“JD, this is Headbanger One, one fighter launched on you!”
McLanahan shouted on the satellite fleet common frequency. “We show four inbounds!” But the warning came too late. The frigates Phalanx close-in weapon system, a 30-millimeter radar-guided Gatling gun, destroyed two of the AS-10 missiles that had auto-locked onto the frigate, but the other two hit home. Their forty-pound high-explosive warheads struck the helicopter hangar and the forecastle. The nearly one-inch-thick Kevlar armor around the command spaces protected the bridge and forecastle, but the other missile destroyed the ]ames Daniel's starboard- side helicopter hangar, the 15-millimeter gun, and the amidships Mk 92 fire-control radar antenna, and an explosion in one of the starboard Mk 32 anti-submarine torpedo tubes created a fire and extensive damage.
Fully loaded and hungry for vengeance, Kelvin Carter and his crew aboard Headbanger Two attacked the second large formation of Chinese attackers from maximum range. The second formation of Chinese aircraft was four H-6 bombers, copies of the thirty-year-old Soviet Tupolev- 16 Badger heavy bomber; each bomber carried two huge Hai Ying-4 Sea Eagle anti-ship missiles. Two H-6 bombers were hit by Scorpion missiles and were forced to break off their attacks, but the other two got within range of the Navy frigates, fired their cruise missiles, and turned for home. Carter’s crew launched their last six Scorpion missiles at the Sea Eagle missiles, destroying two of them. The Duncan managed to destroy one with its 76-millimeter gun and damage the last one with its Phalanx close-in weapon system, but even damaged, the three-quarter-ton cruise missile devastated the Duncan. The missile hit the aft starboard quarter, tearing a huge hole in the stern.
It took several more minutes for Atkins and McLanahan both to declare the area secure. At least eight Taiwanese F-16 and F-5 fighters were nearby, patrolling the airspace from sea level to forty thousand feet. “JD, this is Headbanger, how copy?” McLanahan called.
“Loud and clear,” the James Daniel's tactical action officer responded. “We show clear to the north. The Taiwan air force showed up and kicked ass to the south.”
“What’s your status?”
“We both got hit pretty bad,” the TAO reported. “We’re still under way, but fires up on deck are still not under control. Duncan is heavily damaged — we’re setting up to receive survivors. She probably won’t make it.”
“Crap,” McLanahan cursed aloud. “JD, Headbanger One is going to clear off north and hit the tanker. Headbanger Two will stay on station, in case the PLAN shows up. We’ll be rotating our coverage as long as you need us. We’re fully anti-ship capable. We’ll still need the Taiwan Air Force in the area to help with antiair coverage.”
“Copy, Headbanger,” the TAO replied. “We sure would appreciate all the help we can get. I sure as hell won’t bad-mouth you zoomies anymore.”
“Sorry we couldn’t be more help,” McLanahan said. “We’ll be watching your backside. Headbanger One clear.”
It was right there, on a CNN “Breaking News Special Report”—live video of a sinking Chinese ferry, about twenty miles from Quemoy Island. Again and again, CNN also replayed the videotape that had been turned over to them at their Beijing bureau by the Chinese government — a video showing two missiles slamming into the ferry, the explosions, the fire… CNN was also showing videotape of a similar attack on the Chinese aircraft carrier Mao Zedong, during Reunification Day celebrations. First they showed the fireworks, the children, the flags, the awestruck civilians on tour — and then they showed the devastation just seconds after torpedoes from an unknown attacker slammed into the carrier. The videotape clearly showed the damage, showed the injured and dead civilians…
… and it showed what caused all that death and destruction, a captured Taiwanese attack submarine, forced to the surface, captured, then sunk by Chinese shore- and carrier-based naval forces.
“My God,” someone muttered. “This is the most incredible tape I’ve ever seen. We’ve got to respond right away.”
“The first damn thing I want everyone to do is to calm down,” the President of the United States, Kevin Martindale, said as he swiveled uncomfortably in his chair. The members of his staff and the military representatives were on their feet watching the TV monitors in absolute shock and horror. “I’m not taking any more phone calls from the media for the rest of the evening, especially from CNN. I don’t care if Jane Fonda herself calls asking for more information.” With the President in his study adjacent to the Oval Office was Philip Freeman, the President’s National Security Advisor; Robert Plank, Director of Central Intelligence; and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral George Balboa, representing the uniformed services.
Entering last and standing beside and slightly behind the President was his chief of staff, Jerrod Hale. “Secretaries Chastain and Hartman are not available,” Hale told the President. “The Vice President and Mr. Ricardo are en route, ETA ten minutes.”
“I need to talk to Jeffrey and Arthur ASAP,” the President told Hale. Turning to his assembled advisors, the President began, “Phil, get us started.”
“Yes, sir,” Freeman said, opening a red-jacketed folder with the words “TOP SECRET” emblazened on the cover. “About an hour ago, approximately seven p.m. Washington time, eight a.m. Hong Kong time, several very unusual and deadly events occurred in the Formosa Strait region almost simultaneously. We’re seeing the press reports of what happened, but I have the preliminary field reports, and they paint a much different picture.
“First, several missiles were fired at two U.S. Navy frigates operating near Quemoy Island,” Freeman said. “One frigate, a Naval Reserve Fleet ship named the Duncan, was hit by two torpedoes and slightly damaged. The EB-52 Megafortress was in the vicinity at the time of the attack, and the crew reported that it detected the missile launch and pinpointed the ship that launched the missiles. Without permission, the Megafortress attacked.”
“OP Brad Elliott hit his intended target, too — except it turns out it was a Chinese passenger ship ” Admiral Balboa interjected hotly. “Brad Elliott disregarded orders and blew the shit out of a passenger ferry”
“Casualties?”
“The Chinese report sixty-eight civilians dead, over two hundred injured,” Freeman said somberly. “Unable to verify it yet, but judging by the videotape, that’s an accurate number. Rescue efforts are under way, as we can see.”
“Oh, God,” the President murmured; then, in a much louder, angrier tone: “What possible explanation did Elliott give?”
“The crew claims that the ferry was towing a barge that made it look like a cruiser or destroyer on radar, and that the rocket-powered torpedoes launched at the Duncan and ]ames Daniel did come from the direction of that ferry,” Freeman said. “They said they were just protecting the frigates.”