Hunter Killer

by Geoffrey Jenkins

  ` No,' I replied. ` Tyler's outside the barrier reef. He could try and follow us in, if he heard us enter ..

  MKG said tersely, He's outside ; maybe he guesses we're

  inside ..

  Peace altered course and headed down the inlet, parallel

  to the way we had come up the coastline, but inside the

  shelter of the reef now.

  He joined us. His face was set. ` There are half a dozen

  tiny coral atolls in the inlet,' he said. I'm making for them. They're about the size of Devastation.'

  .

  MKG said quietly, Tyler's sure got you, Commander'

  But Peace spoke to Adele. ` You spoke about an umbrellashaped piece of coral in the Grand Carreaux when we were headed round St Brandon—what was it like?'

  ' Like—why, an umbrella, or a mushroom. There was a stem of coral in the middle and—'

  ` Was there an overhang?' He cupped his hands. A sort of roof?'

  Not a roof,' she replied. The coral wasn't strong enough

  for that.'

  He leaned forward eagerly. Not strong enough?'

  Not at the rim of the overhang, anyway. It was a favourite

  with the fishermen, as the fish concentrate under the shelf

  'Shelf?' he queried.

  121

  Yes—it's so thin near the edge that if you're spear-fishing you have to be careful not to fall through.'

  MKG said. Commander, there's no way out of this—and

  Willowtrack's waiting outside.'

  Peace swung on his toes. There is a way out—through the coral.' We looked at him in astonishment.

  He gestured upwards. Up—through. I'll take Devastation up—like they do through the ice. American nuclear subs

  pioneered the technique of breaking through polar ice—they

  smashed up from below. It's standard practice now. All these subs are equipped with polynya delineators—a special

  type Of sonar which traces the outline of a hole in the ice. The polynya, or gap in the ice, is often covered with a thinner layer of ice a couple of feet thick— a skylight, they call 'em. If a sub can penetrate thin ice like that, it can smash through a coral skylight just as easily. That's why Adele's information is invaluable to me at the moment. I intend smashing through the coral umbrella of one of these little atolls and making Devastation seem to be part of the atoll itself—undetectable by Willowtrack's radar.'

  He turned and went back to the diving-stand. Adele's hand was clenched on my arm at what he was about to attempt. Devastation approached the first jagged coral atoll. Depth?' asked Peace.

  Fifty-five feet.'

  Devastation edged closer, barely under way.

  ' Flood her down, Bob!'

  Vents opened, water poured in.

  Three hundred feet !'

  Down she went.

  Secure flooding!'

  Devastation coasted to a standstill.

  Switch on the ice-detector I '

  Eyes turned in amazement to the black figure merged

  against the shadows of the periscope stand. A switch was

  thrown and a new instrument face came to life in the Control Centre—an upward beam fathometer to detect the

  thin patch of skylight '—if it existed. A metal stylus began to oscillate against a paper-covered cylinder. A pattern appeared. Smash-through technique worked in ice—would it do so in

  coral?

  Speed?'

  Zero.'

  'All stop!'

  122

  ' Clear water overhead!'

  We had found a polynya in the coral!

  The polynya delineator traced the outline of its edges. I stood by the instrument. My hands were wet with sweat.

  Ice—coral—solid—overhead!'

  Devastation had drifted clear of the skylight! I recalled the current sweeping into the inlet.

  Peace raised the periscope and beckoned to me. At first I

  saw nothing. I directed the prism upwards. I saw then a blurred green-blue: a school of dark turquoise surgeon-fish blended against the jagged splendour of coral on one side.

  A pale shell-pink fish drifted into view above and then coasted down curiously towards the 'scope. I could see his

  pink sides and silvery-blue back, he was so close. I swung the periscope round against the pressure of the sea—its tip was still nearly 140 feet below the surface—and winced.

  Within touching distance, it seemed, a coral mass towered

  from the deeps. It flowered, cantilever-like, surfacewards. This was what Peace intended to break through!

  Ease her up to one hundred feet,' he ordered.

  I stood with him, not trusting my knees to take me across to the ice-detector.

  Call out the depths as she comes up!'

