they appear to be steady at about 20 knots. I’ve sent the data to Fedorov.”
“Sir,” said Fedorov again, eyeing Karpov warily. “I have plotted the exact heading and course from that data. They are not on an intercept course. If they continue without turning they will miss us by at well over twenty kilometers. I don’t think they are even aware of us yet.”
“Close enough,” said Karpov. “We are already well within range of their missile systems now. Why don’t they answer our hails? We are now within our rights to fire a warning shot. Perhaps that will loosen their tongues.”
“Mister Karpov,” said Volsky, somewhat irritated. “I have passed a hundred ships at sea, and many have not taken the time to chat with me on the radio. I might have ignored this contact myself in peacetime, but given the present circumstances, I requested identification. And I have seldom found it necessary to shoot at these passing ships, whether they bothered to fraternize or not. You are making many assumptions here that have not been proven. Are these warships? Civilian traffic?”
“Up here?” Karpov shook his head. “Where would civilian traffic be going? NATO was well aware, as you say, that we were here to conduct live fire exercises.”
“Yes? And they also may have determined that something has gone wrong. These ships could simply be investigating that possibility, as we might if the shoe were on the other foot. They might even be thinking to render assistance.”
“Then why don’t they contact us?”
“That remains a bit of a mystery.” Volsky thought for a moment, then turned to the Operations Chief. “Mister Orlov. Order the helo bay to send up the KA-226. They are to approach the contact, stating their identification and origin, and obtain a live video feed so that we can positively identify these ships. It appears our Navigator has plotted the most prudent course at the moment.”
“Aye sir.” Orlov was immediately on the intercom. “Helo bay—execute emergency launch. KA-226. Approach and identify seaborne contacts to the south. State ID and origin en-route on all channels. This is Chief Orlov.”
“I don’t like this sir,” said Karpov. “What is wrong with their radio sets? They are acting as though this were a wartime scenario, emissions tight and radio silent. I recommend we rig for missile defense and obtain targeting information now.”
“Our sonar system already tells us where they are,” said Volsky. “Mister Tasarov, pass active contact information to the C.I.C. Mister Samsonov, activate both Klinok and Kashtan close defense systems, but do not go live with targeting radars until I order this. Understood?”
“Defensive systems only?” said Karpov. “This is dangerous. At this range we would have just a few seconds to react if they launch a missile salvo.”
“I am well aware of that,” Volsky said quickly as they heard the sound of the helicopter engines turning over for liftoff, yet Karpov persisted.
“Our holds are crammed with surplus missiles for the live fire exercises. One hit sir… That is all it will take, and it need not even be in a critical location. If we get a fire…”
Volsky held up his hand, stilling the Captain’s warning. “Yes, Mister Karpov, everything we do at sea is dangerous, particularly in a situation like this. We are like two men here, with a bucket of gasoline between us. They know that as well as I do, and I do not suppose either one of us thinks lighting a cigarette is a very good idea now. Let us wait. They will see our helicopter launch as standard operating procedure. It will not be unexpected, particularly given their silence.”
“That is what concerns me,” said Karpov. “They clearly hear our hails, yet they remain silent. They can see what we are doing with the helicopter. Why don’t they respond?”
“I am considering all possibilities now,” said Volsky. “First off, they may be just as confused by the lack of outside radio transmissions as we are. We cannot raise Severomorsk, and they might not be able to reach their home bases either. You saw the effects in the sea and sky. Perhaps something bigger happened here, a solar event of some kind. It took us hours before we got our equipment sorted out. Perhaps theirs has not yet recovered.”
“Yet they also have helicopters, at least if this is a modern British Type 45 out there. The lack of radar signatures could also be a deliberate attempt at deception.”
“Or an abundance of caution,” Volsky said quickly. “I would not be so foolish