be Captain, Mister Fedorov? Then complete your training back in Severomorsk. Otherwise, leave these matters to the senior officers.”
“Just a moment,” said the Admiral. He had heard that Fedorov was a very astute young officer, and his file looked very promising. In his time aboard the ship, he had always found him competent and level headed, and his studious nature and penchant for naval history made him very likable in his eyes. “Let the Lieutenant speak,” he said. “Fedorov, what do you suggest?”
Karpov looked furious, but Fedorov knew he could not allow himself to be cowed by that man’s anger now, nor that of Orlov, who was also looking at him with a very unfriendly expression on his face.
“Sir… Have Nikolin send this—in English please. Geronimo, Geronimo, Geronimo. Home Flag respond as per fleet signals protocol one. That’s a command level channel for Royal Navy operations,” he explained to Volsky.
“What is going on here, Fedorov?” Karpov began to raise his voice. “Fleet signals protocol one? You are working for the Royal Navy now? Sit down and mind your damn station! Admiral, I recommend we increase to alert level one and prepare for combat. I don’t care who or what they are. Either they respond to our hails or we must take stronger measures.”
Nikolin looked from Karpov to Volsky, and then back to Fedorov. The tension on the bridge was thickening, and he did not know what he should do. Thankfully, the Admiral spoke next, and his authority was final.
“Mister Nikolin, I will indulge our young Lieutenant, for no better reason than the unpleasant alternative the Captain now insists upon. Send that message. I do not know what this is all about, Mister Fedorov, but the ship will also come to alert level one, and Mister Samsonov, you will now activate the forward 100mm bow gun.”
“All hands,” said Orlov on the intercom. “The ship will come to alert level one and man all battle stations!”
The loose end of Time’s tangled thread had come full circle, but the knot that would now be tied would have everything to do with the fate of all days to come.
Part XI
Chaos Zone
“There are only patterns, patterns on top of patterns, patterns that affect other patterns. Patterns hidden by patterns. Patterns within patterns. If you watch close, history does nothing but repeat itself.
What we call chaos is just patterns we haven't recognized. What we call random is just patterns we can't decipher.”
- Chuck Palahniuk - Survivor
Chapter 31
Azores, August 1, 1941
They sat in the Admiral’s stateroom aboard HMS Invincible, anchored in the channel between the small islands of Pico and Faial. Less than four miles wide at its narrowest point, the channel served as a makeshift harbor there between the small fishing ports of Horta and Madalena. Seven other merchant ships were clustered to one side of the channel, “the funnies,” as the navy rats called them now. There also, was the sleek white hull of the Argos Fire, its tall mainmast and prominent Sampson radar dome marking its lineage as a former Daring Class destroyer.
The long stately lines of HMS Hood also graced the anchorage, where both Admiral Holland, and the ship where he still set his flag, were enjoying the sweetness of a life they both might have lost months ago in another telling of these events. They had come late to the engagement with the Germans fought some weeks ago, but now formed an important part of the standing watch the British Home Fleet had established here, along with the Repulse, and the fleet’s newest addition, the battleship Duke of York. Her twin sister ships, King George V and Prince of Wales were both in the Celtic Sea with the carriers Ark Royal and Illustrious, enough power to face down the German fleet should it attempt to sortie again, at least until Tovey could hasten northwest from the Azores with reinforcements.
Two other light AA cruisers rode at anchor in the channel, and beyond them there were numerous destroyers keeping a watchful eye, though the presence of HMS Glorious in the Azores was a powerful deterrent to German U-boat activity in the vicinity. Her aircraft patrolled ceaselessly, keeping watch for U-boats on the surface, and the destroyers prowled the waters off the islands to listen for any boat bold enough to try and creep up submerged.
Captain MacRae had assured Admiral Tovey that he had sonar that was more than capable of detecting any undersea threats long before they could pose a danger, but the Admiral