Sky Masters pm-2

by Dale Brown

  “Sir… sir, the pilot reports numerous vessels afire in Dadaotan Straits and Bangoy Harbor, ” the radioman said. “No contact from any ground units on any tactical channel. Several explosions . . . secondary explosions . . . indications of some troop movement on the ground, but none that will answer on any frequency.” Admiral Yin was absolutely thunderstruck. “No . . . contact . . . no contact from any of my Marines?”

  “Sir, it does not mean anything, ” Captain Sun Ji Guoming said. “The Marines most assuredly went into deep cover when the American air strike came in. They must be safe.” But his words did nothing to assuage Yin’s feelings of utter despair and hopelessness. Eight thousand Marines . . . six thousand sailors . . . no contact with any of them . “Status of the American bombers, ” Captain Sun ordered. Action was the best therapy now-they had an invasion force to run. Just because contact was lost did not mean that the battle was lost. “Have they withdrawn?”

  “Yes, sir, ” the radioman reported. “All aircraft have disengaged. One B-1 destroyed during the last raid.”

  “Very good, ” Sun said. “Excellent. Sir, did you hear that report?” Finally, an incredible sense of relief seemed to wash over every man on the Hong Lung’s flag bridge, and especially over Admiral Yin Po L’un. They knew that the American Air Battle Force had sent most of their aircraft on this one raid, and that they had sustained rather heavy losses. There would not be another air raid for several days, if at all-still plenty of time to take Samar Airport and win this battle. “Order that J-7 pilot to investigate at Samar International Airport, ” Yin ordered. “See if any of our troops have managed to take the airfield. It is impossible for only a handful of bombers to completely stop thousands of Marines.” Several minutes passed. Then: “Sir, message from Jian FourFour. He has made contact with a Marine company commander, who wishes to relay a status report to you.”

  “Excellent! I knew our forces were still on the move! Open the channel.” After a few anxious moments, they heard, “Hong Lung, this is Tiger. Hong Lung, this is Tiger. How do you read?”

  “It is Colonel Liyujiang, ” Captain Sun said excitedly. “I recognize his voice. He is the commander of the northern assault force.” Yin himself picked up the microphone. “We read you, Tiger. What is your location? What is your status?” The voice seemed weary, but the man spoke in a clear voice. “Tiger reports from inside the northeast gate of Samar International Airport, ” Liyujiang said. “Inside the airport! We have made it!” one of the flag staff members shouted. “The Marines are going to capture the airport!”

  “Status as follows.. “There was a short pause, as if Liyujiang had to refer to a chart. Then, to Yin’s horror, he heard a voice in English. “This is Colonel Renaldo Carigata, Admiral Yin, acting deputy commander, Commonwealth of Mindanao Defense Force. Colonel Liyujiang will not be giving any reports for quite some time, so allow me to proceed. Status as follows: General Samar’s forces still hold the airport and the city. My snipers are going out to greet what is left of your invasion force right now. Allah akbar. Good day, Admiral Yin.” And the line went dead. Yin stepped back from the radioman, horrified. The members of his flag staff looked on in absolute shock. Captain Sun led the crushed Fleet Admiral back to his seat. “Don’t worry, Admiral, ” Captain Sun said. “Wait for the complete status report. Do not lose faith in your men. The air raids are over now-we can reassemble our forces and finish this battle. We can “Sir!” the intercom from the HongLung’s Combat Information Center blared out. “Missile warning! Patrol boat reports possible inbound Tomahawk cruise missiles from the southeast. Multiple inbounds, heading northwest . . . sir! Possible sighting of aircraft from patrol boat 403, two hundred and twenty kilometers east of our position.. . sir, first estimate of missiles inbound from the southeast number twenty… sir, do you copy.. Yin was numb. He had lost. The Americans had not only decimated his spearhead forces, but had quickly assembled another attack force and were pressing the engagement. There was only one thing to do. Slowly, the look of shock still frozen on his face, Yin withdrew a silver key on a chain about his neck. Every member of his flag staff shot to their feet in horror… it was the execution key for the Fei Lung-9 nuclear missiles. But despite their horror no one tried to stop Yin-they realized that it was his only option. Good or bad, Yin would ultimately win this battle and do what he set out to accomplish-destroy the city of Davao, crush the rebel opposition, and occupy Mindanao. Yin inserted the key into the execution order box and pressed a button inside the recessed chamber. The alarm began to ring through the ship. No one on the flag staff moved. Crewmen scurried about, handing out protective gear and running to their Fei Lung-9 battle stations. Yin picked up the telephone. “Battle Cry. Battle Cry, ” the Admiral said. His face was ghostly, muffled, almost strangled-he could have had his protective facemask on, but he did not. “Initial code verified, ” the voice of the Fei Lung-9 weapon systems officer on the other end of the line asked. “Targets, sir?” Yin paused, his eyes trying to fix on something in the darkness beyond the slanted windows of the flag bridge. He then said, “Davao.”

