SSN

    Sonar reported noisemakers launched by the two Aku-las. Mack responded by ordering "steer the weapons." In order to do this, Cheyenne needed to change her course to the left by ninety degrees so that the bearings to the incoming Akula would diverge from the bearings to the stationary noisemakers.

    As soon as the course change was completed, sonar detected the other three Akulas. They were to the northwest of the ones being attacked and were heading for the Paracels.

    When a bearing spread was obtained, the combat systems officer reported the torpedoes on course for intercept.

    "Cut the wires, shut the outer doors, and reload tubes three and four," ordered the captain. "Make tubes one and two ready in all respects, including opening the outer doors."

    He didn't expect to need them, but another melee situation was always possible, and it was better to be prepared for an emergency that never happened than to save the effort and regret it.

    "Conn, sonar, we have four torpedoes in the water, bearings 358, 359, 006, and 008. Both Akulas have launched."

    "Match sonar bearings and shoot, Masters 76 and 80, as soon as tubes one and two are ready."

    Mack knew it was time for Cheyenne to clear datum. It was also time for their own countermeasures to be launched. As soon as he received the report of tubes one and two being fired electrically, he ordered the outer doors shut and the tubes reloaded. That would cut the guidance wires, but there was no help for it, and those torpedoes were outstanding at doing their own thing.

    "Steady as she goes," he said. "All ahead flank. Do not cavitate. Make your depth one thousand feet." When those orders had been acknowledged, but before they had been executed, he added, "Rig ship for depth charge."

    The Akulas were running away. Mack was relying on the countermeasures to hide him from their sonar. That would give Cheyenne the chance to slip away-but Mack had no intention of slipping away. He was going after the fleeing Akulas.

    Cheyenne reached flank speed, on course 275, and at one thousand feet, as the Russian torpedoes entered the baffles after the countermeasures. Sonar didn't hear Cheyenne's last two torpedoes as they entered their terminal homing modes.

    "Conn, sonar, two explosions bearing," the sonar supervisor began, but he interrupted himself. "Two more explosions, all to the north, They're lighting up all three sonar consoles, Captain."

    He couldn't provide range information for Mack, however. There was too much reverberation to get both direct path and bottom bounce information. But with the four explosions, sonar was sure the torpedoes found their mark.

    Moments later sonar's guess was confirmed. The four explosions were followed by the distinctive sounds of external pressure vessels on the Russian SSNs imploding from their descent to the bottom of the South China Sea. All four Akulas had been killed.

    Four of seven, Mack thought. That's what CTF 74 wanted. But it's not what I want. Cheyenne would try for the last three, if she could catch them before they entered the territorial waters surrounding the Paracels.

    First, though, he had to make sure the Akulas didn't have any support. He ordered Cheyenne to proceed above the layer, and then to clear her baffles to starboard. Only the three Akulas fleeing to the Paracels were there.

    Satisfied, Mack took Cheyenne back beneath the layer. He also took the opportunity to secure from battle stations while they took up hot pursuit toward the shallow waters of the Paracels. At his command, the crew deployed the TB-16 for the time being, at least until they started their approach to shallow water.

    Cheyenne continued on course toward the Paracels, at seven hundred feet to keep beneath the layer, while battle stations and the rig for depth charge were secured.

    Mack held his all-officer meeting after the battle stations fire-control party had reconstructed the attacks and reported their findings. Cheyenne had performed superbly, and the critique was very positive, but one item from the battle was bothering Mack.

    It had been clear earlier that the Chinese commander-in-chief had ordered drastic measures. Cheyenne had seen that before, and had taken measures to counter it- at least, as much as possible. And Mack could understand it, from the Chinese… but not from the Russians. They weren't at war with the United States. They had no reason to sacrifice themselves in battle. But they had.

    Just like the Chinese Hans earlier, these Akulas had continued on course right at Cheyenne's datum without trying to turn away, even when Mk 48s were coming their way. And it just didn't make sense. Not with Russian crews aboard those Akulas. And not with Russia not formally involved in this war.