Shattered Trident (35 page)

Everyone at the table reacted with alarm, and Shi, horrified, protested, “We don’t need to do that—we aren’t starved for oil, not yet, anyway.”

“And the sooner we start rationing, the longer that will be,” Zhang responded quickly. “With the loss of all oil imports, we will be drawing heavily from our strategic reserve, which if you remember was
not
at full capacity when this war began. Vehicle fuel consumption is tripled because of the movement of army units. Jet fuel, marine diesel fuel demand has quadrupled at the very least, it could be even higher. It turns out our strategic reserves were based on unrealistically low wartime expenditure rates, and did not assume such a complete cutoff of imports.”

President Chen stated flatly, “It is necessary, Shi. Do you want to use our strategic reserve to supply civilian cars?”

“No, Comrade President, the political department will not object.”

“The political department will do its best to prepare the country for the hardships it will have to face,” Chen said firmly. “Zhang, how long do we have with the rationing implemented?”

Zhang didn’t answer right away. Finally, he said, “By law, it is supposed to sustain us for ninety days. Even with rationing, we have at most five weeks. After that, we’ll have to start making more dramatic cuts—it appears the war effort will consume most of our indigenous production.”

Chen’s mind whirled with the implications. China needed fuel to run its farms, to move the food, for cooking and heating. It was late summer now, thank goodness. They had fuel for the harvest, but after that …

“We must do more!” Shi insisted.

Zhang, unhappy at having had to deliver such bad news, was visibly irritated with Shi’s remark, and started to speak, but then closed his mouth abruptly and sat back, glaring.

“Admiral Wei is in Zhanjiang organizing a submarine campaign,” Chen explained. “We will sink anything afloat with a Vietnamese or Indian flag, naval or civilian. Pakistan is willing to provide intelligence on Indian ship movements. There will be more cyber attacks, as well.”

General Su, chief of the General Staff, nodded approvingly, but added, “Unfortunately and obviously, we can’t attack Japanese or South Korean vessels. We can’t give the United States a reason to involve itself. My junior commanders, and even a few of the senior ones, want us to ‘take off the gloves.’ They want to punish them all, but my officers don’t want to consider the price we would pay.”

“What about North Korea?” General Wen Feng asked. “Can they act for us? Could they increase their sabotage campaign against the South? They have an extensive network of agents in Japan and South Korea.”

“No!” Chen and General Shi both answered at the same time, and so forcefully that Wen sat back in his chair, open-eyed with surprise.

Shi sighed, explaining, “Pyongyang has become a nuisance, agitating for more food and increased fuel supplies so they can increase their readiness to attack the South. Nobody in my department actually believes they intend to do so. And they are full of wild schemes to injure or embarrass Japan and South Korea, whatever the consequences. We have not shared these with all of you, because there are more important matters to consider.

“Besides,” Shi complained, “That ‘extensive network’ of agents is useless. It didn’t give us a hint of warning about Japanese or South Korean participation in the submarine campaign. If Pyongyang had discovered any useful information, they would have passed it on to us—for a price, of course, but they would not sit on something as valuable as that.”

General Su added, “And an increased threat from North Korea would require the United States to send more military units to South Korea. We must avoid anything that draws more American forces into this region.

“We will begin our ground campaign against Vietnam soon,” Su continued. “Our aircraft losses are higher than we’d like, but we are clearly taking control of the air. Once that is secured, we will seize control of Vietnam’s oil fields. That will be the beginning of their repayment…”

7 September 2016

0800 Local Time

USS
North Dakota

South China Sea

“Watch her.” Dave Covey was the OOD, and Jerry watched silently as he conned
North Dakota,
following
Chakra
through another turn. It was obvious the sonarmen were watching the Indian sub closely, but Covey’s imperative referred specifically to the size of her turn. He needed to know when she was going to stop turning, or if she wasn’t going to stop at all.

“Doppler has not changed, OOD, she’s still in a slow starboard turn.” The sonar operator’s report involved a lot of subjective judgment, but after several days in close company with
Chakra,
they had gotten used to the way she moved.

