Star Depth: Rise of the Atlanteans

By George I. Duhart

Seven years has passed, and the success of Admiral Wayne James Cooper's United Earth Star Depth Naval Agency has grown into a flourishing military organization for interplanetary service for which he had hoped it would become within the short period of years during its promising development. With the combined efforts of the Star Depth program and the United Earth Space Force Defense Fleet Agency, both branches have successfully colonized and charted several planetary star systems within the inner-rim of Milky Way galaxy. But once again an unexpected circumstance has just introduced itself as a compromising catastrophe to both the newly intergalactic armed forces of the planet earth, and its governing supervision of the newly formatted United Earth Administration as a highly more dangerous threat than ever before. An Alliance-Class, Nuclear, Carrier Submarine, one out of fifteen that has been built by the Star Depth Naval Engineering Corps, designated as the U.S.S. Typhoon, SSCN-811 has disappeared within the deep, oceanic regions of an earth like planet called Beta-Two, in a well known star system known as Alpha Centauri. Their whereabouts are unknown, and the Space Force in addition with the Star Depth Navy is considering them as missing in action during a time of an uncertain resolution with their recent conflict seven years ago with the barbaric, warrior-class aliens known as the Corrilleans. The Administration along with Admiral Cooper's military chiefs of staff have come to the conclusion that the Corrillean Empire may be involved in the disappearance of the UESDN submarine. But the five-star admiral, and chairman of the joint chiefs wants to know for certain if the Corrilleans are responsible for the abduction. Once again, he forms a conjoined task force of Space Force and Naval personnel to seek out and investigate the disappearance of the lost submarine. But little do they know as they come to grips in finding out the truth, and who is really responsible.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Aug 20, 2012
• ISBN: 9781475905304

George I. Duhart

Ivy G. Duhart Jr. (aka-George I. Duhart) was born on August 15th, 1969 in Prince George County, Maryland outside of Washington DC. He is currently a student at Texas A&M University of Central Texas College located in Killeen, Texas, recieving his Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Law. He has served in the United States Army as a Military Police soldier, and has completed two combat, overseas, deployments in Iraq. He has published one book in 2009 under the science fiction genre (STAR DEPTH) and about to publish three more very soon. His second one will be published around the summer of 2012, and it will be titled as "STAR DEPTH: RISE OF THE ATLANTEANS". It is definitely a sequel from the first one, and will be a continuous series of the original. The third one in works will be a military, espionage, spy novel, and will be a trilogy series as well. Mr. Duhart hopes that all of the readers enjoy his novels and works, and hopes to look forward in feedback over his creation. Thank you.

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Copyright © 2012 by George I. Duhart Jr.

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ISBN: 978-1-4759-0529-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4759-0530-4 (e)

