Kirov III-Pacific Storm (Kirov Series) (6 page)

“Here,” Rodenko pointed. “About 175
miles northwest of our position. It looks like a weather front developing, but
then I lose it and everything is clear—no signal and no weather front.”

Volsky walked slowly to the starboard
side of the bridge and peered through the viewport. The day was clear and warm,
the pristine waters of the sun dappled Timor Sea stretching out behind them to
an empty horizon. He watched for some time, thinking he saw the barest glimpse
of white cloud there, but all seemed well.

“Here, sir,” said Fedorov. “We have
another signal.”

The Admiral hastened back in time to
see the cloudy returns of something building on the northwest edge of their
radar scope. He craned his neck toward the viewport again, thinking to see
telltale signs of a weather front.

“There, Admiral,” Rodenko pointed. “Do
you see them. That’s a formation of aircraft. Look at the structure. It can be
nothing else.” The signal quavered, clouded over, and then was gone again.

“We’re pulsing,” said Fedorov in a low
voice, “shifting in and out of some more definite time frame.”

“If we only had some point of clear
reference we might spot changes in the environment around us,” said Volsky,
“but we are too far off shore. The ocean looks the same in every direction, and
that distant coastline is lost in haze at this hour.”

“That’s Melville Island up ahead,
Admiral,” said Fedorov. “We’re just west of the Beagle Gulf that would take us
into Darwin.”

“What about the weather front?” said
Rodenko. “It was the same way the first time. The weather changed abruptly.”

“Are you sure your equipment is
sound?”

“All systems report green and nominal,
Admiral. We had everything checked very thoroughly over the last eight days and
we’ve even replaced the systems that were damaged by the first strafing run
that caught us by surprise in the Med. No. My radar is not malfunctioning.”

“It’s not the weather I’m worried
about,” said Fedorov, “though that is reason enough for concern. We have
cloudless skies now, and nothing on the horizon, but you say the reading
appears to be a
formation
of planes—multiple contacts, yes? That is not
common in peace time.”

“Agreed,” Volsky said quickly. “I
think it best that we move to level two alert, and if there is no objection I
will come about and begin a graceful withdrawal from this sector. We’ll head
west again.”

Fedorov thought for a moment. “I
suggest we wait for a moment, sir. I think—”

“Level two alert, Mister Fedorov,”
Volsky scolded. “A good
Starpom
immediately seconds a command level
order, particularly one involving ship’s security.”

“I’m sorry, sir.” Fedorov turned to a
watch stander and repeated the order. “Signal alert level two—ship wide alarm.”

“Aye, sir.”

The claxon was now clearly audible,
and Volsky nodded his head, satisfied. “Now,” he said. “You have an opinion on
our course?”

“If we assume the worst, that we are
again settling into another time, and supposing it is still the 1940s, then those
planes would either have to be flying from bases at Kupang on Timor Island, or
else they are off carriers.”

“Could you get a read on their
heading, Rodenko?” The Admiral wanted more information.

“The signal returns were too brief to
process, but I did note the range was decreasing, not increasing.”

“That doesn’t sound very reassuring,”
said Volsky. “If these were planes from a carrier group, where would they be
headed, Mister Fedorov?”

“There were no major naval actions in
this region, sir, except perhaps the raid on Darwin in February of 1942.”

“Could this be what we are seeing
then?”

“Perhaps, sir. But it would mean we
have slipped farther back. Thus far the interval has always seen us move
forward in time, never appearing earlier than our first displacement.”

“Yes,” said Volsky, “and I suppose the
good Admiral Tovey might have mentioned it if we did appear in February of
1942, and that becomes quite a puzzle if it is the case. We are missing weapons
we would not have expended for another six months when we appeared in the Med!”

“I agree, sir,” said Fedorov. “A bit
of a paradox when viewed from any perspective other than our own.”

“Then let us pretend Mother Time does
not like her skirts ruffled too much, even if she has shown us a little leg. We
already have a hand on her knee—our presence in 1941 has clearly caused a great
deal of trouble. Perhaps she will not let us go any further with such a thing
as you describe—this paradox business.”

“Then I can think of no major carrier
action here in 1943, or later. But as I have said, I cannot be sure of anything
now. The course of events in the Pacific could all be radically different.”

“There it is again!” said Rodenko.
“Much closer now! It looks like 150 kilometers and closing. Something coming
out of a nice fat thunderstorm about fifty klicks behind it. …now it’s gone
again, sir.”

The Admiral looked at Fedorov. “You
are thinking a turn west would bring us into contact with a hostile carrier
task force?”

“I can think of nothing else, sir.”

“Very well. Let us turn north for a
time and see if we can get more information. But something tells me no matter
which direction we head now, we are likely to find trouble. Helm come about to
course zero, zero, zero. Speed twenty.”

Part II

The Operation

“The
most dangerous thing in the world is an Admiral or a General with a map and a
compass.”

-
Murphy’s Law Of Combat #63b

Chapter
4

Yamashita
set his teacup firmly on the table,
savoring the nutty flavor with some satisfaction, and looked at Nagano with a
glint in his eye. “It can be done,” he said with an air of calm assurance. “In
light of our successful landing at Port Moresby, it is the logical next step.”

“You are aware that the army opposes
any further consideration of operations on the Australian mainland.”

“Of course I am, but that is of no
concern. They fret and chafe because they have ninety percent of the infantry
in China now, and more to deal with than they expected. The fools. What has the
invasion of China brought us but an unending war of occupation with 700 million
Chinese, neh? Where are the resources this brings home to Japan?”