“Pilot, make turns for three knots,” Covey ordered. The more the other boat turned, the slower
North Dakota
had to go if she was going to stay in her trailing position. The U.S. sub was well astern and offset to starboard, on
Chakra
’s “quarter.” The Indian’s hull-mounted sonars were blind at this angle, and at ten thousand yards back, her towed array would not detect the
Virginia
-class boat, mirroring her movements.

“Doppler shift is zero—she’s steadied up,” the sonar operator reported. A moment later, the fire control computer finished its analysis. “New course is zero two zero,” announced Ensign Andrews.

Covey checked the time, doing the math in his head for the fourth time on this watch … twenty seconds … and
now
. “Pilot, right fifteen degrees rudder, steady course zero two zero. Make turns for five knots.”

“Right fifteen degrees rudder, steady on course zero two zero, make turns for five knots, Pilot, aye.”

“Sonar, is there anything out there in front of
Chakra
?”

“No, OOD, the nearest contacts are in the first convergence zone, thirty-plus miles out, and thirty degrees to port. And this is not even close to an intercept course.”

Sitting in one of the empty fire control console chairs, Jerry speculated aloud. “Heading north to close on the shipping lanes?”

“Except there’s not a lot of shipping traffic left, Skipper,” Covey replied.

“Valid point, OOD. But whatever the reason, where he goes, we go.”

“Aye, sir. UUV operator, how’s Minot doing?”

“Minot is on station, five thousand yards abaft the port beam, matching
Chakra
’s new course.” Keeping the vehicle on station was trivial compared to
North Dakota
. Much smaller than any submarine, and quieter, she could turn on a dime. Software on the UUV actually calculated any course and speed changes, so the operator’s job was usually just making sure Minot was behaving itself.

“Watch the range, OOD. Make sure we don’t drift too far aft.”

“Aye, aye, Skipper. Sonar, keep an eye out for another maneuver. Pilot, make turns for six knots.”

Jerry watched his OOD and was more than satisfied with his performance. Covey had been busy like this since he’d taken over the conn, and had handled it well, but they were trailing a tiger on the hunt. This was a very different situation than when he’d trailed that Chinese Shang-class boat not so long ago.

Back then, Jerry had fought to keep his watchstanders alert, trailing a boat with the acoustic signature of a heavy metal band. The Russian-built sub was a different animal entirely. She was still noisier than
North Dakota,
but not by that much. And to make matters worse, he had to stay tucked in close. He could have trailed from twice this distance, or just let Minot track and report the Indian’s movements, but Jerry had to be ready to move in and spoil any attack
Chakra
attempted to make.

Jerry’s only hope was to use his smaller signature and better sonars to stay one step ahead of the Indian sub skipper—figure out what he was doing, and if it involved a potential target, get in his face. But it all depended on knowing what the other boat might do next.

INS
Chakra

“There, sir. Do you see it?” The sonar operator pointed to a faint trace on the waterfall display, more a loose series of dots than a true line.

“I see something, but it’s not distinct enough to be a man-made source.” Captain Samant pointed to a different part of the screen. “This trace looks exactly the same. Probably a biologic.”

“But that one will drift aft. This one keeps a constant bearing. I’ve been watching it for some time now. When we made that starboard turn just now, it dropped aft, with a left drift, then drifted right again until it was at the same relative bearing.”

Samant didn’t appear convinced. At this point, Lieutenant Rajat, the sonar officer, added his opinion. “Sir, I compared this signal with the recording of the submerged contact two days ago. This type of trace was on that same bearing right before the torpedo appeared.”

“What’s your recommendation, then?” Samant was willing to let the sonar officer have his say. He certainly didn’t want to discourage this type of independent thinking, even if the boy was likely full of nonsense.

“There are no contacts nearby. Let’s attempt to close on it. Go and say hello. If we force it to maneuver or reduce the distance to the contact, we may get a decent acoustic signature.”

Samant considered the idea. The area was clear, and if there was indeed some extremely quiet platform out there, he wanted to know about it before it fired another torpedo.

“All right, Lieutenant, get your best people on the equipment.” Then, sticking his head out of the sonar room, Samant called to the deck officer. “Lieutenant Parul, sound action stations.”

