobby looked up at Lee dubious of his claim. "Aye, sir," he said cautiously.
"If you need any assistance with any of this, just let me know. Sharkey's also there to help you out, and to identify what you can shuffle off to the ratings. My best words of advice are if in doubt, don't guess, ask," Lee replied. "This is a tough task and kind of unfair to dump on you unannounced, I realize that, so don't worry about asking for help. Okay?"
"Yes, sir, I definitely will," O'Brien responded. "Given the briefing we got, I don't want to be the cause of us coming up short. Thanks in advance for any advice or assistance you can send my way, Skipper."
Lee nodded and smiled. "I really don't think you're going to need much help; you know most of this and given Chip's anal need for documenting every step in the process, each document and checklist will lead you to the next."
Both officer's chuckled knowing full well Morton's need to have each and every item completely accounted for and checked off his lists before allowing a mission to go forward. Lee stood and patted Bobby on the shoulder, then headed out the door to his office to get to his own rather crippling list Chip had already left him.
(((())))
Chapter 3
"Damn, this is tough," Chip hissed as he watched the ROV's camera feed as he tried to maneuver the drone up next to the cable and clamp on while the operators of the test tank suddenly threw in an unexpected current that shoved the little robot out of the way before he could link up. He quickly toggled the switches on his joystick and brought it back even with the cable and clamped it on, then initiated the cutter to less than surgically sever the cable.
As the cutter made its last cut, he again toggled the joystick and tried to adjust to the additional weight on the ROV as it now supported the array and the remains of the tow cable. Unable to compensate fast enough, the drone sank like a rock crashing into the bottom. Chip groaned and winced as he failed once more.
"You've been here two weeks and you haven't mastered that yet?" came a sarcastic and all too familiar voice from behind.
"Oh, bite me," he snarled back. "You have the easy part just maneuvering a 500-foot sub under a moving boat without bumping into it and being detected." Both Chip and Lee burst into laughter as Lee patted his friend on the shoulder.
"You're right, I do," he said with a wink and an understanding smile. "I tried that a couple of times when I was here the first time and got nowhere close."
"What makes this really fun, is they keep throwing in rogue currents, and I swear turbulence from undersea earthquakes to trip me up," Chip lamented. "They haven't had the guts to put me out into the ocean to let me try this for real, yet."
"Yep, and that's why I'm here, to instill confidence in you and beat you senseless if you keep screwing up," Lee replied.
"That kind of encouragement, you can keep. I just hope we're in calm seas when we make our grab."
"You that bad?" Lee deadpanned.
Chip glared at him for a moment. "No! I'm not that bad, it's just a lot trickier than the simulator suggests. I was to the point of pulling it off every time on the simulator, but once we moved to the test tank and the wild hares they release on me every now and then, my accuracy has gone down a bit. I still think I can do it, if you can maneuver the boat correctly without running into the tow boat or any other submarine out there."
Lee laughed and was quickly joined by Chip. "Well, I'm counting on Seaview's windows to give me that extra added edge when it comes time. I guess we just need to hope we meet them above crush depth so we can pick up what you drop, Butterfingers." Chip raised his arm above his head and waved a single finger at his tormentor. To which Lee just smiled.
"That would be nice, just in case," Chip replied with a smile. "How's things in the real world? Seaview ready to shove off?"
Lee nodded. "Just about everything but fresh produce has been loaded, all systems have been checked and double checked, and the crew is ready to roll. You would be quite proud of Bobby, he's done a hell of a job overseeing it all. I'd be watching my back, if I were you," Lee kidded.
"I don't have to worry, he's already told me he wants no part of the job until you're no longer captain. He mumbled something about being too high maintenance and too accident prone for him to handle, and there's not nearly enough money for the aggravation."
Lee scowled at Chip, then laughed. "I don't doubt that a bit. How much longer are you going to be here?"
"I want to go through another iteration to see if I can actually pull this off. Should take about an hour."
