Kirov II: Cauldron of Fire

voyage through the Aegean, with enemy airfields on every side and then internment in the Black Sea.”

“Then it looks like our only option is north away from the major fighting while we consider this question further,” said Volsky.

“A good possibility,” said Fedorov. “But it would mean we would have to run past these Italian cruiser patrols, and then surge north through the Tyrrhenian Sea again and either run north of Corsica, past the major Italian base at La Spezia and a lot of enemy aircraft, or else we must risk the narrows of the Bonifacio Strait and the Italian naval facility at La Maddalena there.”

“And then what,” said Volsky. “Suppose we do this and fight our way west of Sardinia and Corsica by one route or another. Suppose we work our way north of the Balearics, then what? We will be ready to run the final bottle-neck to Gibraltar, yes? And what will we find there?”

“The British,” said Fedorov flatly. “Everything they have left after the battle will withdraw in that direction, and the heavy units will be there well before us, unless we move quickly. Battleships Nelson and Rodney for a start, and a swarm of destroyers and cruisers. Their carriers get beat up pretty badly if the action follows the history. They have already lost Eagle, and later on Indomitible will also be hit and damaged to a point where she can no longer operate effectively. Argus is of no concern, but they will still have our old friends Victorious and Furious, and all the air power they have left flying out of Gibraltar, another unsinkable aircraft carrier like Malta.”

“Could we punch our way through, Karpov?” The Admiral wanted to bring the Captain into the discussion.

“Of course,” Karpov said immediately. “You saw what we did when the full power of this ship was focused as it can be in dire need. I do not wish to say that the course I took was the wisest….” He paused, and Volsky could see that this was difficult for him. “…or even that my choice of tactics was correct in that regard. I was obsessed at the time with the possibility of striking a decisive political blow—one that would truly alter the course of events and leave the world a better place for the Russia we left back home, the country we all swore to protect and defend.”

“True, but we have seen the result, Captain, and it was not pleasant. We found hell out there, or as close to it as any man can come while alive on this earth. We may all get there again on our own when we pass on,” he smiled. “But I have little desire to go there again now.”

“But that is what we must do if you sail west or east,” said Karpov. “We must pass through the gates of hell—be it Messina, Bonifacio, the Bosporus or Gibraltar. The western course is also some 1800 miles of dangerous sailing, and a major battle at the end.”

“Yet one you feel we can win?”

“Certainly, though much will depend on the status of our missile inventories when we reach that place. I know I invite your rebuke with this next remark, but I must tell you that where this ship sails, there are no unsinkable aircraft carriers.” He put his fingertip flatly on the desk to emphasize his point. “We have the means to obliterate either Malta or Gibraltar if it comes to that, and wipe their air power off the map in one blow. And if there is still any stomach for the ideas we discussed before this whole thing began, then I must also say that by destroying either of these bases we would decisively effect the outcome of this war, particularly now, at this moment, August of 1942. The loss of either base would seriously tip the balance in favor of Rommel in North Africa. He may not prevail in the end, but there would be a strong chance that he pushes into Alexandria, or even to the Suez Canal itself. It could effectively knock Britain out of the land war, at least for a time.”

Fedorov noted how each course eventually led to the deployment of nuclear weapons to make a decisive blow and alter the course of the war, at least in Karpov’s mind. He was cautious about getting into a shooting match here with the Captain, but was not surprised to hear this hard line from him. He glanced at Volsky before he spoke, waiting to see if the Admiral had any remarks, then offered another point.

“What about Operation Torch. The Americans are about to enter the war in those landings, scheduled for November 8th. If Rommel manages to push the British back to Suez, he will still find the American Army behind him in due course. All things considered, the loss of Malta may make a considerable difference—and certainly Gibraltar, but I believe the Allies would still persist with the plan for an invasion at Casablanca, Oran and Algeria, and then drive east.”

“We can guess and conjecture this all day,” said Karpov. “I do not say you are wrong, Fedorov, but without Malta or Gibraltar, the Axis forces will easily supply Rommel with anything he needs, while their own supply lines to Egypt will stretch thousands of U-boat infested sea miles around the Cape of Good Hope. Suppose Rommel were to defeat the Americans as well?”

“A possibility, Captain.”

“Yet how will we know?” The Admiral put his finger on the real problem. “That is our dilemma when we talk about decisive interventions. We can never really know what turn the history will take, and it may darken in ways we have already seen.”

“I agree, Admiral,” said Fedorov. “Suppose we leave off this line of argument and think to our more immediate needs—survival. Destroying Malta, Gibraltar or smashing the Sixth Army would certainly have a dramatic effect on the war, but haven’t we seen enough death and destruction already on this cruise?”

Zolkin had been listening to everything intently. He was not a military man, and so did not entirely grasp the implications of what Karpov and Fedorov were discussing. Instead he was watching the men, gauging their emotions, and sounding out things on another level. Now he spoke with a pointed remark that changed the tone of the argument.

“You have all been discussing what we might do, what we are capable of doing, and yes, what the consequences may be in the end, but speak now to what we should do…” The implication of some moral element in the decision was obvious. “Yes, we can smash our way through these ships, and blacken Malta or Gibraltar if we so decide, but should we? Simply to secure our own lives and fate? How many will die if we attempt this?”

The sharp alarm of general quarters came in answer, long and strident in the still air. Karpov sat up stiffly, his reflex for battle immediately apparent and a new light in his eyes. “Listen, Zolkin,” he said quickly, a finger pointing to the scrambling sound of booted feet on the decks above them. “Hear that? This is no longer a question of what we should do, but what we must do. It is either that, or we go to the bottom of the sea like so many before us.”

“Mister Fedorov, I think you should get to the command bridge,” said Volsky.

Fedorov was already up and heading for the hatch but Karpov pulled at him: “Fedorov,” he said quickly. “You can cross circuit the Klinok SAM system with any other radar. Rodenko—bypass the damaged systems and target via your primary search array. After that the missiles can operate on their own!”

Volsky, nodded and then gave one final order. “Protect the ship, Mister Fedorov. Do what you must. Rodenko, Tasarov—get moving!”

Part III REDEMPTION

“I never worry about action, but only inaction… If you are going through hell, keep going… A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

~ Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill

Chapter 7