Cold Choices

in the third row. “And Jane, please remind me later to thank Colonel Jenkins appropriately. Staff Sergeant Monroe, please escort this person off the aircraft, and make sure he gets his luggage back.”

Parker spoke up. “Dr. Patterson, CNN could help us get a lot of good press.”

“Which I appreciate, but I’m not willing to pay the price. I am willing to work with the press, but we have to keep them at arm’s length.”

Two more people waiting on the stairs to board had to turn around and go back while Glasgow went down.

Once the reporter had left, an Air Force enlisted man in fatigues came aboard. He almost saluted Patterson, and did come to attention. “Tech Sergeant Hayes, ma’am,” he said in a west Texas drawl that seemed entirely appropriate to his six-foot-two height and long, angled looks. “I’m a weather specialist. I’m supposed to support you, the sub, and the ship we’ll be aboard.”

As he headed aft to sit down, the final passenger stepped inside. He was stout, in his fifties, and looked a little worried. “I’m from NAVSEA, Doctor. Ken Bover. I’m supposed to assist with the repairs to Seawolf.”

“You’re a technician?”

“No ma’am, a naval architect.” As Bover answered, Moore motioned urgently for them to sit, and then turned to close the door. Patterson buckled in, and Bover sat down in the next seat, continuing their conversation.

“I was on TDY at Haaksonvern, the Norwegian base at Bergen. I coordinate NAVSEA’s support for the new Nansen-class guided-missile frigates. I was scheduled to conduct sea trials on Thor Heyerdahl when I got a call yesterday from my boss telling me to get here pronto and be ready to support repairs to USS Seawolf.”

Patterson nodded. “We’re carrying spare electronics parts for her.”

Bover pulled out a printout. “I’ve got the list. That was the one thing I was able to get, and it’s the Air Force cargo manifest. It’s all very last-minute. I almost didn’t make the flight.”

By now the plane was taxiing, and Patterson said, “Once we’re in the air, Commander Silas will help you contact NAVSEA and get you whatever you need. We have top priority on this mission.”

“Excellent. Thank you, Doctor. The most important thing is to find out where Seawolf is heading, Vadso or Tromso. I don’t remember whether either port can take a vessel with her draft. ”

“Mr. Bover, Seawolf is in the middle of a search-and-rescue operation for a downed Russian submarine.”

Bover nodded vigorously. “I understand that, Doctor. It’s all over the media and the Internet. I promise, the instant Seawolf reaches port, my techs will be all over her. We’ll turn her around in record time.”

“She’s not coming in to port. The plan is to send these parts out to her.”

Bover’s shocked expression surprised her. “Who thought that up? The weather is just getting better here. It’s still very bad to the north. Even if we can get the parts to her, the reported damage is extensive. Temporary repairs would normally take a few weeks. I was going to move heaven and earth to get it done in two, maybe three days.”

“Are you saying that these repairs can’t be made at sea?”

Bover answered instantly. “I’d recommend against it. This is sophisticated equipment. The techs will have a lot of work to do just identifying all the damaged parts. If they don’t get all the bad boards out, they could fry the replacement parts when the gear’s turned on.”

He paused for a moment, then added, “I’m amazed she isn’t heading for port right now.”

“Mr. Bover, this is literally a life and death situation. Seawolf can’t leave.”

He sighed. “Then I don’t know what I can do.”

Confusion swirled inside Patterson as she considered Bover’s information. What if he was right? But he said he wasn’t a technician and his expertise was in surface ships.

They reached altitude and unbuckled, and Patterson immediately found herself surrounded. Hayes was first in line. “Jeff Monroe says you need a weather update, ma’am. Current conditions?”

Patterson nodded, “Yes, that would be fine.”

“For what location, please?” She looked confused, and Hayes added, “For Bardufoss, or Churchill’s position, or the Barents? And how far in advance?” Getting a tailor-made weather forecast meant giving the tailor your measurements.

She paused, adjusting, but only for a moment. “Please forecast the progress of the storm, and when it will clear the site of the collision and the Northern Fleet’s ports. And make sure to give the information to Dr. Russo as well.” Hayes nodded and went aft.

After that, Commander Silas wanted permission to send a message to Churchill and tell her CO about the extra personnel. Then Joyce Parker wanted to protest Patterson’s refusal to let a reporter on board, and Monroe wanted to know if they wanted dinner.

There were more introductions during the meal, and while the atmosphere was cordial, almost jovial, Patterson felt control slipping away. Russo and the Norwegian were huddled with Hayes the weather sergeant, Silas and Bover were conferring, while Parker was typing furiously on her laptop in a corner.

Then she noticed Jane Matsui, standing at her elbow with a question about an upcoming bill. It was a trivial issue given the circumstances, but she welcomed Jane’s question gladly.

The flight to Bardufoss was only two hours, and halfway through she called another conference to hear Russo’s analysis.

He kept it brief. “If Seawolf can find the Russian sub, that makes the rescue possible. Without Seawolf, it’s doubtful they can be found in time.” He nodded toward Hayes. “If the storm stays on track, the Russians can leave port late tomorrow, which puts them on station late the next day based on the max speed of their rescue ship. That means Severodvinsk will have already been down five days.”

Russo looked around the table, saw no disagreement. “Arne’s people will leave port this evening, which puts them on station in sixty-two hours, at their best speed. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Russian crew will be almost out of breathable air by the time the Norwegians arrive. They’ll be hurting, at best.” Lindstrom nodded grimly. “The morning of the tenth of October is the earliest rescue operations can begin, other factors permitting.”

“The other factors being that we’ve found her, that the weather does indeed improve — and that they’re still alive to begin with,” Silas offered. Patterson noticed Bover nodding agreement.

“We can’t control that,” Russo agreed, “but we need information from the Russians so that Arne’s people are ready to go when they get on station. Technical data on Severodvinsk’s escape hatches and internal layout. That’s the first thing we’ll need from them.”

Bover snorted. “Their newest nuclear attack sub? They’d rather sell their mothers.”

Russo ignored the comment. “Good charts of the area would also help a lot. More than hydrography, the area has been used and fought over for a hundred years. Knowing the location of wrecks or expended ordnance will help Seawolf with her search as well as warn us of any potential trouble spots.”

Patterson asked, “What if we can’t get the information on Severodvinsk?”

Russo looked to Lindstrom. The Norwegian said, “It’s all about time. Depending on the depth, we may not have the luxury of deploying divers. That means everything may have to be done with submersibles and ROVs. Even if we could get divers into the water, they would probably have to use atmospheric diving suits, there is simply not enough time for a saturation dive.”

“Conditions will be difficult. Visibility will be measured in single meters, and it is cold. The suit makes any movement an effort. If there’s a current, that makes it worse.” Lindstrom’s voice carried experience.

“Did your company help with the Kursk disaster?”

“No, but I was one of the divers working for Stolt Offshore and I dove on the boat. I am getting too old now, but I may make one or two early dives, so that I can see conditions for myself.”

Patterson made a note to listen carefully whenever Lindstrom spoke.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we’re approaching Bardufoss. Please take your seats.”

As they buckled in, Monroe listened on the plane’s interphone, then announced, “As soon as we land and you