There was a winking green light on his communication deck. He scooped up the
handset and hit the hotline button. “Hiro here, Captain.”
“Hello, Ken,” the faint but familiar voice replied. “It’s good to have you back under my command again.”
“Ha, I knew it!” Hiro slapped the desktop. “What’s the dope, ma’am?”
“I presume that, if you’re not underway, you will be shortly?”
Hiro felt a faint vibration rippling through the Duke’s structure. “Anchor coming up now, ma’am.”
“Excellent. Neither of us have any time to loose. This probably won’t be a fangs out job, Ken, but it is critical. You’ve been informed that you’re to conduct an anti-shipping sweep up the southern coasts of Java and Sumatra?”
“Yes, ma’am. But who am I sweeping for?”
“Hopefully for no one who’s going be there. This is not any kind of stealth job. You’re trailing your coat, Ken. Keep all of your radars cranked up to full power. Go active on your sonar. Maintain a lot of TBS traffic with the Shiloh and chat up the attack sub Hampton. She’s somewhere out to the southwest of you with her radio masts up. Fly off your helos and intermittently drop within visual range of the Indonesian coast. Be obvious!
“Also – go like hell! Best maintainable speed. I want the rebels to know that a
powerful US Surface Action Group is tearing up the coast to the westward,
looking for blood. Can do?”
“Can do, ma’am!”
*
Across the harbor, aboard the Indonesian “capital city,” the USS Pelelieu, President Kediri and his military advisors scowled at the presentation being laid out before them.
“But we lack even a fraction of the ships in position necessary to contest
Ketalaman’s fleet,” the senior surviving government naval commander protested. “It would be suicidal.”
With vast patience, Ambassador Goodyard repeated his explanation. “Your ships will not be required to actually contest the passage of Kediri’s task force. We merely require that your naval forces make a strong
demonstration in the face of Ketalaman’s advance. They’ll never actually engage the enemy until after the majority of their forces have
been eliminated.”
“How is this elimination to take place, Mr. Ambassador?”
Goodyard tugged at his earlobe. “I’m not really privy to that information myself, Mr. President. I can only assure
you that it will happen … somehow.”
Banda Aceh Fleet Base, Sumatra
2219 Hours; Zone Time, November 19, 2008
The sharp edges of the stone in Admiral Ketalaman’s pocket bit into his palm as his fist clenched around it.
The feeble Russian-built air conditioning had faltered and the flag plot of the Teluk Surabaya was sweltering. The workspace was tightly packed with both Ketalaman’s personal staff and that of the task force commodore.
A steady stream of reports were flowing in from the flagship’s communications center: ship’s sortie readiness, loading status – and, as now, Intelligence updates.
“We have a confirmation from coast watcher outposts on both the Blambangan
Peninsula and on Barlung Island. A powerful task group of at least two American
guided missile cruisers have left Balinese waters and are proceeding westward
at a high rate of speed. Radio Intelligence units in southern Sumatra have also
detected radio transmissions from what they believe to be an American atomic
submarine in the Indian Ocean somewhere to the south. The submarine appears to
be in communication with the surface force and is closing the range with the
coast.”
The sharp edge of the stone cut into Ketalaman’s flesh until he could feel the blood. “Is it the assessment of the Intelligence section that this activity is in
reaction to the formation of this convoy?”
“We can project no other explanation at this time, sir.”
“Have there been any American force deployments northward into the Java Sea?”
“None noted at this time, sir.”
“What about the other Regional Intervention Powers?”
“No unusual activity by the ANZAC nations outside of their support operations for
the Kediri government and their peacekeeping duties on Bali. Singapore and
Japan continue their routine patrol operations in the Straits of Malacca.”
“And Kediri? What is Kediri doing?”
“We’ve observed only one possible overt response. The three-ship government squadron
blockading Jakarta has taken departure from its patrol station and is steaming
to the north toward Karimata Strait. But there have been other events on Java,
sir. The government’s offensive along the north coast highway is continuing to gain momentum. Our
force commander in Ciribon is reporting that his flank has been turned and that
his situation in the city is becoming untenable.”
Ketalaman felt the corner of his mouth twitch. He did not reply until he was
certain his voice would be steady. “Inform Colonel Trabruk that the Ciribon line must be held. He may expect major
reinforcements within seventy-two hours – but he must hold!”
“Yes sir.” His Chief of Staff was not meeting his eyes. Why was he not meeting his eyes?
Ketalaman jerked his head around to look at the brooding naval officer at the
far side of the chart table. “Commodore, when will the task force be ready to sortie?”
“All major ships are prepared for sea, Admiral,” the Task Force commander replied. “The minesweeper division is already underway, conducting an ASW and mine
sterilization sweep of the harbor approaches.”
“Very well. Commodore, you may get underway.”
“What course are we to set, sir?” the Commodore inquired slowly.
Ketalaman had been shoving that decision aside for the entire day, hoping for the situation to clarify. Now his procrastination was flashing back upon him. This was a call that he should have made sooner. His eyes flicked down at the chart with the Perspex spread over it for a final moment’s debate.
“Turn east for the Straits of Malacca and the Java Sea. The shorter inner route
through the archipelago.”
“Sir,” the commodore said, “may I point out that that course will take us through a great deal of
constricted water, especially around the Riau and Lingga island groups? The
outer passage to the west of Sumatra through the Indian Ocean and back through
the Selat Sunda will add a few hours to our steaming time, but it will give us
far more sea room for maneuver.”
“The Americans are in the Indian Ocean!” Ketalaman’s voice almost broke and he furiously reigned himself in. “The Americans have been the wild card in this battle from the beginning. On the inside route we’ll be facing only the forces of Singapore and Japan. These governments are not risk takers. They are not cowboy warriors like the Americans. We will take the inner passage!”
