We're Audacious, all right.
Captain Sean Fastolf thought of that as his submarine, HMS Audacious, neared the mouth of the White Sea. Their mission was twofold; successfully insert the SEAL/SAD force into the busy city of Arkangel'sk and sink the capital ship sitting in Arkangel'sk harbor. So far, they have avoided counter-detection from nearly five Russian destroyers and countless ASW aircraft. Let's see how much more our luck would hold out.
He ordered the ship to go to periscope depth as he stepped on the scope pedestal. He handled the bulky periscope, and slightly eased the tube upwards. He looked towards the Arkangel'sk pier, and saw that his quarry, the Admiral Lazarev, was there, its dark, graceful superstructure and hull casting a stark contrast against the full moon. Looks like a fine night to hunt bears... He thought.
"Tell the SEALs that they're going to dance with Ivan in three minutes." Fastolf said to his coxswain.
"Right away, sir."
He looked towards the east, and saw a small but dangerous shape loom in the horizon. Udaloys... He sighed inwardly. He had enough of those bloody bastards. He had evaded three of them and he wasn't bent on being detected now.
"Skipper," His chief petty officer asked, "This wouldn't be fun, ain't it, skipper? Parking this close to Ivan?"
"Jerry," He replied smartly, "The fun doesn't start until the seals starts a'swimming and the missiles start a'flyin'."
****
A hundred thousand feet about them, an orbiting Russian RORSAT observed a slight disturbance in the water, a pipe with a glinting top that bore resemblance to a flag of surrender.
Full Version: The Hunters and the Hunted
Pretty good so far, but if these are US Navy SEALS wouldn't they be based from a US submarine? I'd think the British would use their SBS commandos for this task.
QUOTE (DerKrieger @ 22 Nov 2013, 1:00) 
Pretty good so far, but if these are US Navy SEALS wouldn't they be based from a US submarine? I'd think the British would use their SBS commandos for this task.
I designed it that way. My one reason for that is that the SBS is operating somewhere else, and further reasons would be elaborated in the following chapters.
****
"Kapitan," Lieutenant Nikolay Gasporenko said as he watched the radar/visual plot of RORSAT satellite Kosmos-4021, "It seems we have an intruder."
"Where?" His captain, a woman named Anna Sarovskaya asked nonchalantly. She did not put her faith on the RORSATs; after all, they always detect false positive due to the apparent oldness of the design and frequent satellite "blindings", courtesy of Amerikantsi Particle Cannons. "It is in sector K-79, Kapitan, near Severomorsk." Nokilay observed. "We do not log any Russian submarine operating in this sector; all Russian units operating here are surface ships, Kapitan."
Interesting. Sarovskaya thought.
"Get me Admiral Aliyev from the North Fleet." She called to an aide. "Tell him we have a small favor for him."
****
"Three, two, one, GO!"
Captain Fastolf breathed a quick prayer as he heard a slight gong as the DDS attached at the back of his sub opened up its hatch, disgorging its load of seven SEALs in to the cold Barents Sea. Part one of their mission was now completed.
Now it's time for the second.
"Chief Petty Officer, seal all openings." Fastolf ordered.
"All hatches sealed, captain."
Fastolf took a deep breath, and said sternly, "Battle stations."
Immediately, the lights dimmed red, and the men shuffled silently to their posts.
"Coxswain, bring her to ten knots, bearing one-five-three, depth two hundred fifty meters."
"Aye aye, captain."
"Chief Officer, load Tomahawks at tubes one to four. Load Spearfish to five and six."
"Aye aye, skipper. I suppose Ivan's going to wake to a surprise party?"
"Hmph." Fastolf considered. "I suppose they are. Let us join the reception then, gentlemen."
****
"Hello, this is Admiral Aliyev."
"Hello, comrade Admiral." Sarovskaya said sweetly. "It seems we have an uninvited guest in our backyard."
