END GAME
389
Aboard the Abner Read,
in the northern Arabian Sea
0649
THE MISSILES FLEW FROM THE FORWARD TUBES IN QUICK SUCcession, spiraling upward in a glistening arc of white against the brilliant blue of the sky. Storm waited until the last one had gone before turning back to the holographic display where they were being tracked.
The other ships would come for them, he realized. He had to prepare.
“Take us south, Helm,” he said, reaching for his communications controller. “Eyes—the Sharkboat. Tell them we’re going south. We want to put some space between us and the Chinese.”
“Aye aye, Captain.”
STARSHIP TOUCHED THE WEREWOLF DOWN ON THE HELIPAD
behind the Abner Read’s low-slung superstructure, killing the engines. The two seamen assigned to fuel the robot ran out and began tending to her.
He turned and looked behind him in the Tactical Center.
Eyes was standing only a few feet away, a perplexed look on his face as the men around him took turns shouting information in his direction.
Starship waited a few seconds, hoping for a calm patch.
When none came, he asked, “Eyes, do you want me to attack the carrier when I’m topped off?”
“The carrier?”
“The Deng Xiaoping. With my Hellfires.”
The Tac commander’s mouth squirreled up, his cheeks puffing out. “Hellfires?”
“It’s something. I can get up there in fifteen minutes tops, once I’m reloaded. That should be ten minutes from now.”
“Too late.” Eyes’s frown turned into a forlorn smile. “But thanks for the offer. Get back in the air as soon as you can.
We’ll need you to show us what’s going on.”
390
DALE BROWN’S DREAMLAND
Aboard the Fisher ,
over the northern Arabian Sea
0650
“MULTIPLE MISSILE LAUNCHES FROM THE ABNER READ!”
shouted the surface radar operator, his voice rattling Tommy Chu’s headset. “Eight missiles—more from the Sharkboat. Targeted—they’re going after the carrier!”
“What the hell are they doing?” Chu reached to the communications panel to contact the Abner Read. Before he could, the screen indicated an incoming message from the ship. The Abner Read’s tactical officer’s face appeared in the screen. “What the hell’s going on?” Chu demanded.
“We’ve launched our attack on the Chinese carrier. We need you to intercept the two fighters.”
“I’m not in position to do that. Why did you launch the attack without telling us?”
“I need you to intercept those planes.”
“I can’t. Why did you launch without contacting us first?”
“I don’t need your permission to accomplish my mission.”
The screen blanked. Chu angrily smacked at the kill button anyway.
“The Abner Read has launched an attack on the Chinese carrier Deng Xiaoping,” he told the rest of the crew. “We’ll take down the J-13s before they realize what’s going on, then remain on course in case the strike fails.”
Aboard the Deng Xiaoping,
in the northern Arabian Sea
0651
TWELVE MISSILES HAD BEEN FIRED AT THE DENG XIAOPING.
Captain Hongwu listened closely as the threats were identified: A total of eight Harpoon missiles had been fired, four from the Abner Read and four from the small patrol boat, along with four SR-2 or Standards from the Abner Read.
END GAME
391
The threats had to be prioritized; they no longer had enough missiles to intercept them all.
He turned to the officer in charge of targeting the weapons.
“Target two of the SR-2s with our anticruise missiles.
Target all of the Harpoons from the Abner Read. Attempt to intercept the missiles from the small patrol craft with our fighters, and turn the close-in weapons on everything else.”
“Yes, Comrade Captain.”
He had known it would come to this. But there was no satisfaction in being proven correct. Hongwu folded his arms, demonstrating to the others that they must be resolute and calm.
“Have the aircraft aloft engage the American warplane.
Shoot it down immediately. The two planes observing the Abner Read—divert them and have them attack the Megafortress as well. The warship will be easier to deal with once the radar plane is gone.”
Aboard the Fisher ,
over the northern Arabian Sea
0652
“READY?” CHU ASKED THE COPILOT.
“Ready. Flighthawks will go on your signal.”
“Now!” said Chu, and he pushed the stick forward, tucking the Megafortress away.
The air roiled as the two robot planes closed in for the kill. Chu began a sharp turn south, then cut back.
“Missiles in the air!” warned the copilot. “Heat-seekers!”
“Flares.” Chu pushed the plane onto its wing, unsure exactly who had fired the missiles.
“Russian AA-12 type missile launched,” added the copilot. “Not a factor. The two planes that were tracking toward the Abner Read are turning in our direction.”
392
DALE BROWN’S DREAMLAND
“Splash one J-13!” said one of the Flighthawk pilots.
“The other plane is on our tail,” said the copilot.
“Stinger air mines,” said Chu as the air around him began to percolate with tracers.
Aboard the Abner Read,
in the northern Arabian Sea
0654
“TWO STANDARD MISSILES INTERCEPTED. ONE HARPOON
lost.”
Storm stared at the hologram, letting the report sink in.
Already, the Chinese had done much better than the Indians, who had managed to shoot down only one of his missiles.
Another of the Harpoons disappeared from the display.
That might not mean it had been shot down; the ship’s systems occasionally lost track of the missiles as they dipped toward their target.
God, his head hurt worse than he thought possible.
“Dreamland Fisher is under attack,” said Eyes.
Storm nodded, as if his tactical commander was standing on the bridge next to him.
“Standard missile three has struck the carrier,” said Weapons. “Standard missile four has struck the carrier.”
Two out of four. Acceptable against such an accomplished opponent. As an opening volley.
“Harpoon One is on target. Harpoon Three is on target.
Harpoon Four is off our screen, possibly intercepted.”
Another two out of four performance?
He should have been closer. He should have reserved more of his missiles. He should have made better use of his people.
“Harpoon Three has struck the Deng Xiaoping. Harpoon One—unknown.”
“Unknown?”
“Sorry, sir. We’re working on it now. At this range—”
END GAME
393
“The Sharkboat?”
“SB Harpoon One is off course. SB Harpoon Two and Three running true. SB Harpoon Four has been intercepted.”
“Where are those planes that were attacking us?” said Storm.
“Turned off—going after the Fisher. ”
“Can we help them?”
“Too far. We have no more missiles.”
“Very well,” said Storm. “They’ll come out of it. Those Dreamland people always do.”
Aboard the Fisher ,
over the northern Arabian Sea
0654
CHU TRIED TO SHUT OUT EVERYTHING BUT THE SKY IN FRONT
of him, concentrating on getting the Megafortress away from its pursuer. He knew eventually the Stinger air mines would take the J-13 down; the trick was to survive until then. The plane rocked up and down as he zigged south. He knew one of his engines had been hit, but this wasn’t the time to deal with it; a fresh warning indicated four AA-12s had been fired by the planes coming up toward his nose.