  “Understood, sir. Execution automatic. Awaiting authentication code.” Yin seemed to be frozen. “Comrade Admiral? Authentication code?”

  “Red… Moon…” “Understood, sir. Authentication verified. Full connectivity checked . . . received. Execution in three minutes . . . mark. System automatic engaged, extreme range of system but coming within range, attack profile confidence is good. Countdown hold in two minutes. Combat out.” The two-minutes-to-automatic-countdown hold passed very, very quickly. The phone to Yin’s panel rang and he raised it to his lips. “Final countdown hold, sir. Target now within range. Orders?”

  “Orders… Dragon Sword. Dragon Sword, ” Yin replied. “Understood, sir. Final code verified.” The sixty-secondlaunch warning to all decks blared. And then there was another sound, except it was not a horn-it was a high-pitched scream, rising in intensity to almost painful proportions. Just as the scream became almost physically unbearable, the destroyer was rocked by a spectacular explosion that dimmed the lights throughout the ship and sent most of the flag staff sprawling. Jon Masters had commanded the second NIRTSat reconnaissance satellite to deorbit while it was still thirty thousand miles away. The satellite had retracted its charge-coupled device scanners and sensitive radar antennae within its protective housing, then powerful thrusters began to slow the satellite at a precise moment. As the satellite slowed from its orbital speed of seventeen thousand miles per hour, it began to descend through the atmosphere. The thrusters kept the satellite’s protective tiles facing its direction of travel as it re-entered the atmosphere, burning off bits of the ablative armor as it careened through space like an asteroid. But unlike an asteroid, the NIRTSat was still under control from a console on Guam. Once the satellite had safely decelerated, Masters ordered the on-board sensors activated. The satellite was right on course, right on the same track it had been following since its launch-right over the Celebes Sea near Davao Gulf. Masters had simply locked the synthetic aperture radar and infrared scanner on the fleet of five ships; then, as it got closer and closer, he positively identified the large destroyer and steered it directly onto the aft deck of the Hong Lung. The satellite was of course not carrying a warhead, but falling at over five times the speed of sound, the destructive power of the titanium-armored four-hundred-pound satellite was akin to a large torpedo. The force of the impact drove the Hong Lung’s stern down several meters; then the satellite crashed through the engine compartment belowdecks and literally pushed one of the diesel-turbine engines down ten feet through the keel. The engine compartment began to flood, and the ship had already begun to heavily list to one side and by the stern before enough watertight doors could be closed to contain the damage. … and, most importantly, the impact and the momentary power interruption had automatically canceled the Fei Lung-9 launch. Yin’s last attempt at revenge and victory had been stopped. Captain Sun stepped over to Admiral Yin, bowed, and said, “Comrade
Admiral, the flooding is nearly out of control. The frigate Jiujiang is alongside. Will you transfer your flag, sir?” There was no reply. Admiral Yin was staring blankly ahead, his thoughts a confused jumble of his past, the present-and the dismal future. Returning to China and facing the general staff would be devastating, utterly devastating. His honor would be ripped apart in full view of the entire world. His court-martial and execution would be public and brutal. He would be totally, utterly humiliated. Yin turned to Captain Sun, and he saw that the man’s demeanor, far from being the attentive chief of staff, now appeared to be more like a second at a duel, making sure that Yin realized and fulfilled his obligation. His obligation . . . to lead his forces into victory, or die. Sun understood the humiliation that awaited the Admiral upon his return, and he silently reminded him that he need not subject himself to it. Captain Sun and the Admiral’s flag staff watched with awe and, yes, a bit of admiration and respect, as Admiral Yin Po L’un stepped toward the small personal shrine installed in one corner of the Admiral’s flag bridge, knelt before it, withdrew his Type 547.62-millimeter sidearm from his holster, placed the muzzle to his right temple, and calmly blew his brains out across his flag bridge. THE PEOPLE’S HALL OF GOVERNMENT, BEIJING, CHINA MONDAY, 10 OCTOBER 1994, 0457 HOURS LOCAL TIME General Chin o Zihong marched through the halls to the offices of the Premier of the People’s Republic of China. He was quickly escorted by the Premier’s protocol staff to the main conference room and asked to enter immediately. At least two hundred heads swung toward him as he entered: it was as if the entire Communist Party of China were assembled in that room. Cheung was alone at the head of the conference table; the seat normally reserved for him at Cheung’s left was taken by Cheung’s Home Minister. There was no way Chin could reach his usual seat-and, after decades of studying and developing military tactics, it was obvious that it was precisely what Cheung had in mind. He stepped quickly over to the end of the long conference table directly opposite Cheung, and the bureaucrats and politicians of the Party closed in around the table. General Chin bowed deeply from the waist. “Comrade Premier, I am reporting as ordered.” “Do you have a status report for me, General?” Cheung asked in a surprisingly strong, loud voice. “Yes, Comrade Premier.. .” He stopped, realizing Cheung couldn’t hear him, and raised his voice: “Yes, Comrade Premier. But I would prefer the briefing to be given… privately.”

