“Vulture one this is Tadpole, Vulture one this is Tadpole over.”
“Copy Tadpole Over. I am one five zero minute from release.”
“Vulture one, I have the target in view and I am lasing it now.”
She watched the troops they were gathering behind the BMP’s, they were obviously expecting to get through soon. Another burst of 30mm slammed into the rear wall.
“Shit me.”
“Tadpole, Vulture one. You asked for delivery, burger and fries? You got em.” For a brief second, she heard a screaming sound and then the world erupted. She was blown back against the hatchway hurting her shoulder. The shockwave and sound were awesome. Smoke and dust filled the air and billowed, completely obscuring the view. Gradually the scene cleared. The central BMP had disappeared. The two either side were wrecks thrown against the far walls. The bodies of the Troops lay everywhere. Anupa was horrified to see heads, arms and a few torsos lying there.
“Tadpole this is Vulture, BDA?” He wanted a Bomb Damage Assessment report.
She pressed transmit. “Hit Vulture, a hit. You blew them to kingdom come.”
“Copy Tadpole, we have more take out up here. We can drop it with Honey Mustard or Hot sauce. We take Mastercard, it’s Priceless.”
“Thank you, Vulture. We’re ok for now.” Anupa climbed down the steps and ran back to the front.
“We heard and felt it. You’re covered in shit,” said Rickerson.
“What’s it like back there?” asked the Lieutenant.
“It’s a mess, all three tanks are gone, bodies everywhere. It’s all blown to hell.” He grinned.
“Right, that’s it, out the back. Rickerson, Dupree, Taylor. Stay here for two minutes and hold them off. Come on, go, go, go.” The Seals led the way with the three women following. Two Seals pulled the few bricks away to clear the exit, they scrambled through and followed the LT to the East. They jogged down a few deserted streets, only one had lights on. Soon they came to the scrubland and left the city behind, they carried on and ran panting for a couple of miles. Tosser led the women with Silky at the rear.
“I’m not a frigging Seal,” panted Crutch.
“Me neither,” replied Silky. The other three Seals caught up. Silky saw them but had no idea how they’d found them. The LT called them to a stop.
“Graff.” The radio operator jogged over. The Lieutenant took the set.
“Prairie dog, this is Tadpole, Prairie dog, this is Tadpole. Over.”
“Tadpole, Prairie dog.”
“We are two miles East of target. Our beacon is on.”
“Copy Tadpole we are on our way.” Several minutes later the two Sea Hawks set down in swirling funnels of dust, bushes waved violently in the downdraft. The doors slid back, the Seals and the women climbed in. They were all strapped in and the two helicopters lifted away to the south. Their destination? The Persian Gulf and DDG-87 USS Mason. Their helmets were plugged in, Anupa could hear the chatter of the flight crew for the first time. Lieutenant T leaned over to Anupa. “We got you out Mam. Who the hell are you ladies anyway?”
She smiled. “We sneak in the backdoor, report on who we want, steal what we want and kill what we don’t. We’re MI6.”
The Lieutenant grinned and shook their hands. “Alright, pleased to meet you. Glad you’re on my side.”
THE PEOPLE’S LIBERATION Army Navy SSN was diving down towards them. Nathan knew it was End Bomb time.
“Weaps, flood tube six, open outer doors. Launch Ren, move him two hundred feet to starboard and run him up towards Tango one. Maintain Ren’s position two hundred feet from us.
“Ren is launched and running Sir.”
The Plansman sat, hands on his yoke. “Plansman, blow one, fifty percent, trim forward and aft for ascent, up bubble twenty-five. Aim at Tango one.”
“Blow one five zero, trim for ascent, Aye Sir.”
The boat was angling up to meet the Chinese boat head on.
“Weaps, flood tubes one and two, open outer doors. Lay in Mk 48 firing solutions. I want tube two’s firing solution to veer to the right.”
“One and two, flooded and open. Both tubes ready in all respects. Fish two will run in from the right Sir. Both fish are hungry.”
Deep below the Gulf of Oman the two daemons of the depths Long March 09 and USS Stonewall Jackson headed for each other. Nathan felt a knot of fear and adrenaline in his stomach, he knew only one of them would one day surface to breath fresh air. That day sixty five USN personnel or ninety three PLAN submariners would be consigned to wander the depths for eternity.
“Sir, Tango one still descending, Scooby’s still being ignored. Tango one five thousand feet away.”
“Eject countermeasures from Scooby, have him run in on a collision course with Tango one.”
“Aye Sir.” Nathan ran his fingers through his now sweat moist hair.
“Weaps, run in on Tango one with Ren, get him to simulate a tube attack.”
“Sir.”
The Chinese SSN was diving with two Pointers either side simulating attacks.
“Sir Tango one’s starting to turn to our right. I think Ren’s tricked him. Wait one…wait one. Sir Tango one’s launched a fish on Ren.”
“Eject countermeasures from Ren.” The Yu-6 was running in on Ren.
“Launch tube two.”
“Tube two launched Sir fish is going wide right and turning to come in on Tango one.”
Ren was simulating an attack from Jackson's right, from what Nathan hoped would appear from the Chinese boat to be Ren’s torpedo.
“Fish terminal on Ren.”
“Weaps, launch tube one.”
“Tube one launched, fish running in and hungry Sir.”
The detonation could be felt through the hull. The Chinese Yu-6 had exploded and taken out Ren.
Our fish is running in,” said Benson,” range one thousand feet. Tango one’s starting to turn our way.”
“Terminal on fish one, cutting wire now. Tango one is coming to our bearing, his doors are open. Fish one pinging, pinging, terminal. Hot datum on Tango, Hot Datum.” Benson stood and clenched both fists. The blast could be heard as a deep awful thud through the hull.
“Eat that, Tango one. How’s that for a Spring roll?”
He sat and continued. “Ripple blowing, Tango one, multiple bulkheads.” There was another deep thud. “Massive gas leak, secondary explosion. Tango one’s broken into three. All parts, sinking, sinking.” A cheer rocked the control room.
Nathan took the intercom handset up. “All hands. We have scored two Hot datums on our targets.” A cheer went up throughout the boat.
“Remember, ninety three PLAN sailors just died. They’re your fellow submariners. Remember them in your prayers. It is also my sad duty to announce that seaman Ren was killed in action today. He bravely died so that we could live, he’ll be missed by us and especially Stimpy. Captain out.” Nathan replaced the handset.
“Weaps, recover the surviving Pointers.”
“Aye Sir,” The Pointers were guided back to the torpedo tubes and recovered into the boat, there they were recharged and reloaded with countermeasures.
“Trim for ascent, make for periscope depth,”
The boat headed towards the surface.
“Periscope depth, Sir,” Nathan typed a message into his console and transferred it to comms. Lemineux, raise the photonic mast, transmit that communication.”