Part 6: Session Six: Why do I even bother?
Session Six: Why do I even bother?The phone is ringing. I'm in bed. This time, I don't answer. I don't open the door. I get maybe 15 minutes extra shut-eye until the XO comes in anyway. He can tell something's wrong... I think he knows I can't tell him, but he asks anyway.
CO: A Kilo class submarine is believed to have exited the Med. It may or may not be headed for our patrol area.
XO: Believed to have exited the Med? How does a Libyan sub just breeze by the SOSUS listening posts?
Of course he doesn't believe me. Who could, after all I've seen?
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(To get here, I used "You handle it XO. I'm beat.", "Have someone bring it to me." and "Dismissed, Wheeler, and have the XO come to my cabin.")
(Also, from this point forward, I am going to try and cut some of the chaff. Each session will be forwarded to the first available conversation choice that we haven't seen and is actually potentially relevant to the solution and has not yet been selected by you guys.)
(I've got to be very careful about these edits, because even seemingly irrelevant differences in answers can change the path we take, so I may be erring on the side of caution and just letting you guys choose anyway. I will also try and trim out the chaff explanations for anything we've seen more than once.)
VOTING RESULT: 1
CO: Surflant is taked with finding this Kilo, and we're going to make sure that they do. I want all officers not on watch to be in the wardroom in five minutes. Get the Master Chief, too.
Maybe if get together some of the better minds on this ship, we can figure something out.
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XO: Here ya go, Skipper.
Foster: Captain, XO.
Master Chief: Got the nav materials you asked for skip.
Wait, that's it? You two were the only two people who were free? And I still didn't ask for any nav materials. I asked for more people.
Foster: This is the passage charts, sir. This is patrol area Yankee Victor. Our current position via VLF nav fix is here, waypoint lisa. Our current heading is 045. Our speed is 5 knots.
Oh, for the love of Pete. It's clear that this event is important somehow... it seems to happen at some point, no matter what. But I still have no clue what to do, even if I know everything that I shouldn't.
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VOTING RESULT: 3
CO: At best speed, what are the probable positions of a submarine that exited the Mediterranean 72 hours ago?
Master Chief: What class of submarine, Captain?
Oh, right. You don't know yet, in this timeline. Sigh.
Hey, maybe I could use this as a means to make some extra money by offering to guess people's weights and birthdays and stuff.
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VOTING RESULT: 1
CO: Kilo class submarine. Export type... possibly with a performance upgrade.
Foster: Export, Kilo.
Master Chief: 11 knots surfaced, 17 dived. Performance upgrade, 19 or so. So, I'm a kilo boat, and I manage to sneak out of the Med. Naturally, I assume that every swinging dick in the US Navy is trying to find me. So I play hide and seek. My best speed isn't 19 knots, it's 10. And I sprint from layer to layer. And I'm getting real paranoid playing hide and seek. I'd say he makes 525 nautical miles.
Something tells me more information is good... either that, or I'm way to incompetent to know one way or the other.
XO: Very good, chief. Well, gentlemen, that establishes an uncertainty zone of 300 nautical miles, 200 of which cuts into the southern end of our patrol. I'm not comfortable with that.
'Uncertainty Zone" my fat fanny. There's nothing uncertain about it.
Master Chief: Bottom line, he could be here already.
Foster: So, what do you want to do captain?
Oh, sheesh. I bet this is important, but I don't know what to do.
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VOTING RESULT: 3
CO: Standard speed will be sufficient, but let's go deep. See that sonar watches are doubled, as well.
XO: Aye sir. Have those courses in Main Control five minutes ago, gentlemen.
Master Chief and Foster: Aye sir.
You know, I used to think you were just giving the men a hard time when you said that... but given my current condition, it might just be possible to actually get the courses there five minutes ago. If only I had that much control over this curse...
Foster: Who pulled his chain? I can't get it done that fast.
Master Chief: Law school's starting to look pretty good, isn't it, Mister Foster?