  “Please give your report now, Comrade General, ” Cheung said. “But sir, some of these men are not cleared for-“

  “They are authorized, General. Please give your report.” This was not a military briefing, Chin realized coldly-this was an inquisition. Obviously word of the battle of Davao had already reached the Premier-there was no use in trying to withhold any information now. “Comrade Premier. First, I regret to inform you that the honorable commander of the People’s Liberation Army Navy South Philippines Task Force, Admiral Yin Po L’un, is no longer in command of the people’s forces near Mindanao. Until a suitable replacement has been designated, I have placed Admiral Lower Class Sun Ji Guoming, the Admiral’s Chief of Staff, in charge of all forces in the south Philippines. Admiral Yin… died an honorable death while engaging enemy forces in the course of his duties to the people.”

  “Very tragic, ” Cheung said. “He will be remembered as a loyal servant to the people of the republic.” That of course was the proper response-in China, as in Japan and other Asian cultures, death by suicide was as acceptable a form of death as any other cause, even in this so-called enlightened society run by the Communists. Cheung, however, did not seem too upset by the news, although by his facial and body expressions Chin deduced that the Premier did not know about Yin’s sudden departure. “The operation to capture Davao and the airport there is progressing; however, the American bomber attacks on our naval and Marine forces have been severe. Along with airlaunched antiship missiles and long-range cruise missiles, the Americans reportedly used fuel-air explosives against Marine landing craft and soldiers entrenched on the beach-these weapons are many times more powerful than conventional explosives and create a devastating shock wave and fireball, very much like a nuclear explosion.” His words did not have the effect he desired-he was hoping the words “nuclear explosion” would inflame this audience a bit. They did not. “A second wave of attacks is now under way. Admiral Lower Class Sun reports that he is organizing antiaircraft defenses and can soon mount a defense of the people’s warships. “I have a plan of action to counter the American bomber attacks that I would like to submit-to the Premier’s Cabinet and senior Party members-for your approval.”

  “General Chin, ” the Foreign Minister, Zhou Ti Yanbing, chimed in, “would it be possible for your forces to safely disengage and withdraw to . . . Puerto Princesa, on the island of Palawan, or perhaps even to Nansha Dao?”

