Vengeance

16 K-571 KRASNOYARSK

Vladivostok, with jagged snow-capped mountains rising in the background, is the largest Russian port on the Pacific Ocean. The eastern terminus of the Trans-Siberian Railway, the city is often envisioned by foreigners as an ice-covered Russian outpost in the Far East. However, the opposite is true, with titanic merchant vessels anchored in emerald-blue water and sleek white yachts rocking gently at their moorings. Vladivostok, which translates to “Ruler of the East,” is also home to the Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet.

This morning, as a light mist crept down green knolls toward the submarine berths, Captain Second Rank Gavriil Novikov strode down the pier toward the pride of the Russian Fleet — K-571 Krasnoyarsk — the newest Yasen-class nuclear attack submarine. Commissioned only three months ago, it was manned by a handpicked veteran crew that had distinguished itself during sea trials in preparation for its maiden deployment. With ten bow-mounted torpedo tubes and ten vertical launch tubes, Krasnoyarsk was loaded with the newest and most advanced weaponry in the Russian Navy: forty Futlyar wire-guided torpedoes in the submarine’s torpedo room and a mix of forty anti-surface and anti-air missiles in its vertical launch tubes.

Much of Novikov’s crew was topside this morning preparing for the submarine’s deployment next week. Several work parties were assisting with the food and spare parts loadouts, transferring the pallets of material from the pier into the submarine. Krasnoyarsk’s First Officer, Captain Third Rank Anton Topolski, was topside, supervising the loadout.

Novikov crossed the brow onto his submarine, where he was saluted by the topside watch, who announced the Captain’s arrival over the shipwide intercom. Novikov was greeted by Topolski, the submarine’s second-in-command.

“Good morning, Captain. All preparations are proceeding smoothly, but we are expecting a courier from Pacific Fleet within the hour.”

“Do we know what information the courier will bring?”

“New orders, supposedly.”

Novikov nodded his understanding, wondering why there would be a late change to Krasnoyarsk’s mission profile. The current plan took Novikov’s crew east toward Hawaii, where Krasnoyarsk would undoubtedly encounter American warships striving to trail Russia’s newest and most advanced submarine. Novikov’s mission orders were clear and simple — detect and trail whichever American submarines crossed Krasnoyarsk’s path without being counter-detected, proving the superiority of Russian technology and submarine crew training.

After deciding to wait topside for the pending courier, Novikov monitored the stores loadout while Topolski dropped down into the submarine’s interior via a nearby hatch. Not long thereafter came the Topside Watch’s announcement:

“Commander, Pacific Fleet, arriving.”

The report caught Novikov by surprise. It seemed Krasnoyarsk’s new orders were being delivered not by a standard courier, but by Admiral Pavel Klokov himself.

Novikov saluted Klokov after he crossed the brow onto the submarine.

“Welcome aboard Krasnoyarsk, Admiral.”

Klokov returned the salute. “Your stateroom,” was all he said.

A few minutes later, the two men entered Novikov’s stateroom, a three-by-three-meter room containing only a narrow bed, a small desk, and a table seating two persons. Klokov closed the door, then settled into one of the chairs, motioning Novikov into the other with a wave of his hand. The admiral retrieved a manila envelope from his inside coat pocket, which he handed to Novikov.

Novikov unsealed the envelope and read his new orders. Krasnoyarsk was no longer traveling east; it was now headed west into the Persian Gulf.

The new destination was a surprise, but Krasnoyarsk’s revised mission profile was even more unexpected. Novikov looked up in shock.

“Do you have any questions?” Klokov asked. “I believe the orders are quite clear.”

Admiral Klokov was correct. The orders were succinct and easily understood. Additionally, their deployment date was being moved up.

“Underway in two days?” Novikov asked.

“At the latest. Tomorrow, if possible.”