  One-eighty.

  One-sixty.'

  One-twenty.'

  One hundred.'

  The growing light showed up Peace's face in the periscope

  eyepiece. Its top was now only 40 feet from the coral.

  "Thin ice—coral—overhead. Offset skylight,' intoned the man at the ice-detector. I saw the muscles tauten round Peace's parted lips. He held a hundred lives in his hand.

  Down periscope! Stand by to hit the coral! Bring her

  up!'

  Aye aye, sir!'

  The only sound was the thrum of the pumps.

  Devastation rose.

  There was a sickening shock. I grabbed the stand. The sub caromed off the coral, hurtled downwards. I saw Peace check his order to blow all the main ballast—if he had done that to hold her mad career, she would have raced headlong

  up into the coral above without nicety of control .. .

  Pumps.'

  The diving officer caught her. We hung at 120 feet.

  Again!' ordered Peace. 'Harder this time, Bob!'

  I felt the strong bite of the pumps and the upward rise of 123

  the ship. Then, from overhead, came a violent rending and crunching. Eyes went automatically upwards for the tell-tale inrush of water from Devastation's crushed sail. It did not come. Fore and aft were a series of heavy thumps. Sweat ran down Peace's throat. Then—quiet.

  We're through!' MKG exclaimed in disbelief.

  The long barrel of the periscope slid up with its customary hiss. Peace put his eyes to the instrument's rubber cushions —

  then drew back. They were wet—with his own sweat of fear. He ran his sleeve across the eyepiece. The tension was unbearable. He turned the 'scope a full circle, slowly. He drew back, his voice slack with reaction.

  Blow the main ballast!'

  I swallowed hard as the high-pressure air volted into the tanks, upsetting the pressure in the Control Centre. We had broken through—now Peace was securing his handhold on the coral. He was bringing the entire buoyancy of the 5,000ton craft to bear on the underside of the coral to clamp the sub there—part and parcel of the atoll itself. Devastation creaked and groaned. A film of apprehension spread momentarily over Peace's eyes as a high-pitched squeal of tortured metal, followed by a heavy crunch, came from somewhere up for'

  ard.

  Stand by to surface

  The crew were dazed automatons: intricate routine checks, reports, flowed in. Peace remained motionless at the periscope stand.

  ` Ready to surface!'

  With infinite caution, Peace blew the remaining tanks. The coral held. We were fast—part of the atoll, safe from underwater detection, safe from eyes afloat. Open the hatch!'

  The petty officer spun the locking dogs. Peace, foot on the ladder, did not notice the dollop of water as he threw it open. He went up alone into the darkening night, into the wild plumage of spray blowing in from where the cyclones are born.

  124

  1 0 H U N T E R - K I L L E R G R O U P

  ' Nine days to got'

  MKG spoke our thoughts as he and I sat in Peace's cabin, waiting for him to return from his lonely vigil on the bridge. He had been away for nearly
an hour. Adele had left us to

  go to the radio-room where, apparently, she was on the best of terms with Williams the operator. I felt weary, frustrated; every drop of emotion had drained out of me. The strain of

  the past hours was plain in MKG'S face. We were caught in a trap—and we knew it.

  The prospect of my being launched only nine days from

  now is dim,' MKG went on.

  Adele opened the door. She did not seem to share our depression. She was almost gay. Her first glance was for me ; she overheard MKG'S remark.

  Here itr the islands we say—' the Creole spun softly off

  her tongue= God will plant new coconuts after the cyclone.'

  mkg's warm smile for her chased away his abstraction. I'll

  have no second chance with Little Bear,' he said. Now that

  the secret is about to come out from Tyler, and Devastation is trapped, it looks as if Little Bear is finished, washed up. Imagine the hoop-dee-dah there'll be!'

  Adele said, Tyler hasn't started transmitting yet.' You seem to have become Williams's No. 1,' I commented.

  She

  smiled.

  He's

  Welsh—emotional.

  Celtic

  temperament. No hard feelings about my hammering him on

  the head. I'll want that Navy code-book for Willowtrack's messages.'

