Read Online D. M. Ulmer 01 - Silent Battleground by D. M. Ulmer - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: D. M. Ulmer
Tags: Fiction
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look, “Move every damn warship outta here and don’t make anybody suspicious? How we gonna do that?”
Danis replied, “SUBGROUP 9’s already buttoning up Tridents in refit to leave today.”
Dutch shook his head in disbelief. “Good for them, but they got less problems than us … security for example. The waterfront’s an exclusive Navy show. No civilians. Tridents can be out in a day with no one ashore any the wiser. We’re in downtown Bremerton and can’t loosen a mooring line without involving fifty civilians. People will want answers when we start moving that much hardware.”
“I thought about that, Dutch. Here’s what just might work.”
“With all due respect, Commodore, it better be good.”
“Good or bad, it’s gonna be our only chance. I’ll tell the shipyard commander we’re conducting a surprise drill, an emergency evacuation of all SUBPAC units in overhaul. COMSUBPAC ordered this and already passed the word to affected squad dogs. Expect some skippers to bitch over having their overhauls interrupted for a drill. The bright ones will see the light and cooperate fully. It’s lousy to keep so many good officers in the dark, but we got to keep the train on the tracks. So far, Admiral Parker at SUBGROUP 9, you and me are all who know the right story so keep it under your bonnet.”
Dutch whistled softly. “I will, sir. When do we start?”
“Immediately.”
“Okay. I’ll identify theboats that are seaworthy and—”
Danis wore a serious expression as he interrupted Dutch. “All of them just like Operation Agile Player,” referring to a Navy drill that got every submarine out in forty-eight hours and loaded out for a ninety-day deployment.
“At least we’re not plowing new ground.”
“We are, Dutch. We did only the operational boats in Player . We got to do the same with boats in overhaul. My gut says we’ll need ’em all, and soon.”
Dutch shook his head. “Some of ’em got access holes in the hull less than three feet above the waterline. They won’t survive a storm on the Sound, much less at sea.”
“I don’t give a damn. They might not survive the Sound, but they sure as hell won’t survive a Soviet air raid. Let’s not forget Pearl Harbor, Dutch. No Navy ought to get caught with its head up its ass twice in the same century.”
Dutch received his boss’s message and got behind it. “We got ships with down propulsion systems. I’ll order tugs for them.”
Danis gave an admiring glance to the wily old mustang , Navy slang for an officer who has come up through the ranks. He knew he could count on the full weight of Dutch’s beefy shoulders to be put to the wheel. Together they’d pull off the impossible.
Danis said, “I called the Bremerton SUBPAC representative and told him it’s a drill ordered by his boss. Told them SUBPAC will give him more if he needs to know.”
“He buy it?”
“Like a low mileage used car, but he complained about interrupting overhauls.”
“No surprise. Reps are engineers, not operational types.”
“Listen, Dutch. Round up a navigator, a communicator and an operations officer from three boats that can best spare them. They’ll report to me for temporary staff duty. Better get a couple of yeomen too. We need to crank out a practice emergency dispersal plan.”
“Aye, aye, sir. I’ll do that. How about the Commander, Naval Base, Seattle? Has he been cut in?”
“Hell of a way to run a Navy. I don’t know, Dutch, and I’m not saying anything without direction from SUBPAC.”
“Shall we advise him of the drill, sir? If the newspapers pick up on this, they’re sure to contact him. If he claims not to know, that alone might throw the fat in the fire.”
Danis considered the keen mind that functioned behind Dutch’s unobtrusive countenance. “Real good point. I’ll tell him the damn submariners are up to another Chinese
Danis replied, “SUBGROUP 9’s already buttoning up Tridents in refit to leave today.”
Dutch shook his head in disbelief. “Good for them, but they got less problems than us … security for example. The waterfront’s an exclusive Navy show. No civilians. Tridents can be out in a day with no one ashore any the wiser. We’re in downtown Bremerton and can’t loosen a mooring line without involving fifty civilians. People will want answers when we start moving that much hardware.”
“I thought about that, Dutch. Here’s what just might work.”
“With all due respect, Commodore, it better be good.”
“Good or bad, it’s gonna be our only chance. I’ll tell the shipyard commander we’re conducting a surprise drill, an emergency evacuation of all SUBPAC units in overhaul. COMSUBPAC ordered this and already passed the word to affected squad dogs. Expect some skippers to bitch over having their overhauls interrupted for a drill. The bright ones will see the light and cooperate fully. It’s lousy to keep so many good officers in the dark, but we got to keep the train on the tracks. So far, Admiral Parker at SUBGROUP 9, you and me are all who know the right story so keep it under your bonnet.”
Dutch whistled softly. “I will, sir. When do we start?”
“Immediately.”
“Okay. I’ll identify theboats that are seaworthy and—”
Danis wore a serious expression as he interrupted Dutch. “All of them just like Operation Agile Player,” referring to a Navy drill that got every submarine out in forty-eight hours and loaded out for a ninety-day deployment.
“At least we’re not plowing new ground.”
“We are, Dutch. We did only the operational boats in Player . We got to do the same with boats in overhaul. My gut says we’ll need ’em all, and soon.”
Dutch shook his head. “Some of ’em got access holes in the hull less than three feet above the waterline. They won’t survive a storm on the Sound, much less at sea.”
“I don’t give a damn. They might not survive the Sound, but they sure as hell won’t survive a Soviet air raid. Let’s not forget Pearl Harbor, Dutch. No Navy ought to get caught with its head up its ass twice in the same century.”
Dutch received his boss’s message and got behind it. “We got ships with down propulsion systems. I’ll order tugs for them.”
Danis gave an admiring glance to the wily old mustang , Navy slang for an officer who has come up through the ranks. He knew he could count on the full weight of Dutch’s beefy shoulders to be put to the wheel. Together they’d pull off the impossible.
Danis said, “I called the Bremerton SUBPAC representative and told him it’s a drill ordered by his boss. Told them SUBPAC will give him more if he needs to know.”
“He buy it?”
“Like a low mileage used car, but he complained about interrupting overhauls.”
“No surprise. Reps are engineers, not operational types.”
“Listen, Dutch. Round up a navigator, a communicator and an operations officer from three boats that can best spare them. They’ll report to me for temporary staff duty. Better get a couple of yeomen too. We need to crank out a practice emergency dispersal plan.”
“Aye, aye, sir. I’ll do that. How about the Commander, Naval Base, Seattle? Has he been cut in?”
“Hell of a way to run a Navy. I don’t know, Dutch, and I’m not saying anything without direction from SUBPAC.”
“Shall we advise him of the drill, sir? If the newspapers pick up on this, they’re sure to contact him. If he claims not to know, that alone might throw the fat in the fire.”
Danis considered the keen mind that functioned behind Dutch’s unobtrusive countenance. “Real good point. I’ll tell him the damn submariners are up to another Chinese
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