"Now, Commander Miranda, when we last spoke, I asked you how you would plead to the charges against you and you said you wanted an attorney. I see now that you have not only one attorney – but two. An American naval officer, and a fine member of the Russian Navy to provide you assistance. So I ask you again… how do you plead?"

"I am Lieutenant Commander Zack Brewer of the United States Navy. I represent Commander Peter Miranda in these proceedings. To the charges and specifications, my client pleads… not guilty!"

CHAPTER 29

The White House

Mr. President, USS Charlotte reports that the Egyptian freighter is turning east – from the North Sea into the Baltic Sea, " Admiral John Ayers announced.

"The Baltic Sea? Why there?"

"I don't know, Mr. President, " Ayers said. "At least it's headed away from England."

"Something's not adding up. Let's see the navigational charts."

"Aye, aye, Mr. President."

Admiral Ayers pointed his fingers. His aide rolled out the latest navigational chart.

"He's headed straight to Copenhagen, " Secretary of State Mauney observed.

"Why would terrorists want to blow up Copenhagen?" the secretary of defense asked.

"Why do they murder innocent women and children in civilian office towers?" the vice president asked.

"Maybe Copenhagen because it's a Western capital, " Secretary Mauney said.

"I can see London, " Secretary Lopez said. "But Copenhagen makes no sense to me."

"Or maybe he's going through the Danish Straits and into the Baltic, " Cynthia Hewitt, national security advisor, said.

Secretary Lopez spoke up. "The question, Mr. President, is whether we can afford to let that freighter get so close to a major Western capital. I remind you, sir, that you were prepared to take her out if she turned

toward London, and now she will pass within a few miles of Copenhagen if she remains on this course."

Mack scratched his head. "Secretary Mauney, are you advocating that I take military action now? You've been the one member of this cabinet who's opposed military action from the very beginning."

"That's your decision, Mr. President. But this freighter's proximity to Copenhagen makes me uneasy."

"I share Secretary Mauney's concerns, " Secretary Lopez said, "but let's face it. Copenhagen isn't London. Britain means more to America than any other ally except possibly Israel."

"Sure. They could light the fuse on Copenhagen, but that makes no sense. We should hold off until we can get more information on this Egyptian skipper, " Secretary Lopez continued. "I'll bet he's going into the Baltic to make an anonymous cargo transfer to another freighter – maybe Swedish or Finnish. You know a Swedish or Finnish freighter could sail into New York harbor without batting an eye, whereas an Egyptian freighter will garner some second looks. I say we keep tailing her, and when she initiates a cargo transfer, we surface the sub and have the SEAL team on the Charlotte board her."

"That's a plausible theory, " the CIA director said.

"Why not board it now, Mr. President?" Cynthia Hewitt asked.

She had a good point. And what if millions died in Copenhagen because he failed to act? Mack again prayed silently for guidance.

"Because we're already in trouble for the perception that we sink unarmed freighters and because the freighter has done nothing illegal on the high seas that we're aware of." Why didn't that explanation take the knot out of his stomach? He turned to his CIA director. "Mr. Director, where's the dossier on this Egyptian captain?"

"We're working on it, Mr. President."

"Speed it up. I want to know everything about him. I want to know who his mamma was, who his daddy is, where he was educated, what groups he's been a member of… the whole works."

"Yes, sir, Mr. President."

St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral St. Petersburg, Russia

In the case of the People of the Russian Republic versus Commander Peter Miranda, on the charges of crimes against humanity and destruction of – and conspiracy to destroy – property of the Russian Republic, we will now hear from the prosecution."

A slim officer wearing the green dress uniform of the Russian Army rose to his feet. He stared for a second at Pete, and then turned and faced the three crusty officers sitting at the tables in the chancery of the cathedral.

"Generals. Admiral. I am Major Konstantin Andropov of the Russian Army. We gather today, in this great cathedral, a building dedicated to the great men of the sea who gave their lives for the motherland… to see that justice is done.

"Russia is a great nation. We are at peace. True, we have our internal conflicts such as Chechnya, as every nation has such conflicts. But we are at peace.

"The question in this trial is whether our great and peaceful nation will extend protection to our civilian ships on the high seas from acts of aggression and piracy.

"Today, I am sad to report that one of our own ships, the freighter Alexander Popovich, has been sunk and its crew murdered by the heinous war crimes committed by the defendant and his crew."

The major turned directly to Pete and pointed. "This, gentlemen, is Commander Peter Miranda. He is the captain of the American submarine Honolulu, and it is he who ordered the unjustified and indiscriminate attack on a civilian Russian freighter – a freighter which had no means of defending itself.

"This man is an international terrorist of the darkest order. He violated international laws and the law of the high seas by sailing his submarine through the Bosphorus submerged. He attacked a civilian ship, taking the lives of innocent Russians who were only doing their jobs on the sea to try and earn a living for their families."

Andropov turned back to the panel. "There are several people in this courtroom today that I would like to introduce. Ludmilla Batsakov, please stand."

Pete looked around. A stout, matronly lady with white hair and a severely wrinkled face stood in the row just behind the orphans. Andropov waved his hand grandly as he turned back to the panel. "This, gentlemen, is Ludmilla Batsakov – the mother of Kapitan Yuri Mikal-vich Batsakov."

Wailing and crying erupted from the woman at the mention of her son's name. Two Russian soldiers rushed to her aid, offering tissues and water.

"And I remind you, gentlemen, " Andropov said over the woman's dramatic wailing, "that Kapitan Batsakov was not the only innocent Russian to die. I present to you the family of the deceased crewmembers of the Alexander Popovich." They stood in the row just beside the Bat-sakov woman – an assortment of wives, mothers, and girlfriends – and children. More groaning and crying arose from the choir of the bereaved, as Andropov turned back to the panelists again.

"And finally, the most horrific part of all this: This terrorist tried to murder a group of innocent orphans on board the Alexander Pop-ovich." He turned and surveyed the first row behind counsel table. "Stand, children."

Pete caught Dima's eyes as the orphans, some of whom were trembling at all the attention, rose sheepishly as a group just behind the prosecution's table. "As a result of this man's acts, these little ones were subject to smoke and fire, to water and oil, were thrown into the sea, where they were rescued by one heroic Russian sailor, Aleksey Anatoly-vich. Please stand, Aleksey Anatolyvich." Aleksey stood there, looking down at his feet. "He single-handedly got them into lifeboats and saved them all.

"At that point this man" – Andropov pointed again at Pete – "came up with another sinister idea. Seeing that the orphans surviving could be a witness to what happened, he did what terrorists do as a matter of routine. He took these young orphans hostage. He surfaced, captured them all at gunpoint, then dove under the sea again, where he made a run south, trying to escape through the Bosphorus.