  Better decode anything in here,' replied MKG. Williams can take 'em down and you can do the rest here.' He indicated the desk. All the crew knows we have the Vice-President on board,'

  she said.

  How do they feel about it?' MKG asked..

  Williams says they're all on their toes to get you safely

  away.'

  His eyes clouded. Then they also know about Little

  Bear?'

  No, certainly not,' she replied. They know you're trying

  to escape from Tyler—a lot of speculation in addition, but

  no facts. They're on your side—bit of a lark, says Williams, if Devastation can wipe Willowtrack's eye.'

  There's very little prospect of that now,' MKG

  rejoined. 125

  p

  Peace came in, light shining on the spray on his shoulders

  and hair.

  ' Has Tyler sent anything yet?' he asked Adele.

  No,' she replied. I've been with Williams. When he's

  not admiring my radio skill, he's muttering affectionate nothings in Welsh.'

  I thought from the look on Peace's face that he was about

  to say something about discipline aboard his ship, but instead he shrugged and laughed shortly. We owe our getaway to you in the first place—help yourself to the radioroom.'

  She nodded at the Navy code-book on the desk. ).MKG

  thinks I'd better decode in here—okay?'

  Yes, fine.'

  She glanced at her watch. ' The DNI'S reply should be here within an hour.'

  Peace looked uneasy, but MKG said, Until I hear from the President that things are fine at home, I can't move.'

  And if you get the say-so from him, then you're still prepared to go ahead?' Peace insisted. Sure,' replied MKG. 'But I think the question is only

  academic at this moment. Commander, you're cornholed here

  and you know it. You can't get out and you can't get in _

  farther.'

  Peace shook the spray off like a dog. But I can get

  acrossl'

  What!'

  Peace went on quickly, speaking first to Adele. My plans

  need your help with the islanders. You'll be the kingpin, too, on the radio to keep track of what Tyler is up to. We'll take a portable—there's a powerful all-wave they use in the mess—'

  Take?' echoed MKG. ' Take where?'

  `This Seahorse Sound of ours is only about seven miles

  across the reef from Raphael, which has the only permanent population among all the St Brandon islands—'

  You can't take a submarine through the worst coral reef in the world,' I objected.

  Who said I intended to?' he replied. We'll use one of the

  sub's rubber dinghies. We four will make our way to Raphael in one. John and I have negotiated this reef before in a pirogue when we scouted the place on our way from

  Mauritius to the Seychelles. It can be done. It's mighty tricky, though.'

  ' You deserve to luck out, Commander,' said MKG slowly.

  126

  ' At Raphael we can pick up a boat, a cutter, a pirogue—

  anything that will sail,' Peace went on rapidly. Trevor-Davis and Mac in Bellatrix won't be more than a hundred miles tc the north. We know their exact course. Interception is a cinch.'

  Bellatrix!' murmured MKG. I'd forgotten about Bellat rix!'

  I can't understand Tyler's silence,' I said.

  I can,' replied Peace. First, he didn't have time during

  our breakaway and second he's too wise—' he glanced sideways at MKG to send a signal during a hunt. Now I'll bet he's blowing a gasket, thinking, what the hell! You're assuming that he knows Devastation is inside the reef. How does he? The chart simply shows a barrier—no Seahorse Sound. He's

  thinking and re-thinking, that's what he's doing. And above all, there's the brutal fact he's lost the Vice-President who I was entrusted to his care. He didn't hear any breaking-up noises over his instruments, as he would have done had we

  struck the reef. He can't locate us by radar or sonar since Devastation became almost joined to a chunk of coral about the size of the White House itself. I've cancelled all our own radio, radar and sonar transmissions. Tyler's not going to make a first-class ass of himself by signalling before he is sure of something. Into the bargain, the weather's building up. Maybe tomorrow—or the next day—he'll take the risk of trying to probe into Seahorse Sound in Willowtrack. By that time the birds—' he gestured to the four of us—' will have flown.'

  ' What is Tyler's reaction going to be when he finds

  Devastation and discovers that she is indeed a British sub and not one belonging to some hostile power?'

