“Turing and I had a good long talk about those files. They had to come from somewhere, and when I presented the matter to the Russians they believed the files might have been brought here, just as you say that box was brought here, from the future. Only I assumed that was from the time the Russians lived in. It never occurred to me that this whole affair may go both directions-deep into the future even as it has come here, into your past-our present.”
“Yes,” said Elena. “Those fissures in time that Director Kamenski mentioned. What makes us think they only move in one direction?” She folded her arms. “There it is-that note was brought here by someone, right along with that device, and now I need a good stiff drink! Care to join me?”
The Italians had not been idle during the conference off Crete. By the time Invincible rejoined the main battlegroup, fleet reconnaissance off the carrier Eagle had spotted a large enemy force at sea southeast of Messina. At least six large capital ships were reported, and though the British did not know the exact ships involved, they were able to take a good guess. In fact, the battleships Roma, Venetto and Littoro had just transited the Strait of Messina, sailing to join Andrea Doria, Duilio and Conte Cavour from Taranto, with four heavy cruisers, several light cruisers and fourteen destroyers.
Far to the northwest, the Vichy French would contribute another powerful fleet led by the pride of their navy, the battleship Normandie, battlecruisers Strasbourg and Dunkerque, with two heavy and four light cruisers, and ten destroyers. Admiral Jean de Laborde was in command, a man who placed little faith in Darlan, liking him even less. Yet he also loathed the British, and the actions off Mers el Kebir and Dakar had made him a determined foe.
Strong enough on its own this second fleet was even more potent with the addition of the Germans task force arriving from Gibraltar. Admiral Lutjens still sailed independently, but he was within close supporting distance to the French fleet with Bismarck and Hindenburg, escorted by their light carrier Goeben and the new fast battlecruiser Kaiser. This combined force was still in the Tyrrhenian Sea, and heading south.
Tovey and Cunningham were quick to appreciate the advantage this situation now presented them. They determined that it was now or never if they were to have any chance in this engagement, and the British fleet mustered some 300 kilometers southeast of Syracuse. As they expected, the enemy was not without eyes in the sky as well, and the threat of preemptive air strikes was the first attack they encountered.
The Italians had put up three SM-79 Squadrons for their initial attack, about 60 planes in all with escorting fighters, and they would soon be supported by the thickening presence of German aircraft. The boast made by Volsky and Captain MacRae concerning fleet air defense would soon be put to the test. Kirov received word of the initial incoming strike wave at 08:00 hours on the morning of January 31, 1941. Admiral Volsky was on the bridge when Rodenko reported the data feed had been sent by Argos Fire.
“So it seems the British Sampson is as good as they claim,” said Volsky. “We have not picked up those planes with our own Fregat system yet.”
“We will in five minutes,” said Rodenko.
“Yes, but five minutes is an eternity in modern combat. Thankfully we will not be fighting the British today. What is our situation?”
“It looks to be a fairly large formation, sir. At least sixty planes.”
“Sixty? Mister Samsonov? What is our SAM inventory?”
“Sir… We have 25 S-400 Triumf missiles ready in silos, 94 missiles on the Klinok system, and 50 Kashtan missiles still available with the close in defense systems.”
“Very well, we will open the defense at long range as promised. Salvo of five S-400s please. This is something the British cannot do, eh Rodenko? No matter how good their radar is, it hardly matters if their Sea Vipers can only provide a defense out to 30 kilometers. Our S-400s can fire now, and even our Klinok system more than doubles the range of the British missiles. The ship will come to Air Alert One. You will fire on my command, Mister Samsonov.”
