The Shark Mutiny

including, I hope, yourself.”

“Well, your certainty is misplaced. I wonder if you would be kind enough to inform me why you believe death to be imminent?”

“Because they are being pursued, sir, by two Russian-built Helix helicopters. And they are in open boats, inflatables, on the open sea, protected only by three M-60 light machine guns, which will probably be no match for the weapons against them.”

“Are the Helix aircraft ASWs?”

“I believe one of them must be, sir. They came from the two warships moored in the base. So I doubt there would be more than one Type-B assault craft. There were almost certainly two Type-A ASWs, which means there’s at least one left. The guys downed one of the three.”

“I see. And how do you propose to continue this mission of mercy. On the surface?”

“Yessir.”

“I see.” Commander Reid’s tone was cold. “Now I want to get this straight. You are proposing to take my ship, on the surface into the direct path of an oncoming Russian-built helicopter, which may be carrying rockets that outrange us? IS THAT CORRECT, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER?”

“Yessir.”

“Have you gone mad, XO?”

“I do not believe so, sir.”

“Then explain yourself, sir. And while you are about it, consider, if you will, the conversation you and I had less than two hours ago.”

And now Commander Reid’s eyes were moving back and forth across the control room. His head was turning only slightly, and his stare was upon all three of those present.

“RETROGRADE! RETROGRADE, XO! The great planet Mercury is in retreat. I have tried to explain this to you, and I trust you have relayed my concerns to the crew? WELL, HAVE YOU?”

“Nossir.”

“WHY NOT, DAMN YOU! DO YOU THINK THERE IS SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT?”

“I am not really qualified to offer an opinion on that, sir.”

“NO, XO. NO, YOU ARE NOT. Because you are an ignorant man. Like all these others. You know nothing of the cycles of the universe. You know only minor details. Details of your own insignificant life and those immediately around you. You know nothing, XO. Nothing.”

“As you wish, sir.”

“I have tried to be patient with the terrible depths of your ignorance, Lieutenant Commander. I have tried to explain that Mercury rules so much of our lives, particularly those of serving Naval officers. Because of the planet’s supreme involvement with transportation and communications.

“It is apparent to me, as it must be apparent to you, that the forces of the planet are already at work. If you happened to have been Chinese, working at the Naval base, you would have faced catastrophe probably unprecedented in your lifetime. And what has been destroyed? Ships, fueling facilities and communications. The essence of any Naval base. The targets of the great planet.

“And as for our own operation: Plainly the SEAL mission has gone drastically wrong. The journey they are now on may be their last. AND YOU, XO, ARE TRYING TO TAKE MY SHIP INTO THE PATH OF A HELICOPTER ARMED WITH ROCKETS THAT CAN PIERCE OUR PRESSURE HULL? RIGHT NOW, WITH MERCURY IN RETROGRADE? NOSSIR. NO YOU WILL NOT.”

“Not everyone believes in astrology, sir.”

“No, of course not. But many great men believe in it. Who was the greatest U.S. President in recent years, the man who rebuilt the Navy?”

“President Reagan, sir.”

“Exactly so. He and his wife believed. They understood the cycles of the universe. They took expert consultation, as many great men before them have done. And now, XO, turn this ship around. And return to our official rendezvous point, 16.00N 94.01E.

“AND WHILE YOU ARE CARRYING OUT MY ORDERS, REMEMBER THE OLDEST RULE OF THE NUCLEAR SUBMARINE COMMANDER…NEVER…NEVER, EVER…TAKE YOUR SHIP TO THE SURFACE IN THE FACE OF THE ENEMY. TURN IT AROUND, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER.”

Dan Headley replied slowly and carefully. “I am afraid I cannot do that, sir,” he said.

“Lieutenant Commander, I am going to pretend, for the moment, I never heard that. And I say again, Turn this ship around, RIGHT NOW!”

“I think you heard me, sir. I am afraid I cannot do that. Under any circumstances whatsoever… Conn-XO, continue course one-one-zero at flank…same course, same speed.”

“Lieutenant Commander Headley, you are forcing me to conclude that you are conducting a one-man mutiny on this ship. And I now formally place you under ship’s arrest, and I command you to leave the control room.”

“I am afraid that will not be happening, sir.” And with that, Dan Headley summoned again the senior executives of the ship back to the control room. And one by one they entered, the Lieutenant Commanders, Jack Cressend and Josh Gandy, and the Navigation Officer, Lt. Shawn Pearson. Master Chief Fisher and the Officer of the Deck, Lt. Matt Singer, were already there.

“I have consulted with the ship’s senior execs already, sir,” said Dan Headley. “And it is the opinion of each man that it is our duty to save the platoon of SEALs if that is possible. We are a warship, and we’re certainly equipped to deal with a couple of aging Chinese Navy helos.

“The SEALs have just acted with the utmost bravery, successfully carrying out the orders of, I understand, the President of the United States, the National Security Adviser, and the Chief of Naval Operations. Only if I receive direct orders from one or all of those three men will I cease and desist in my efforts to save our colleagues.”

Commander Reid swelled into what looked like the opening moments of a towering rage. “XO!!” he bellowed, “do you have any idea what it would be like if one of those helicopters hit and sank us — could you imagine us being like the Russians in the Kursk, trapped on the floor of the ocean, suffocating to death. CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT, XO?”

“Perhaps not as well as you can, sir.”

“If you only knew, Lieutenant Commander. If you only knew, as I know, the terror of such moments.”

And now Dan Headley, surrounded by his fellow officers, stared straight back at the Commanding Officer, and he spoke kindly. “Sir, it is my opinion that you have not been feeling terribly well recently. You have been under strain, and I think everyone would prefer you to grab some sleep, while we take care of this rescue. As you know, we are moving toward the SEALs as fast as we can go, and I am afraid nothing is going to stop that. The crew will not leave the SEALs to die, and that is the end of it.”

Commander Reid once more bristled with fury. “THE ONLY THING AT AN END RIGHT NOW IS YOUR CAREER, XO. AND THE CAREERS OF ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SUPPORT YOU IN THIS LUNATIC ADVENTURE.”

“I don’t think so, sir. But perhaps you would now leave the area, because we are about to become very busy…. Lieutenant Pearson…if the guys were in the shoal waters at zero-five-three-five, making twenty-five knots…where are they now? How far from us?…”

But before Shawn Pearson could run those calculations, Commander Reid exploded: “I WILL NOT HAVE THIS DEFIANCE…I AM THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF THIS SHIP, AND I WILL NOT HAVE HER TAKEN DELIBERATELY INTO A FATAL CONFRONTATION…. NOW STEP ASIDE, OFFICER OF THE DECK…I’M TAKING THE CONN…. XO, YOU WILL ALSO STEP ASIDE WHILE I ISSUE NEW, CORRECT ORDERS TO THE PLANESMAN. I WANT THIS SHIP TURNED AND RUNNING BELOW THE SURFACE IMMEDIATELY.”

No one spoke. No one moved. And Shark kept running forward, fast, on the surface, toward the SEALs.

Lieutenant Pearson broke the ice. “Sir, I do not think they could have reached the shoal before zero-five- four-zero. The approach from the channel through the marshes is very shallow, medium speed at best. But they could have rushed across the shoal. There’re always three or four feet there, even at low tide in the worst parts. Four miles would have taken them probably twelve minutes, so they should be right off Mawdin Point, running fast, west, at zero-five-five-two…right now I have zero-five-five-zero…two minutes from now there should be eight miles