Contents

The Prologue

Chapter One The Disappearance

Chapter Twothe Hearing

Chapter Threethe Involvement

Chapter Fourthe Reunion

Chapter Fivethe Target Package

Chapter Sixthe Unexpected

Chapter Seventhe Problem

Chapter Eightthe Mystery

Chapter Ninethe Encounter

Chapter Tenthe History

Chapter Eleventhe Collision Course

Chapter Twelvethe Impact

Chapter Thirteenthe Escape

Chapter Fourteenthe End Game

Chapter Fifteenthe Best Of Both Worlds

Synopsis

THE PROLOGUE

In 10,000 BC, when the earth was young, and still in her adolescent stage of development stood an Island fortress in the middle of a vast, oceanic region called The Sea of Atlas, which was named and identified by the ancient Athenian scholars of Greece who existed around that time period when their civilization and society began to advance and grow. The designation of that name was derived from Greek mythology which described one of the greatest titans that ever walked the primordial earth. His name was "Atlas", which also symbolized his mythical title as being the Enduring One. Atlas was the son of "Lepetus", father of the titans, and his mother, Clymene, who was mother of the titans and creator of all the waters of the earth; aforementioned the Sea of Atlas. This ideological conception brought together the mythical notion of their colossal son holding up the world on his shoulders due to his rebellious attitude, and defiance for siding with his titan brethren, "Menoetius & Prometheus" against the Olympian gods for total control and dominance over the earth and heavens. They were punished due to their treachery by the well-known famous Greek god himself, "Zeus", king & father of the gods. The Island itself for which it was created by Zeus’s brother, "Poseidon", god and lord of the seas was incredibly massive and colossus. It was almost described as being a continent of its own rather than a mere, flimsy Island. In the center of this magnificent land mass carried upon its weight a huge fortress-like, utopian city that stood over and above earths most largest, mountainous regions, and almost as wide as the Island itself. Its occupants were highly intelligent, extremely advance, and technologically sophisticated. They shared their knowledge, wisdom, and resources to the neighboring primitives that occupied their land continents next door to them. The civilizations that learned from these superior-like individuals, or "Gods" to which some of them were identified as, came from different parts of the earth. The natives that benefited from these strangers and what they had to offer them were the ancient Aztecs, Egyptians, Grecians, Toltec’s, and the Mayans. Even the far eastern civilizations of the orients of Asia and Asia Minor enveloped the teachings and wisdom of these strangers that came from this far off land. They helped them to develop their culture, their civilizations, their heritage, even their way of life to a degree that was purely unknown to them. They taught them how to build their cities, and how to govern themselves with appointed leaders and sovereigns who would create laws and policies for a well-established society in which the very fabric of order and prosperity was created. These individuals even helped them to map the earth in ways they could not believe or understand, as well as even mapping the stars in the heavens above. They were given all of the benefits and rewards that these individuals could offer, and supply to them as long as they could, but as the years gone by, and the earth started to change, their Island fortress began to change with it. Earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons, and even hurricanes started to conjure up devastating, ecological conditions that affected the worlds land masses, including the Island fortress itself. It could not support, survive, or sustain the weather conditions of the planets ecosystem that was harming its structural integrity. When the occupants found out about this, they knew that they had to abandon their Island along with their rich civilization that they build hundreds of years ago. Some did not want to leave, but they knew that they did not have a choice. Others decided that if they had to go, they would rather stay and live with some of the natives who they have gotten to know, and helped to teach and cultivate their existence, but some wanted to leave not only the Island, but earth itself. These individuals gathered the knowledge and know how to travel across the winds of the air, and even out into the stars themselves. When the cataclysm started to affect the earths weathering conditions, it started to affect their Island. It created enormous tidal waves and tsunamis that almost literally engulfed half of its land masses. They did not have a choice in the matter anymore, they had to leave or it would be the end of their culture, and way of life as they knew it to be. When the advancement of the waters started to take over the shores of the Island, the occupants gathered what little or any they had, and fled their Island home of what they knew to be the first of one of earth’s greatest civilizations that ever existed on the face of the planet. As they left into the vehicles they developed, the last of them saw their Island, as well as their great city being demolished and overtaken by the waves of the sea while it crumbled and crushed all around the treacherous waters that took its existence. They witnessed there beautiful city sink in front of their eyes into the dark depths of the oceans abyss at which it was made from, until finally it was no more. The ocean had finally engulfed the magnificent continent.

As the centuries passed on, a Greek philosopher by the name of Plato, who lived between the years of 428 and 347 BC, taught his followers and students of a tale of a legendary, mythical city that existed in the middle of what was called at that time the Sea of Atlas. But, as times were changing during those periods, the name and description of the ocean changed with it. Plato along with other scholars, as well as different civilizations called the Sea of Atlas, the Atlantic Ocean, for which the Island that sat in the middle of this oceanic body was also named the Island of Atlas. But, again with the philosophies of Plato, Socrates and many others, along with the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians civilizations, chose a name for the continent that said to have once existed in the middle of that watery region of the earth for so long, and its magnificent city for which it stood upon was no longer identified as the Island of Atlas, but instead, it was described by Plato’s account, the Island city or lost continent of ATLANTIS. And its occupants who were described as the god-like beings were known simply as, the ATLANTEANS.

CHAPTER ONE

The Disappearance

Colonized Planet Beta II-Alpha Centauri B-Milky Way Galaxy.