  “Disengage? Withdraw?” General Chin gasped. “Why would we withdraw? We-“

  “-still have the advantage? Will capture Davao and Samar Airport without further serious loss of life? Will have a cursed navy after this conflict is over?” Zhou asked. “We have weapons that we have not yet brought to bear, ” Chin said. “We sought to control this conflict, to use ground forces and conventional weapons only. The Americans escalated the conflict by employing B- I and B-2 bombers, Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from battleships and submarines, and with such terror weapons as fuel-air explosives. We should step up our efforts as well. I have outlined a plan where we may “The conquest of Mindanao and our support for a puppet like Teguina is not worth a war with America or the loss of another capital warship, ” Zhou said angrily. “I ask you again, General-can our forces safely withdraw to Puerto Princesa or Nansha Dao?”

  “Do not speak to me of withdrawal!” Chin shouted. “You politicians can organize a retreat far better than I.” And Chin did something he thought he would never do to a living premier-he turned his back and left. “If you leave now, General Chin, you leave as the former commander of the People’s Liberation Army, ” Foreign Minister Zhou said. “The Politburo has already decided to open a dialogue with the Americans for an orderly withdrawal. You can be part of the process-or you can retire from your post and be done with it.” Chin froze, then turned back to face the assembly before him. In a loud, clear voice, he said, “I command the most powerful army in the universe. I will lead them into battle-I will not lead them in capitulation.”

  “You have already led them to defeat, General, you and Admiral Yin, ” Premier Cheung said. “Will you not lead them in reconstruction and retraining as well? You can leave here known in history as the man who had a fleet destroyed in the Philippines-or you can be known as the man who led the People’s Liberation Army into the twenty-first century. The choice is yours. He knew that he should not accept this, Chin told himself. The honorable thing would be to leave this place and do as Yin did-put a gun to his head or a knife to his stomach and kill himself… But he did not leave; instead, he stepped toward the conference table and seated himself. No one was more surprised than he when the assembled politicians applauded. If these idiots ever found out, Chin thought grimly to himself, that I ordered Yin to use nuclear weapons to destroy Davao, they would certainly not be applauding-they would be calling for my execution. Sun and the rest of Yin’s surviving flag staff would have to be bribed, exiled, or killed to ensure their silence, but that was an easy matter. General Chin Po Zihong’s power, his authority, were still ……. and with the blissfully ignorant best wishes of the government raining down upon him, Chin began to plot his revenge on Jose Trujillo Samar and on the Americans who had razed his forces so badly. Yes, revenge… ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, GUAM It was daylight by the time Patrick McLanahan and Henry Cobb crawled out of their damaged B-2 stealth bomber into the already warm, humid tropical air. It seemed ten times stickier than usual-but to the two crew members, it felt like heaven. The flight back from the Philippines was quiet, despite the damage they had sustained. The autopilot, electronic flightcontrol computers, and electronic stability systems we
re useless, and the mission commander’s side controls were inoperable, so the two crewmen took turns in the pilot’s seatMcClanahan flew the straight and level portions while Cobb napped, and Cobb flew the air-refueling hookups that they received every thirty minutes because of fuel leakage and the long overwater legs. The crew then spent another hour orbiting Guam while two-seat F- 16 fighters with engineers and maintenance crews on board examined the damage to the flight controls and landing gear. Exhausted but riding yet another adrenaline rush, Cobb overrode all suggestions to eject and attempts to get more opinions from Stateside, and he made a picture-perfect landing at Andersen’s left runway. Somehow the damaged left landing gear held, and the Black Knight bomber was shut down at the north end of the runway, surrounded by fire crews. Although McLanahan and Cobb climbed out of the plane on their own power, because of the observed damage to the Black Knight they were settled into gurneys and transported to a massive green tent set up near the flight line that acted as a triage center for returning crews. Doctors found Henry Cobb’s pulse and blood pressure sky-high, so he was ordered into a separate tent where crews that were well enough could be debriefed by intelligence officers while under a doctor’s care; that was when General Elliott found him and McLanahan shortly after he was taken there. “Henry, Patrick, damn your hide, good to have you back, ” Elliott said, giving his officers a hearty handshake and a pat on the shoulder. “Terrific landing, Henry. How do you two feel? You look okay. Henry, how do you feel?”