Homecoming (Kirov Series Book 41) by John Schettler

Author:John Schettler [Schettler, John]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: The Writing Shop Press
Published: 2019-01-23T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

Not wishing to disturb the Admiral during his sleep time, Karpov decided to wait until their planned meeting at the 06:00 breakfast. But at 04:00, news came up on the fleet network that the American Carrier Strike Group Truman was just 130 nautical miles south of Iceland and heading into the Faeroes Gap. The contact had been made by the attack sub Leopard, a fast Akula Class boat that was one of two guarding the G.I.U. K. Gap.

“That is Babichev’s boat,” said Volsky as they shared breakfast. “A good catch. He has the speed to keep up with them, but he will make a lot of noise if he does.”

“Are you aware of any orders he may have in this regard?” asked Karpov.

“Standing orders for attack subs have been to patrol, report contacts, and shadow prime assets like this.”

“But not to attack?”

“Not from my lips. That said, Admiral Korolev may have transmitted an order about this that I am not yet aware of.”

Karpov had a frustrated look on his face. “What are we doing out here? We are now just circling over the location of that sub we killed. The British are well off to the south, along with that standing NATO group, but they do not seem interested in paying us a visit here.”

“If they could come here they would,” said Volsky. “But that would be most unwise. Would you approach two Kirov Class battlecruisers, a carrier, cruiser, destroyer and two frigates—a group that had already fired on one of your submarines the previous day?”

“Fired in self-defense,” Karpov reminded.

“Yes, but that hardly matters,” said Volsky. “The point is, they have nothing to match us here, and as long as we sit on top of their fallen sub, there isn’t much they can do about it.”

“At the moment,” said Karpov. “Their Queen Elizabeth is at sea, and we now know where CVBG Truman is. I have little doubt that a second American carrier will be covering the Denmark Strait. When those assets are in position, they will have a lot of air power to throw at us. All we are here is one big fat target. I don’t understand what Korolev is doing.”

Volsky pursed his lips. “Belgorod,” he said quietly. “I received new information during your watch. The crew is not to know this, but Belgorod is nowhere near the wreckage site of that British sub. It has broken off to the southwest with its escort. They are making a run through the Denmark Strait, and now I think you will not have to ask me why it is going there, and why we are steaming about in circles here.”

“I see… But the tactical display still has Belgorod very close to our position.”

“That is a false data point,” said Volsky, “just in case the Americans are able to snoop and decode our fleet network. The sub’s real position will no longer be reported on the net.”

“Then our presence here is simply a ruse,” said Karpov. “We are just out here to make the British and Americans think we are trying to salvage that British sub.

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