MEANWHILE
Plaskett: Somebody better tell me they've established communication with the Idaho.
Sailor 1: I'm sorry, Admiral. She doesn't answer.
Sailor 2: She may have gone too deep, Sir.
Plaskett: She might be sunk, son. Get me Langley. Put it on the Satphone. NOW!
Sailor 2: Yessir. Yes, sir.
---
vroom vroom beep beep screech ka-pwish!
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Foster: Captain, your presence is requested in Sonar.
Of course it is.
Foster: What the hell...
XO: Captains in Sonar. What've you got, Ensign?
Foster: What do you make of that, sir?
Let me guess, a third submarine, also out to kill us, but this one's from North Who-Gives-A-Stan?
XO: Whatever the hell it is, it's far away. One convergence zone, two...
Don't keep me in suspense, guys.
---
This choice is listed only for the sake of completeness. To expedite things and to start the slow update period (the week, rather than the weekend) with fresh stuff, I am going to run through two choices that I am almost certain are information only, since it's mostly just elaboration on stuff we already know.)
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CO: Somebody want to start speaking English?
Foster: Convergence zones, Sir. They're-They're nodes in the sound waves about sixty miles apart. When things make noise, the sound waves bounce back and forth between the surface layer and the deep layer. In certain places, our sensors can really reach out. Now, I heard a really faint signal. I thought at first it was ambient sea noise. The acoustic library says different. Take a look at this monitor.
XO: A Russian Akula class submarine. We got another player out here?
Foster: I think so, Sir. She's about 120 miles to the north, making 34 knots. That's why we can hear her. At that speed, she sounds like a freight train.
XO: 34 knots. She's got to know exactly what kind of noise she's making.
It's hard to pretend to look concerned and to pretend to know what they're talking about at the same time.
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Skipping this one too.
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CO: Why doesn't this guy care about his noise signature?
XO: That's a good question, Skipper. Maybe he doesn't know what's going on down here. Or maybe he does, and he wants to get here in a hurry.
Foster: At 34 knots, our Russian friend is well aware he's not sneaking up on anybody.
It doesn't matter, sneaking or not. I screw it up every time anyway.
XO: Skipper, I can have a brain dump for you on both of those submarines shortly. I'll go get Master Chief. We've got a lot of work to do.
CO: Thank you Ensign.
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MEANWHILE
Danny: (to himself) I don't believe it, I've got a contact. (louder) Sir, contact. Designate 01. Depth 400. Bearing 245.
Commander: You sure?
Danny: Absolutely. He's above the deep sonar layer, making 30 knots on one seven-bladed propeller.
Neff: 30 knots? That ain't no Kilo.
Commander: Is it the Idaho?
Danny: No way, Sir; it's too noisy. Acoustic signature makes it Russian... Akula class attack boat, Sir.
Commander: Get on the radio, Danny. Send it to the battlegroup. Let them know there might be another player out here.
Last Will and Testament: I hereby leave my Battlestar Galactica Figures to...
Oops, this will have to wait.
Look at him. He drops the book in front of me like he's trying to prove I can't read.
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VOTING RESULT: 3
CO: I think I have a grasp on the tactical situation. I'd like to hear some suggestions.
XO: Well, the Akula submarine, Captain... I don't know. She's not making any secret of her location. Now, why is that? Huh?
Sorry, I was distracted by the coffee. Man, I need some java.
XO: I mean, why would you travel at all ahead flank unless... you want the whole world to know where you are?
Master Chief: Maybe that's what he's trying to do.
Ugh, maybe he and I could change places. I'm constantly going all ahead flank (whatever that means) to try and NOT get found. Hasn't worked yet.
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VOTING RESULT: 1
CO: You mean the Kilo is deliberately giving away her location?
XO: Maybe the Akula is trying to drive us south.
Master Chief: Into 'Killer Kilo.'
Killer Kilo was always my least favorite Batman villain.
