Full Metal Panic!
Chapter Two
Seeker
By Steve Edward
Tuesday, 0800 hours, Samuel Eliot Morison TDD-2
Ensign Aryl climbed within the cockpit of Arbalest II then turned to accept the package from the hanger crewman, "Thank you very much," as she took the package from his hands. To the crewman's left sat Major Azura Roux perched on the high lifts rail with Captain Andrew Simms and Lieutenant Alice Wren.
All had listened to the communications between the Tuatha de Danaan and the strike team launched from that submarine nearly four hours earlier, at least to the chopped transmissions. Normal satellite communications were nearly impossible now, short range barely working. Major Roux spoke "Remember little one, Arbalest will protect you. The outside world may appear to be scary but it is merely the effects of the Lambda Driver that is out of control."
Aryl taking her seat said "Thank you Azura. I know it can." Lieutenant Wren spoke "Aryl do as Wu tells you and don't do any fancy stuff ok?" Then Alice picked up another package lying on the floor of the high lift and gave it to Aryl. Captain Andrew Simms then spoke "Remember what we talked about in the briefing. If separated on landing, make for the southern end of the barrier and activate your locater beacon, so you can be detected by the other landing team. Take good care of everyone, including you, Aryl. Good luck."
Directing that the lift be lowered, Captain Simms watched as Ensign Aryl sealed the cockpit as they descended. Below stood Sergeant Major Guan-yin Wu, waiting for the lift to descend.
Opening the safety gate, Andrew helped Lieutenant Wren and Major Roux exit the lift then he joined with the Sergeant Major as she walked to her M9. Captain Simms spoke "Considering the short amount of time you have worked with Aryl, what is your prognosis?"
Wu replied "I have high expectations for success. However I still have reservations concerning her age, Captain. It goes against my grain to have such a young child along in a mission as perilous as this."
Andrew replied, "Guan-yin, you saw her background material. Orphaned at age 5 in Africa, and passed from family to family none of which she knew. Aryl set out on her own at just 7 years old, surviving in the African bush against all odds, eventually to be taken in by missionaries at age 10 who raised her as their own child. She was awakened as a "Whispered" and we can only presume who actually tried to take her from them. One of the missionaries died protecting her. The other suffered brutal treatment…"
Captain Simms had stopped at Wu's M9. Guan-yin knew what happened after that. Simms had wrangled Sagara and Arbalest along with the remainder of the combat team from the Tuatha de Danaan with Captain Testarossa along to conduct a rescue mission which had saved the missionary. She now also knew it had been Captain Simms who had been under orders to sink the ship that Aryl had been on, but he had failed to carry out the orders to do so resulting in a court-martial. Captain Testarossa and the Tuatha de Danaan had been there as well, but because of what happened; Andrew had used the Tuatha de Danaan as an excuse and had played cat and mouse with the submarine which allowed the freighter to get away. What had later transpired was that Aryl was rescued by a Mithril Recovery Team. Major Azura Roux had been part of that team, and it was such a small world indeed.
Wu spoke, "Captain, for what it is worth. It could be Aryl in that testing facility instead of someone else." Andrew spoke "That may have been their goal. Guan-yin take care and good luck and I want everyone back. Is that understood?" Wu saluted and replied "Understood fully sir."
Captain Simms returned the salute and headed for the sail with Lieutenant Wren to observe the launchings personally and he wanted to shoot the stars.
Lieutenant Marcy Takenaka squinting during the brighter flashes of lightning turned to greet Captain Simms and Lieutenant Alice Wren as they came up the hatch into the sail and conning tower. Much like what Commander Richard Mardukas had observed four hours before was still present, but the seas, black and twisting beneath the Samuel Eliot Morison were more ominous.
Marcy spoke "The last Arms Slave is in the elevator now Captain. We are five minutes from launch." Andrew replied "Very well Lieutenant. Marcy? Have you ever seen anything like this before?" Marcy, involuntarily reacting to what he perceived to be a close lightning strike spoke "Nothing like this Andrew. It is both unnerving, but strangely beautiful at the same time. One would expect to hear thunder, but there is none. It goes against nature."
