Fagan answered, “Latest estimate from NSA. They have found a possible anti-ship and anti-aircraft missile facility on top of Mount Guishu. Shooting from up there would command all sea-borne approaches."
He pointed to the location on the chart. "It has to go before we can even get close with the amphibs or if we have to do any surface operations.”
Hunter continued, “This new mission timing, though, will have to go before we can exfiltrate anyone. I think the sniper teams should set up to provide some cover fire in the vicinity of the hostage location. Meager protection, but the best we have.
“To timeline this out, the squad topside goes ashore in about two hours. They get their targeting done tomorrow night and get their sniper teams in position. We conduct the strike the next night. Does that timetable work out?” He showed his rough draft plan to the other two officers.
Roland looked at the plan and replied, “We can make it work. First, we need to get the new intel and re-tasking to the people topside. Next, there won’t be enough time for them to complete this mission and then to recover them for the strike. We will have to leave them on the island for the duration. Not a problem; they have the equipment and supplies for that. It means that the strike team will just be the ten of us still onboard. We’ll carry the C-4 and the rest of the weapons ashore in those two RHIBs down in the torpedo room.”
Roland turned to Hunter with a frown. “The tough question is how do we extract both squads and thirty hostages. You have to assume that we will be under fire. To extract to SAN FRANCISCO would be very risky. It would take at least three round trips for each RHIB. Probably a minimum of two hours if SAN FRANCISCO was close in and surfaced.”
Hunter answered, “Good question. You’re right about extracting to SAN FRANCISCO. I’m thinking of a couple of OSPREY’s with a squad of Marine Force Recon for the extraction. That is the only thing from the ESSEX ARG with the legs to get here in time.”
“That works,” replied LT Roland, exhaling deeply.
Hunter concluded the meeting, “Good. Now we have a lot of work to do. Lieutenant, get your guys topside briefed on the new mission. Use the signal ejector method of delivery if you need to get anything hard copy to them, flashing light for everything else. I don’t want to use a voice radio this close to shore. XO, get a message ready to send to the ARG commander and the Marine Expeditionary Force commander. Tell them what you need. If you have any problems, get SUBPAC involved. He can raise it to the necessary level to get what we need. Send it as soon as we are back out in deep water.” Hunter glanced up at the clock. “We’re getting close to the drop off point. I’ll be on the conn.”
After the two officers left his stateroom, Hunter turned to the large safe above his desk and quickly spun the dial. Swinging the heavy steel door open, he confronted the smaller inner safe. Opening this safe, he removed a manila envelope. The envelope was sealed with heavy library tape and prominently marked in two inch high red letters, “Top Secret Golden Dawn, CO Eyes Only, Open Only Upon Instruction From COMSUBPAC.” In the corners were additional instructions indicating that this document required special handling and was exempt from declassification.
Slitting open the envelope, Hunter removed the three-page document it contained. As he read, his face became ashen as the color drained out and his breath came in short gasps.
"Oh, my God. I can’t believe that someone even thought of this, let alone planned for it,” he gasped.
The Appendix provided a contingency plan if the SAN FRANCISCO failed her mission. A B-2 Stealth Bomber would depart Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska at 1600Z on 22 June. In its belly would be two armed nuclear air launched cruise missiles. It would fly over 9,000 miles and arrive at its launch point at 0800Z on 23 June. Its mission would be to conduct a nuclear strike against Nusa Funata.
They had until 0800Z on 23 June to destroy the facilities on Nusa Funata or they would have front row seats to watch the first use of nuclear weapons in over half a century.
It was suddenly apparent that their time was limited by more than the delivery schedule of the smallpox. They had to destroy the facility and the existing stores of the contagion with enough time to report before the nuclear missiles could be launched. Once the missiles were in the air, they could not be called back. The knot in his stomach got very much tighter.
21 Jun 2000, 0416LT (20 Jun, 2116Z)
“Skipper, request that you come to radio when you get a second,” Chief Jones asked over the MJ sound powered telephone.
“On my way,” Hunter answered.
Entering the combined radio/ESM space, the Commander found several of his electronics technicians huddled around the AN/WLR-8 intercept receiver and an attached tape deck. While Chief Jones was carefully adjusting the digital tuner and watching the waveform of the incoming signal, the others were listening to an intercepted conversation. The voices had a tinny, not quite natural quality to them. It appeared to be little more than two soldiers idly conversing to kill the endless boredom of a long night’s guard duty. Nothing important was being said, only a rambling discussion of life on the island. The discussion was in English, which had
