GWOT VII - No F__ks Given
Mar. 13th, 2021 09:47 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
drewkittyGWOT VII - No Fucks Given
I met the Collections Station Chief in the SCIF the instant we got back.
I'd taken the liberty of taking a taxicab so that if I did end up dead from a sudden case of disrespect of a Chinese official, I'd die alone and not take one of our drivers, a Marine, or a SDF trooper (but sometimes I repeat myself...) with me into death.
He started to talk. I held up a hand.
I immediately gave him a precis of my evening, starting with the refusal to disarm, leading through my brief but loaded non-conversation with the mandarin, and fully disclosing my interpretations of body language. The mandarin's, the minister's, and notably my own.
He asked me to repeat the body language cues, so I did.
"Sir," he started, with some trepidation.
"It is my duty to collect information of strategic value and pass it to appropriate decision makers to act on. Every once in a while, it can happen that a Station Chief is given an action to take, or a goal to pursue, in the strictest obedience to our leaders.
"With respect, you are no more a Military Attache than I am a Arts & Culture Secretary..." (his cover) "... and I should really do one of two things right now. Have you taken into custody for immediate evacuation, or start taking my orders from you."
"What are your orders, sir?"
I blinked.
"Keep reporting to Sacramento as you have been. Continue briefing me daily. Assist me however you can in arranging meetings with higher and higher officials. At some point, I will go to such a meeting and not come back. Hold what you have until my replacement arrives.
"You do, of course, have detailed contingency plans. Never brief me on any of them. I need one address and one burner number to memorize. Make sure they are secure but disposable.
"I'm not exaggerating in any way when I state categorically that the national survival of California depends on our actions in the next seven to ten days."
That got his attention. Despite the nominally secure SCIF, he immediately went to the corner and retrieved the bubble helmets.
We put them on.
"Why the timing, sir?"
"How do you coordinate a complex plan when comms are compromised?"
"Timetable ... oh shit."
The thing was already in motion.
###
Hull 213345
Crew 1428
South Indian Ocean
"Conn, Sonar, report contacts."
"American SSBN Ohio class bearing 245 range ten thousand meters."
"Conn, Sonar, report, any other contacts."
"Negative. Only contact is the Ohio."
"Flash battle stations, hush mode."
The lights flashed once and pulsed red.
"Conn, Weapons, report status ready."
"Seven fish, three birds."
"Conn, Weapons, report special status."
"Three red pills. Two fish, one bird."
"Conn, Intel, target status."
"Target is unaware in cruising mode."
"Conn, Weapons, generate firing point solution. Do not repeat do not flood tubes."
"Solution set."
If they fired, the launch would destroy them as well.
That didn't matter.
A Untied Snake submarine could kill as many cities as it had tubes. Times three.
That made one for one a fair trade.
"Secure from flash battle stations."
The red lights returned to the traditional sickly green.
"Repeat standing orders. All hands."
After so many repetitions, it was a chant.
"Change in target depth, page the conn. Change in target aspect, page the conn. Target goes to missile depth, flash battle stations. Target floods tubes, salvo all fish and birds. Viva California!""
Even if they did not.
###
"Roll call."
"Barstow aye aye."
"Monterey aye aye."
"Redding aye aye."
"San Dimas aye aye."
"Mammoth Lakes aye aye."
"Operational status check, on the hour. Confidence check."
"Monterey is high."
"Mammoth Lakes is high."
"San Dimas is ready."
"Redding is ready."
"Barstow has continuity."
All was as it should be.
A variation from the script.
"Monterey."
"Monterey aye."
"Do you have a broom?"
"Affirmative."
At the seven deep underground facilities that were on the call, and another three silently listening in, a shiver ran through the listeners.
Any change in the hourly litany that defended California was bad news.
They didn't need to be briefed into that compartment to suspect what was being asked and answered.
###
TS SCI NOFORN PROJECT ZEUS
FLASH OPERATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
NSC asserts a significant increase in ROC operational tempo over the last six weeks. Reserve units called to duty have been kept on duty past release times. Leaves have been curtailed.
ROC Civil Defense Exercise "Cleopatra" is scheduled for four days from now. It promises to be a second, in as many months, "dress rehearsal" of the evacuation of every California city over 1000 population.
HUMINT at Long Beach Naval Shipyard reports that the docks are empty and that previously heavily guarded areas, determined by TECHINT to be nuclear weapons magazines, are now unguarded. Tentative conclusion is that these weapons are now at sea or otherwise deployed with field assets.
The ROC Governor has cancelled numerous routine appointments and calls. Analysis of takeout orders and timings has determined that Sacramento government offices are in 24-hour operation and all continuity of government facilities are staffed.
Two known civilian members of ROC Strategic Defense Force, both tenured faculty, have cancelled classes and lectures and are not available, despite their offices claiming they are in. Note: civilian members of SDF have full launch authority.
Russian RORSAT ocean reconaissance data has detected three unexplained surface vessels in the Western Pacific, believed to be surfaced LIDES hulls recharging batteries and air tanks.
