The Last Israelis - an Apocalyptic, Military Thriller about an Israeli Submarine and a Nuclear Iran

by Noah Beck

  Thus, even though Daniel controlled the Dolphin submarine, equipped with eight torpedoes and ten Popeye Turbo cruise missiles that could deliver a 200-kiloton nuclear warhead 1,500 kilometers away, the captain could do nothing in the face of Rafi’s command. In a simple, two-minute exchange over the submarine’s high frequency radio, the admiral had summarily revoked the two-week shore leave that Daniel and his crew had been impatiently awaiting for the last ten days.

  “Sir, with so little notice, we may be the only people at the picnic.”

  “I realize that. It was a spontaneous decision in naval command. We just have to invite everyone and hope for a good turnout,” Rafi said. “Not many people can change their schedule and show up with just two hours’ notice. But we should at least make the effort. So I’ll need contact details for any additional guests the crew may want to invite, to increase the odds that someone will be waiting for them upon arrival.”

  “Yes, Sir. I’ll speak to them about it.”

  Daniel earned his rank in part thanks to his keen instincts, and there was definitely something inauspicious about the hasty change of plans. “What mission could be so urgent that our naval exercises and two-week shore leave had to be abruptly cancelled?” he wondered to himself.

  The captain knew from experience that insufficient breaks from the submarine could set his men off. Physical and mental pressure – from thousands of kilometers of water traveled in a small, enclosed space – tended to shorten the crew’s temper, lower its morale, and decrease its efficacy. With enough uninterrupted time in a submarine, things had a way of deteriorating quickly and dangerously. But his superiors knew this as well as Daniel did. So there must have been a good reason for them to do this.

  “Maybe this is a picnic before doomsday,” he joked darkly to himself. “One last taste of heaven before hell.” In the absence of facts, speculation could easily take over, and Daniel didn’t have the whole picture – just an uneasy gut. Even his superiors didn’t have the whole picture. Only God and History had that.

  Daniel and the other 34 men who manned the Dolphin were a motley collection of extraordinary individuals whose appearance could not have looked any more ordinary. Each was of slight build and no taller than 5’10 inches for easier maneuvering within the cramped quarters of their deadly stealth ship. None of the sailors seemed associated with a vessel that could kill 20 million people in under an hour. And yet they were collectively responsible for the fate of an underwater craft with enough destructive power to vaporize entire countries.

  Each of the men under Daniel’s command was certain to feel crestfallen upon hearing about the change in plan and would be looking to the captain for assurance. Daniel resolved to do everything he could to rally his men through the disappointment. Whatever baleful challenges awaited the crew on their next mission, their responses to them would have to be flawless, Daniel thought to himself, so their emotions had to be carefully managed along the way.

  As the captain once remarked to an old university classmate, “Each of my men is like a musician in an orchestra that I must conduct perfectly. One false note and the entire performance can be killed – literally – when the symphony is at sea.” What he hadn’t revealed to his friend, however, was how responsible he felt for the equally complicated, non-military life that continued in each crewmember’s absence.

  As Daniel delivered the new orders from headquarters, he tried his utmost to ignore the dejected reactions of his men. Experience had taught the captain the power of concentration: With enough intensity, mental focus could quickly divert the mind from the upsetting to the practical. The sooner his commands moved on from the disappointing news, the more likely he was to deflect the crew from their most natural and immediate reaction to it.

  “Naval command is already inviting each of your family members, but if there’s anyone else you want them to invite, I need to know right away,” he explained over the public announcement system. “The sooner I have an updated list, the more notice your additional guests will have, and the more likely they are to show up in time.”

  It wasn’t until the 1,700-ton Dolphin was finally advancing towards the Haifa shore that Daniel allowed himself to relax a little. He relished the sight of the submarine’s 60-meter-long, aqua-green hull glistening under the splashing water of the Mediterranean Sea. Uplifted by the crews’ cheers at the sight of the assembled guests in the distance, Daniel finally surrendered to the giddy anticipation of reuniting with his family. No matter how many times he and the other submariners had experienced a homecoming, those final few hundred meters before arrival were always exhilarating.