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Master Chief: Skipper, I just got an idea about flushing out that Kilo. It's weird, but it might work.
Uh...
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VOTING RESULT: 3
CO: You got about 20 seconds to get me interested, Master Chief. Start talking.
Master Chief: Well, it's kinda illegal, Sir. Maybe you ought to meet me in the Conn.
Wait, illegal? I thought my word was law on this ship? How can I do anything illegal?
Oh, if it were only true for divorce law.
XO: Might as well see what he's up to.
Wow, he looks concerned... and not because of something I'm going to do. It's a strange feeling... for once, I'm not directly at fault. I like this feeling.
MEANWHILE
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ELSEWHERE
Commander: How's our hyperactive friend doing?
Danny: Akula's making 30 knots. He's moved into the surface layer, but he's still hauling ass.
Commander: Why doesn't he care who hears him?
Danny: He must have heard you talking, Skipper. The Akula's slowing down. Changing course. Coming out steady on 190. Target's gone to all stop.
Commander: Sens his position to the Battle Group.
Danny: Already bursted it to them, Sir.
Commander: What's this guy up to?
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Master Chief: You know, back in the Evil Empire days, we used to torture Ivan in the Med. We'd broadcast car crashes, cows mooing over the hydrophones. You know, we'd give him some culture.
Sounds like fun times. The Navy was cooler back then... when I wasn't around to foul it all up.
XO: This store have a point, Chief?
Master Chief: Yes, it does. Because I think that kilo is still out there. He's just so quiet we can't pick him up. But I think I can get a rise out of him. Can I have that underwater phone, please?
Wait, we're spending all this time trying to be quiet, worrying about the noise we make, and we've actually got a device here on the boat that intentionally makes noise? Even I'm not so stupid to know that's a terrible idea.
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zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Master Chief: Sounds exactly like a Mk-48 torpedo. If he's out there, we'll know about it.
Foster: Conn, sonar. Hydrophone effect. Contact Seirra-25, evaluated to be Kilo class submarine, making 17 knots on one 7-bladed propeller. Range 10000 yards, bearing 160, running like a rabbit.
XO: Orders?
Well, I'd like to-
---
Oh, a cinema first? Okay.
Ensign Neff: Were at bingo fuel. We gotta head back.
Commander: I concur. Take us back to the boat, young Ensign Neff.
Danny: His sonar's gone active. He's setting up a torpedo shot.
Neff: He's fixing to fire on the Idaho.
Commander: Give me the stick, Brucie.
Danny: Oh shit! He just fired.
Commander: You sure?
Danny: Affirmative. We've got positive torpedo launch.
Danny: Battlegroup: Vampire Vampire Vampire. Missile and torpedo warhead are airborne. Bearing 180.
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Foster: Conn, Sonar. Hydrophone effect. Surface impact. Bearing 004. Range 300 yards.
Aw, corn.
Master Chief: He's closing on us.
Hey, don't look at me like that. I'm not taking the blame this time.
Foster: Impact in 3, 2...
Foster: ...1...
XO: Who the hell dropped a torpedo on us?
I can't even bring myself to answer sarcastically in these final moments.
Foster: Conn, Sonar. New contact designated Sierra-27. Evaluated to be Russian Akula class submarine.
Master Chief: Whoever invented the rocket-delivered torpedo should have got a medal.
Foster: Range is 72 miles.
Yeah, well, what have you done to earn a medal today, anyway? Oh yeah, you and your crazy old-school tactics just got us killed.
XO: Guy wasn't even in our time zone and he boned us.
Don't blame me! It... it...
It's still my fault. I know it. It's my boat. My responsibility. As I prepare to drown again, it hits me. It is my responsibility. It's up to me. I'm the only one that remembers anything because I'm the only one who can change this... it's an exhilarating feeling...
...until I think of the possibility that I'm being punished. That this is a cruel game with no real solution.
Boy, I hope not.