Lieutenant Wren spoke "Captain, the chronometer is ready." Captain Simms turned to Lieutenant Wren who with notepad in hand held the heavily shield chronometer. In a world of electronics, now being disrupted the Samuel Eliot Morison would have to depend on the accuracy of a marine sextant and a 150 year old chronometer. Similar equipment onboard the Tuatha de Danaan some four to five hours ahead was being utilized by Commander Richard Mardukas. Andrew wondered if they could even get a star fix in the next few hours.
"Mark and time," said Captain Simms as both he and Lieutenant Takenaka read the dials, each man shooting the stars between the lightning flashes. Satisfied that they had an accurate fix, Captain Simms passed the information to the Bridge where Commander Drake plotted their position on a large chart and in return relayed the information to the Arms Slaves.
With alarms sounding, Captain Simms watched as Urzu 10, followed by Arbalest II then Urzu 11 and 12 launched. Lieutenant Wren spoke "They all look like they are emitting static electrical charges!" Andrew Simms watching the Arms Slaves recede in the distance replied "With what is going on around us, I am not surprised. Just look at the magnetic compass." Both Marcy and Alice looked at the magnetic compass. Wildly swinging and twisting on the gimbals, the compass seemed to reflect what all were seeing about them.
Tuesday, 0900 hours, Franz Joseph Land, Abandoned Military Observation Outpost
Lieutenant Kaname Chidori glanced from view screen to view screen looking for signs of life, but in the hellish landscape before her and Sergeant Sagara there was none, only the remnants of the military outpost remained. "Urzu 2 to Urzu 6, anything over there?" The crackling of the radio filled the cockpit as Urzu 6, barely audible replied "Urzu 6 to Urzu 2, that is a negative. Look like they all left in a big hurry. I found what passed for the communications center. Heavy fire damage everywhere, I guess they took one too many electrical discharges."
Sergeant Major Melissa Mao Urzu 2 turned away from the wrecked Hind then spoke "Looks like the same here, unfortunately not all of them made it out. That Hind crashed trying to take off. Nobody survived. Urzu 6, link back up with Urzu 7 in 5 minutes." Then maneuvering warily, Sergeant Major Melissa Mao too headed for Urzu 7.
"Warning, entering hostile air space," chimed the computerized voice of Wu's M9. Sergeant Major Guan-yin Wu Urzu 10 called out on her radio "Alfa-2, Urzu 11, Urzu 12, status reports." Ensign Aryl's calm voice replied "All normal with exception of satellite navigation and communications. Shielding is stable." Sergeant Graham Jaunay Urzu 11 spoke "Ditto. Same here, Urzu 10," as Sergeant Olina Pederson Urzu 12 replied as well "Ditto, Urzu 10. I've visually scanned the alert airfields to our west. Nothing is moving. Looks like the Russians are grounded, detecting no fire control radar or tracking systems of any kind. We can guess the event has messed them up pretty good."
Wu glanced at her own tactical screen then replied "That may be so, but don't let your guard down. Someone might try to be a hero. Just the same, do not fire until fired upon. We have better things to do than have an aerial dog fight. Urzu 10 out."
Tuesday, 1100 hours, Tuatha de Danaan TDD-1
The sonar operator checked the readings on his consol again then spoke, "Captain! Detecting active sonar, directly astern, range estimated at 80,000 meters." Captain Testarossa turned her chair then spoke "Very well acknowledge the ping. Prepare to send a message." Commander Mardukas spoke "Sonar, send the following. Depth 250 meters, speed 10 knots, course 005. On inertial navigation only, Mardukas sends. End message."
Petty Officer Cal Larkin transcribing the distant pings turned and handed the message pad to Commander Ward who silently read the message then addressing Captain Simms he said "We should be caught up with them in the next two hours, if we maintain 50 knots. Then after that, what we do is going to be up to Tessa." Andrew spoke "I far as I can recall Tessa herself has never been in the artic, but Mardukas and Kalinin have. We obviously can not play speed demon any further, and both de Danaan and Morison will have to tread lightly. We will have to plot our course west of St. Lawrence Island and split Big Diomede and Little Diomede squarely down the middle. I doubt the Eskimos on either island will care one way or the other what is sailing between them."
