by Stephen Makk
Engineering systems all checked out and the crew were happy to be in his thoughts. He walked back to the control room.
Benson looked up. “Sir, request all stop.”
“Planesman all stop.” The sonar wizard had heard something or thought he had Nathan knew, let him listen.
BENSON’S BIG EARS HAD help. The Hughes/Oki bow and flank sonars in passive mode searched the strait’s waters. Although the boat slowly came to a stop, the lure, the towed array sonar was still active. The lure is towed kilometres behind the boat. The high priests of underwater deception, L-3 Chesapeake Sciences Corp produced a secret device so clandestine that not even the Captain or Chief Engineer are allowed to know how it works. Just provide it with power, connect it to the CRAY sensor computer, then take what it gives you.
It will listen, jam, lure enemy torpedoes. The sonar community said if you ask Lucy lure nicely she will make you breakfast, whisper she loves you and tell you next week’s lottery numbers.
Benson listened carefully, then changed the settings on his console. He set them to a place, range where he shouldn’t hear anything and zoomed in on the noise. He analysed the water temperature and density, the temperatures and set the ranging to bounce returns from an inversion layer. Benson was an artist at work, he could feel the depths, sense her temperatures, the effect they had.
“Sir, I have a suspected type 93, a Shang class SSN. It’s a possible 93G, that’s longer with a new hull form and is quieter.”
Nathan nodded, they were detecting a definite PLAN boat, the Republic of China navy didn’t operate SSN’s.
“Where is he?”
“Behind, by around ten miles and five to ten miles inshore of us. Speed, I’d say around twelve knots.”
“Very good Benson. XO, I say we stay silent and hold our position until he’s gone by and then follow him. Ok?”
“Yes, that’s a good move sir. One suggestion, later when we’ve followed him and seen what he’s up to, we could try out a Pointer. Let’s see what he does when he thinks we’re a Hai Lung class.”
Nathan wondered, he could see the appeal. But he wasn’t sure about that, it could open a can of worms if the PLAN boat knew there was a potentially hostile boat out here. He could hardly be surprised in Taiwanese waters, but still?
“Hmm, maybe.”
Several minutes later Benson looked up, “I have him two miles to our south and heading along the coast, he’s around six miles offshore, speed ten knots.”
“Set speed seven knots, keep station with him. Let’s have him a few more miles ahead, keep tracking him sonar.”
“Sir, I’ll stream Lucy out again.”
Nathan followed the Chinese SSN, letting the speed difference lead to an increasing separation. When it became 12 miles he increased the speed to match her.
“Any signs of action from him other than cruising out here sonar?” Benson shrugged.
“No sir, she seems to be unaware of our presence.”
“Might be as well checking out armament sir.” Sayers continued working on his screen.
“Yeah XO, I can’t see it turning hostile but better to be prepared. Weaps, warshot status?”
“Sir, tubes one and two Mk 48, tube five Harpoon, tube six Deputy Dawg. Tubes three and four serviceable but empty.”
“Ok Weaps,” Nathan rubbed his temples, “what’s the difference between a type 93 and a 93G?”
Weaps pulled up the idiots guide to RimPac forces. “The 93G is thought to carry cruise missiles sir, and may have a dry dock shelter for special forces deployment.”
“Sir,” remarked Benson with surprise in his voice, “contact is slowing, he’s coming to port. He’s heading for the Island.”
“One third left rudder. Match his course.” Several minutes went by.
“He’s slowing sir, coming to four knots.” Nathan wondered what the boat was up to.
“Match his speed.”
“Sir, he’s one mile offshore, now at periscope depth. We’re approx. two miles from him.”
“Planesman, trim fore and aft for ascent, up 10, come to periscope depth.” What the hell was he up to thought Nathan. “Periscope depth sir.”
“Kaminski, take a peek with the mast, sweep him and get a position fix.” The photonic mast raised above the surface, swept through sixty degrees, acquired a satellite and entered a handshake routine. Then it retracted automatically. Nathan walked over to Nikki’s chart, put his hand on her chair back and leaned over her shoulder. He quietly rubbed her back with his thumb. “Where is he?”
