long-range strike platform. It’s not the aircraft it has deployed to
Vietnam–we’ve seen too much evidence that they’re coming out clean. That
leaves a ship, a submarine, or a land-launched platform. I doubt it’s a ship.
We’d have detected her on SUCAP. A submarine is a strong candidate, given the
stealthy nature of the attacks, and the fact that we’ve seen one sub launch a
cruise missile against us already.”
“Oh, great. Submarines,” CAG said, disgusted.
“Probably at least one. But just because we’ve found one answer doesn’t
mean that we’ve found all the answers. There are problems with the submarine
answer, too. Subs are hard to talk to on a regular schedule. I don’t think
that they’d be the choice for coordinating attacks with our patrols around the
area. Too much uncertainty, too difficult to make sure the attack happened
when we were around. I think we have to at least consider–and plan for–the
possibility that China has a long-range land attack missile. If they do, it’s
got to be launched from their mainland. No way that they’d take that
technology to Vietnam and run the risk of losing it. Besides, that would blow
their plan as far as Vietnam is concerned. Then their neighbors would know
that China is behind all the attacks, and they’d have no reason to be
suspicious of us.”
“So we end up with a missile threat from the north, from China’s
mainland. And an air threat to the east, from the Chinese aircraft stationed
in Vietnam. As well as a submarine cruise missile threat to the ships from
just about anywhere.”
“I think so,” Lab Rat agreed. “And we may have some information leaks as
well, although I’m not certain about that. But the safe thing to do is to
keep any plans as tightly compartmented as possible, to minimize the risks.”
“I can just hear Killington now,” COS said thoughtfully. “Based on these
assumptions, you’re probably going to want to send him north. He’s going to
want to know why, and you’re not going to be able to tell him.”
“He’ll live with it,” Tombstone said shortly. “Be good practice for him,
obeying orders for a while.”
“I’ll rough out an air plan for you immediately, Admiral,” CAG said.
“We’ll be putting some extra fighters on alert, as well as some ASW assets.
Your flight crews are going to be pulling some long hours sitting alert.”
“It builds character,” Tombstone said. “At least that’s what my first CO
told me when I bitched about it.”
CAG chuckled. “I can think of at least one young aviator who could use
some of that, sir.”
“Gentlemen,” Tombstone said, standing up and picking up his notepad,
“thank you for your time. Commander Busby, I think we have some insight into
the operational scenario. Good work. Now let’s see what we can do to turn
the tables on these bastards!
CHAPTER 15
Monday, 1 July
0518 local (Zulu -7)
On board Vietnamese patrol boat, vicinity of Island 508
Spratly Islands, South China Sea
The Vietnamese lieutenant stared out at the still-dark horizon, trying to
see through the early morning fog. Timing was critical to this mission. It
was still twenty minutes until sunrise, enough time to maneuver into position
near the tiny rock in the middle of the ocean. Ideally, the sun would just be
rising as the occupation team deployed.
He looked back toward the fantail, at the small group of men and
equipment standing around in the predawn gloom. He pitied them. While life
aboard the Soviet Zhuk-class patrol boat was certainly not luxurious, it beat
the hell out of where those men were headed.
The Vietnamese naval force was an odd mixture of discarded Soviet and
American small vessels. The lieutenant’s Zhuk was one of the most modern
additions, transferred to Vietnam in 1989 from the Soviet Union. The
twelve-man crew was one of the more motivated crews he’d served with. The
boat was twenty-four feet long, and could cruise through the seas at
thirty-four knots. While it certainly wasn’t the largest naval vessel to ply
the South China Sea, it was more than large enough for this mission.
He wished he could say the same about the occupation team. The stack of