“Agreed, but the army will use this
very same argument against the Australian operation. They claim that it will
take at least ten divisions to control Australia, and they will not provide
even a fraction of that willingly.”

“You and I both know that is
ridiculous,” said Yamashita dismissively. “I took all of Malaya with just a
single division—30,000 men against four times our number, and yet we prevailed.
At this moment I have enough resources in 25th Army to carry out this operation
alone. First off, the notion that we must occupy and control the whole of the
Australian mainland is fallacious. It will do us no more good than the war in
China. But what the army must realize is this—the resources and oil we have
secured thus far in our drive south must be defended if they are ever to be of
benefit. And to defend them we must build a strong outer line. The southwest
perimeter now stretches from Singapore, through Batavia, Surabaya and Kupang,
and its proper anchor is Darwin, not Kupang on Timor. By occupying Darwin our
line cuts across the Timor Sea and is securely anchored on the Australian
mainland. And Darwin is all we will need for the moment. From there our bombers
can range on most other settlements of any consequence in the north.”

Osami
Nagano sighed, his hand running over
the back of his bald head as he considered. Chief of the Imperial Japanese
Naval General Staff, his support would be essential if Yamashita was to have
even the slightest chance of gaining approval for his operation. “I understand
your logic, but the Army will say that bases on Timor will be sufficient.”

“Perhaps,” said Yamashita, “but
leaving Darwin in enemy hands will tempt them to strongly occupy that place as
their sole bastion in the north capable or projecting power into the Timor and
Arafura Seas, and the Dutch East Indies…or even a return to New Guinea. B-17
bombers are already striking our establishment at Port Moresby—and this from
airfields at Cairns and Cooktown on the other side of the Coral Sea! If the
Americans put those planes at Darwin, and can protect them with fighters, then
they will be able to bomb all the key oil and resource centers in
Indonesia—perhaps even Jakarta, and these were our primary reason for driving
south in the first place. A child can see this, and the Army must realize it as
well.”

Nagano nodded, his eyes searching,
considering. “How many divisions,” he then asked bluntly. “What will it take?”

“A single division, and I have that in
hand now. With that I can secure Darwin, and then raid or occupy most of the
minor ports on the northern coast as well. Of course, if the Army can spare me
one further division, I can do much more.”

“And if the enemy sends reinforcements
from the south?”

“Let them try. The roads are abysmal,
bare tracks that are all but impassable for half the year. The whole area is
wilderness. The distance from Darwin to Stanley is greater than that from London
to Moscow! Their supply lines will have to stretch over some of the most barren
and inhospitable terrain in the hemisphere. This is why we do not need to
operate further south. If I push as far south as Katherine that will be more
than enough to provide a trip wire defense should the enemy plan such a
reinforcement. If they do so, our planes at Darwin will pound them to dust as
they march north, and they will have no bases close enough to provide adequate
air cover for their operations. For our part, if the navy cooperates, we can
easily keep Darwin supplied by controlling the Timor Sea. With strong bases at
both Darwin and Kupang, that will not be difficult.”

“Where will you land?”

“A direct assault is feasible, but I
will also land troops to the Southwest near the Daly River or perhaps further
east. We can launch this operation from Kupang and Amboina now. Give me that
second division, and we can strike from Rabaul and Port Moresby and I will take
Cooktown, Cairns, possibly even Townsville and secure the Coral Sea.”

“You are aware that Admiral Yamamoto
is not in favor of this plan?”

“Yes, but perhaps he could be
persuaded.”

“At the moment he has his eyes fixed
on another operation aimed at drawing the American navy into a decisive
engagement. He has wanted this from the very beginning, and when the operation
against Pearl Harbor was canceled, and the Americans declined to rush boldly in
with their War Plan Orange to relieve the Philippines, he was left
unsatisfied.”

“What is the target this time?”
Yamashita was increasingly frustrated, sighing heavily.

“Midway Island.”

“Midway? It is thousands of miles
away, a bare speck in the sea! What could he possibly want with that island? It
will not prove suitable for a base of operations against Hawaii, and will be
impossible to keep well supplied. This is nonsense.”

“Perhaps, but that is what the Army is
saying behind
your
back, Yamashita, that this plan to invade Australia
is gibberish.”

“They say this because they believe we
will need ten divisions, but I have shown clearly how a limited invasion can be
successful, and very beneficial to our war aims. Combined with an operation to
further isolate Australia, it becomes even more enticing, and strategically
sound as well. We should be striking south from the Solomons to capture New
Caledonia and even Fiji. Then where will the enemy base his operations? Samoa?
You must convince Yamamoto that this operation can succeed.”

“But he will not have his decisive
engagement—not here at Darwin.”

“That remains to be seen, Nagano. If
not at Darwin, then he will have it in the Solomons. The Americans are not
stupid. They will quickly surmise the danger that any thrust at New Caledonia
will portend. They fought to save Port Moresby for a reason. If we take Darwin
and threaten New Caledonia, and they will fight again. Mark my words. With
Australia isolated they will have to come at us from somewhere else, the
mid-Pacific, and this will take long-ranged sea power protected by aircraft
carriers. Yamamoto will have his opportunity to smash the last of their
carriers right here. At the moment you outnumber the Americans by more than two
to one in that category, is that not so?”

“At the moment.”

“Then use this advantage to press for
our most promising strategic options now! The isolation of Australia, and
control of all the sea lanes from Guadalcanal and New Caledonia to Timor is a
decisive advantage. Neutralize the waters north and east of Australia!
Striking
at Midway is stupid. It makes no sense!”