She brought up a map on her screen.
“Here sir. Taichung City, there’s a major port there he maybe looking at shipping movements.”
“Yeah could be, it looks to be a good size port.”
“He’s off the Da’an River.”
“Contact coming to starboard, heading parallel to the coast,” said Benson. The PLAN boat sailed south southwest off the coast.” Sonar tracked the SSN for around fifteen minutes.
“He’s coming to starboard again sir, heading offshore,” reported Benson.
“That’s Fangyuan Lighthouse,” Nikki looked up at him with her smouldering blue eyes, “he’s surveyed the coast from Da’an river to the lighthouse sir. That’s the entire Taichung City seaboard.” Nathan shrugged, this could be just a standard patrol, the PLAN must keep a close eye on Taiwan.
Nikki puffed out her cheeks and looked to the ceiling. It didn’t seem right to her, the Shang class was out there doing a close recon like that. It may be how the PLAN did things? But for Nikki, it didn’t smell right. That little voice started talking to her, that little Goblin of suspicion that lived at the back of her mind and once he got started, there was no shutting the bastard up.
Nathan gripped the Conn’s rails and looked at his monitor.
“Ok, we’ll follow him back towards wherever he came from. I’m not comfortable at using a Pointer with him. He may be fooled, or he may realise what’s going on. This is not the time.”
It came to the end of Nikki’s watch, she’d done her part, her replacement Lt Samstiu turned up. “Ok, she’s all yours.”
“Thanks sir.”
Nikki walked up to Lieutenant Commander Lemineux. “Sir, I’ve got a request for DOD Far East intel section.”
“Just type up your request and I’ll get it away.”
She looked to the XO. “I’m off to the Galley and then my bunk sir.”
Sayers nodded. Nikki took her tablet with her to the Galley and started looking up details, maps, deployments. She got the transmission off to DOD Far East. A young dark-haired woman sat down opposite her.
“Hi Nikki, my favourite tonight. They don’t do a bad Mexican here.”
“Yeah, I’ve had mine.” Kate LeDonns was a Lieutenant in Engineering.
“Writing to the boyfriend Nikki?” She looked up as though she was going to say something to Kate, but then seemed to think better of it.
“I’m not active in that area.”
“Yeah, what is it Georgia men? Too hot and sweaty for them? You should come up to Maine for leave, we’ve got some hunky guys up there, you can stay at mine.”
“Yeah could be. I might do that.” They chatted for a time, covering the Boat, men, their jobs aboard.
“Say, Nikki.” Kate looked at her with a searching gaze.
“What’s it like, working with him?”
“Who?”
“What do you mean who? The incredible hunk. That’s what I’ve heard several female crew members call him.” Nikki suspected who she meant but played dumb, she frowned.
“Come on Kaminski. When Commander Blake leans over your station, does your panty elastic snap?” Kate sniggered and whispered. “Are you practiced now repairing them. Or do you just not wear them in there?” Nikki tried not to laugh.
“Kate no, I do wear them. He’s Ok to work with, we get on fine. That’s all.”
Kate looked at her askance. “Yeah, right.” Nikki looked at the clock.
&
nbsp; “I gotta disappear, see ya.”
“Yeah, see ya. Oh Nikki.”
She turned and looked. “Yeah?”
“Lighten up girl, you’re wound up like a preacher’s jock strap.” She grinned and walked back to her bunk and laid down with her head against the headwall. Thinking and looking into the tablet she opened a file, she thought about it and then called it Ghost Crab.
Nikki set to work.
Eventually she fell asleep. She awoke for her watch. Walked into the control room and sat at her station. Lt Samstiu stood by.
“Morning sir. Lieutenant Commander Lemineux left this for you.” She handed over a slip. Nikki looked, he’d left a file in her comms box. The DOD file had arrived.
“Quick work there boys, sleepless in DC? Nine out of ten on that.”
