On the Destiny II-class vessels the inner hull extended fifteen meters forward of the fin, housing the command module, a three-deck-tall compartment that accommodated the crew. The upper deck was laid out to contain the control room, the radio room and the senior officer’s staterooms. The middle deck contained the mess room and galley and the remainder of the staterooms, while the lower deck contained electrical equipment and the computer modules of the Second Captain, with an emergency diesel generator on the aft part of the lower deck.
The Destiny III-class command module, by comparison was only five meters long, allowing for a doubling of the weapon loading, since the empty space opened up by abbreviating the command module allowed the insertion of the additional weapons. The command module of the Destiny III class remained three decks tall but all the space was devoted to a new computer system. The middle and lower decks housed the conventional part of the unit, including the power supplies and the lower tiers of the processing, the distributed control system serving as a kind of brain stem for the upper functions residing in the layered neural network and the DNA soup processors, which were contained in the upper deck in large shock-proof environmentally controlled cabinets. The DNA, cellular material removed from the brains of dogs, resided in special vats, the networking of the vats allowing the DNA processor to act in parallel at much greater speeds than the electronic tiers of the unit. The integration of the computer system resulted in what had come to be called a “mental processing suite,” the term computer no longer sophisticated or accurate enough to describe the functions of the system.
The mental processing suite of the Curtain of Flames had driven the ship from Yokosuka, from which it had been towed by the Destiny II-class ship Winged Serpent, to its dive point, where it submerged after a self-check of all ship systems, into the Pacific. Its mission had been coded into the processors and double-checked. The mental processing suite routinely recorded its memories of the mission into a history-module bubble memory. In the event of the loss of the ship during combat, it would physically jettison the memory from the ship for the use of the Maritime Self Defense Force’s later evaluation.
In order for the history-module bubble memory to receive the mental processing suite’s memories, the suite would dictate relevant observations into the history module. As important events occurred during a mission the suite would think into the history module, recording formal observations into what the system called a Deck Log.
Informal observations, such as the unit’s estimates of mission completion, estimates of unit survival, opinions of the mission, were considered just as relevant, and were also recorded into the Deck Log, differentiated somewhat from the official entries. The formal observations were recorded in machine language, other observations were written in more conventional if contracted Japanese. The dual memory traces comprised a complete record of the mission, and in the event of the loss of the ship could be useful in further development of the submarine-cybernetic system.
CHAPTER 21
The computer-driven, unmanned Destiny III-class Curtain of Flames rolled in the swells at mast-broach depth, watching the American task forces’ highest value target, the USS Ronald Reagan. The mission: sink the aircraft carrier.
The programming was simple — twelve Nagasaki torpedoes were to be targeted for the carrier. When they were launched, the Curtain of Flames was to ensure that the carrier sank; if it remained floating another six torpedoes would be launched, and would continue to be until the American ship was dead. The probability of the submarine’s mission being successful depended on the presence or absence of American submarines in the area, since the computer-driven submarine was not able to fight other submarines. The subroutines for sub versus sub actions were too complex to be uploaded into the mental processing suites of the Destiny III class. The programs were being worked on, but as yet Destiny Ills had continued to lose in exercises to Destiny II manned submarines. If the carrier were unescorted by American attack subs, the Curtain of Flames counted on surviving. If it were accompanied by a sub escort, all the Curtain of Flames could hope to do was get out all its torpedoes at the carrier prior to being attacked. Once engaged by an American submarine, it would be totally vulnerable.
Current position — thirty kilometers west of island Onaharajima, forty kilometers south of the mouth of Tokyo Bay. This unit is at mast-broach depth observing American aircraft carrier, hull number CVN-76, as it steams eastward. Task force now reduced to ships needed to protect carrier.
Other ships of task force split off to enforce blockade further around perimeter of Home Islands, the line the Americans have called exclusion zone boundary. This unit steaming at bare steerage way, five kilometers per hour, the periscope using low light enhancement to view the night steaming of carrier. Ships visible are carrier at bearing one one five, cruiser at bearing one two one, destroyer at bearing one zero eight.
Range to central ship, carrier based on periscope range marks at four kilometers. Carrier approach angle negative. The carrier is steaming away from this unit. Range can be made more accurate with use of laser periscope range. Will be done before launch of Nagasaki torpedoes nominated for carrier. To determine range now using laser range finder could give this unit away, and a destroyer would come and attack this unit. Not a satisfactory way to begin attack.
Orders received by this unit on the UHF antenna. JDA has ordered this unit attack task force with primary target identified as aircraft carrier. If aircraft carrier sinks, this unit authorized to use remaining torpedoes on the other ships of carrier task force. Other Destiny III-class submarines have been assigned those targets, so this unit will wait to see reaction of task group when coordinated attack begins. Coordinated attack to begin at time twenty-one thirty hours Tokyo time.
Event clock being reset for coordinated attack, now reading episode time minus four minutes. Time to apply power to torpedoes. Nagasaki large bore torpedoes in tubes one through twelve are warmed up, power applied to computer power supplies now. All twelve computers have satisfactorily turned on and now executing self checks. While self checks are in progress this unit is lowering periscope. Tubes being flooded so that outer doors can be opened. All twelve torpedoes report water in tubes is not causing power supply or signal feed shorts. All tubes report flooded.
This unit now risks noisiest maneuver, opening of outer doors of torpedo tubes. Outer tube doors coming open.
Unit risks look at task force. The periscope comes out of water. Water washes off lens. Unit sees task force, which continues steaming east away from this unit, range approximate at six kilometers. Not a problem. Nagasakis can run at 100 clicks, can pursue a wake for an hour putting effective range at 100 kilometers. This unit able to shoot using over the horizon targeting data from overhead Galaxy satellite. Odd thing that Americans have not shot down satellites.
The carrier looks different. It is turning to its right. It is coming around, to try to attack this unit? This unit watches, puts torpedo attack on hold as new course and speed of carrier are predicted. No torpedoes to be launched if target is wiggling or zig zagging, according to tactics files.