"Okay, I'll hang out here and watch. Once you've nailed it we can grab an early dinner and then hop a C-5 heading to the west coast," Lee responded.
"What's the rush? I thought we were going to run a couple of iterations in the ocean with the Abraham Lincoln carrier group."
"Apparently the PR has bounced a couple of Russian subs, and they weren't at all amused. Word is they're rapidly trying to put together something to take the PR's toy away before we can get there. I wouldn't put it past them to sink a sub just to get it."
Chip blew out a long whistle. "That doesn't sound good. I guess that explains why you're here now instead of buried in the innards of Seaview."
"Yep. I just finished up a meeting with SECNAV, CNO and COMSUBPAC on the heightened urgency in pulling this whole thing off. The fact they've turned their array on their "ally" has moved everything ahead. It's also served to increase the technical difficulty of this mission by about a thousand-fold, as we now have to keep an eye out for the Russians in addition to the PR. Once we make the grab, then we have to beat feet out of there making sure no one is tailing us."
"Ah, but that's why you make the big money," Chip replied as he patted Lee on the shoulder.
"Thanks," Lee answered flatly. "Now, get to it so I can get you fed before we have to hop the flight."
"Aye, aye, Skipper. Anything you say, sir," Chip said snapping to attention and throwing off a jaunty salute. Lee rolled his eyes and snorted, then headed out to let Chip work in peace.
Once Lee left the lab, Chip called the control tower of the test tank and had them reset the cable and array for another run. This time he deftly brought the ROV up alongside the cable, rapidly clamped on, and initiated the cutting sequence. As the cable parted, the controllers threw in a surge current that Chip easily compensated for, and directed his drone to the designated drop point, in record time.
He sat back in his seat and let out a relieved sigh. He had to laugh as the people in the room and in the control tower cheered loudly. Chip stood and bowed slightly, "Thank you, thank you, thank you very much," he replied and wiped at an imaginary bead of sweat on his brow.
The lead technician approached him as he powered down the system. "Well done, Chip. Looks like you're ready to go try this for real," he said as he patted him on the shoulder.
"Thanks, Mike. I appreciate all the help from you and the staff. I think I stand a fighting chance of pulling this off."
"No doubt there."
"Well, gotta go find my CO. Keep your fingers crossed, and hopefully we'll bring back a toy you all can play with in a few months," Chip replied. He quickly collected his jacket and cover then headed out the door to find Lee and to get ready for their flight home.
(((())))
As the staff car pulled to the NIMR front gate, two security men approached the vehicle, verified the identities of all inside and conducted a thorough inspection of the car. Finding all as it should be, they waved the car through.
"Wow, things are really tight. Looks like Darren isn't taking any chances," Chip remarked as the driver took them up to the admin building. They quickly exited the car and headed up the steps.
"That's a fact. Just wait until you see the screening to get down to the subpen and then for getting on the boat. I've had physicals that are less invasive," Lee replied and smiled. "The crew has also been instructed to forget about bringing any personal electronics gear aboard. The admiral has purchased DVD players, iPods, and tablets that will be provided to the crew, so there's less chance anyone can smuggle a transmitter, receiver, or other tracking device aboard. The cover story is that some of the electronic survey devices the admiral intends to use could be potentially affected by devices not meeting stringent emission standards. Now's the time to make that bid for the new laptop you've been wanting." Lee winked then pulled open the door and headed into the building.
"Hmmm," Chip said speculatively. "I could use a new iPad too." He then winked and both men laughed as they waited for the doors to the elevator to open. Once inside, Lee hit the button for the top floor and the admiral's penthouse.
"Why are we meeting there?" Chip asked, somewhat surprised they weren't heading to Nelson's office.
"The admiral has installed some new equipment in one of the rooms upstairs that should make any attempt at eavesdropping pointless. It's an inner room with no windows, so there's no chance for long distance lip reading either," Lee replied and smiled.