“Sir, the Shang is cruising back down south now, it turned away from the coast and looked to be heading for Hainan. But a couple of hours ago it turned about and is heading south again. It’s heading for Taichung City. Its datum point is the start of its shore surveillance.”
“Thanks, I’ll keep a look.” The day was fairly uneventful, the Shang repeated its run down the city seaboard and turned away. It came to the end of her watch. She ate in the Galley and back in her cabin she laid down on her bunk with the Tablet, opened the Ghost Crab file along with the file from the DOD Far East intel. Nikki worked on well past the time she should have been asleep. Her suspicion was holding up, bearing fruit. She knew she could be wrong, she could be, but?
“It fits the bill,” she whispered, “I can feel it. I have to do it.” She fell asleep.
Chapter 4
Nikki got up, took breakfast in the Galley and made her way forward, she’d call in the head for a shower and then to the control room for duty. Nathan was walking aft.
“Morning sir. Can I have a word?”
“Yes,” he smiled.
She stopped by the head, looked for and aft, it was clear. She opened the door and put one leg inside. She started to unbutton her coverall.
“I’m just about to take a shower. Would you like to watch?” her eyes smiled.
“Yes and no Lieutenant Kaminski.” She gave him a mock sulky look.
“Pity. But sir, I was thinking about the visit ashore for help on communications with May. I’ve another idea that the NSB could help with. We must be off Taipei by now, I’d like to try sir.”
“Ok, I’ll see what I can do.”
Later Lemineux handed Nathan a communications slip. He read it.
“Lieutenant Kaminski, get yourself ready. A ROC Army Blackhawk is flying out to meet us, we’ll surface in ten minutes.”
“Oh right sir, I’ll get ready.”
She returned to her cabin, she didn’t need much, just her pad and tablet, she changed into a few civilian clothes and hitched up the skirt, so it was much shorter. She walked out of the cabin and then remembered. Nikki turned and took out her makeup and applied it. She walked back out into the control room. The COB smiled at her. “Are we going to a dance sir?”
She smirked back. “I am Chief, but you’re staying aboard.” The boat surfaced, she stood on the sail with the COB, he sneaked in a cigarette. “Here he is sir.” A Black Hawk flew in and lowered a line with a harness for under her arms. She let the line touch the boat to discharge static, pulled it on and was winched up to the helicopter. The crew pointed to a seat, strapped her in and handed her a headset.
“Morning, madam Kaminski. We go to Taipei. 30 minutes.”
“Thank you.” They approached from the west, she looked over the city skyline dominated by the huge Taipei 101 tower. The helicopter lost height and headed towards a low building in its own grounds. She heard the crew talking in Chinese to someone on the ground. The Black Hawk approached a helipad and landed. A crewman slid the door open and the blades started to slow. “Here madam Kaminski, you contact.” She got out and lowered her head, a man waited for her.
“This way please.” He led her off into the building. The receptionist issued a pass after waiting to see her USN card Photo pass.
She was led along wide corridors with marble floors. Several potted plants adorned the sidewalls. Chinese men and women dressed mostly in white shirts walked by chattering. They entered an office. The woman at the desk checked her pass, phoned someone and took her to a large dark wooden door. She opened it, Nikki walked in and a Chinese man middle aged with glasses sat behind a desk. He stood and shook her hand. She noticed he ran his eyes up and down her legs. “Hello madam Kaminski, I’m Chen Huo Director of 2nd Division NSB. How can we help the US Navy?”
“Mister Chen you must be aware that we inserted your Officer May Hsin ashore.” She flicked her hair aside and smiled.
“Yes, I am thank you.”
“Our problem is we cannot communicate with her and our mission is entwined with hers. This makes it more difficult for us. We’d like to be able to communicate if necessary.”
He played with a ceramic figure on his desk and thought.
“She is on a sensitive mission as you will be aware, there are times when we cannot communicate with her.”