Further analysis is urgently indicated...
I met the Collections Station Chief in the SCIF the instant we got back.
I'd taken the liberty of taking a taxicab so that if I did end up dead from a sudden case of disrespect of a Chinese official, I'd die alone and not take one of our drivers, a Marine, or a SDF trooper (but sometimes I repeat myself...) with me into death.
He started to talk. I held up a hand.
I immediately gave him a precis of my evening, starting with the refusal to disarm, leading through my brief but loaded non-conversation with the mandarin, and fully disclosing my interpretations of body language. The mandarin's, the minister's, and notably my own.
He asked me to repeat the body language cues, so I did.
"Sir," he started, with some trepidation.
"It is my duty to collect information of strategic value and pass it to appropriate decision makers to act on. Every once in a while, it can happen that a Station Chief is given an action to take, or a goal to pursue, in the strictest obedience to our leaders.
"With respect, you are no more a Military Attache than I am a Arts & Culture Secretary..." (his cover) "... and I should really do one of two things right now. Have you taken into custody for immediate evacuation, or start taking my orders from you."
"What are your orders, sir?"
I blinked.
"Keep reporting to Sacramento as you have been. Continue briefing me daily. Assist me however you can in arranging meetings with higher and higher officials. At some point, I will go to such a meeting and not come back. Hold what you have until my replacement arrives.
"You do, of course, have detailed contingency plans. Never brief me on any of them. I need one address and one burner number to memorize. Make sure they are secure but disposable.
"I'm not exaggerating in any way when I state categorically that the national survival of California depends on our actions in the next seven to ten days."
That got his attention. Despite the nominally secure SCIF, he immediately went to the corner and retrieved the bubble helmets.
We put them on.
"Why the timing, sir?"
"How do you coordinate a complex plan when comms are compromised?"
"Timetable ... oh shit."
The thing was already in motion.
###
Hull 213345
Crew 1428
South Indian Ocean
"Conn, Sonar, report contacts."
"American SSBN Ohio class bearing 245 range ten thousand meters."
"Conn, Sonar, report, any other contacts."
"Negative. Only contact is the Ohio."
"Flash battle stations, hush mode."
The lights flashed once and pulsed red.
"Conn, Weapons, report status ready."
"Seven fish, three birds."
"Conn, Weapons, report special status."
"Three red pills. Two fish, one bird."
"Conn, Intel, target status."
"Target is unaware in cruising mode."
"Conn, Weapons, generate firing point solution. Do not repeat do not flood tubes."
"Solution set."
If they fired, the launch would destroy them as well.
That didn't matter.
A Untied Snake submarine could kill as many cities as it had tubes. Times three.
That made one for one a fair trade.
"Secure from flash battle stations."
The red lights returned to the traditional sickly green.
"Repeat standing orders. All hands."
After so many repetitions, it was a chant.
"Change in target depth, page the conn. Change in target aspect, page the conn. Target goes to missile depth, flash battle stations. Target floods tubes, salvo all fish and birds. Viva California!""
Even if they did not.
###
"Roll call."
"Barstow aye aye."
"Monterey aye aye."
"Redding aye aye."
"San Dimas aye aye."
"Mammoth Lakes aye aye."
"Operational status check, on the hour. Confidence check."
"Monterey is high."
"Mammoth Lakes is high."
"San Dimas is ready."
"Redding is ready."
"Barstow has continuity."
All was as it should be.
A variation from the script.
"Monterey."
"Monterey aye."
"Do you have a broom?"
"Affirmative."
At the seven deep underground facilities that were on the call, and another three silently listening in, a shiver ran through the listeners.
Any change in the hourly litany that defended California was bad news.
They didn't need to be briefed into that compartment to suspect what was being asked and answered.
###
TS SCI NOFORN PROJECT ZEUS
FLASH OPERATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
NSC asserts a significant increase in ROC operational tempo over the last six weeks. Reserve units called to duty have been kept on duty past release times. Leaves have been curtailed.
ROC Civil Defense Exercise "Cleopatra" is scheduled for four days from now. It promises to be a second, in as many months, "dress rehearsal" of the evacuation of every California city over 1000 population.
HUMINT at Long Beach Naval Shipyard reports that the docks are empty and that previously heavily guarded areas, determined by TECHINT to be nuclear weapons magazines, are now unguarded. Tentative conclusion is that these weapons are now at sea or otherwise deployed with field assets.
The ROC Governor has cancelled numerous routine appointments and calls. Analysis of takeout orders and timings has determined that Sacramento government offices are in 24-hour operation and all continuity of government facilities are staffed.
Two known civilian members of ROC Strategic Defense Force, both tenured faculty, have cancelled classes and lectures and are not available, despite their offices claiming they are in. Note: civilian members of SDF have full launch authority.
Russian RORSAT ocean reconaissance data has detected three unexplained surface vessels in the Western Pacific, believed to be surfaced LIDES hulls recharging batteries and air tanks.
Further analysis is urgently indicated...
