Shadow Tyrants

SIXTY-TWO

The monsoon had finally passed, and Mallik sat in his chair overlooking the mission control room aboard the launch command ship. The huge picture window in the side of the 400-foot-long ship’s large central superstructure gave a magnificent view of the launch platform three miles to the north. The backdrop of the red and orange sky produced by the rising sun could have served as a publicity photo for his satellite business.

The thirty engineers in the spacious room were busily going about their tasks to make sure that today went smoothly. Only a handful knew about Vajra, and only one of them was aware of its full potential. Mallik would have the honor of activating the system.

A speedboat cut through the glassy sea on its way back from the platform.

“Did they report any issues?” Mallik asked flight director Kapoor, pointing at the boat. The men returning were maintenance workers doing a final check of the launch site.

“None,” Kapoor said. “We are still go for launch. T minus forty-three minutes and counting.” The last step was fueling the rocket, which would be completed fifteen minutes before it took off.

“Alert the Indian Coast Guard that we are moving ahead with the launch.” Even though they were a hundred and fifty miles from the nearest land, the rocket’s flight path would take it over the Indian subcontinent.

“Yes, sir.” Kapoor picked up the phone. At the same time, Torkan burst into the room and made a beeline for Mallik with a concerned look on his face.

“What’s wrong?” Mallik asked.

Torkan lowered his voice and said, “A ship has intruded on our security zone. They’re ignoring the Maurya’s hails to steer clear.”

“How far away are they?”

“Twenty-five miles and closing fast.”

“The Indian Navy?”

Torkan shook his head. “They’re coming from the west. The Maurya reports that it looks like a cargo ship, but it’s going at an unbelievable speed for a ship that big.”

Kapoor overheard the conversation. “Sir, if we have a ship in the security zone, perhaps we should delay the launch until it’s out of danger.”

“No,” Mallik said, “we are going to launch that rocket.”

“But protocol states—”

“We are launching!” Mallik’s shout silenced the room.

He nodded at Torkan, who went to the door and called two of his security men to come into mission control with their assault rifles at the ready.

Mallik stared daggers at Kapoor. “We are launching no matter what. Do you understand?”

Kapoor looked at the two heavily armed men and gulped. The other engineers studiously went back to work, avoiding Mallik’s glare.

“T minus forty-two minutes and counting,” Kapoor said.

Mallik smiled, then turned to Torkan.

“Tell the captain of the Maurya to intercept that ship. If she continues to be unresponsive, sink her.”

Juan watched the frigate speeding toward them on the op center’s main screen. It was now ten miles away, still out of gun range for both ships. The Oregon was quickly closing the distance. Mallik’s launch platform was over the horizon, but they hadn’t seen the telltale smoke trail of a launch in the cloudless azure sky.

“We’re being hailed by the Maurya again,” Hali said.

“Continue ignoring them,” Juan said. “We know what they’re going to say.”

“I also intercepted a call to the Indian Coast Guard. The launch is in less than forty-two minutes.”

Juan grinned at Eric, sitting at the helm. “Your timing is impeccable, Stoney. Murph, prepare to fire the Exocet.” The anti-ship missile would reduce the launch platform, rocket, and satellite payload to burning hulks.

“Locked onto the launch platform,” Murph said from the weapons station.

“Fire.”

The Exocet blasted out of its tube. The subsonic surface-skimming missile would be difficult to shoot down even for a warship more modern than the Maurya. The ancient frigate didn’t have a chance of intercepting the missile as it passed by.

Murph said, “Two minutes to target.”