Parry looked back as Ambush’s stern got closer and closer, picking up speed.
“Helm. Standby collision.”
“Standby collision, aye.”
The 7,000-ton submarine, with no power or tugs to control its direction or speed, collided with the wharf wall, crushing the fenders, nearly throwing the petty officer onto the wharf as he heaved the line ashore. The two men waiting grabbed it, pulling it in rapidly, until they held the thicker hawse just as the submarine pushed itself away, the force of coming alongside making the harbour wall shudder. A gap started to appear between the wall and the submarine.
“Bloody quick,” yelled the PO, knowing time was running out.
The hawse was spun around the bollard just as the submarine’s 7,000 tons tugged hard, reversing its direction to again come up against the wall. This time the shore party was ready, the slack was taken up, and the submarine brought under full control. They would worry about setting up a spring, which would stop the submarine moving backwards and forwards along the wharf, sometime later.
Parry turned to the Marine. “You stay here and keep watch.”
“Sir.”
“Helm. We are alongside.”
“Aye, sir.”
“Victor-Two. Seen anybody?”
“Negative, sir. No sign of life. It looks desolate out there. Over.”
“Leave Taylor onshore, but he needs to keep his respirator on. The rest back on board.”
“The RIB, sir?”
“Leave it where it is for the moment.”
“Aye, sir.”
Parry climbed down the inside of the fin, dropping down inside to join the helmsman, peeling off his respirator as he did so.
“God, sir, that sounded a bit hairy.”
The captain smiled. “It was, Page, but you did a great job, and we’re alongside safely.”
The remainder of the crew came back on board and, after removing their respirators, entered the submarine to join their captain.
Commander Parry, captain of the submarine, congratulated the men. “Well done, Lieutenant Wood, Harper, Petty Officer.”
“It was a bit hairy when we came alongside, sir,” responded Petty Officer Bell.
“What did you see on the wharf, Chris?”
“Nothing more than we saw from the fin as we came in, sir,” responded Lieutenant Wood. “The buildings, those that are standing that is, are blackened hulks. No glass in windows, and some of the buildings have collapsed. UK’s definitely been nuked.”
“Any sign of life?”
“No, sir, nothing.”
“Not surprising, though,” added Petty Officer Bell. “All of our naval bases would have been high on the Soviets’ target list.”
“Yes, yes.” Parry stroked his dark but grey-flecked beard, something he did subconsciously when options were running through his mind. It was a habit he had picked up during his officer’s ‘Perisher’ course as a lieutenant commander. The commanding officer’s qualifying course still gave him nightmares. “What was the last reading?”
“In the immediate vicinity, the radiation levels are tolerable. Providing we’re not exposed for more than four or five hours in twenty-four, we should be OK. That doesn’t mean there won’t be hot spots though.”
“But the readings will improve over time. Well, we’ve had enough exposure for today. As your duties as helmsman are over for now, Page, I want you to take responsibility for the dosimeter recordings. I want them checked and a record made last thing at night. So long as we’re on board, that is.”
“Sir.”
“What are your plans then, sir?”
“Well, Chris, we get everyone on board and batten down for the night. Then, at first light tomorrow, I’ll take Corporal Davey, Petty Officer Bell, and Harper and complete a patrol of what’s left of the base. You stay with Taylor and Page and keep our home secure.”
The PO ran his hand across the top of his shaved head. “You’re looking at an hour each way, sir. We’ll not see much. We’ll need to get back under cover within a few hours.”
“I appreciate that, Petty Officer Bell, but I’ll feel a lot happier knowing what’s in our immediate vicinity. We can’t stay on board Ambush forever. We have to make contact with higher command as soon as possible and establish the situation. We may not be able to fight, but they could maybe use us on other ships.”
“What about our families?” asked Page who had left a young wife behind at the base.
“They would have moved the families away from here, Page. But the best way of gathering information is to start at the top, get the bigger picture, and take it from there. We’re still a military unit and may well be needed to continue the fight.”
“Don’t you worry, lad,” counselled Bell. “The captain knows what he’s doing. We all have families out there. So, one step at a time.”
“Well said, PO,” added Wood approvingly.
“Comms would be good.”
“We’ve tried, PO, but you’ve seen the masts.”
“Unfortunately, yes. They’ll never transmit again.”
“I suggest we get the RIB tied up port side, then get Taylor in, batten down, and get some food. There won’t be too much of that. Another reason we need to explore the immediate vicinity. Then we can make plans to go further afield.”
“Agreed, sir,” said Lieutenant Wood.
“Let’s get moving then. PO, you take Harper with you, pick up Taylor and bring the RIB around. Corporal Davey will cover you from the fin. Page, sort out a brew, and, Chris, you and I can pore over some maps of the local area.”
“Aye, aye, sir,” they all responded and went about their duties.
CHAPTER 7
“Push the crowbar in a bit deeper.”
“It won’t budge, Bill.”
“For fuck’s sake, get out of the way, Vincent. Give it to me.”
Vincent handed the crowbar over as instructed, brushing bits of brick and concrete dust out of his eyes as he did so.
Bill grabbed it. “Get the beam of the torch on the gap then, Aleck. Can’t see bugger all.”
The third member of the group, coughing as pieces of dust and fine particles invaded his mouth and lungs, crouched down alongside Bill. The powerful torch beam lit up a narrow gap between a horizontal layer of concrete that supported a wall of brick.
“Is that better, boss?”
“Yeah, now keep it steady.”
Bill pushed the hefty crowbar between the gap, pressing down hard, attempting to lever one of the bricks free. If he could just get one to move, it would be easier to chip away at the rest. There was a sudden crack as a red brick split in two, half of it crumbling free.
“Gotcha.” Bill called over his shoulder, “Have those supports ready, Vincent.”
“They’re here, Bill.”
Bill continued to hack away at the mortar that cemented the bricks together, releasing the other half of the broken one. He pulled the mask further up over his nose and mouth as swirls of brick dust irritated his nose and mouth. Another hour was spent in the confined space of the collapsed building, removing more brickwork, and supporting the exposed gap with steel props until it was wide enough to admit a person.
“Pass us one of the torches.”
Vincent passed a second torch forward.
Bill was now able to light up the cavern he had revealed. He pushed his head through, closely followed by his shoulders, and then rolled onto his right shoulder into the darkened room. He picked himself up off the floor, moved forward at a crouch, the torch held out in front of him, the beam flickering left and right as he quickly got his bearings.