  Daniel wondered who from his world would show up on such short notice. He was fairly certain that his wife Sivan would be there with their youngest daughter, Esty. He couldn’t wait to see the four-year old, who was turning into quite the character. “All sweetness and light,” he chuckled to himself, “with her adorable manipulations!” His mood dimmed slightly as he predicted that his two older children would probably be unable to leave their high school classes.

  Standing atop the mast, Daniel peered out across the water at the shady lawn near the base, trying to spot Sivan among the distant faces of the gathered guests. Within a few minutes, he could finally make out her dark, wavy hair and the outline of her figure. She crouched down next to little Esty so that she could point out the part of the submarine where she might be able to spot Daddy. They waved to him, not knowing for sure that it was he on the mast. He waved back and breathed a long sigh of relief. “I wouldn’t trade the next four hours for anything,” he thought to himself.

  Protocol requires that the captain disembark first from the submarine, in symbolic homage to his rank and because there was often a military or political VIP waiting to greet him on land. So once the Dolphin was moored to the pier and placed into a safe standby mode, Daniel was the first of the submariners to climb down the accommodation ladder from the top of the hoisted mast to the land base. The other 34 sailors were standing on the outer deck, queued up and waiting for permission to go ashore. At the head of the line was the deputy captain, Yisrael, who stood at the top of the accommodation ladder, waiting for Daniel to finish his exchange with Admiral Levy so that he could go down next.

  As each man descended from the final rung to the safe and sturdy pier beneath his feet, he experienced a joy that only a submariner could truly grasp – elated by the endless room to run around and move freely without calculation or contortion. The guests who had gathered on such short notice to visit their loved ones were buoyed by seeing the crewmembers relish the mundane pleasures that most people take for granted. For those submariners lucky enough to see visitors waiting for them on the fenced lawn nearby, their next steps, after respectfully greeting the admiral, quickened to a restrained run ending in a joyful embrace.

  On the far end of the lawn, facing the sea, were several long picnic tables full of delicious food for the guests and – most importantly – the submariners who hadn’t tasted such delights in weeks and were expecting to be deprived for many more weeks. Just as they reveled in the pleasure of unimpeded movement, the men would equally savor the gustatory gratification of fresh food. The cuisines waiting for them were as diverse as the crew: Indian, Vietnamese, Persian, Ethiopian, and Druze dishes, along with an abundant variety of Middle Eastern dips and meats, salads chopped from vegetables fresh from local farms, and plenty of chocolate desserts and fresh fruits. The men would soon be gorging greedily and guiltlessly, trying to compensate for the ten days of culinary mediocrity that had just ended and the even longer period ahead. The delectable spread would also ensure that some mingling among the crew and their guests would take place, even as each sailor re-connected with his own private world for a precious few hours.

  The younger, unmarried submariners would be visited by parents, siblings, girlfriends, and friends. The senior officers would be greeted mostly by their wives, and in some cases also by their children. The six crewmembers whose family and
friends were too far away to visit on such short notice would use the time to call their loved ones by phone, kick around a soccer ball, have a beer, and indulge in some truly carefree relaxation.

  Chapter 3: Daniel

  The captain stepped down from the last rung of the accommodation ladder onto the pier and saluted Admiral Levy, who was waiting for him.

  “It’s good to see you again, Daniel,” the admiral said, returning the salute.

  “Thank you, Sir. It’s good to be back.” Daniel had a penetrating, fearless stare, even when talking to his superiors.

  “Again, I’m sorry that we had to cancel the break. I know how hard it is on you and the crew. But we did our best to make up for it with this gathering.”

  “Sir, each submariner knows that he enlists for a different kind of life with unique challenges. My crew is no exception.”

