Chapter 45
Arctic
Captain Yong Shiu was overwhelmed.
The messages lighting up their primary comm channel now were altogether different.
They were coming from a host of important agencies across the People’s Republic.
They could only be legitimate, because the link was secure.
Some were from the PRI, but there were also three from the PLA Navy, specifically Northern Sea Fleet headquarters in Qingdao.
The Ministry of State Security had also entered the fray, its instructions threatening that Yong would be stripped of his command if he did not comply.
Another came from an agency he’d never even heard of.
The instructions hadn’t been coordinated in any way.
Indeed, they were confusing and contradictory.
The MSS told him to muster a large shore party for armed intervention—the mysterious black case, it seemed, was not underwater after all.
The Navy wanted him to cut every cable on his research gear and steam north immediately, while the PRI instructed that he secure all hardware before moving.
Two of the dispatches also mentioned, almost casually, the presence of a Russian attack submarine in the area.
Yong was left to settle on two commonalities in the messages. First was that he was to move Snow Dragon 2 fifteen miles north. The second was the sheer desperation in their collective tone. Whatever was happening just over the horizon, it had the most important people in China in a state of panic.
Altogether, it was enough to make a captain’s head spin.
“UUV is secure and ready to raise, Captain,” said a junior officer.
“Yes, bring it aboard,” Yong replied.
“Sonar lines have been recovered,” said an enlisted man.
“Three new messages arriving,” said the man at the comm station.
Already overloaded, Yong ignored the incoming messages and requested a course plot.
“Course to new objective is three five two degrees, twenty-four kilometers,” said the navigator. “I am also showing a new radar return in that area, possible surfaced submarine.”
Yong held steady. The radar contact was at the edge of his equipment’s range in these conditions, but they probably should have discerned it earlier. Would he be held accountable for the mistake? No, I can blame the navigator.
He guessed the new messages were from the MSS and the Navy.
They were probably wondering why Snow Dragon 2 hadn’t moved yet.
Yong had elected to recover the submerged equipment.
In part it was because he had received the PRI’s message first. Yet he also thought it the most rational course of action.
All the hardware they had deployed was connected by cables and umbilicals.
To cut wires haphazardly and begin moving risked fouling the propellers.
If that happened here, it could cause a delay of hours.
Worse yet, there would be no way for Yong to dodge responsibility.
Trying to keep a clear head, he said, “As soon as the UUV is in its cradle, we will get underway.”
Five minutes later, the deck was secure.
“Make course three five zero, speed three knots,” Yong ordered.
Snow Dragon 2 rumbled as her engines engaged.
Ever so slowly, she battered ahead. The rudder began to respond.
Great slabs of ice cleaved around her bow, creating claps that resonated like cannon fire.
With a massive cloud of black smoke spewing from her stacks, the ship carved a broad turn and began pounding north.