Commander Ward spoke "Subsurface or surface?" Andrew gave pause a moment then spoke "Surprise her, recommend surface transit as it will allow us to conduct visual navigation. Frankly I do not feel like running into any bergs, growlers or anything else at the moment and I think Mardukas will go along with it as will Kalinin."
Commander Lewis Strong entered the waiting lounge of the airfield which was sparsely occupied mostly with arriving Mithril personnel. At a nearby window stood the wife and son of Commander Drake Ward, Charlotte and Raymond. Hearing the wheel chair, Charlotte turned to greet Commander Strong "So you are you the one that was responsible for bringing us here?"
Commander Strong replied "Yes. Mithril has a policy much like the US Navy you and I formally knew. We do take care of our own. Drake desired that in any event that Tokyo became untenable; you and your son were to be evacuated. Melida Island is well above the projected flood stage." Raymond spoke "Flood stage for what Mister?"
Commander Strong spoke "In the event that there is a catastrophic melt down of the polar ice cap at the Artic Circle. The amount of ice melting would raise the sea to such an extent that it would put most of Tokyo, 10 meters or more underwater."
Turning his wheel chair around in front of a stunned Charlotte Ward, Commander Ward motioned for both to follow "If you will come this way, my driver is standing-by to drive you to your quarters."
Tuesday, 1135 hours approximate, Franz Joseph Land, Point-Alpha
Sergeant Major Melissa Mao had been on many battle fields, but this was unlike any other she had seen or even experienced. The enemy was nature gone wild, and the ice pack was visibly deteriorating by the moment. The hard permafrost was softening making their advance towards the rendezvous even more treacherous. The constant crackling of the communications system had become so distracting to Mao that she had turned the volume to a more tolerable level. Halting her team's advance, Mao hearing the voice crackling from her receiver spoke "This is Urzu 2. Unit calling say again and identify, over."
Major Pedro Gonzalez called it nape of the earth flying, and Sergeant Major Wu's team were jinxing over the low ridges as they flew towards Point-Alfa. Wu hearing the faint reply spoke again "Urzu 2 this is Urzu 10 on your six. Estimated position is 3 clicks out. Pop smoke if possible, over."
Melissa called out "Urzu 6, get the smoke ready. Urzu 7 stand-by with flare. Our backup is coming."
Wu heard that transmission and replied in the clear "Melissa? What's it like?" Mao gazing around replied "Like something out of Dante's Inferno, only it is still cold. Watch the pack ice to our west, it is breaking up fast and the permafrost we are on is not too stable either."
Wu acknowledging spoke "Alfa-2, you will go first. Steer into the wind and make your touch down light. Urzu 11 will be next then 12. I'll be the last. Got that," as Aryl repeated the order her sensors picked up Urzu 7 and his Arbalest "I have visual on Urzu 7, turning into the wind now."
Lieutenant Kaname Chidori spoke upon seeing Arbalest II "Souska? There is a second one?" Sergeant Sagara seeing the duplicate to his own spoke "Apparently so, Madam Lieutenant, and I wonder who is in it." Ensign Aryl mature far beyond her own age deftly turned then picking a point 500 meters to the north of Sergeant Sagara and Lieutenant Chidori, first ejected the propulsion system, then the equipment canister and bracing as though she had jumped from a low wall, touched down skidding to a stop 100 meters from Souska who spoke "Very well executed, Alfa-2. Please identify yourself."
The giggle from the com system caused Kaname and Souska both to look at the speaker in disbelief, "Oh you are so silly Souska. It is I, Ensign Aryl."