Lee knocked twice and then entered the outer door. "Admiral, we're back," he called out.
A moment later, Nelson entered the room from the kitchen and smiled. "Welcome back, Lee, Chip, nice to have you home again. How was your trip?"
"Long," Lee answered. "We've finalized the details and will be ready to receive the equipment once we hit the east coast."
Nelson nodded. "How did your training go, Chip? Are you ready to make this happen in one take?"
Chip nodded. "Yes, sir. They threw everything at me but a tidal wave, so I'm sure I can adapt to whatever we encounter. I was hoping for an open sea trial, but I'm told that's not an option now."
"Good to hear, lad. I'm sure Lee told you about the developments between the PR and Russia. It's as if they're daring someone to come after their new array," Nelson responded.
"Well, I'm praying that it's not some elaborate trap and they're just being their surly selves by targeting friend and foe, alike. According to the ONI contacts, it's most likely a show of their self-supposed superiority and taunting the other kids on the block with their new toy. Detection is one thing, but vessel superiority is another. They may know who's coming, but there's no way they can outrun or out gun what's coming after them," Lee added with a bit of an evil smile.
"Too true," Harri said as he smiled and patted Lee on the shoulder. "Let's adjourn to the conference room to discuss your meeting in DC, shall we?"
"Yes, sir," both men answered and followed Nelson down the hall.
Once inside, Harri flipped a switch triggering numerous devices designed to prevent any methods of electronic or physical intrusion short of a bomb. There was a deep thrum and the sound of electronic locks engaging on the only door.
"Take a seat, gentlemen," Nelson directed. They all pulled out a chair from the table and sat down. "Okay, Lee, what news from DC?"
"Well, sir, the PR is getting cocky with their new system and have begun showing off by bouncing friends and 'not' enemies alike, which is starting to upset quite a few countries. Reports have filtered in that the Russians for certain, and possibly the Chinese are preparing to make their run at collecting the system. Our contact in the PR submarine community is attempting to get the system software, which when coupled with the hardware, will allow us to fully evaluate what they've developed. It's unknown if the other nations are in a similar position to make a run or not," Lee began.
"SECNAV thinks it best to accelerate our program and move sooner, as opposed to later. That being said, the drone and cutter are already en-route to the Lincoln carrier group well disguised as some innocuous repair parts. We also settled on a mid-ocean subsurface transfer to avoid any nosy satellite traffic. We are to shove off from here as soon as possible, make our way to the south Atlantic and initiate our 'research', then break off and rendezvous with them. They will deploy the unit from one of the vessels in the carrier group then Chip will take control, and we'll bring it aboard and drop off the face of the Earth. We then head north and transit the Arctic Ocean beneath the ice sheet emerging on the western side. Once free of the ice we'll then position ourselves to begin our hunt for the PR trawler when word is passed. The whole success of this plan is predicated on us remaining undetected by anyone, including those who may also be prowling around those waters looking for the same prize."
"Sounds simple enough," Chip said sarcastically.
"SECNAV was quite adamant that US hands not be caught in this cookie jar," Nelson added. "This will be a very taxing and difficult mission, since once we move into our survey area, we go silent. The entire transit to the Arctic has to be done running silent, making that a very long trip just to get in position. Then we park somewhere on the bottom and sit like a halibut until dinner paddles by."
"Is there any indication how long that will be?" Chip inquired.
"They've been dispatching the trawler every other month, field testing the array for a couple of weeks then heading back in, to debug and improve the system. If they keep to that schedule, we will probably be on the bottom for a couple of weeks before the ship sets sail. Of course, given their more aggressive posture of late, they may move the schedule up. Worst case scenario is they deploy before we can clear the ice cap and we miss them. At that point it's up to SECNAV to decide whether we wait or come home."
"Lovely," Chip replied. "Best not make any plans for the short term then."
They all shrugged and smiled knowingly, having spent their careers subject to the needs of the nation over their own.
