Rogue Fortress by John R. Monteith

Author:John R. Monteith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stealth Books
Published: 2015-05-17T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

Commander Wong checked his chart.

“It’s time to change course,” he said.

His gaunt executive officer presented a plasticized face.

“Sir, I agree that the lead ships should soon turn. However, I mark our own ship’s turn around the Louisa Reef in thirty minutes.”

“No,” Wong said. “That’s not what I meant. I mean this back and forth across the Malaysian land masses is wrong.”

“These waters are the most likely place where the Razak is hiding. You declared this yourself, and I agree. The Malaysian submarine lacks the endurance to transit far from its home.”

“Precisely,” Wong said. “And there’s been no sign of it despite our task force, maritime aircraft, and satellites hunting it for three days. We have a hundred conscripted men on fishing vessels, and they’ve seen nothing. We have passive sonar systems on merchant ships, and not a sound — including no sign of it imploding or sinking. We haven’t even sniffed a radio broadcast or navigation radar transmission that could be mistaken for the Razak.”

“This takes patience, sir, as you’ve taught me. The Razak will make a mistake. It’s only a matter of time.”

Wong tapped the chart and expanded its view.

“I know what I’ve taught you, and the lesson still stands. But that logic only applies if you’re hunting in the right place. I believe that we have been duped and hunt nothing.”

“The evidence is damning that the Razak attacked your brother on the Luzhou. The evidence is also convincing that the Razak has not returned to any Malaysian port. Our coastal spies are numerous and attentive, but they’ve seen nothing. Our target remains at large, sir.”

“Agreed. And since it has no air-independent propulsion system, it must snorkel soon. It must. In fact, it should have snorkeled already.”

“Per our estimates of its battery potential, it could have remained submerged since we entered the landmasses, but only if it has drifted without propulsion to conserve energy. It must snorkel soon.”

Wong thought of the stifling life inside a submerged diesel-powered ship. Even deep, the tepid waters guaranteed discomfort to a crew condemned to sip energy from its battery. Electrical systems and the minimal atmosphere-purifying machinery would consume every precious watt.

Deprived of air conditioning, fans, and showers, men would stink. They’d eat uncooked meals from cans. Garbage bags would accumulate in corners, reminding the sailors that danger prevented them from compressing and ejecting their trash. Shared toilets would fill with rancid excretions, with relief coming only after a sonar search suggested safe solitude. The stench of fear — a warranted fear — would pervade the vessel.

Wong accepted that time worked against the Razak and that a change of the hunting parameters would lead to its discovery.

“I would agree with you,” he said, “except that I challenge one of your assumptions. I believe the Razak hasn’t tried to reach its homeport. Its commanding officer foresaw our response and attempted an alternate tactic. He knew that our maritime aircraft would block his route home, he knew that our task force would come, and he knew that we would hunt him in the waters closest to his home.

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