This looks very promising! I like the short chapter style. Just a tiny comment: Please change General Aliyev to Admiral Aliyev since he is a sailor and not a soldier. 
Keep up the great work! 
Keep up the great work!
Also note that "Sarovsky" is a masculine surname in Russian. Her surname would be more accurately spelled "Sarovskaja" or "Sarovskaya."
Changes made. Sorry for the long update; can't post long topics due to unreliable internet connection.
****
President Willie Bradford was a realistic man operating in a realistic world. He approved of Operation Beater not due to the request of the UK, but due to the amount of political and intelligence advantages the mission promised, if pulled off properly.
However, many hurdles were present in the planning stage; first, they couldn't use an American submarine, since if it was detected and identified as an American submarine, the political ramifications might pull his country and Russia to open war. Better use a vessel of a belligerent country.
"Mr. President," His aide called from his personal intercom. "Operation Beater has started. Would you like to come to the Ops room, or shall we brief you later?"
"I'll be coming down, Tommy." He replied nonchalantly.
****
"Skipper, range to target is now seven hundred meters and closing."
"Slow her down to three knots." Fastolf ordered. At speeds below five knots, his submarine was essentially invisible to any kind of sonar, passive or active.
"Sir! New target on the scope!"
"Where?!"
"Four five degrees off our starboard, captain, moving at direction one-eight-zero degrees. Speed is estimated to be five knots. Type not yet known, but he's using his diesel engines loud and clear, skipper."
"Hmph. Steer us clear of this new target." Without knowledge of what his target is, he couldn't risk sinking it. It might be a civilian craft, and even if the war would degenerate to a bloody nuclear shamble, Fastolf knew deep in his heart that would not kill noncombatants. As much as possible.
"Skipper, range to target is now six hundred and fifty meters and closing."
"Fire Control," Fastolf ordered, "Target all your Tommies at the battlecruiser. Make sure all hit straight and true."
"Aye aye, skipper." His Fire Control chief replied.
The time was 20:39, eleven minutes until their zero-hour.
****
"Say again." The admiral replied.
"I said," Sarovskaya enunciated, "It seems we have an uninvited guest in our backyard."
"Impossible. Our submarines and sonar nets should have detected it."
"Comrade admiral," She said as she pushed her irritation back, "My men have seen its signature in their screens. Perhaps it would not burden you and your navy men so much if you send a ship or two to check out sector K-79.
"Comrade captain, my submarines and surface ships are all tasked to sail to the English Channel in thirty minutes to support Aleksandr's invasion next week. I could not spare any of them to-."
"What place do you wish to see safe, our conquered territories or Russia?" She asked forcibly.
"I am sorry, comrade captain, but I need to go now. General Aleksandr's orders cannot be put away by the words of a captain. Farewell." The admiral solemnly said. She then heard the phone click and was greeted by silence on the line.
****
"Cap, it's five minutes till zero-hour."
"I know."
Fastolf sat in front of his "status screen", drinking his favorite drink; Earl Grey tea, not too sweet, with a small amount of milk and honey. All of his weapons were ready for firing. He just hoped that there wouldn't be any Udaloys or Soloveys that could make his life hell on Earth.
"Sir! Transients! Off our port stern, its bloody close, skipper!"
Fastolf stood and said, "Fire the Spearfishes at the direction of the transient! Speed up to fifteen knots!"
He felt his sub lurch as the engine crew obeyed his order.
"Sir, the target is leaving port, moving at one knot and increasing."
"Bring us to periscope depth! Prepare the Tommies for firing!"
The submarine changed depth slowly, far too slowly for his needs. His target was slipping away!
"We're nearing periscope depth, skipper,"
"Launch Tomahawks! Get us away from this bloody place." He ordered.
He felt the submarine shudder five times as they set their course one-nine-three, directly towards the mouth of the White sea.
****
"Kapitan!" Gasporenko screamed.
"What is it?!" Anna asked, putting her anger towards her underling.