This will be the second tour that the U.S.S. Typhoon (SSCN-811) has made on an interplanetary sea voyage within the four years of her christening at the Shipyards in Northrop, Virginia. She along with the rest of her fifteen sister submarines, is the eleventh boat to be named an Alliance Carrier-Class, Fast Attack, Nuclear Submarine to be deployed into the unknown regions of space. She is also several out of the many others to explore an extraterrestrial world with a huge planetary like body that produces a vast abundance of oceanic water for research purposes that is very similar to her celestial neighbor which is four-in-a-half light years away, namely the planet Earth. The U.E.A. (United Earth Administration) along with the United Earth Space Force Defense Fleet and the United Earth Star Depth Navy has established several spaceports/military outpost within the confinements of small planetoids inside the inner rim of the Milky Way Galaxy. Along with additional incentives to scientific research facilities for which they are affiliated with the N.O.A.A. Corps (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps) that has colonized and surveyed other small planets that circulate this sector of space called Alpha Centaurus-Beta, otherwise known as the Alpha Centauri Star System. The planet that the Typhoon is stationed on has been named Centaurus Beta-Two due to its designated point inside the binary star system of Alpha Centauri. It is one out of the few planets in that area that holds a Space Force/Star Depth Naval facility within its boundaries of colonization, and expeditionary purposes that was established two-in-a-half to approximately three years ago. The Typhoons crew is made up of all nationalities, but is mostly dominated by Russian personnel. Her commander is Captain Mikhail Chayefsky, formally of the U.R.F. (United Russian Federation) Navy who held its equivalency title as Captain-First Rank (equal to a Full-Bird Captain, Commodore, or a One-Star, Rear-Admiral) before he transferred his commission to the Star Depth branch. Chayefsky wanted the Typhoon because of its namesake from the former Soviet Union Navy classifications of their largest and famous submarines which were named by the old Typhoon-Class, Ballistic Missile Submarine fleet in the later part of the late 20th century. The Typhoon was traveling on a north nautical course along the planetary seaboard. Her speed was 12 to 15 knots on the surface, with eight personnel stationed above her huge and elaborate conning sail: Four officers including the captain, and four lower enlisted men that were obviously the lookouts. Chayefsky was not your usual, traditional, Russian naval officer. In a lot of ways, he was a carbon copy of Captain Brian L. Shaw of the U.S.S. Alliance, but a stickler for the rules and regulations, especially of naval protocols. He was an intellectual man. Educated in both areas of civilian and military schooling, he received his first bachelor’s degree in the Academy of Ecology, Marine Biology, and Biotechnology at the Far Eastern National University in Vladivostok, Russia, and a master’s degree in world politics at M.V. Solomon Moscow State University in Moscow. He graduated eighth in his class at the N.G. Kutuzov Naval Academy in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and got his first commission aboard an 885 Graney (Yasen) Class-Attack Submarine as its youngest first officer to hold the rank of Captain-Lieutenant (equivalent to a Full-Grade Lieutenant, or Lieutenant Commander). When the Star Depth program first came to the attention of the world ten years ago, Chayefsky heard about the enlistments of several Russian officers and sailors that were recruited into the branch. He thought to himself that this would be a perfect opportunity for him to spread his wings and try something new within his naval career. When he was appointed Captain-First Rank, he disappointed a lot of his superiors, including Grand, Fleet-Admiral Yuri Petrovski who is the Grand/Supreme Commander of the URF Navy, as well as the senior political military adviser to the Russian president and prime minister of military naval affairs, and vice chairman to Russia’s military staff, along with having a son who was already a commissioned officer within the USDN ranks, Commander Demetrius Petrovski. Chayefsky was a favorite among the admiral and the entire Russian navy. Petrovski looked at him as one of his own sons. He thought again that he was losing another one of his children, and best to the brightest officers he had to the capitalistic ideas of American influence. But, Petrovski realized that this was not the Russia of old. The former U.S.S.R. (Union of Soviet Socialist Republic) or commonly known as the Soviet Union would deny and obliterate such ideas for which they would proclaim to be foolishness, as well as nonsense and poisonous concepts to the foundation of the old republic establishment. But, to the newly founded and reformed URF, such