SSN - Tom Clancy [75]
New data, however, showed three more missing from the Russian base in the Kola Peninsula. Naval intelligence had been concentrating on the Pacific theater and had missed the departure of the North Fleet Akula II SSNs the week before. These Akulas had completed an under-ice transfer through the Bering Straits before they were detected in the Bering Sea, and had rendezvoused with the PACFLT Akulas east of the Kurile Islands.
According to the message traffic, Arco was being diverted to Subic Bay for safety. Had she stuck to her original orders, she would have made a long transit at sea protected only by Cheyenne, and the risk of being overwhelmed by the sheer number of Akulas was simply too great.
On a similar note, in order to avoid a repeat of the Chinese Kilo SSK attacks on McKee that Cheyenne had fought off after returning from the first patrol, the submarine tender was now en route to the safety of Subic Bay via the Philippine Sea. She was scheduled to arrive the day before Cheyenne.
Sino-Soviet trade relations were obviously booming, Captain Mackey realized as he read the message traffic.
The Russian president, Gennadi Zyuganov, was allowing his navy to supply the Chinese with the Akula Us. That was bad enough. Worse, though, was the fact that these sales were being consummated so quickly that China could not crew the SSNs, and Russia had wholeheartedly agreed to supply Russian "observers." These observers had turned out to be nearly the entire crew. The only real exceptions were some Chinese interpreters for their Chinese message traffic.
The Russian president had, of course, initially denied these sales at all. Then, when the crewing reports surfaced through the CIA, he tried to use the "observer" gambit. The United States had recognized this for what it was-a feeble attempt for Russia to avoid its own war with the United States-and Mack couldn't help wondering how his own government would respond to this.
But for now, at least, he didn't have to worry about it. All he had to do was to carry out his orders and to execute the missions he was tasked with.
Several days later, as Cheyenne "steamed" past Grande Island inbound to the Subic Bay complex, Mack was saddened at the sight of the once-proud base. The buildings and guest cottages were run down and dilapidated, and even the swimming pool was empty and cracking.
It was clear that nothing had been done to take care of the Grande Island after the departure of the United States five years before. Mack expected that the same would be true of the airfield at what was once the Cubi Point Naval Air Station. That airfield had once been busy bringing in supplies as well as being the launch and recovery field for carrier-based aircraft leaving and returning to Subic Bay.
When Cheyenne rounded the point of the airfield and headed for the gaping jaws of the now-flooded-down Area, Mack saw how right his guess had been. At the sight of jungle growth overrunning the Cubi Point Officers' Club, Mack felt a wave of nostalgia and regret wash over him, and he was glad that Cheyenne had only two days in the Philippines to reload and resupply.
Since the refit crew was on board McKee, which was still in transit to Subic Bay, Mack and the executive officer had informed Cheyenne's crew that they would remain on board, for sleeping and security purposes, until the tender arrived. Seeing the devastation that had occurred since the United States left the Philippines, Mack could see that he had made a wise decision. The CPO and enlisted barracks, as well as the Submarine Sanctuary (where the officers used to partake of rest and recreation), had been looted and destroyed by vandals.
Captain Mackey had also informed the engineer officer and auxiliary division officer-who also was the SUBSAFE (submarine safety) officer-that Cheyenne would take the opportunity to complete some of the SUBSAFE maintenance requirement