shoot down virtually every airborne contact they encountered, and that was not going to be practical given their slowly dwindling SAM magazines.
This was going to give their adversaries much more situational awareness than they ever had before. They will know approximately where we are, he thought, and that was compounded by the fact that the ship had only three options if it wanted to exit these waters. Suez was not really a viable choice, and the Bosporus route, though appealing in one sense, would only leave them masters of the Black Sea, with the same long, grueling task of sailing to Gibraltar through an active war zone if they ever wanted to leave that place. This reason, and the circumstances that found them running straight for the chaos of Operation Pedestal, had prompted Fedorov to take this northern route. Now that the Bonifacio Strait was behind them they might at least have some time to think, rest and plan what they should or could do next.
Other thoughts plagued him, more ominous in his mind, and filled him with a nagging doubt. The ship’s presence was like an irritating grain of salt in a clam shell here. What pearl would it produce in the history? Already both the British and Italians had used resources, men, ships and planes, that they might have otherwise deployed against each other. This was introducing more and more subtle changes in the history, and his great extra advantage of knowing the course of future events was no longer something he could rely on. He did not think his engagement with Da Zara’s 3rd Cruiser Division, or the pursuit of the 7th Cruiser Division mattered much, as these forces had both been ordered to stand down. The 3rd Division sustained damage from
The presence of the two Italian Battleships had been a dangerous surprise to him, shaking his confidence in the future course of events. They should not have been at La Spezia, or in any position to intervene here. He thought that the heavy Italian ships were all still at Taranto, which was another reason he had discarded the journey to the Black Sea.
Now, as he looked at the route ahead, he mused darkly over what the British may have learned about their battle in the Bonifacio Strait. They knew that none of their own ships were deployed in that region. Who would they think the Italians were engaging? This thought filled him with misgiving as he reached the sick bay and knocked lightly on the hatch.
“Mister Fedorov,” Zolkin greeted him as he entered and removed his hat, smiling at the amiable doctor. The young navigator was also relieved to see Admiral Volsky awake and looking much more alert than the day before.
“I was hoping someone would come down here and tell me what all this shooting has been about. How is an old man to get any sleep?” The Admiral forced a smile, then asked the most important question on his mind. “Is the ship safe, Fedorov? What has happened? Zolkin has had me strapped to this cot and refused to let me go.”
“Doctors give orders too, Leonid,” said Zolkin, his brows lowering with admonition.
“Don’t worry, Admiral, the worst is over and we should have safe waters for at least the next twenty-four hours or more.” He gave Volsky a briefing on all they had been through, finishing up with an account of that surprise engagement with
“Battleships?” said Volsky. “So that is what was shaking things up down here. I thought it might be bombs from aircraft. The concussion was severe.”
“A few big rounds fell a little closer than I would have liked,” he explained. “We may have some splinter damage on the bow hull area, and Tasarov is having trouble with his sonar. We’ll put divers over the side near dusk to have a look.” He ran down the details of Byko’s damage control report and then asked if he might summon Captain Karpov to discuss the route ahead in more detail. While they waited Volsky took a moment to sound out another matter.
“How are things on the bridge,” he asked. “Have the men accepted Karpov? Do you feel comfortable with him there?”
“Yes sir,” Fedorov did not hesitate. “In fact, his knowledge and ability to fight the ship in combat is invaluable. He can make quick decisions, put weapons on target, and the other officers seem to hold no grudge over what happened. I think Karpov is legitimately trying to rehabilitate himself. Yes, his pride is wounded, but he has lost that arrogance and argumentative edge, and frankly, he does not seem so obsessed with effecting some decisive blow, though I cannot say that has entirely left his thinking.”
Zolkin spoke up: “You mean he won’t be trying to fire of another nuclear bomb off any time soon. That is a relief.”
“I have told him that option is out of the question, and he did not argue,” said Fedorov.
“And you,” said Volsky. “How do you feel at the helm, young man?”
“It’s a great deal of responsibility, sir. I have much to learn, and I’m grateful for Karpov’s assistance and the competency of the other officers. Now we have some hard decisions to make, and so I wanted you to guide us, and express your thoughts on what we should do.”
“Not what we
“I’m afraid we must consider both, my good Doctor.”
Karpov arrived and stepped in to the room, looking as tired as Fedorov, and somewhat haggard. “Rodenko has the bridge,” he said. “All is quiet for the moment. But Fedorov thinks we have some difficult hours ahead of us.”
“Alright,” said Volsky. “Let us hear your briefing Fedorov, and then we will decide.”
Chapter 18
“If the history remains intact,” said Fedorov, then Force Z should turn back for Gibraltar at 1855 hours, or just before sunset this evening. At most they can make twenty knots. That's all the speed the heart of that task force can muster, two battleships,
“You believe they will fight to the finish?” asked Volsky.
“I do, sir. For one thing, we will be threatening one of the most strategically important bases in the British Empire. Look at what they committed here to the defense of Malta. The British know they have to hold three places at this stage of the war: Suez, Malta, and Gibraltar. They will fight, sir. We cannot expect the them to break off, even if things go badly for them.”
“What will they know about us?” Volsky’s question was pointed and had been nagging at Fedorov for some time.
“I’ve been considering that, sir. If they learn of the engagement we just fought with the Italians then we may have created quite a conundrum for them.”
“Yes, we’re a big fish in this very small tank, and we’ve been nipping at the other fish. They will have to wonder who the Italians were slugging it out with just now, and why we can’t seem to decide who’s side we are on in this war.”
“And remember, they had aircraft over us as well yesterday in the Tyrrhenian Sea. We could have been photographed. At that time they probably believed we were an Italian heavy cruiser, but after the engagement at Bonifacio, I don’t know what they will think. Perhaps they might consider that we were a renegade French ship out of Toulon. That is my hope. There was a great deal of dissatisfaction in the French Navy about Vichy French cooperation with the Axis. Remember that the Allies are planning the Invasion of North Africa right now, and Eisenhower is urging the French fleet to join them. They will make an agreement with Admiral Darlan and use him as a standard to rally the fleet. Hitler was suspicious about all this, and he planned