"Kosmos-4021 is reporting a possible missile launch at sector K-80!"
For a span of approximately three seconds, all the people in the command bunker was stunned. Anna was first to break the silence.
"Get me the captain of the Lazarev!"
****
President Willie Bradford was a realistic man operating in a realistic world. He approved of Operation Beater not due to the request of the UK, but due to the amount of political and intelligence advantages the mission promised, if pulled off properly.
However, many hurdles were present in the planning stage; first, they couldn't use an American submarine, since if it was detected and identified as an American submarine, the political ramifications might pull his country and Russia to open war. Better use a vessel of a belligerent country.
"Mr. President," His aide called from his personal intercom. "Operation Beater has started. Would you like to come to the Ops room, or shall we brief you later?"
"I'll be coming down, Tommy." He replied nonchalantly.
****
"Skipper, range to target is now seven hundred meters and closing."
"Slow her down to three knots." Fastolf ordered. At speeds below five knots, his submarine was essentially invisible to any kind of sonar, passive or active.
"Sir! New target on the scope!"
"Where?!"
"Four five degrees off our starboard, captain, moving at direction one-eight-zero degrees. Speed is estimated to be five knots. Type not yet known, but he's using his diesel engines loud and clear, skipper."
"Hmph. Steer us clear of this new target." Without knowledge of what his target is, he couldn't risk sinking it. It might be a civilian craft, and even if the war would degenerate to a bloody nuclear shamble, Fastolf knew deep in his heart that would not kill noncombatants. As much as possible.
"Skipper, range to target is now six hundred and fifty meters and closing."
"Fire Control," Fastolf ordered, "Target all your Tommies at the battlecruiser. Make sure all hit straight and true."
"Aye aye, skipper." His Fire Control chief replied.
The time was 20:39, eleven minutes until their zero-hour.
****
"Say again." The admiral replied.
"I said," Sarovskaya enunciated, "It seems we have an uninvited guest in our backyard."
"Impossible. Our submarines and sonar nets should have detected it."
"Comrade admiral," She said as she pushed her irritation back, "My men have seen its signature in their screens. Perhaps it would not burden you and your navy men so much if you send a ship or two to check out sector K-79.
"Comrade captain, my submarines and surface ships are all tasked to sail to the English Channel in thirty minutes to support Aleksandr's invasion next week. I could not spare any of them to-."
"What place do you wish to see safe, our conquered territories or Russia?" She asked forcibly.
"I am sorry, comrade captain, but I need to go now. General Aleksandr's orders cannot be put away by the words of a captain. Farewell." The admiral solemnly said. She then heard the phone click and was greeted by silence on the line.
****
"Cap, it's five minutes till zero-hour."
"I know."
Fastolf sat in front of his "status screen", drinking his favorite drink; Earl Grey tea, not too sweet, with a small amount of milk and honey. All of his weapons were ready for firing. He just hoped that there wouldn't be any Udaloys or Soloveys that could make his life hell on Earth.
"Sir! Transients! Off our port stern, its bloody close, skipper!"
Fastolf stood and said, "Fire the Spearfishes at the direction of the transient! Speed up to fifteen knots!"
He felt his sub lurch as the engine crew obeyed his order.
"Sir, the target is leaving port, moving at one knot and increasing."
"Bring us to periscope depth! Prepare the Tommies for firing!"
The submarine changed depth slowly, far too slowly for his needs. His target was slipping away!
"We're nearing periscope depth, skipper,"
"Launch Tomahawks! Get us away from this bloody place." He ordered.
He felt the submarine shudder five times as they set their course one-nine-three, directly towards the mouth of the White sea.
****
"Kapitan!" Gasporenko screamed.
"What is it?!" Anna asked, putting her anger towards her underling.
"Kosmos-4021 is reporting a possible missile launch at sector K-80!"
For a span of approximately three seconds, all the people in the command bunker was stunned. Anna was first to break the silence.
"Get me the captain of the Lazarev!"
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