They sat, and the British Commander looked at him with a faint smile.
“So, we are to work together. And you are?”
“Commander Nathan Blake. USS Stonewall Jackson.”
“Yes, I know of your boat, but not been aboard one. Someday perhaps?”
“Yes, I think that’ll be possible Commander.”
“Call me Frank.”
“Nathan.”
“Nathan, This is a very dodgy business we’re in here. We’re not here on official business, my Government doesn’t have the balls. But several Admirals high up in the Admiralty and some politicians do. So, we just happen to be in the area and if one of our allies comes under attack. Well, we couldn’t just stand by, could we?” There was a knock on the door and a sailor placed a tray of cups of tea and chocolate biscuits down.
“Thank you.”
Pike picked up a tea, stood and sipped it. “So, we’re here semi officially, that means my bloody pussycat Government will decline the blame but swallow the praise. Unofficially, we’ll act as your wingman. I’ll say we came across you and we decided on some joint exercise drills. If it comes to a shooting conflict, we’ll be there. In practice, you’ll have to take fire before I can respond. OK?” Nathan shrugged.
Pike set his tea down and leaned towards Nathan, his fists on the table.
“Billy Ruffian’s Royal Navy, we don’t fight defensively, so I’ll play fast and loose with the truth.”
Nathan frowned. “What’s Billy Ruffian?”
Pike smiled. “The sailors on board the Trafalgar era ship couldn’t handle Bellerophon, so they called it Billy Ruffian. It’s a nickname we still use.”
Nathan smiled at his counterpart. “I think we’ll make a good team Frank.”
Pike pursed his lips, “We need to Nathan, we need to.” He picked up his teacup and walked the room. “The Chinese have a heck of a lot of hardware out there and they’re playing at home. Incidentally, we’ll be joined by the Suffren, a nuclear attack boat of the Marine Nationale, a French Navy SSN. Nathan, our Prime Minister is quietly a supporter of our presence. He, along with the First Sea Lord will soon be making a video conference with a foreign power seeking their assistance. I can’t tell you who, it’s politically sensitive,” he tapped the side of his nose, “meaning nobody want’s to be seen with their dick swinging in the breeze.”
NATHAN TOOK A DRINK and sat back thinking, he picked up and ate a couple of chocolate biscuits.
“Frank, what now?”
“We need to decide where we’re going to cause trouble.”
“Exactly, we need to make a plan. Could you come back over to Jackson with me? We have a small planning team.”
“Yes, I said I’d like to see your boat. It kills two birds with one stone.”
The two of them left and on the outer deck climbed into the inflatable boat, the engine started and they made their way over to the USS Stonewall Jackson. They climbed down the sail, Nathan led him to the control room.
“This is Chief Petty Officer Seamus Cox, our Chief of the Boat.” The two shook hands.
“COB could you show Commander Pike around the boat please, then bring him back to the Wardroom?”
“Yes Sir. Commander, this way we’ll start at the back.” Nathan busied himself going through the boat’s status reports on his monitor. Several minutes later he was done.
“XO, Lieutenant Kaminski come to the Wardroom.”
They sat at the table.
“Hi, you probably saw Commander Frank Pike of the British SSN Bellerophon, he’s here to take part in our meeting. HMS Bellerophon will be our ally in these missions, expect no more or less of her than a USN boat.” A couple of minutes later the door opened, it was the COB and Commander Pike.
“Thanks Seamus.”
“You’re welcome sir.”
Pike sat down in the free chair. Ok Frank, this is what we call a Chinese parliament, it’s whe…”
“I know what a Chinese parliament is.”
“We’re on first names in here, this is Lieutenant Commander Larry Sayers my XO, and this is Lieutenant Nikki Kaminski, the Navigation Officer.”
Nikki noticed Frank Pike didn’t bat an eyelid at her rank, she smirked at that.
Nathan sat forward. “To get you up to speed guys, Frank tells me that we’ll be joined by a French SSN the Suffering.”
“The Suffren,” said Pike.
“Ok,” said Nathan sheepishly, “the Suffren. Where and when will that be?”
“I don’t know yet, Northwood…,” he glanced around the room at blank stares, “Northwood, that’s RN HQ back at home will let me know. They’re dealing with Marine Nationale, Commandement de la Flotte Navale in Toulon.”
“Ok, well we’ll make plans without them for now. Question is hostilities are on, they attacked us we retaliated by dropping their Helix. They’ve invaded…”
“Nathan, how did you shoot down the Chinese Helix?”
Nathan smiled. “You’d call it a bloody big torch, I’ll get Weaps to go over it with you later.”
Nathan didn’t mention the sinking of the Song class boat, that was all done “in the quiet zone.”
“So.” Nathan carried on, “how do we hurt them?”
Pike placed his arms behind his head. “Well the obvious thing. Ahh, Commander any chance of another tea?” Nathan picked up the intercom. “And some chocy biccys please,” added Pike.
“Galley, three coffee’s and a tea to the Wardroom. Some chocy biccys too.” Nathan smiled, “yes that’ll do.” Soon the door opened, and a tray was placed down.
“Thank you.” Pike picked up an Oreo and frowned.
“American chocy biccys,” grinned Larry.
“Ah, splendid.”
“Back to business,” said Nathan, “how do we hurt them?”
“Well,” said Pike, “the obvious one is to get in amongst them and sink as many ships and boats as we bloody well can. We could do a pincer move, say you from the north and us from the south.”
“It won’t be pretty,” said Larry, shaking his head.
“Sea battles never are,” said Pike, “it’s Gunsmoke blood and waves.”
Nathan rubbed his temples. “Trouble is it’s two against many. Ok the ROC forces will be involved and they’re not to be dismissed at all, but I don’t know.” Nikki put her coffee down with a thump and looked around the table.
“We need to give Uncle Joe a scare.”
Pike smiled. “Well young lady, a few Mk 48 and Spearfish torpedoes will give their boat’s a headache. The skimmers won’t like several Tomahawk and Harpoons flying about. I’d say that’d give them a scare.” Nikki stood, and arms folded, she walked the room her brow furrowed with intense concentration.
Larry sat with his head in his hands and recited a prayer.
“From all evil and mischief; from sin; from the crafts and assaults of the devil, from thy wrath, and from everlasting damnation, from the People’s Liberation Army Navy and from Lieutenant Nikki Kaminski’s ideas.
May the Good Lord deliver us.” Nathan laughed.
“You finally got him Nikki. Don’t worry Frank, it’s an old issue, you are about to hear the oracle.” Nikki turned and stared at them with a determination.
“We can’t defeat them as they are. United in a common goal, to take Taiwan. We must split them asunder. What do the so called People’s Party fear the most?” The table was quiet.
“Power,” she clenched her fist, “power, the loss of it. The country descending into chaos. What keeps them in power? What is it that they dare not lose. Their nuclear genie. Their weapons. Without those, the rest will crumble away, not quickly maybe. But it will crumble.” She took out her Tablet and brought up a map of southern China. She placed her finger down.