Submarine

'The Yanks are already taking up their SDE stations,' he went on. 'We've got to get a hustle on, because the President won't be able to stay the Soviet's hand for long: if they suspect we're bluffing, their fingers will be back on the button.' He looked around at the silent officers sitting in the crescent before him: 'If we fail, gentlemen, it remains to be seen whether the policy of deterrence during our lifetime will have saved mankind from the unthinkable.' He nodded towards the land map of Europe. 'We hope that the Warsaw Pact armies will continue merely to glare at us across the Central Plain — while the West's navies get on with Operation sow.' The admiral stabbed a finger at Coombes:

'Remember, both of you, that though you are key pieces in Operation SDW, you're only a small part of the whole: a calculated risk is being taken in committing our total submarine capability to this operation — both in the Atlantic and the Pacific. In deciding how many SSBNS we are to destroy, the politicians have had to weigh up the Soviet's probable reaction: if we take out too many, the Kremlin may be tempted in desperation to press every firing switch at their disposal.' He paused and glanced around at his audience before continuing:

'But we must sink enough to carry conviction, to convince them that there remains no such thing as a long-term second strike option available to them — that the rules have changed and they must reconsider. We are, therefore, to destroy a maximum of twenty. We're aiming at ten in our Atlantic patch, leaving CINCPAC to cope with the balance.' Rackham peered at the blown-up chart of the Greenland and the Barents Seas. 'SACLANT is moving his task forces into their SDW positions now. The Carrier Striking Force and Carrier Striking Group Two are already in the Greenland and Norwegian Seas, their LRMPS at immediate notice. Intelligence reports that one Typhoon is repairing at Severodvinsk and will be sailing from the White Sea within the month. The second is expected back in the Kola Inlet from patrol next week; she will be serviced with maximum priority, but she has several defects and, what with her manning difficulties, she can't be ready to sail again for her next mission before mid May. The third is in Polyarny carrying out maintenance and repairs after her shake-down patrol.

'The Director General of Intelligence confirms that the seventeenth of May is the earliest date by which any of these three Typhoons can be ready for sea.' FOSM poked a stubby finger at the dispositions on the screen:

'My submariners should all be in position by the ninth of May, well before you two are on your billets. They have orders to start the operation on the seventeenth of May, by which time Safari is to be in her waiting position — Zulu — here… ' The spotlight picked out the position on the chart, two hundred miles north-east of North Cape. Rackham turned to Farge:

'And you, Farge, must be in your billet by the seventeenth, ready to mark the first of the Typhoons to leave the Kola Inlet.' Rackham paused momentarily for Farge to hoist in the significance of Orcus' mission. 'You are to mark and report a Typhoon for Coombes to sink. As soon as you are certain of the Typhoon's tasked track and speed, you are to make your flash report — two transmissions only, which CINCLANT will intercept and rebroadcast if Safari hasn't already picked it up. From then onwards it'll be up to So/an — and you can come home, Farge.'

The admiral's gaze flickered to each of the silent COs.

'Remember that your mission is complementary to many others — our fleet submarines will all be just as much involved with sow while you, are sinking your Typhoon.' He was pointing out the green-circled crosses showing the focal points on the North Polar chart: 'The difference between their missions and yours is that you are to go specifically for the Typhoons. You are to leave the Deltas and Yankees to your chums, however tempting the target might be — and don't forget that. The Typhoons are for you two only, which is why I have cleared the area of all our boats. Any contact you make will be enemy. I repeat once again, for the benefit of you both…' The admiral's face was hard, implacable. 'Farge, your prime objective for this operation is to mark and report the Typhoon for Safari to sink. You'll probably be bottoming a lot: you may need extra buoyancy for'd in a hurry, so we've decided to fill your for'd tubes with water instead of torpedoes. Because you've got only your stern tubes, you must leave the Typhoon to Safari: your stern tubes are to be used in the last resort only, for self-defence. Orcus is not to attack any target, however tempting: nothing, Farge, I repeat, nothing is to deviate you from your prime objective. Understood?'

Farge nodded. 'Yes, sir — but how many Typhoons can I expect in the Inlet?'