Tuesday, 1300 hours, Melida Island, Mithril Western Pacific Combat Support Base
Commander Lewis Strong entered the Situation Room, which was in organized chaos. For all practical purposes, the exact location of both the Tuatha de Danaan and the Samuel Eliot Morison were at best guess estimated in his words, but from their last known positions both had launched the strike teams some four hours apart. He hoped that both combat teams had made it to their destination. As for the submarines, their treacherous journey into the Artic Circle was going to be a wild one.
The intercom beeped and announced "Commander Strong, we have an urgent phone call for you. It is Lieutenant Commander Kalinin, and he states he is calling from some place called Diomede on Little Diomede?" said the perplexed voice of the base operator.
Commander Strong replied "Put him through immediately!"
Both submarines were "naked". The ECS systems affected by the heightened magnetic field activity were useless. Captain Testarossa had directed a test operation, and Captain Simms had reported dryly to her that the Tuatha de Danaan looked like a giant floating light bulb.
But it would matter little. Neither the Russian military nor the US military would risk sending up a manned flight, much less to sortie a patrol vessel to investigate the behemoths sailing in international waters.
Lieutenant Commander Andrei Kalinin hearing Commander Strong answer spoke "Commander Strong, Kalinin speaking. We are in the Bering Straight about to enter the Artic Circle with the Morison. Have you received anything further?"
Commander Strong replied "Officially, the Russian military apparently pulled out and fast. No signal from the combat teams either but that is expected considering what is going on and where they are at."
Kalinin replied, "Very well commander, we expected such. Switch to data transfer, I will be uploading the logs of the Tuatha de Danaan and the Samuel Eliot Morison. Advise when ready."
Lewis sending the acknowledgement that he was ready waited for the data stream to begin and then reached for his keyboard and typed in an updated position for both submarines.
Captain Simms observing the navigation team taking bearings spoke into his headset, "Richard? Best course of action would be to follow the open channel till we reach pack ice then submerge. The gyros are still telling the truth for now and we have inertial navigation. I think our biggest headache will be when we turn west. Sooner or later we will have to clear pack ice and run westward on the surface at least briefly because of the breakup."
Commander Mardukas looking astern towards the Samuel Eliot Morison replied "Agreed Andrew. That will still not put us anywhere close to Franz Josef Land Islands till at least Thursday. If they are following schedule our combined teams will make their attempt on Wednesday, and hopefully the only thing we will have to do is cleanup and do some dismantling when we arrive." Andrew bring his binoculars to his eyes to view the hover craft as it returned from Little Diomede mused silently "Well I hope that's all we have to do."
Tuesday, 1700 hours, Base Camp, Franz Jose Land Islands
The Mithril designed shelter worked as advertised, and the combined teams of the Tuatha de Danaan and the Samuel Eliot Morison were inside shielded from what was taking place just two kilometers away.
Sergeant Major Melissa Mao unrolled the test site's diagram then spoke "So we have to time this right based on the updated engineering data. Tomorrow will be our best shot at entry. We can assume that Tuatha de Danaan and Samuel Eliot Morison have entered or are about to enter the Artic Circle, which gives us two days to get it done. If they get here and we have not made progress, they will target the ice shelf and spit of land which that test facility is built on and destroy its supports dropping it into the sea. We all know that is the last option that Tessa will do, since environmentally it will do a lot of damage not only here, but to other parts of the earth when all that ice flash melts."
Sergeant Major Guan-yin Wu spoke "The last minute edition of a second Arbalest is our edge. The original plan to penetrate the shield was viable, until the Russians decided to lob high explosives against it with no success. The power output has remained steady since the Russians last attempt, but a Mithril Engineer named Major Azura Roux who came with Aryl's Arbalest said that the emitters have reached their limitations. The flux in the readings are attributed to a human interfaced with the Lambda Driver. When Sagara and Aryl form the barrier shield around our units, they will match the barrier frequencies of the test site literally by touch and then merge. At least that is how Aryl put it to me. Is that correct?"
Ensign Aryl replied "Yes that is correct." Kaname spoke "Excuse me, but the last time two Lambda Drivers came together it created some rather large fireworks, and one machine with its Lambda Driver was destroyed. Souska nearly did not make it out!"
