“Any theories, Mr. Diaz?” said Messinger.
“The passive sonar went crazy a split second before the leak detector sounded. The poor bastards in the stores module didn’t have a chance, everything happened so quickly.”
Normally, the alarm would sound and any personnel in the area could vacate before the automatic isolation mechanisms went into effect.
Messinger winced at the news. “Sounds like an attack.”
“I agree.”
“Better sound battle stations, Mr. Diaz,” said Messinger.
“Battle stations, aye, aye, sir,” responded Diaz.
Diaz pushed the large red button on the instrument console. Immediately, the distinctive alarms blasted throughout the Watch Station.
“Battle stations sounded, sir,” reported Diaz.
Crewmen on the Gold Team scrambled to their assigned stations, normal duties dropped in mid-task. Interrupted from a deep sleep, the members of the Blue Team bolted out of their beds and hurriedly pulled on their blue coverall uniforms. The crews of the Benthic Rangers raced to the transfer module and to the crew module and strapped themselves into the pilot and co-pilot seats and awaited orders.
“Mr. Diaz, deploy the transponder buoy,” said Messinger.
“Deploy transponder buoy, aye, aye, sir,” responded Diaz.
Diaz lifted the yellow and black striped metal cover and pressed the green button underneath. Once the button was pushed, a cylindrical canister was ejected from the command module. Upon leaving its storage tube, the end of the canister snapped open, releasing a rubberized balloon which immediately began expanding from nitrogen gas stored in the canister. The balloon and canister began a rapid ascent to the surface of the ocean.
“Transponder buoy deployed, sir,” said Diaz.
Upon reaching the surface of the water, the canister began transmitting in code on a secret CSAC frequency. This message was picked up by one of four CSAC satellites in geosynchronous Earth orbit over 22,000 miles in space.
The transmitted message was “Mayday, Mayday. Station Three. Mayday, Mayday.”
On Benthic Ranger One, Chief Warrant Officer Tommy Dirks rapidly went through the checklist with his co-pilot, Senior Chief Petty Officer James O’Shaunnessy.
“Reactor.”
“Critical.”
“Propulsion.”
“Activated, on standby.”
“Weapons Systems.”
“Energized, locked.”
Dirks reported to Messinger, “Captain, Benthic Ranger One activated and available.”
“Roger, Benthic Ranger One,” said Messinger.
Chief Warrant Officer James Takeshita also reported from Benthic Ranger Two. “Captain, Benthic Ranger Two activated and available.”
“Roger, Benthic Ranger Two,” said Messinger. “Mr. Diaz. Any information on what hit us?”
“Sir, as far as I can tell we were hit with a sonic force of considerable energy,” reported Diaz.
“Seen anything like that before?”
“No, sir.”
“Where do you think it came from?”
“No idea, Captain. We had no warning of an impending attack. None of our sensors detected any intruders or activity on the Rock.”
The tension mounted on the faces of the crew members as they sat quietly. The Gold and the Blue Teams now acted as one crew. Lieutenant Jerry Wright, U.S.N., came into the command module. Watch supervisor of the Blue Team, Wright was also the executive officer on board Watch Station Three.
“What’s the problem, Captain?” he said.
“We were hit by a sonic force of unknown origin and the stores module imploded. I guess the bio-feedback earphones blocked out all the noise.”
The Blue Team had been asleep with the new bio-feedback tapes, designed to block out all noise.
“I didn’t hear anything until the alarm sounded.”
“What’s your recommendation?” The three men sat silently for a moment contemplating what was happening.
“I think you should deploy Benthic Ranger One,” Wright finally commented.
“I concur,” said Diaz.
“So do I. Benthic Ranger One?” said Messinger.
”Benthic Ranger One, Aye, Aye, sir,” said Dirks.
”Benthic Ranger One, we’re under attack by an unknown enemy. I’d like you to investigate and destroy any attacker. Commence launch sequence. Red status. Fire at will.”
“Roger, Benthic Ranger One,” Dirks initiated the lockout sequence.
Messinger, Diaz, and Wright heard the soft metallic clank as the pressure doors closed, the faint hiss as the air in the entryway was displaced by sea water, and sharper clanks as the latches fell away from the Benthic Ranger. The whirring sound of the Benthic Ranger’s propellers was then heard as Benthic Ranger One lifted off the watch station.
“Captain, I suggest you inform the crew,” said Lieutenant Wright.
“Yes, I guess we’d better,” said Messinger as he reached for the intercom microphone. “Attention, this is Captain Carlton Messinger. As some of you may have guessed, Watch Station Three is under enemy attack. This is not a drill. Benthic Ranger One has been deployed to search and destroy any enemy vessels. I’ll keep you advised. God save us all.”
The crew of Watch Station Three waited. With red status, any unnecessary movement or noise might give the unseen enemy an advantage, an advantage that could be deadly. The silence included all equipment mechanical and electronic. Except for the quiet discussion in the command module, every crewman remaining in the station sat quietly, each with his own private thoughts.
On Benthic Ranger Two, Takeshita sat in the left front seat of the six passenger vehicle. At his right sat Chief Yeoman’s Mate Theodore Westerman, a fifteen-year veteran of CSAC. Under red status, neither crewman could talk until the launch order was received from the Captain. The checkout of the Benthic Ranger had been flawless. Through the front window, they could see the lights of Benthic Ranger One making a sweep of the immediate compound area. The depth of Watch Station Three was only 5000 feet and some scientists were predicting that man would soon be able to withstand that environment without the protective shell of a submersible sheltering him.
”Benthic Ranger Two?” said Messinger.
”Benthic Ranger Two,” said Takeshita.
“Do you see anything?”
“Captain, all we see so far is Benthic Ranger One conducting a — wait a minute. Did you see that, Ted?”
“Shit, what was it?” said Westerman.
“What do you see, Benthic Ranger Two?”
“Captain, it was big and black, about twice the size of Benthic Ranger One. It just shot past us.”
“What do you mean shot past you?”
“Captain, it was traveling at a rate of speed twice that of Benthic Rangers. Permission to signal Benthic Ranger One.”
“Can you tell what or who it was?” said Messinger.
“No, sir. It was big, black and carried no markings. It traveled like a bat out of hell. Repeat, Captain. Permission to signal Benthic Ranger One. It doesn’t know that this damn thing is out there.”