Of Ice and Steel by D. Clayton Meadows

Author:D. Clayton Meadows [Meadows, D. Clayton]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781475970173
Publisher: iUniverse
Published: 2013-01-09T12:00:00+00:00

22

THE NEW WORLD

“He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

-Matthew XXIV, 13

Berlin, Germany

November 13th

AFTER THREE HOURS, PORING over records Carl Blevins rubbed his eyes. “Warren I’m going to the head.

The bored SEAL gave him a thumb up and went back to his German sports magazine.

Blevins stepped from the room into the musty hall, as he rounded the corner the small German man blocked his way.

“Herr Blevins,” the man smiled. “I don’t think what you are looking for is here.”

“What am I looking for?” Blevins asked. “How would you know?”

The German smiled wider. “No time for that. Here is the man you need. He pushed a folded piece of paper into Blevins’s hand. “I must ask you not to mention our little talk.” He patted Blevins on the shoulder turned and disappeared into the maze of hallways.

USS MIAMI SSN 755

With pack ice eight miles behind her, Miami slid toward the surface of a wind-whipped sea. At fifty-eight feet her communications mast slid up, piercing the angry sea.

“Conn, radio, taking hits on the broadcast,” the radio operator reported.

“Radio this is the Captain. We can’t get up any further. Would a course change help?” He steadied himself on the still housed attack scope.

“We can try,” the radioman responded.

“Okay, we’ll come around to the East. I’ll put the seas on the beam. Just be quick. Got some sailors are looking a little green.”

“Will do, Captain.”

Miami’s rudder swung ten degrees to starboard. Her blunt nose turned, bucking and twisting as the ocean slapped at her.

“You okay diving officer?” McKinnon watched the gyro slowly turn to the East.

“I have a ten pucker factor right now sir. Watch the angle,” he blurted at the planesmen.

The rolling doubled when her bow lined up with the waves. “Steady on course two-two-zero,” the helm reported.

“Okay radio we’re steady,” said McKinnon.

“We have acquired the satellite,” the radio operator reported. “In receipt of flash traffic, buffer printing.”

“Subject line?” McKinnon asked.

“Operational orders,” radio reported.

U-761

Edel trudged along the steel deck, his footsteps heavy and unsure. “Captain,” he said softly.

Becker turned his head slowly, “Everything operating?”

“Yes but how?”

“I don’t know. Who started the diesels?”

Edel shrugged his shoulders. “Any luck with the radio?”

“None,” Becker answered. “Gerlach?” he whispered.”

“He’s awake but weak.”

Becker rubbed his chin. “What now?” he asked mostly to himself.

Edel rubbed the thick stubble of his own chin, “Home?”

“When can we dive?”

“An hour more on the batteries,” Edel responded.

Roth stepped through the control room hatch. “Captain, Sturmbannführerr Gerlach asked for you.”

Becker looked at Edel. Again, their bond needed no words.

“Tell him I’m coming.”

“Yes sir.” Roth ducked under the after control room hatch.

“I wonder how long we slept,” Edel commented.

“I don’t know.” Their eyes met. “I do know we are alive.”

Becker went to the SS officer, and knelt next to him.

“So it seems your experiment worked.”

“I don’t know if it was all we had hoped for. How long?” asked Gerlach.

Becker rubbed his head. “I don’t know. The ice has changed. It seems everything has changed.”

“What now?”

Becker stood. “We go home.”

“If there is a home to go to,” Gerlach managed, as his voice grew even weaker.

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