traditions are outdated, and are considered old and obsolete, especially among the young people of the new Russia. The program that Five-Star, Fleet-Admiral Wayne J. Cooper designed was to establish a unity and cooperation of all military servicemen around the world who wanted a chance to start a brand new career in naval achievements and educational advancements of naval/oceanic exploration and research. Not to mention a brand new global, defensive military measurement as well, much like what the Space Force represents. Chayefsky was one out of many who wanted to do this. After he trained for a year-in-a-half in the Star Depth program (which its main headquarters is in Norfolk, Virginia), newly promoted Three-Star, Vice-Admiral Kyle I. Albertson gave him his commission and command, for which he requested the U.S.S. Typhoon. And for the last year, he has successfully commanded her ever since its construction. With his new command, he had a fairly young crew, even though Chayefsky himself is in his mid to late thirties. His senior staff consisted of men that were all in their mid to late twenties and very early thirties. All young and inexperienced except for one. Commander Shawn Summers was the only officer besides Chayefsky that has had submarine experience and interplanetary sea duty. This was because he was Chayefsky’s first/executive-officer and S.I.C. (Second-In-Command). He was preferably young, but not much younger than his captain; almost similar in age, but two to three years apart from one another. He was American of course which stood out among the rest of the staff because half the crew was of Russian officers and sailors. But he had the respect of everyone on the ship because Summers was the only one out of all the Americans on board that could speak fluent Russian, and very well to say. He stood right next to Chayefsky as they both stared out across the vast horizon of the alien ocean while taking weather readings and nautical calculations. His other two junior officers were right out of the naval academy, and received their commissions very quickly. Lieutenant-Commander Sergei Kovolinchski was a third generation naval man. His grandfather served aboard one of the old Kiev-Class Aircraft Carriers of the cold war, and his father was a naval aviator during the highlights around the Iraqi and Afghanistan wars. Kovolinchski was Chayefsky second officer and the T.I.C. (Third-In-Command), along with being the senior navigation officer. A well rounded individual to some sort, but held strict ties to Russian culture and influence. His final and last officer that was amongst the group inside the confinements of the bridge was Lieutenant-Commander Gregorio (Gregory) Maslov. Maslov was the Diving-Officer and F.I.C. (Fourth-In-Command). He was only twenty-five years old. The youngest of the rest of them to hold that particular rank, and title of that position. He was shown envy from the other officers because of his age, but more than that was his overbearing attitude about himself. Being the youngest officer to succeed the ranks so quickly was sort of an unfair advantage to the rest of the men that came up the old fashioned way. But to Maslov, he did not care what the others thought of him, and took it as a stepping-stone for his career advancement. He saw Captain Chayefsky as a role model. An example to himself on how an officer and leader should be, as well as seeing Chayefsky as a mirror-image for himself. He perceived that he would make captain by the time he turns thirty-five or thirty-six just like his CO, and command a prestigious vessel like the one he is serving now. Chayefsky knew he had green officers on his staff that was looking to prove themselves to him by any means, but he just like his American counterpart was not looking for save asses or kiss asses. His attitude over the years towards his men was hard and strict due to his years of service in the Russian Navy. But since his transfer and short extension in the Star Depth Navy, Chayefsky’s reputation of being a hard ass sometimes, sort of dwindle down to a more relaxing, docile type of commander. He is still respected and feared by his crew; the ones that know him from his previous service, but his judgments have been more subjected to concepts of fairness and equality; traits that you will never see in the Russian military; let alone their own navy. As they continued their gaze outward upon the extraterrestrial sea and its tanned colored horizon, an E-4, Petty Officer-Third Class who happened to be one of the lookouts displayed an important announcement to Chayefsky. "Captain! C.A.P. (Combat Air Patrol) fighters are approaching! Coming in on a nine-o’clock, western vector! Range 11,000 yards! They’re making their landing approach, sir!" shouted the petty officer. Two SF-08 Stingray Star fighters had finished their routine patrol on a survey, flight mission, and were making their landing run on the Typhoons carrier platform, flight deck. The sub carried four