The U.S.S. Virginia -- the first in the mosttechnologically advanced new class of U.S. attacksubmarines -- sets sail, even as the Navy'shigh-tech submarine program falls under attackfrom a Congress that believes it unneeded.But a threat no one anticipated is glidingsilently through dangerous waters. A rogueKilo-class submarine built by a shadowy andpowerful ally has become the latest weapon inal Qaeda's terrorist arsenal. The submarine'sbrutal strikes have created an explosivehostage situation in the Pacific ... and haveleft hundreds of people dead.

This new and stealthy terrorist threat must beeliminated before more innocent lives are lost.But the officers, crew, and Navy SEALsaboard the Virginia will face more than theyanticipated in the turbulent waters of theSouth China Sea -- as one untried Americansub races toward an explosive confrontationwith an old, cunning, and ruthless enemy.

The Silent Service

By Riker, H. Jay

Avon Books

ISBN: 0060524383

Chapter One

Tuesday, 15 March 2005

Assembly Building
Submarine Yard, Electric Boat Division
Groton, Connecticut
1553 hours EST

"You're aware, of course, Commander, that I am completelyopposed to this ... this tax-dollar-guzzling hole in the water?"

Tom Garrett glanced at the man beside him, wondering if Blakeslee was deliberately trying to push his buttons, or if it simply was the man's acid attitude. How, he wondered, could such an unpleasant man be a successful politician? Damn this asinine babysitting duty, anyway. There were better uses of a boat captain's time.

The two of them were walking through the mammothassembly building above the New Groton ways, Garrett in his blue uniform with its three bright gold stripes like rings at the ends of his jacket's cuffs, Congressman Blakeslee in a conservative gray suit. Both men, however, as per shipyard regulations, wore bright yellow construction helmets against the possibility of tools or other deadly objects dropping fromoverhead. Above them, like a huge tapered cigar, thepressure hull of the submarine yard's premier constructionproject hung suspended from overheadcranes.

"Oh, yes, Congressman," he replied with as easy asmile as he could muster. He had to speak loudly to beheard above the whine of machinery, the sharp clangand clatter of metal on metal. "I've been well briefed."

"I damn well imagine you have." John Blakeslee,the honorable representative of the twenty-third Districtof his state, placed his hands on his hips andstared up at the smooth and gently rounded cliff ofmetal hanging above them. The flare of an arc welderdazzled and sparked just above the shroud maskingthe eight-bladed screw at the cigar shape's aft tip. "TheCold War is over," he said after a moment more. "Wedon't need these monsters any longer. The tax dollarsare better spent elsewhere."

It must be tough, Garrett thought with a suppressedsmile, to be a member of both the House ArmedServices and Appropriations Committee and the CongressionalMilitary Appropriations Oversight Committee.Blakeslee's double-barreled quals made him anextraordinarily powerful figure within the governmentbut must also leave him a bit scattered in his job focusat times.

"With respect, sir," Garrett said carefully, "that'snot an opinion shared by everyone on your appropriationscommittee." And thank God for that, he added,keeping the thought well concealed.

"What are you talking about, Captain? The ColdWar was over when the Berlin Wall came down."

"I didn't mean that, sir," Garrett replied. "I meantabout not needing these beasts or the money being betterused elsewhere. The Virginia is going to pull herown weight, believe me."

"Oh, really? And I say it's about time we found thatpeace dividend everyone's been talking about for thepast sixteen years! Submarines are damned expensivetoys, Captain, and they're toys we can now do without."

Garrett had heard the sentiment before, had arguedagainst it more than once.

"Congressman, the peace dividend wasn't leftovermoney in the national budget. It was forty-some yearsof peace."

"Indeed?" Blakeslee snorted. "Our veterans of Vietnam,Korea, and the Gulf Wars would be most interestedin that sentiment."

The man, Garrett decided, was definitely testinghim, pushing him to get a reaction. No man could bethat obtuse, even if he was a politician.

"Peace between us and the other superpowers, Congressman.Somehow we made it through the fifties, thesixties, the seventies, the eighties ... and not once dideither side in the Cold War fire a nuclear missile. Notonce was an American -- or Russian -- city incinerated.We fought wars, yes, sir -- Korea, Vietnam -- but wewere never in a shooting war with the Russians or theChinese. And part of the reason, a damned big part ofthe reason, I'll add, was the technology we put intomilitary programs, including submarines. Technologyis expensive, but the payoff was that we managed tobalance things in such a way that we didn't turn ourplanet into a radioactive desert."

"Obviously we stand on different sides of the issue,"Blakeslee said. "There are different ways oflooking at history, you know. Different interpretations.But ... even granting that you're right, mypoint is that we don't need attack submarines like thisone any longer. The Navy can and should make dowith the Los Angeles–class subs, gradually phasingthem out as they reach the end of their operational service.We should never have built even one Seawolf ...and certainly not the Virginia."

"Sir, did you ever hear the expression penny-wise,pound-foolish?"

The corners of Blakeslee's mouth twitched, andGarrett couldn't tell if it was a frown or a suppressedsmile. "Don't overstep yourself, Commander. You donot want me as an enemy, believe me."

"The last time I checked, Congressman, you and Iwere on the same side. We both care for the peace andsecurity of this country. And for the health of thearmed forces."

"You're right, Commander, of course." He sighed."Forgive me. Perhaps it was I who overstepped thebounds of propriety. But the tangle of budget and militaryappropriations is something of a Gordianknot ... a very frustrating one. If there's a sword withwhich to cut the puppy, I have not yet been able to findit." He stopped suddenly and pointed. "What the hellis that?"

"The command center module," Garrett said, followingBlakeslee's gaze. Amid a flurry of activity onthe scaffolding, something like a huge, squat tin canwas being lowered into place within the pressure hull."Most of Virginia's compartments are being assembledseparately, each in one piece. Then we lower themin -- or ‘snap them on,' as we say -- to cushioned mounting points on board. The system is called MIDS,for ‘modular isolated deck structures.' With eachcompartment riding its own set of cushioned mounts,it helps make for a very quiet boat."

Continues...

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