Nikki smiled at him, with her best alluring smile. “Yes, we know that, but you will have some access. We have none. We’ll only use it if necessary and we can clear it with you first. If you need it to happen, I can contact our State Department, then our Government will speak with yours.” It was a thinly disguised threat, she gambled that he wouldn’t want any government interference. She lowered her voice, reached out, raised her chin and placed her palms on his desk, looking at him with a puppy dog smile. “Please Mr Chen, I’d be most thankful. Only with your permission.” He played with the ceramic figure, carefully weighing up his options. Nikki stood and walked over to the windows with her back to him.
“You have a beautiful city.” She leaned forward looking out at the cityscape. Nikki showed him as much bare leg as she could, she knew the skirt didn’t come much below her ass.
“We will give you as much access as we can Madam Kaminski.” She turned and gave him a beaming smile. “That would be so good Chen, thanks.” He picked up the phone and spoke into it.
“I’ll get you a tea, someone will be here soon. Where are you from in America?”
“Georgia.” He frowned.
“South East, the deep south.”
“I’ve been to Washington, to Langley and California.”
“Better food where I’m from. You’ll have to check it out sometime.”
The door opened and the woman from outside laid down two teas and a younger man entered.
“This is Mister Ming Lo, when you call him ask for 2nd Directorate. He’s May’s case Officer.” They spoke in Chinese and Ming Lo handed over a sheet with names and numbers.
“Madam Kaminski. These are numbers she can be contacted on. I’ve highlighted the cell phones, some of these will only be used once. There are two email accounts, Twitter and What’s App. My email and my number is at the bottom.
You will call me first before you call her?”
“Yes Ming, always. Can you let her know that we may call her, in case she thinks it’s a trick?”
“Yes, I do that. Can you make a phone call from the submarine?”
“Yes.” Nikki had no idea, but she knew Lemineux would come up with something. He may have to route it via satellite from the states.
“Gooday madam.” Ming Lo left the office.
“Thank you for your help here Mr Chen. I won’t keep you any longer but there is something else you could help me with.”
“Yes?”
“I’d like to meet with Officers at the National Ministry of Defence building, I believe it’s here in Taipei?”
He looked at her in surprise, he wondered for a few moments and then thought it better to get her passed on. “Yes, I’ll make a call, it’s not far away.”
SOON NIKKI WAS IN A limousine heading for the Dazhi area of the Zhongshan district. She thought it better to change in the back seat. She to
ok off her civilians and put on her Naval uniform, the car soon pulled into what amounted to a modern campus style complex. The driver stopped at a gatehouse, the guard took her USN pass and checked it, phoning in the details. The guard passed it back, her pass was approved. The limousine drove through the grass covered grounds and passed by various buildings to an eight-story building. She left and walked up the steps, military officers of all services and ranks had walked around the grounds, it was the same in here. She entered and showed her pass.
“Just wait here Lieutenant.” A few minutes later a Major in an Army uniform approached her.
“Lieutenant Kaminski? Major Hu. Republic of China Army follow me.” She was led to a meeting room on the next floor, Officers from all services Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines sat at the table. She sat at her place.
A Navy Captain fixed her with a hard stare. “You come with the best wishes of a director of the NSB. We are aware that you are with the USS Stonewall Jackson. You are most welcome here, but Lieutenant Kaminski, what is it that you want?”
Nikki decided she’d come this far now it wasn’t the time to get all cautious.
“It’s not what I want that matters Captain. What’s been keeping me up at nights is what a Shang class boat is up to off your coast.”
“We get several of them testing us from time to time. They’re around and then go away when we get near them.” Nikki narrowed her eyes and stared at him.
“Lieutenant Kaminski, PLAN surveillance is common off our coast, we keep an eye on each other,” he waved his hand away dismissively.
Nikki formed a sarcastic smile and leaned forward, she slapped the table.
“Captain, do highway 8, highway 7 the Dongshi bridge mean anything to you? Because they do to this Shang’s Captain. He’s got a hard on for Taichung City. Carrying out a close shore recon twice on subsequent nights.” She stood and started to pace the room. Stopping with hands on hips, looking at the ceiling with a puzzled frown.