Stankiewicz looked up and said, “Normally, I’d say ladies first, but I need to check atmospheres.”
He handed the tool to Ennis in return for a flashlight and an atmosphere sampling kit. Stankiewicz energized the light, then climbed down into the submarine. A few minutes later, he reappeared, his head sticking out the top of Dolgoruky’s hatch.
“The atmosphere isn’t great, but it’s good enough,” he said.
He dropped back down, and Christine and Brackman prepared to join him.
“After you,” Brackman said.
Christine climbed down the ladder into the transfer skirt, then descended into the darkness, guided only by the single beam of Chief Stankiewicz’s flashlight.
93
“Steady on course three-five-zero.”
Josef Buffanov acknowledged the Steersman’s report. They were headed toward the American guided missile submarine, only five thousand meters away based on their earlier solution. Hydroacoustic had not yet detected its presence again, but Buffanov was not surprised. If the American submarine was hovering, there would be no propulsion tonals, and the feedwater, cooling, and lube oil systems would be running in slow speed, supporting only the turbine generators.
Four thousand meters away.
Finally, Buffanov received the report he’d been awaiting. “Command Post, Hydroacoustic. Hold a new narrowband contact on the spherical array, designated Hydroacoustic four-nine, bearing three-five-two. Analyzing.”
Hydroacoustic would perform due diligence, comparing the received frequencies to their database and previous contacts. It didn’t take long.
“Command Post, Hydroacoustic. Contact four-nine is classified Ohio class submarine, a regain of contact four-eight.”
Buffanov called out, “Attention in the Command Post.” The watchstanders turned in his direction and he continued, “We will engage Hydroacoustic four-nine once we determine an adequate solution. We will also fire simultaneously at Dolgoruky, in case the American submarine survives and makes our return to the area difficult. Any questions?”
After no one responded, Buffanov issued the orders. “Prepare to fire salvo from tubes One and Two. Assign tube One to Hydroacoustic four-nine and tube Two to Yury Dolgoruky. Tube One will be fired first.”
First Officer Novikoff stopped by the navigation table. After examining the location of Yury Dolgoruky on the chart, he sent the coordinates to Weapons Control, then focused on determining a solution for the American submarine. The bearing was known, as was the speed, assuming the guided missile submarine was hovering. Both fire controlmen matched the bearing to the contact and entered zero knots. However, they needed to verify the range.
Novikoff announced, “Captain, request maneuver to a beam aspect.”
Buffanov accommodated the request. “Steersman, right standard rudder, steady course zero-eight-zero.”
Severodvinsk turned to its new course, and both fire controlmen matched the new bearing rate to the American submarine, developing identical solutions. The contact was 3,200 meters away. Novikoff tapped one of the men on the shoulder and ordered, “Send solution to Weapon Control.”
Novikoff announced, “Captain, I have a firing solution on Hydroacoustic four-nine, and the coordinates for Yury Dolgoruky have been entered into Weapon Control.”
It was just past noon aboard Wilson’s submarine, and the two off-going watch officers — the Officer of the Deck and Engineering Officer of the Watch — had just delivered their after-watch report to Wilson and were sitting down for lunch. Wilson was at the other end of the wardroom table, finishing a cup of coffee before heading to Control to relieve his Executive Officer, who was stationed as Command Duty Officer.
It was obvious that the Akula had attacked Michigan to prevent the SEAL detachment from interfering with the Spetsnaz’s attempt to scavenge North Dakota, and now that the Russian plot had been thwarted, there seemed no reason for Russia to attack again. As a precaution, however, either Wilson or his Executive Officer would be in the Control Room 24/7 until he became convinced there was no further threat or Michigan departed the area.
Rescue operations on Dolgoruky had wrapped up, but North Dakota needed a tow from under the ice cap, and Michigan had been tagged. NAVSEA was working on the problem, manufacturing the tow cable and figuring out how to attach it to both submarines. In the meantime, Michigan would wait. Wilson took a last sip of coffee, then headed to the Control Room to relieve his XO.
Buffanov stopped beside his First Officer, evaluating the solution to Hydroacoustic four-nine. The American submarine was hovering three thousand meters away. He retreated to the rear of the Command Post, where he had a clear view of all stations and awaited the remaining reports.
His Weapons Officer announced, “Ready to Fire, tubes One and Two.”
Severodvinsk’s Watch Officer followed. “Countermeasures are armed.”
Buffanov ordered, “Steersman, prepare to shift to the main engines.” He examined the solution for the American submarine and the distance to Dolgoruky one final time.
Satisfied that all parameters were optimal, he announced, “Fire tubes One and Two.”
Wilson had just stepped from the Wardroom when he heard the 1-MC announcement.
“Torpedo in the water! Man Battle Stations Torpedo!”
The loud gong, gong, gong of the submarine’s General Emergency alarm reverberated throughout the submarine as Wilson ascended the ladder to Control two steps at a time, entering as the Chief of the Watch repeated the announcement on the 1-MC. The XO, Lieutenant Commander Sparks, was hunched behind one of the fire control technicians at a combat control console, and the Officer of the Deck, Lieutenant Lake, was on the Conn. Wilson stopped beside the OOD and scanned the displays in Control, assimilating the data.
He could feel the tremors in the submarine’s deck, indicating the main engines were coming to life, and a glance at the Engine Order Telegraph by the Helm confirmed Lieutenant Lake had ordered ahead flank. The navigation repeater confirmed what Wilson already knew; Michigan was on course three-four-zero, depth three hundred feet.
As Wilson turned toward the sonar display, another announcement blared from the Conn speakers.
“Second torpedo in the water, bearing one-seven-two!”
Wilson examined the two white traces on the display. Both torpedoes had been fired from the south. Michigan needed to turn east. He didn’t wait for a turnover from his XO or Officer of the Deck.
“Helm, hard right rudder, steady course zero-nine-zero.”
The Helm twisted his rudder hard right, and Michigan turned slowly to the evasion course. The eighteen-thousand-ton submarine had accelerated to only five knots thus far, and Michigan would evade the incoming torpedoes only if they had been fired from long range. As Wilson wondered how far away they were, the announcement over the Control Room speakers gave him an indication.