  “What about the most junior member?”

  “Boutrous? A fine sailor.”

  “So he’s ready for his first mission?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “And the rest of the crew?”

  “In good shape, Sir. Just eager to see their loved ones now.”

  “Sorry for holding you up. Enjoy your liberty.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  Daniel walked away from the pier toward the nearby lawn, just behind the fence, where all of the guest visitors were waiting. Admiral Levy stayed at the foot of the ladder, and – with a smile and a handshake – greeted each sailor as he stepped onto the pier.

  After Daniel was a respectful distance from Rafi, he picked up the pace of his walk until he was practically running to Sivan and Esty. The hug that followed brought the three of them back to a sense of normalcy, however ephemeral it might be this time. To his high school sweetheart and wife of 19 years, the 40-year old commanding officer looked as handsome as ever – and not just because his long missions away from home sometimes made him seem like an old lover recently rediscovered. His salt-and-pepper hair and well-chiseled face, distinguished by a few deep creases, all accentuated his masculinity by attesting to decades of leadership, tough decisions, and duties of the highest order.

  Daniel stooped a bit lower to include Esty in the hug but the trio’s interlocked arms were soon broken apart as Esty had something urgent to declare: “Daddy, I can draw you a stick or a star. What do you want?”

  He shared a repressed smile of amusement with Sivan, as he tried to treat the decision with the same seriousness as Esty had presented it. “How about a star?”

  “Hmm…But I don’t really like the star as much. And I can draw a much better stick.”

  “OK, then how about the stick?”

  “Great! I knew you’d pick the stick. So now watch how I do it.” And Esty, who already had her red crayon and pad of paper ready, proceeded to draw a line that was mostly straight.

  Moments later, she proudly waved the pad of paper, displaying her masterpiece.

  “Very nice, Esty! But why don’t you use the starfish I gave you as a stencil to help you draw a star? Did you bring it with you?”

  “Of course she did. She takes it with her everywhere,” Sivan said with a smile.

  “You said it would protect me, so I always keep it in my pocket,” Esty explained, pulling it out of her pant pocket.

  Daniel crouched down to Esty’s level, and started demonstrating how to trace a line around the sides of the starfish with her crayon.

  “Let me do it! Let me do it!” she exclaimed, seizing the crayon and star from her father.

  Esty quickly finished one star and then moved the starfish to another part of the paper and drew another.

  “Good job, Esty-leh! Can I keep this picture with me?”

  “OK,” she said. “I’ll draw another one for me. And one for Mommy. And one for Amir. And I’ll draw another one for Hila,” she said, referring to her older siblings.

  Daniel and Sivan shared a look of smitten delight as Esty began to prepare similar drawings for the rest of her family.

  “So why the sudden reunion?” Sivan asked. “And what happened to your two-week break? What’s going on?”

  There wasn’t much that he was allowed to tell his wife. Of course, Navy regulations didn’t prevent him from saying that there was a vague, ominous feeling in his gut. But what was the point of sharing that? Why make her needlessly worry for the coming weeks about a captain’s foreboding?

  “You were still at sea when this came out but headquarters must have told you about the latest.”

  “The latest?”

  “That Iran’s nuclear program can no longer be attacked by the Israeli Air Force,” she explained. “So maybe you’re back for a quick visit before a special operation related to Iran’s declaration yesterday?”

  “Even if I knew, do you think I could tell you?” Daniel’s quasi-playful tone successfully concealed his premonition.

  “Of course not.”

  “So why do you ask me about things I can’t discuss?”

  “Just to see if you’re still following orders,” she said with a mischievous smile.

  “Yes. Still following orders,” he smiled back.

  “And when do you start following my orders?”

  “When I get back from this mission.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’ve decided that this is my last mission. I’m retiring.”

  “Really? What happened?”

  “It wasn’t an easy decision. But it hasn’t been easy to be away from you and the family for so many long stretches of time. And for so many years.”

