SSN - Tom Clancy [63]
"Firing point procedures, tube one, Master 62." The range, speed, and course of the target were verified and the torpedo from tube one sped toward the first merchant container ship. The sonar supervisor and his operators all strained to catch the first indication of another submarine reacting to Cheyenne's torpedo launch.
"Conn, sonar. Noise bearing 250. Sounds like, yes, sir. It's a submarine flooding his tubes. He's preparing to launch!"
"Sonar, conn. Stand by." Mack designated the new contact Master 65 and then ordered, "Match sonar bearing and shoot, tube two, Master 65."
"Conn, sonar. Standing by."
"Match sonar bearing and shoot, tube two, Master 65, aye, sir," the combat systems officer completed the repeat back.
"Conn, sonar. Unit from tube two is running hot, straight, and normal. Target is turning and increasing speed."
"Sonar, conn. Did he launch?"
"Conn, sonar, negative, sir. Our torpedo has already acquired the target and he is increasing speed. It's another Romeo, Captain."
In the control room, all hands were silent as the narrative from sonar followed the pursuit of the enemy submarine by Cheyenne* s torpedo.
"Conn, sonar. Master 65 has launched countermeasures."
At the weapons control console, the combat systems officer indicated that he had heard the report and informed Mack that the torpedo was still under positive wire-guidance control. The decoys would not work as long as Cheyenne could continue to steer the torpedo past the countermeasures.
"Conn, sonar. Impact on Master 65. Multiple explosions. It's gone, sir."
Before Mack could acknowledge that report the sonar supervisor added. "Conn, sonar, explosion on the bearing of Master 62. It's breaking up. Captain."
"Sonar, conn, aye. Good work, everyone. Firing point procedures, tube three, Master 63, and tube four, Master 64. Shut the outer doors on tubes one and two, and reload tubes one and two."
"Conn, sonar. The escorts have all increased speed and are shifting to cover the forward arc of the convoy. They must have heard their friends get hit."
"Sonar, conn, aye. Fire control, are we still out of their detection range?"
"Yes, sir. We're well beyond their range." "Very well," Mack replied.
The fire-control coordinator informed the captain that course, speed, and range were verified for targets Masters 63 and 64. Mack prepared to give the shoot order.
"Conn, sonar. The escorts have suddenly changed course toward the northeast. They are all maneuvering to the port quarter of the convoy."
"Sonar, conn, aye." Then Mack asked. "Do the BSY-1 computers show any indication of what's going on?"
"Not yet, Captain," answered the fire-control coordinator.
"Conn, sonar. Sounds like there's another Romeo out there closing on us at high speed from the direction of the escorts."
"Conn, sonar. Captain my God, sir! They're shooting at their own submarine! One, two, five torpedoes are in the water. Multiple explosions. Captain, they're dropping all sorts of ordnance in the water!"
"Sonar, conn. Understand." Mack could have almost expected that. The convoy was on guard against any submarine contact, and they had mistaken the Romeo for Cheyenne. "Any change in the remaining convoy?" he asked.
"Conn, sonar. Negative. Convoy same as before."
"Sonar, conn, aye. Match sonar bearings and shoot, tube three, Master 63 and tube four, Master 64."
"Match sonar bearings and shoot, tube three, Master 63, and tube four, Master 64, aye, sir."
Mack walked to his stool and sat down to wait as the torpedoes raced toward their destination. With the escorts busy attacking one of their own submarines, there would be less warning than ever of the approaching doom. Not that the convoy itself had ever reacted to their ship's being torpedoed.
Mack's attention shifted as a new report came in.
"Conn, sonar. Explosions on the bearings of Masters 63 and 64. They're going down, Captain."
"Sonar, conn, aye. Any reaction from the escorts?"
"Conn, sonar. Affirmative. They're drawing left, turning