China Sea by David Poyer

Author:David Poyer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

17

THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

THEY never actually saw the aircraft. It was a radar detection, a high, crossing contact at 30,000 feet. The news arrived in Dan’s cabin via a call from CIC. “The ESM guys say it’s radiating long-range surveillance. It’s pretty definitely a dedicated overflight, probably out of southern China.”

“You’re saying it’s maritime surveillance? Targeted on us?”

“Overflying the TF, right, sir. They’re keeping tabs on us.”

“Have you reported it to Clear Bell?”

“Clear Bell” was Suriadiredja’s radio voice call. The petty officer said it had gone out over the task force coordination net as soon as he picked it up.

So they were being tracked by the Chinese. Dan reflected, hanging up, that it was hardly worth their while.

The TNTF had lost Sea Lion as it crossed the 15° North line. There hadn’t been even a lame explanation this time, simply laconic words on the bridge-to-bridge stating she was returning to Singapore. Now only three ships remained, steaming steadily north through slate-blue, wind-harried swells kicked up by the renewed monsoon wind.

The task force had emerged from operations in the Sulu Sea with empty hands. It was perfectly obvious to Dan, in hindsight at least, that its corvettes and frigates were too large and deep-draft for the task. Even the patrol craft had drawn too much water to follow the bancas and vintas across reefs and coral heads. Whenever they tried to close, the small craft skimmed away, vanishing like mosquitoes ahead of a charging sloth. The two Philippine Coast Guard craft had been almost useless, plagued by radio and engine breakdowns.

No one had found a trace of the crew and passengers of Queen Salotte.

That was disturbing, their 0 for 0 record so far. But what Dan found just as disturbing was the continued silence from PACFLEET and, indeed, everyone else to whom he had sent a stream of steadily more urgent messages as they’d steamed north through the Mindoro Strait and along the coast of Luzon. The single response Compline had logged was from COMNAVBASE Subic, putting off his request to enter port for overhaul, resupply, and to off-load suspects in the Vorenkamp murder case. Not denying permission, exactly, simply stating that his request had been forwarded. He’d stared at the message—on the reverse side of an older one; the radiomen were down to using both sides of the paper now—with numb disbelief. It was as if he were an outcast, as if he and the ship beneath his feet and the crew that ran her no longer belonged to the U.S. Navy at all.

That evening a flashing light message came over the darkling sea from Nala:

IN VIEW OF REDUCED PARTICIPATION OPERATION OCEANIC PROSPECT TERMINATED X USS GADDIS RELEASED TO PROCEED AS DIRECTED BY NATIONAL AUTHORITIES X OUR FORAY HAS DEMONSTRATED POSSIBILITY OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND HAS SUCCESSFULLY REDUCED SCALE AND NUMBER OF PIRATICAL INCIDENTS IN AREAS WHERE SUCH HAVE RECENTLY OCCURRED X MANY THANKS TO OFFICERS AND MEN USS GADDIS SIGNED WALUYO SUPRYO SURIADIREDJA ADMIRAL NAVY OF REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

Shortly thereafter Nala and Monginsidi turned westward together.

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