(((())))
Chapter 4
Two days later, Lee stood in the conning tower issuing orders to get them started on their mission. The crew quickly complied and the stately boat moved gracefully from her mooring out past the breakwater, then disappeared into the depths.
"All right Mr. Morton, let's get this show on the road," Crane stated. "Course 1-8-0, depth 150 feet, cruising speed. We need to be at the Panama Canal in time to make our appointment."
"Aye, Captain," Chip replied, then repeated the orders to the helmsman, and Seaview turned gracefully to port. As the boat began to move, O'Brien updated the chart with the current information.
"Mr. O'Brien, you did a fantastic job getting Seaview ready to sail so quickly," Lee began. "I think you probably gave Mr. Morton here quite a run for his money. Well done."
Bobby smiled and blushed slightly. "Thank you, sir. I wouldn't have stood a chance if Mr. Morton hadn't had everything set up so even a newb could do the job."
Chip laughed and patted him on the back. "The lists help, but you were the one who made sure it was all done. Guess I can start thinking about using some of my leave time knowing everything is in such good hands."
As they chuckled at that, Nelson came down the staircase and joined them in the Control Room. "Good to see we're all in such high spirits," he commented. "Everything on course and taken care of?"
"Yes, sir," Lee replied. "We should arrive with ample time to spare for our appointment to transit the canal."
"Good, good. Well we best enjoy our ability to make noise and have fun, because things will get serious shortly," Harri commented.
They all nodded. "On that note, I think I'll take an amble through the boat. You have the conn Mr. Morton," Lee said and headed towards the aft hatch.
"Aye, sir, I have the conn," Chip acknowledged. "Don't get lost." Lee laughed and waved as he passed through the hatch for his first walk-a-boat of the mission.
(((())))
Forty-eight hours later, Seaview emerged from the final lock of the Panama Canal. Once clear of the area, she submerged and began heading towards her research site in the Puerto Rico Trench. The research plan had been well socialized within NIMR, other research labs, and Navy facilities with an interest so word no doubt had reached various ears regarding the massive boat's position. The mission plan indicated they would submerge near crush depth and then lower the diving bell and other various ROVs deeper into the trench to conduct their research. The estimated submerged time was touted to be nearly four months.
Arriving on-site at the trench, Lee immediately surfaced the boat to give his crew one long day in the sun before they disappeared into the depths and began their clandestine run north. Satellite cameras would easily pick them up as they lounged on the surface and giving them the alibi necessary to keep prying eyes and ears from trying to locate them.
As the sun began to set, Lee climbed up into the conning tower finding both Nelson and Morton already there enjoying the final minutes of sunshine and watching the crew relaxing on the deck below. "At least we had one hell of a nice day so everyone could stock up on Vitamin D," Lee quipped.
Harri and Chip both smiled and nodded in agreement. They stood quietly for a few moments as they watched the crew taking full advantage of the BBQ and games before they had to leave.
Lee drew in a deep breath then looked at his companions. "Well, I guess it's time to button everything up and get on with the show. Let's get them inside, Mr. Morton."
Chip nodded and called to Sharkey, relaying the captain's order to clear the deck and prepare to submerge. The crew jumped to, quickly stowing everything on deck and moving inside ready to carry out their mission.
Once inside and submerged, Lee gave the order directing them to their first destination to rendezvous with the Abraham Lincoln carrier group in order to pick up the ROV and its specially designed equipment.
(((())))
Twenty-four hours later, Seaview signaled the Lincoln alerting them to their presence. She had easily slipped in amongst the various vessels and her unique sound signature was now lost amongst the throng of ships around her.
"Fagin, this is Artful Dodger," Lee said into the mic.
"This is Fagin, we read you Dodger," the captain of the Lincoln replied. "You're right on time. We have a package for you when you're ready."
"Copy, Fagin. You may deliver it at any time," Lee answered, then looked over at Chip who was standing in the nose with the ROV remote control ready to take command of the device.
