CARRIER 3: ARMAGEDDON MODE

“I should start off by saying that there’s been a big change in the green sheet.” The “green sheet,” named logically enough for its color, was the daily schedule of air operations put out by OX Division, Ops Admin. “As of 0800 this morning, this carrier battle group will go to full alert.”

“Yesterday afternoon at 1655 hours, the U.S.S. Kiddle was fired upon by a Foxtrot-class submarine of the Indian navy. Biddle evaded and returned fire. The Foxtrot is believed to have been lost with all hands.”

The stir grew to a subdued murmur of voices. “Knock it off, people,” Tombstone said, raising his voice. “Let’s listen up.”

“As a result of this incident,” CAG continued on the screen, “diplomatic relations with India have become seriously strained. Yesterday evening, our time, their embassy in Washington delivered a formal protest to the President and threatened retaliation if we stay within what they describe as their military interdiction zone.

“That zone, incidentally, extends three hundred miles south from the mainland to latitude twenty degrees north. That describes a line from just above Bombay clear across the Arabian Sea to the island of Masirah, off Oman. Washington has responded by declaring that we do not recognize that zone, which includes the approaches to the Persian Gulf. The Navy’s mission includes insuring free passage through those straits, something we can’t give up without serious repercussion among our allies.

“Jefferson is now well inside the exclusion zone, and we’re not leaving. A message to that effect has been delivered by our State Department to New Delhi.

“At 0435 hours our time this morning, Jefferson received an

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Keith Douglas

alert order from CINCPAC.” CAG picked up a sheet of paper from die podium and began reading.

‘”CBG-14 is hereby directed,'” he read, “‘to assume a defensive stance commensurate with full combat readiness in order to safeguard the vessels of CBG-14 from possible attack by hostile forces. COCBG-14 is urged to take every precaution to avoid conflict with potential hostile forces in the area within the framework of his operating orders. Ships and aircraft of CBG-14 will fire only if fired upon. Aggressive operations which could be construed as hostile gestures are to be terminated.'”

CAG put the paper down and looked back up at the camera. “In keeping with these orders, Admiral Vaughn has directed the battle ground to close up once we reach our assigned patrol station. Fighter CAPs will go as scheduled, but the patrol radius will be reduced from three hundred to two hundred miles. The strike exercises scheduled for VA-84 and VA-89 are canceled. Catseyes and King Fishers will continue their patrols as briefed. Every effort is to be made to avoid further contact with Indian forces.”

That made sense. Practice bomb runs by the Intruders of the carrier’s attack squadrons could be dispensed with. The Hawk-eye radar planes of the VAW-130 Catseyes and the sub-hunting Vikings of VS-42 would be needed more than ever to alert the battle group to an approach by hostile planes or subs. He wasn’t sure he understood the order to shrink the CBG’s perimeter, though. An aircraft carrier was an extremely large and tempting target. The best way to hide it was to spread the battle group over as much area as possible, making it harder for hostile patrols to pinpoint the carrier.

The televised briefing continued, covering other, more routine matters, but the big bomb had already been dropped. Strained diplomatic relations with India? Possible combat with Indian forces? It seemed impossible, but wars had begun over smaller things than the loss of a submarine. What made this situation deadly was the fact mat the Indians were already at war with Pakistan. Any hostile U.S. move would make New Delhi think that the Americans had sided with their old ally, Pakistan.

It was even possible that the battle group could be attacked by accident.

ARMAGEDDON MODE

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And what the hell tun I doing here, anyway? he thought I’m not mad at the Indians. I sure as hell don’t want to get into a war with them.

His thoughts strayed to Pamela’s letter. Maybe she was right, and it was time for a change. Four more weeks and the Jefferson would be returning to San Diego. At that time, Tombstone’s current commission period would be up and he would have the option of resigning from the Navy.

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