Souska replied "This will be different Kaname. Unlike my initial battle with Gauron, which was a battle of both mental and physical levels; the combination of the two Lambda Drivers will result in a peaceful co-existence. I and Aryl will have to balance our combined barriers into the one protecting the test site and send out a non-verbal message of our intentions to help whoever is inside. If they can understand that, then that will be half the battle. We have to project peacefulness at its fullness no matter what we see going on about us."
The tight beam laser communication system was functioning superbly within the chilled waters of the Artic. At 200 meters, both submarines were traversing the ice pack at 30 knots. Captain Testarossa speaking to Captain Simms "In the relative sense, we are further shielded by the ocean and the ice pack above, but there will be a point where we will have to surface, Captain Simms."
Andrew spoke "I am in agreement there, though Commander Mardukas might think about the "Red Line". My chief engineer said that besides the radiant heat exchangers on the surface, the Russian engineers sank heat exchangers into the permafrost. I ran the math with Major Roux and no matter which way we look at it; the automatic systems will likely direct that excess heat to those exchangers in the permafrost when the ambient temperature reaches a point where the radiant fins no longer function. The normal temperature when it is a good day is just above zero degrees Celsius, Major Roux believes that if 4 degrees Celsius is reached; the automated systems will switch to the permafrost heat exchangers."
Teletha replied "Then that would destabilize the actual foundations of the facility, in all likelihood actually causing the Lambda Driver within its enclosure to drop within the permafrost, increasing the radiant exchange nearly five fold." Andrew spoke "That pretty much sums it up. Now if the combat teams are successful and get that barrier dropped the radiant heat release will be minimal and if the cooling system has switched to the permafrost system, then it will switch back, at leastMajor Rouxhopes it does."
Wednesday, 0100 hours, Artic Test Facility
Awakened by programming the machine pulled away from its charging station then signaled to the master computer that it was ready to receive its operational programming for the day. Since a number of nano seconds had passed with out receiving an update to its programming it switched to it last programming, which directed it to begin cleaning its assigned areas.
Bypassing the living quarters, it entered the cafeteria and lounge area. Sensing several obstructions about the floor, the machine automatically sent a query to the master control computer which would have sent a signal to a human in the maintenance department to investigate.
However still no response meant that the machine would have to do so itself, which it did by dragging the obstructions one by one to the refuse holding area located in a massive structure that doubled as a loading and cargo handling area. The machine continued to do so for an hour till it had removed all the obstructions from the floor and then straitening the chairs and tables with its remote arm, it set about to vacuum.
Moving to its next destination, the soft beeps of its warning alarm was the only noise had any humans been about. The warning strobes were visible to anyone as it passed by windows looking to the outside reflected back, adding to the red glows of the warning lights that it passed.
Entering the testing facility from its storage area, which it last cleaned on Saturday morning, the machine unhurriedly set about emptying trash containers into its holding bin, till it found more obstructions, which following its programming began to take the objects to the refuse holding area.
Finishing that task by 0500 hours, it headed for a laboratory where it would finish it cleaning. Passing the control room, its sensors detected further cleaning was needed and that the trash would have to be emptied. Carrying out the programming it came across an obstruction in a wheeled chair. Issuing a warning loud enough to wake a sleeping person it sensed no reaction then once again following its programming the machine removed the obstructions on the floor and returned to the chair which it carefully towed to the refuse area where it would be sorted by humans.
The machine paused briefly before returning to the laboratory to see if it was to clean the living quarters, but it was still too early so upon returning to the empty laboratory it proceeded to the last room it was supposed to clean.
The door sensor seeing the machine, opened to admit it for entry. The machine circled the perimeter of the room, picking up trash containers and medical waste containers and dumping or placing the contents into respective holding compartments of its yellow body.
Programmed to call for help if it came across a human in need, the machine about to leave heard the soft cry's "Help me. Help me," as it had turned towards the exit door.
