The benign detonation teased him with its less-than-lethal pop. He feared it might be a precursor to a heavyweight yield, but then he heard the thump and clamp of limpets snatching his hull.
The first explosion echoed in the surrounding steel, sending a spike of terror up his spine. Then multiple blasts hammered his hull, and he felt the metal below him shudder.
Red emergency diodes supplanted overhead lights as the room went dark, and after a minute of silence, he believed that the final limpet had exploded.
“Rudder amidships,” he said. “Maintain all ahead flank.”
The reports that flew into the control room tallied the damage. The gray-bearded veteran shouted over the room’s buzz.
“The battery’s offline. The shaft is coasting to a stop for lack of propulsion. The engineer recommends snorkeling and says he can bypass the battery to give you propulsion directly off the diesels.”
“Very well. Raise the induction mast. Prepare to snorkel.”
Hydraulic servos clicked over his head.
“Flooding is reported in the battery wells,” the veteran said. “There’s also flooding reported in the auxiliary machinery room. No other compartments report flooding. The ship is ready to snorkel.”
“Commence snorkeling.”
The twin diesel engines hummed to life.
“All ahead two-thirds. Make turns for ten knots.”
“What course would you like, sir?”
“Due south. Get us out of here.”
The veteran acknowledged the order and turned the ship. Volkov stepped to his sonar operator.
“We’re still alive, and we’re still in combat. Listen for the Specter. It’s out there, and its captain may be second-guessing his decision to use a gentle weapon against a double-hulled submarine. Keep listening as if your life depended on it.”
CHAPTER 12
Jake watched the wide toad-head shake.
“Our slow-kill weapon punctured the Kilo’s outer hull,” Remy said. “I’m sure it killed the battery, and I hear flooding. But it’s a double-hulled ship with six watertight compartments. I can’t yet guarantee that you punctured the inner hull. It’s surfaced for now, but it still may be able to submerge and fight.”
“With a battery soaked in seawater?” Jake asked.
“It has a fuel cell air-independent propulsion system.”
“That allows it to crawl underwater. That’s not a concern, since we’re racing for the exit.”
“I still recommend putting an Exocet into its conning tower for good measure.”
“I can’t risk it. It would be a tracer bullet working the wrong way for their surface fleet. We need to get out of here before they overrun us.”
“The closest active sonar system is about twenty-five miles away, and that’s a guess at that range. But they’re getting closer, and we can’t outrun them.”
“Not unless we slow them down. That’s what the mines are for. I’d be surprised if Pierre hasn’t already announced the minefield. The problem is, I doubt the Russians will believe him until I blow something up.”
Jake glanced at the fathometer, which showed two meters below the Specter’s keel. He then looked at the tactical display to surmise the enormity of the problem. Renard’s feed showed at least a half dozen ships pursuing him.
“I need to launch a heavyweight torpedo,” he said.
“You’re sure about a heavyweight?”
“It’s the only thing that can simulate a mine. A slow-kill would have the reverse effect and confirm that we’re in the vicinity of their hunting party. But I need them to think they’re in a minefield and running into a mine.”
“We’re off the bottom and ready to maneuver,” Henri said. “I recommend heading southwest and putting twenty-five meters under our keel before you shoot. The weapon will have to climb up the slope back to shallow water.”
“Agreed. I’ll give it the room it needs. All ahead one third, right full rudder, steer course two-three-five.”
The deck assumed a gentle sideways slope.
“I need a target, Antoine. Find me something.”
“They’re all taking anti-submarine zigzag legs,” Remy said. “That makes target selection at this range impossible. I can’t assure you a target.”
“Can you hear any merchant shipping in the way?”
“Of course. I hear all kinds of vessels along our threat axis. They’re driving away from the Russian fleet and from the minefield I hope that Pierre has declared, but I can’t guarantee you not hitting a merchant vessel.”
“Then we’ll let the geometry play out before I shoot. That means it’s time to start laying this minefield. Henri, you remember the procedure, right?”
“You made me rehearse it enough times that I could do it in my sleep.”
“Prepare mine one.”
The Frenchman tapped icons.
“Mine one is ready. Awaiting mode.”
“Anti-surface only,” Jake said.
“Mine one is ready in anti-surface mode.”
“Arm mine one.”
“Mine one is armed.”
“Deploy mine one.”
Henri touched a monitor, and Jake watched the icon of a mine strapped to one of the belts around the Specter shift from a filled-in green image to a dotted outline.
“Mine one is deployed,” Henri said.
“Very well,” Jake said. “I didn’t hear anything.”
“Pierre said it was a quiet system.” Henri said. “As usual, he was right. It’s just a simple set of latches that release.”
“I heard it,” Remy said. “The latches released, and I hear the mine floating up.”
“How can you possibly hear that? Never mind. All ahead standard, Henri. Make turns for fourteen knots.”
Jake felt the Specter shudder while accelerating.
Two miles later, he slowed, deployed his second of eighteen mines, and returned to his evasion pace.
“Antoine, can you identify a target for me yet?”
“I’m starting to see separation between distinct ships, but I can’t yet promise you to hit a chosen target. Their zigzagging is still a factor.”
“How close is the closest surface combatant?”
“I have blade rate on the Kashin-class destroyer placing it at flank speed, thirty-eight knots. It’s twenty-five thousand yards away. That’s the closest vessel.”
“Find me a smaller target.”
“Smaller?” Remy asked. “You mean a more modern target with a more dangerous sonar system?”
“No, I mean smaller, as in I don’t want to kill three hundred men when I can get my message across sinking a ship with only fifty. But you have a point. Find me a Grisha since it has a more dangerous sonar system.”
Remy touched his display, seeking a direction to listen to one of the many threats.
“I have blade rate on the closest Grisha. It’s moving at its flank speed, thirty-four knots. Range, twenty-eight thousand yards.”
“Assign tube four to the closest Grisha.”
“Tube four is assigned.”
Jake studied the geometry and realized that the Grisha’s next anti-submarine turn would nullify his attack.
“Check your fire, Antoine. I need better data. Henri, slow to all ahead two-thirds.”
“Slowing to all ahead two-thirds,” Henri said.
“Bring us to periscope depth.”
The deck rose.
“Shall I prepare to snorkel?” Henri asked.
“We won’t be up there long enough. I’m looking for a download from Pierre. That’s it.”
The ship rocked in the swells.
“Raise the radio mast,” Jake said. “Get me a download of whatever you can from Pierre, Terry, or whoever’s broadcasting from our satellite.”