Snow hesitated. “Not a navy job…”
“Whenever you want.”
“I’ve always heard that three strikes and you’re out.” Snow paused, a flood of arctic memories momentarily overwhelming him. “I’m not interested in taking the third…” His voice drifted off.
Lucy Reed reached over to squeeze his hand. “There was never a second strike — you know that, don’t you?” She held his hand tightly, her eyes moving from his to her husband’s.
“She’s right, Hal,” Andy Reed nodded. “You pulled off the impossible up there. You won’t have a thing to do with the Washington types — but they’re still in awe of what you did.”
“Thanks… both of you, thanks,” he added hesitantly. “But I still can’t come back.”
“You don’t have to, Hal. But the door’s open as long as you need it.”
“I’ll remember that.” He pushed back his chair and stood up. “But I think I’ll give the kids a call now. There’s a lot to do.”
Afterword
SOVIET TECHNOLOGY is achieving giant strides in submarine development. Over the past decade, they have introduced a dozen new designs and by 1990 it is predicted that future classes will attain the low noise levels of our current 688 Los Angeles class. Specifically designed for under-ice operations, their titanium hulls are going to withstand crush depths in excess of 1,000 meters, their engineering plants will be capable of speeds over fifty knots submerged, and the compartmentalization and double hulls will require more than one hit to sink them — that is if the torpedo can catch the target and if that occurs before imploding at such tremendous crush depths.
We have yet to achieve the necessary sophistication in materials or technology to send a ship of Imperator’s size to sea, but naval architects and engineers have experimented in designing such craft for oil/LNG transport. However, it is becoming clearer that the United States will eventually need a submarine with Imperator’s capabilities if we are to continue to maintain seapower in the true sense of the word.