Spinning on its axis, the machine turned towards the source of the cry for help and recognized that it was human. Sending a signal that was not answered, the machine programmed with the various emergency shut down devices located such a shut down point and with its small arm pressed the button.
Wednesday, 0600 hours, Departure from Base Camp, Franz Josef Land
"Alfa-Two stay with Urzu 7, Urzu 10 you're with me, Urzu 12 take point and get that magic box of yours ready, Urzu 6 and 11 hop scotch and cover! Move out now!" said Sergeant Major Melissa Mao.
Mao had been standing watch when the barrier had dropped unexpectedly and she acted quickly. Both combat teams were moving rapidly and had already passed the original limits of the barrier. Lieutenant Kaname Chidori adjusting her safety belts saw a large support column pass by with a ladder to nowhere. Pointing it out to Sergeant Sagara she asked what that was supposed to be. Sagara replied "That had been the position of a watch tower Madam Lieutenant. Apparently the barrier severed the watch platform from the supports when it was erected."
"You mean who ever was up there, they fell into the barrier Souska?" asked Kaname. Sagara replied softly "Yes Miss Chidori." Urzu 2 and Urzu 10 following Urzu 12 skidded to a stop then all three going to low profile positions next to what was labeled hanger entrance, scanned their surroundings.
Sergeant Mao spoke, "Urzu 12, crack the door code and open that door," as Wu having run a full sensor sweep spoke "No movement, no opposition. Urzu 7 and Alfa-Two you are clear to advance on the double. Urzu 6 and 11 will follow up."
Ensign Aryl coming to a stop next to Souska spoke "Air temperature is dropping quickly, radiation levels are within normal and acceptable ranges. Watch out for static discharges, the humidity levels are not normal, it is like barely ten percent if that."
Sergeant Olina Pederson Urzu 12, observing the flashing numbers of her lock breaker smiled when the security light changed to green then said "Ladies and Gentlemen the door is opening."
Wednesday, 0730 hours, Artic Test Facility
Sergeants Kurz Weber and Graham Jaunay finished their grim task, covering the last of the bodies with a tarp. Sergeant Major Wu counting 36 in all turned away and walked towards the remainder of the combat team standing solemnly near the entrance to the facility interior.
Sergeant Major Mao spoke "Ok, so it looks like the complex went into a bio-hazard lockdown, suffocating those we found. As to how they all ended up here, until we can find that out, no one is to go it alone. Our original objective still stands and that is to get to the control center and finish shutting down that Lambda Driver and find whoever is operating it. Is that clear?"
Sergeant Major Wu said "With the exception of the Lambda Driver located within its own building, the is only one level to the main facility. Per the diagram the northern most spoke of the wheel, if you want to call it that is where the labs are. The living quarters are the south spoke with recreational and dinning facilities on the west spoke and engineering and administrative offices are on the east spoke. Do we go for the labs or engineering systems first?"
Melissa replied "Let's take the labs first, since we don't know how much time we have before unwelcome company arrives and if we have time we'll explore the administrative and engineering section."
Exiting the hanger and entering the corridor and slowly advancing, Sergeant Weber Urzu 6 seeing an adjoining passageway through the windows glimpsed flashing lights moving, "Urzu 6 to Urzu 2, we have company, some kind of machine moving around in the next corridor to our right."
The machine had finally regained connection to the master computer which in turn sent new programming. The programming was to return to its charging station as it was finished for the day in machine terms. Rounding the corner, it detected humans and slowed as it passed one and then another. A human stepping in front of it caused it to stop and waiting for the human to move or issue orders in some fashion the machine went to stand-by mode.
Sergeant Olina Pederson paused briefly then accessed the control panel switching the small display to Standard English. Hurriedly typing her inquiry, she connected her portable computer to the data port then pressed the execute key and the machine began downloading its activity log along with all the stored messages.
Ensign Aryl walking to the rear of the machine, standing clear of the appendages slowly opened the lid and peering in wrinkled her nose is disgust then said "It is a trash-bot."