USS
North Dakota

“OOD, rapid left bearing drift, down Doppler … and now a speed increase!
Chakra
has turned sharply to port.”

“Pilot, make turns for seven, correction, eight knots. Make your depth two hundred fifty feet.” Covey’s response was immediate and correct. Jerry nodded his approval. If they were on the outside of the turn this time, they’d have to speed up to keep station.

Like everyone else in control, Jerry felt a jolt of adrenaline at the sonar supervisor’s report. Dave Covey was coping, but he looked worried.

“Skipper, he doesn’t normally increase speed when he clears his baffles.”

“Concur, OOD. Sonar, what’s the blade rate?”

“The rate jumped up quickly, sir, passing ten knots. Slight cavitation.”

This time both Jerry and the OOD frowned. “He’s not interested in staying quiet,” Jerry remarked. “What’s he up to?”

Covey looked at the port VLSD. “Skipper, new course is two seven zero, a one-hundred-ten-degree turn to port. Speed is thirteen knots.”

Jerry noted
Chakra
’s new course, and he didn’t like what he was seeing. “UUV operator, what’s Minot see?”

“Minot’s information matches ours, it’s turned to two eight five and gone to maximum speed. The logic is trying to compensate for the maneuver, but
Chakra
’s faster. Range is decreasing rapidly.”

INS
Chakra

“There you are!” the sonar operator announced triumphantly. “Submerged contact, bearing two zero five, slow left drift, down Doppler!”

“Confirm down Doppler. It’s headed away from us?” Samant asked quickly.

“Yes, sir, it’s trying to open the distance, but we’re faster. Range is decreasing. It’s headed westerly.”

“Good, I’ll hold this course, then. What does it look like?”

“I can’t say, sir. Only a weak tone around forty hertz. Maybe an electric motor?” Lieutenant Rajat had put the senior sonar rating on the set. The captain trusted his ears.

“Nothing else?”

“It’s not like any submarine I’ve ever heard. It’s far too quiet. Forty hertz suggests a relatively high rotation rate if it’s a propulsion motor, but that’s all I can say. Contact is drifting slowly to the left.”

“What, we’re being shadowed by a blender?” An idea began to form in Samant’s mind. “Right ten, steer three one zero. I don’t want to get too close. Current range?”

“Just under three thousand meters.”

Samant ordered, “Confirm there are no other contacts close by.”

“Confirmed, Captain.”

“Very well. Go active with the port flank array. One pulse.”

USS
North Dakota

“Skipper,
Chakra
’s gone active! She’s pinging Minot! Skat-3 sonar!” The UUV operator’s report mixed surprise with dismay.

“At that range, he’ll see the vehicle,” Covey remarked.

“Just keep us in trail. I’ll worry about the UUV,” Jerry ordered. “UUV operator, send Minot shallow, periscope depth.” The only chance of the vehicle breaking contact was to mix in with the surface return. If the Indian’s sonar beam had to point up, it would reflect off the surface, just like a radar beam from above the water. Hopefully, Minot could imitate a wave top.

“
Chakra
is turning again, this time to port.” As the sonar operator reported the sub’s movements, Covey turned
North Dakota
accordingly. At this point, they were expecting radical maneuvers.

“She’s headed straight toward Minot,” sonar reported.

“Active signal from a Mouse Squeak sonar. She’s turned on her mine-hunting sonar!” the UUV operator warned.

“Minot is well and truly busted,” Jerry concluded.
Chakra,
and most subs, including
North Dakota,
had a sonar fitted in their sail specifically designed to look for submerged mines in the submarine’s path. Operating at high frequency, it was worthless for area search, but it would provide high-resolution bearing and range information about nearby objects, exactly like Minot.

INS
Chakra

The MG-519 display showed a very small object 2,450 meters directly in front of them. It was about the size of a torpedo, but it was moving far too slowly.

“It’s a damn UUV!” Captain Samant shouted, banging his fist on the console. “That’s what’s been spoiling our attacks! It’s not Chinese, or Vietnamese, for that matter. And Japan and South Korea are our allies. They have no reason to shadow us with this thing.”