  “One year longer than our marriage.”

  “Yes. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been a submariner for exactly half of my life…And that I’ll be ending this phase of my life.”

  “I won’t believe it until I see it with my own eyes.”

  “You will.”

  “Does anyone else know?”

  “No.”

  “So Yisrael will be promoted to replace you?”

  “It’s very likely.”

  “Well, don’t mention your decision to anyone until you’re done with this mission. I wouldn’t want him to think his promotion happened before you actually leave.”

  “Don’t worry. He may want to replace me, but he’s more likely to get that promotion if I’m his ally in the process.”

  “I’m all for someone replacing you…The crew’s loss is my gain.”

  “And mine too…But I’ll miss the team…And having such a clear mission every day.”

  “Don’t worry – I’ll come up with a clear mission for you every day…And every night…” Sivan pulled him toward her for a tight embrace and a long kiss.

  Esty abruptly interrupted them with some important news: “Mommy, look at that puppy,” she said, pointing to the tiny Pekingese being held by a girl only slightly taller than her, just across the lawn by the water. The girl was Tikva, the five-year old daughter of Ethiopian officer Ambesah and his wife Yardena.

  “I wanna hold it too!” Esty declared.

  “Maybe if you let her hold your starfish, she’ll let you hold her puppy,” Daniel suggested. And that was all the permission Esty needed. She left her drawing pad and crayon on her mother’s foot, and went scurrying off toward the negotiation zone.

  “See how much she misses me? In a competition between daddy and a puppy she’s never seen before, the puppy wins in a heartbeat,” Daniel joked.

  “You know how much she misses you. But she’s still a little girl.”

  “Maybe it’s time to buy her a puppy.”

  “I’m not sure I’m ready for a puppy. Unless of course you’re going to help me take care of it.”

  “I will.”

  “And how exactly do you expect to clean up the puppy’s poop from 200 meters below the sea?”

  “OK. So we’ll get the puppy after I return from this mission. Deal?”

  “As long as it doesn’t bark too much.”

  “Moving on to humans,” he said, “
how’s my grandfather holding up?”

  “If I have half of his wits at age 91, I’ll consider myself very blessed. Actually, if I even get to 91, I’ll feel blessed.”

  “And his cataracts?”

  “The doctor said that they’ll get worse without laser surgery, but it’s a bit risky, so the family’s not sure whether he should do it.”

  “Yes. That is a tough call. And what about the rest of his health?”

  “He seems to be doing OK. He always asks about you.”

  “I wish I had enough time to go and visit him today.”

  “Seeing him whenever you want will be one more retirement benefit, right?”

  “Very true…How are Hila and Amir?”

  “Sorry I couldn’t bring them…It’s hard to get them out of class on such short notice.”

  “I know…Did Hila move forward with her patent?”

  “Her science teacher insisted on it. He thinks her invention could revolutionize solar power.”

  “At age seventeen. It’s unbelievable. She must have inherited that gene from you.”

  “If her next invention is a subaquatic breathing device, then we can credit your genes.”

  “I’ll take what I can get. How about Amir? How’s he doing?”

  “Not so well, unfortunately.”

  “Why? What’s wrong?”

  “He’s been getting bullied at school lately. The awkward pimple stage doesn’t help. He doesn’t seem to have enough confidence to stand up for himself. I think if you were around more it would help. He needs a male presence.”

  “I know. And that will change very soon. But in the meantime I want you to enroll him in some martial arts classes.”

  “I think he’ll feel intimidated by that too.”

  “He’ll have to get over it. He needs to learn to stand up for himself. We’re enrolling him in martial arts. Period.”

  Chapter 4: Ambesah

  Yardena and Ambesah also had worries about one of their children who couldn’t join the brief reunion. Yardena reported that their eight-year old daughter, Adi, one of just a few Ethiopians in her school, was having trouble fitting in with her classmates although she had finally made a few friends.