"Simon Hawke - Time Wars 05 - The Nautilus Sanction" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hawke Simon)

organized, highly skilled group, then it makes more sense to assume at least one of their number was a
therapist trained in re-education procedures. Getting their hands on the necessary equipment would have
been child’s play after what they’ve already accomplished. Once they had overpowered the submarine’s
crew, they could then condition them at their leisure to follow orders unquestioningly. Given the mentality
of the Soviet military, that would not have been terribly difficult to do. The predisposition for
unquestioning obedience would already have been there.”
Another soldier raised his hand. “Lieutenant Bryant?” said Forrester.
“Is there any indication of the purpose behind this act?” said Bryant.
“As of right now, no,” said Forrester. “There has been no contact, no demand for ransom, nothing.
Temporal Intelligence believes the group is putting the sub through its paces, giving it a shakedown cruise
while they familiarize themselves with its capabilities.”
Lucas raised his hand. “Major Priest,” said Forrester. “Just what are it’s capabilities, sir?” he said.
“The Soviet Typhoon-class subs were capable of sustained underwater cruising speeds in excess of
sixty knots. Their titanium double hulls rendered magnetic detection virtually impossible and they were
extremely quiet-running. They carried a full complement of ordnance, ranging from standoff missiles with
a reported range of about 125 kilometers to cruise missiles, so-called “smart” missiles capable of being
fired from the submarine’s torpedo tubes and flying as low as ten feet above the water, thereby defeating
radar. They also carried a full range of torpedoes, from homing and wake-following to antisubmarine and
conventional type. Last but not least, they were equipped with twenty ballistic missiles, capable of being
launched from silos via hatches in the deck. These were of the MIRV type, or Multiple Independently
Targeted Reentry Vehicle, with as many as fourteen or fifteen warheads on one missile, aimed at different
targets hundreds of miles apart. These were launched when the missile reached the top of its trajectory,
from the nose cone. This method was facilitated by use of an inertial guidance system. Measuring devices
known as accelerometers recorded movement in every direction aboard the submarine and sent signals
to the missile computers, which translated those signals into the sub’s exact position at any given time.
Consequently, there was never any need to aim the missiles. If an order for launch was received, it would
take only moments, if not seconds, to go through the procedure necessary to fire the missiles. One such
MIRV missile could be fired every minute. No input into the ballistic computers was needed. The missiles
would already know where they had to go.”
Finn expelled the breath he had been holding in a soft whoosh. He raised his hand. “Delaney?” said
Forrester. “How deep could these things go, sir?”
“The Typhoon sub could dive to a depth of over four thousand feet,” said Forrester. “However, that
is a conservative figure. We don’t know what the crush depth of the Soviet subs was and there’s every
reason to believe they were capable of going deeper. Also, due to the fact the Soviets were always
classification-happy, and due to the fact no one had ever succeeded in actually capturing a Soviet nuclear
sub—”
“Until now,” Andre said, softly.
“—there is very little known about their actual capabilities. Without a pipeline into the KGB, we
would have known even less.”
There was a profoundly uneasy silence in the room. Forrester glanced about grimly at all the tense
faces.
“If there are no further questions for the moment, I’ll continue. I’ve received an order for complete
mobilization of the First Division. Both Temporal Intelligence and the Referee Corps are proceeding on
the assumption the object of the hijacking is blackmail, on a nuclear scale. It’s the only scenario that
makes any sort of sense. We—”
Andre raised her hand. “Yes, Corporal Cross?” said Forrester.
“Excuse me, sir, but it occurs to me that we should have the means of dealing with a threat of this
nature. Satellite detection, combined with BPW technology would—”
“If I may anticipate you,” Forrester interrupted, “there’s a basic flaw in your reasoning. It’s essentially
good reasoning and it would certainly solve the problem if it were not for the submarine now being