"Standby, Dodger. Will let you know when we've dropped it in the mail," Fagin directed.
"Who picked out these call signs?" Chip asked quietly.
"Admiral Hardy," Lee responded. "He's a real fan of Charles Dickens. If we were doing this during the Christmas season, we most likely would be talking to Scrooge or Jacob Marley. Be thankful it's Oliver Twist."
"Oh," Chip said. "You know his literary preferences? You've known this man entirely too long." Lee rolled his eyes at the remark, not willing to dignify it with a response.
"Ready to go, Chip?" Lee asked as he walked forward.
"Ready to rock and roll," Chip answered with a wink. "All systems show green, just waiting for signal recognition from the drone."
Lee patted him on the back, then turned as he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Harri quickly made his way into the nose and looked out the windows to the dark water beyond. "We're just waiting for the Lincoln to deploy the ROV, sir." Lee informed. "Once that happens, Chip is ready take over control and bring it aboard."
"Good," Nelson responded. "How long until they do that?"
"They're dropping it in the 'mail' now," Lee answered.
They stood there looking out the windows for another 15 minutes. "Dodger, this is Fagin," came the hail.
Lee moved to the nearest mic and picked it up. "Fagin, this is Dodger, go ahead."
"We're posting it now. Do you have confirmation?"
Chip looked down at his control unit and nodded as he noticed the readout flash green indicating he now had a strong signal. He flipped the switch, and the video screen came to life as a signal from the onboard camera began sending images. He toggled another switch and the drone's lights turned on illuminating the area in front of it.
He then regarded the location beacon on the tracking screen which showed the unit a thousand yards off their starboard bow, and 80 feet above them. He engaged the propeller and directed the ROV down towards them. As the screen displayed the image of Seaview's windows with the three men standing behind them Chip nodded and smiled. "I've got control."
"Fagin, we've picked up the mail. Will be opening it up shortly, thanks for the quick delivery," Lee responded.
"No problem, Dodger. Hope it works out well for you."
"Us too," Lee answered. "Will let you know if it's the right size in a few minutes."
"Copy, Dodger. We'll be standing by if you need to exchange anything."
"Copy, Fagin," Lee acknowledged.
As Lee had been speaking with the Lincoln, Chip had maneuvered the drone down Seaview's length and underneath to the hatch in the Missile Room used to launch and retrieve the diving bell. He carefully lined up the unit with the hatch then surfaced it, at which point it was snagged by one of the ratings, the lifting hook was attached to the ring on top and the ROV was hoisted aboard.
"Control Room, this is Sharkey."
Crane clicked the mic, activating the channel. "Go ahead, Chief."
"Package received and we're all buttoned up, Skipper."
Lee smiled and looked over at Chip. "Copy, Sharkey. Mr. Morton is on his way down now to look things over."
"Copy, Skipper. Out."
Chip and Nelson exited the nose through the control room and rapidly made their way down to the Missile Room. Once there, Chip conducted an extensive inspection of the ROV ensuring everything was operational. As he completed his review he looked up at Nelson and gave him a nod and a smile indicating everything was as it should be.
Nelson walked over to the escape hatch and grabbed the mic. "Lee, this is Nelson. Inform Fagin that the package is perfect, and we will be moving on."
"Copy that, Admiral." Lee responded. He double clicked the mic re-establishing the connection with the Lincoln. "Fagin, this is Dodger. The item is a perfect fit, we'll take it and be on our way."
"Copy that, Dodger. Sikes wanted to remind you not to get pinched in the effort. Good luck and happy hunting. Fagin, out."
"Nice of SECNAV to wish us well," Lee groused then smiled. He then issued the orders to drop Seaview down to 200 feet and on a course due north at one third speed in the relative obscurity of a thermocline. It wouldn't be a fast trip, but it would be quiet and shouldn't garner any unwanted attention.
(((())))
* Season 1 - Mutiny