Sergeant Pederson spoke "As Aryl said. It is a cleaning machine or robot. Programmed to go about its duty during certain hours, according to the log it just came from the lab where there is or was an emergency. It also indicates that the machine initiated an emergency shut down in the effected area."
Melissa replied as she patted the machine "We know who did the cleaning and moving detail. Let's get to that lab. Weber, Pederson takes point. Next stop is that lab!
Wednesday, 0830 hours, Melida Island Mithril Western Pacific Combat Support Base
Commander Strong with telephone headset on one ear spoke "Yes, Madam Chairperson, the situation is understood. Indications are that the Lambda Driver output was significantly reduced suddenly without explanation at 0600 local time. The combat teams were not scheduled to make the attempt until 0800 hours."
Making notes, Commander Strong replied "We will do our utmost. The Lambda Driver aggravated what was already significant solar flare and sun spot activity and caused a huge amount of electrical disruptions which include the northern most sections of Siberia. The static electrical discharges are calming down and should return to normal within a week and we should have communications within a matter of hours with both combat teams and the submarines."
Commander Strong turned to his view screen then replied "Initial analysis indicates that there has been no rapid melt, and the last satellite pass showed temperature differentials to be minimal. Yes Madam Chairperson, I will pass that information along. Thank you again."
Commander Strong disconnecting, tapped the intercom then said "Communications, use override authority MIKE-SEVEN-BAKER-NINE-NINE PROTOCOL SAMSUN, I want immediate encoded message sent utilizing the VLF commercial communications array in West Virginia, USA, transferring the data message to you now."
Wednesday, 0915 hours, Samuel Eliot Morison TDD-2
"Leave it to Lewis to find a way," said Commander Ward who returned the PDA to Captain Simms. Andrew replied "The VLF system went commercial after down grade to the token missile boats on either side. The MAD scenario became useless and if it had not been for the need of having hunter-killers, your job and my job would have ended long ago Drake. Still VLF serves a useful purpose and under these kind of conditions it still shows that sometimes old technology still works."
"How true Captain Simms," said Captain Testarossa. Tessa returning her attention to the communications screen continued "The improving conditions will likely bring outsiders who are still under orders to attempt entry to the test facility. Commander Mardukas has recommended the "Red Line" for further transit. He said you would know what he means." Though officially Commander Richard Mardukas was just an advisor to Captain Teletha Testarossa who officially commanded the Tuatha de Danaan, he could issue commands in an emergency but this was not a direct emergency, and Mardukas had picked up on Andrew's earlier communications.
Commander Ward spoke "Well it has been a while since we've been in the "Red Line", Andrew. It would be like old times."
Captain Simms spoke "Executive Officer, plot an intercept course for the "Red Line". Set condition one throughout the boat, load all counter-measures, and load tubes one, two, three, and four with full yield settings. Wild Weasel's into tubes five and six. Stern tubes, seven and eight full yield, Wild Weasel's in nine and ten. Tuatha de Danaan this is Samuel Eliot Morison recommend condition one and load out at your discretion."
Captain Testarossa spoke "This is Tuatha de Danaan, acknowledged, Testarossa out." Swiveling her command chair to face Commander Mardukas, Teletha spoke "Commander? Just what may be inside this so called "Red Line" that has Captain Simms making recommendations that we load torpedoes and counter-measures?"
Commander Mardukas replied "There are automated weapons stations in place in the corridor that if any are still active will fire on any submarine that does not match parameters of being friendly. The "Red Line" was once the patrol ground of Russian ballistic missile submarines. The ballistic missile submarines in essence were protected by these automated stations to fend off approach by western navy hunter-killers."
Teletha twitching her hair replied "Very well commander. Prepare immediately and signal the Samuel Eliot Morison that he is to take the lead."
Commander Ward seeing the orders, said "Lieutenant Wren, assume your station in the chapel. We will need your skills for this." Lieutenant Alice Wren rising from her bridge consol and walking aft past Captain Simms and Commander Ward replied "So I guess this means some acrobatics?" Andrew looked up from his mini-data terminal and replied "Try not to embarrass Tessa."