Ice Station Nautilus Read Online Free Page A

announced, “Man Combat Stations silently.”
    The two Command Post Messengers sped through the submarine, and three minutes later, Dolgoruky ’s Central Command Post was fully manned. Stepanov caught Pavlov’s attention and nodded.
    “This is the First Officer,” Pavlov announced. “I have the Conn and Captain Lieutenant Evanoff retains the Deck. The target of interest is Hydroacoustic five, classified American fast attack submarine. Track Hydroacoustic five.”
    The men at their consoles focused on their duties, and with Pavlov taking the Captain’s position, Stepanov assumed his First Officer’s role of Tracking Party Leader. Stepanov moved behind the two fire controlmen, and it wasn’t long before they converged on the same solution. The American submarine had crossed in front of them and was now traveling down Dolgoruky ’s starboard side in the opposite direction.
    As the range between the two submarines began to open, Hydroacoustic made the report Stepanov expected, “Loss of Hydroacoustic five.”
    Stepanov asked his First Officer, “An American submarine has detected us and is moving into position behind us. What is your recommendation?”
    Pavlov studied the geographic display, then replied, “We should deploy a mobile decoy, then engage the electric drive to reduce our sound signature and turn to break contact.”
    Yury Dolgoruky was equipped with a quiet electric drive propulsion system, able to propel the submarine at up to ten knots.
    “No,” Stepanov replied. “Our advantage is that the American Captain does not know we have detected him. I don’t want to alert him.”
    “You are going to let him trail us?” Pavlov asked.
    “For the time being. We will let him work around behind us.”
    “ Then we engage the electric drive and deploy a decoy?”
    “No.”
    “I do not understand.”
    “Patience, First Officer. Let us see what the American Captain does when we enter the Marginal Ice Zone, and then I will decide.”
    USS NORTH DAKOTA
    Commander Tolbert studied the geographic plot. Dolgoruky was to the west, and North Dakota had worked its way around the Russian submarine. In a few minutes, they would be directly behind her. Thus far, there was no indication North Dakota had been detected; Dolgoruky remained steady on course and speed, headed northwest at ten knots.
    Tolbert waited until North Dakota intersected Dolgoruky ’s trail, then ordered, “Pilot, come to course three-two-five. Ahead two-thirds.”
    North Dakota turned right and slowed, steadying up five thousand yards behind the Russian submarine, matching its course and speed. Tolbert was pleased with his crew’s performance. They had dodged a bullet, successfully skirting around Dolgoruky . He hoped their luck held out; the Russian submarine would conduct many baffle clears during its patrol. Each time, there was the potential they would detect North Dakota .
    The Sonar Supervisor called out, “Possible contact zig, Master One, due to upshift in frequency.”
    Lieutenant Commander Sites stood behind the combat control consoles, his eyes shifting between the displays. A moment later, he announced, “Zig confirmed. Set anchor range at five thousand yards. Master One has turned north and remains at ten knots.”
    Tolbert examined the geographic display. In a few minutes, North Dakota would also turn north, staying in Dolgoruky ’s baffles.
    Sites turned toward Commander Tolbert. “If Dolgoruky continues north, she’ll enter the Marginal Ice Zone.”
    Commander Tolbert nodded. “Where the Russians go, we go.”

 
    5
    MOSCOW, RUSSIA
    The Moscow Kremlin—a “fortress inside a city”—spreads across sixty-eight acres in the heart of Moscow. Comprised of five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Kremlin wall with its twenty towers, the Kremlin has been the seat of Russian grand dukes and tsars since the fourteenth century, and today it is home to Russia’s presidential administration. The green dome of the