  Tyler's got the bit right between his teeth,' replied MKG. He's a tough hombre, that guy, and a nit-picking point like whether or not the sub is British won't stop him until he's got me safely in his hands again. But you've forgotten a big factor, Commander.

  What is that?'

  Your Exec, Bob Peters. Your crew. Adele tells me that

  already every mother's son of them is gossiping about having the Vice-President on board.'

  I'll order Peters to stay put here in Seahorse Sound,' said Peace. Let Willowtrack waste time trying to find her while we make a high-tailing start.'

  It's not good enough,' MKG objected. You're throwing

  the entire responsibility on to Peters.'

  127

  Tell him the whole truth,' I suggested. ' He's one hundred per cent sound, is Bob Peters. Then he'll know how to handle the situation when Tyler locates Devastation.'

  The truth—yes,' Peace replied slowly. But truth without times, schedules, the position of the launching-site, or anything about Semittanté's course.'

  Peace picked up an intercom and asked Peters to join us.

  He glanced curiously round the group on arrival. Without preliminary, Peace said, Bob, you must be wondering what in hell is going on?'

  Peters grinned, looking at MKG. They've started a book on you at the acey-deucey table, sir. I've taken a bet myself. All I know—officially, that is—is that there is to be a secret test-fire of a new weapon'

  How many believe that?' asked MKG.

  They wouldn't be betting unless there were doubt—a lot of doubt—about it,' replied Peters evenly.

  Bob,' said Peace incisively, the Vice-President here is not—never was—supervising such a test fire. He was to test it out himself—by taking a space-ride to the Santa Fe station.'

  Not even the boys with the bets thought of that one,'

  Peters said.

  You know Dev
astation is in a trap here,' went on Peace. T o m o r r o w I ' m t a k i n g o n e o f t h e s u b ' s d i n g h i e s a n d t h e four of us are cutting through the reef to Raphael.'

  Why?' asked Peters, still staggered by what he had just heard.

  MKG explained the situation and the reasons for Tyler's

  pursuit. When he had finished, Peters said, Tyler's got my sympathy. Think of his agony of mind—whether to signal that his own Vice-President intends to fly into space and h o l d h i m s e l f u p t o r i d i c u l e i n f r o n t o f t h e N a v y a n d t o p b r a s s , o r w h e t h e r t o k e e p h i s m o u t h s h u t i n t h e h o p e o f locating the kidnappers before more harm is done. I wouldn't have signalled either. It's a decision I wouldn't like to have thrust upon me.'

  Peace went on, Bob, you are to stay here with Devastation. Just keep quiet, no transmissions of any kind. String Tyler along for a couple of days in order to give us a start.'

  S t a y , s i r ? ' P e t e r s l o o k e d d i s a p p o i n t e d . H e t u r n e d t o MKG. We'd all like to help you, sir . .

  Into orbit?' supplied MKG. "Fraid not, Bob.'

  ' After Tyler has located me, I could double back and pick

  you up at sea,' suggested Peters eagerly. We could arrange a rendezvous west of St Brandon. I could get you to the launch point in Devastation . .

  128

  No, Bob,' said Peace. I don't want to bring the whole United States Seventh Fleet on to your neck. No, we've got

  a plan.'

  Peters looked appealingly again at MKG, but Peace remained adamant. I'll want one of the rubber dinghies ready by morning, complete with food, water, charts, compass,

  navigational instruments.'

  Peters turned to go, then he stopped and said to MKG, ' Good luck, sir.' For a moment his habitual command reserve faltered. I and a lot of other people—your own people

  —will want you to make it, sir.'

  He saluted formally and went.

  MKG stared after him. I wonder .

  Peace shook his head. ' No. A nuclear sub is a big craft.

  It'll be difficult to hunt the small ship we'll have and it won't be in a pocket-handkerchief inlet but in an ocean one thousand miles one way and six hundred the other. See if I can't hide a ship in that.'

  Bellatrix is small and fast,' admitted MKG. I• wasn't talking of Bellatrix,' replied Peace. ' I mean Semittanté! I'll intercept Bellatrix and then I shall go after Semittanté in her. I intend to cut her out. I want Little Bear. Even if I have to shoot the whole crew—' he inclined