“We have a similar air defense system. In fact, that is the primary role and mission of this ship. In our day, two adversaries at sea will seldom ever lay eyes on one another. You never really darken the horizon of an enemy ship. We have other missiles, rockets, that have a good long range, well over that horizon, and that big dome on the mainmast up there masks a radar system that is able to see an enemy ship out well over the horizon. So if it came down to it, Admiral, I could put missiles into your HMS York’s belly long before she ever knew I was there. You might think of us a bit like an aircraft carrier, only instead of planes we use these rockets to attack both incoming enemy aircraft and enemy surface combatants as well.”
“Interesting,” said Cunningham, cocking his head to one side. “And may I ask just how many of these rockets you carry?”
That hit on a nerve that MacRae was still soothing once he had realized what had happened to them. The power of his ship was awesome when used against the technology of this era, but it was also limited, a bright burning torch in the beginning, but deep burning coals in too short a time.
“We’ve enough to handle ourselves,” MacRae said diplomatically. “Though I take your point, sir. What power we have will be temporal. I realize that. Each missile we fire is one less under that deck there at our disposal, and I’m afraid that your own industry will not have the means to replace them, even if we put our technicians and engineers at it right alongside your very best people. A great deal has happened in the last 80 years.”
“I understand,” said Cunningham. “Fleet air defense you say?”
“Yes sir, that is our primary role. The aircraft, or other missiles fired by opposing ships, are the main threats to any warship in our day. Those and the threat from a submarine are the things we worry about.”
“I imagine you have some real demons under the sea in your day then?”
“That we do, bigger, faster, deeper diving, and much more deadly than anything from this era, as you might expect.”
“Well at least a submarine can hide when it needs to evade an enemy. That’s more than your ship could do, or even that big fellow there.” Cunningham thumbed at the distant silhouette of Kirov now. “Once you run out of those rocket weapons, things look a bit different. I hope you’ve decent armor.”
“Not much to speak of there, sir,” said MacRae.
“Then you’ll need the protection of the fleet, won’t you? Join us, and the Royal Navy is your armor, Captain. I hope you understand that.”
“Well sir… I did join you, in 1996, serving twelve years before I mustered out and was picked up by Miss Fairchild here. In fact, I served aboard this very ship, HMS Dauntless as it was called when active with the Royal Navy. We’ve given her a makeover, but she’s still the same ornery beast underneath the white paint.”
“No doubt,” said Cunningham, though he took the matter of the limited missile inventory within, and filed it away with all the other astounding things he would see and hear in the next few hours. After touring the ship, meeting the Argonauts and the crew, and seeing the fancy whirligig aircraft in the aft hanger deck, the officers all convened again in Fairchild’s stateroom, her executive suite.
“I thought seeing the ship would help you deal with all this,” said Tovey. “I went through the same thing when I first toured the Russian ship.”
“Quite amazing,” said Cunningham. “Truly astounding, particularly the bridge. We’ve a good hammer here, and it comes at a time of most pressing need. So now all the secrecy surrounding the Russian ship makes sense. But Admiral… How long do you think we can keep our light in a basket? Crewmen on your ship are gawking from the gunwales even as we speak, and you know how rumors make the rounds aboard ship, and then how they jump from there to every bar and brothel they can find. You tell me the Prime Minister doesn’t even know about this business as yet?”
“Not at all. And for the moment we must keep things that way. The less said, the better. There will be some who must know, and your name was uppermost in my mind when I first thought on this. I should also think Admiral Fraser would be a good man to bring in, and certainly Churchill will have to know in time, but can you imagine trying to get Admiral Pound in this same bathtub?”
“I see what you mean,” said Cunningham. “Then Somerville doesn’t know any of this? And what about Holland with Home Fleet?”
“Both in the dark as you were some hours ago.”
“And as I still am, for the most part. This is… Well it’s simply an unbelievable story, as you well know. If I wasn’t standing on this ship, and seeing the equipment and all here, I’d be a stubborn nut to crack myself. What is it they call those glassy colored screens on the bridge?”
“Computers,” said Tovey. “Don’t ask me to explain what they are and how they work.”
“Well I saw the young officers there simply poking their fingers at the glass and they could run the entire ship! Astounding.”