star fighters, four naval airborne F/A-30 Vulture fighters, and four SF-T03 shuttle transports. As the fighters were making their final approach, Chayefsky was looking down at his watch. The time read 15:45 (3:45PM), even though the time sequence there was very different than the planet that they were original from, as well as being five light years away from it. They still set their watches by earth’s initial time frame, and were more comfortable for it. He was scheduled to dive around 16:00 hours because of the orders given to him from COMSUBPLANT (Commander Submarine-Forces Planetary-Oceans); much identical to the US Navy’s COMSUBPAC (Pacific) and COMSUBLANT (Atlantic) on earth that is in charge of the submarine fleets from both sides. COMSUBPLANT is the sole controller of all submarine fleet forces on interplanetary security and naval operational forces within planetary regions of space sectors for Star Depth Naval Command and Space Force Command. The base that is on the planet that derives these orders is UESF/UESDN, Beta-II Naval Base Facility otherwise known as United Earth Space Force/United Earth Star Depth Navy, Beta-Two, and Naval Base Facility-Centaurus Sector which of course receives their orders from earth. Chayefsky turned to Summers and pointed at his watch. Mr. Summers, it looks like the time has come, no? As soon as the fighter’s touchdown, make way for diving preparations and procedures. Chayefsky wanted to dive early beyond scheduled. He thought fifteen minutes earlier could not hurt at all. With the thick, toned accent from his captain, Summers understood, and knew exactly what he meant. Some of the time, he would answer back to him in his own native tongue, just for the sake of being polite and respectful. But most of the time, Chayefsky would talk to his XO in English, so he could improve his dialect among some of his American sailors. Aye, Captain… Lookouts! Clear the bridge! Get below, and start preparations for immediate dive! shouted Summers. Aye, aye, Comrade Commander! said all four sailors simultaneously as they entered into the hatch one-at-a-time. The fighters had touched down, and the flight-ground crews were securing them as the platform started to lower itself into the hulls hangar bay. As the bay doors were closing, Summers calls down to the control center with using the bridge telephone receiver. Conn, Bridge! Fighters are safely aboard! Make preparations to dive! Set our depth for 25 fathoms! A voice came through one of the intercom speakers which was the COB (Chief of the Boat) to acknowledge the XO’s request. Bridge, Conn, aye! 150 feet as ordered, sir! Chayefsky then made the gesture to Summers to clear the bridge. All hands clear the bridge! Report to duty stations! Make preparations for diving procedures! as Summers shouted again to announce the final say of the ships operations. Both Kovolinchski and Maslov gave a salute and followed each other down the hatch. Summers stayed by his captain’s side until ordered otherwise. He kept up with Russian naval traditions and protocols to the utmost out of respect for his captain and crew mates, even though they were all USDN officers and sailors. In the Russian Navy, junior officers do not supersede or take initiative actions unless ordered too by their superior officers. Summers knew this, even though such acts and traditions are universal in all military agencies, but the Russian military was a bit stricter than others. Chayefsky was well aware of his executive officers knowledge of Russian military tradition, along with his attitude and humbleness around him. He looked over at his XO and patted him on the back as to give him approval of his actions with also commending him. He then told him to make the dive as he was going below. Summers grabs for the bridges telephone mic again, and makes an announcement for the last time. Conn, Bridge! The Captain is coming below! All hands, prepare for immediate submersion! Dive, dive, dive! He then hears the blow horn from the sails speakers as it was being controlled from the control room below while it made its horrendous sound as he was the very last person to exit the bridge.

_____________

The Typhoon began to slowly submerge itself even though she was not fully underwater just yet. The colossal conning tower was still above, but the rest of her steal, titanium flame made it underneath the tremendous waves that clashed against its sail. Summers was the last one to slide down the ladder from the hatch while still giving orders to submerge the ship. Chief of the Boat! Commence with your dive run! Make our depth one-five-zero feet! Chief of the Watch! Flood all ballast tanks to full! Diving officer! Rig the diving planes for ten degrees down-angle, steady as she goes on your pitch descent! Each officer gave a response to Summers commands. The Typhoon started her run slow and easy under the water as she left foams of bubbles and wakes at the surface. She made her descent as ordered, but still traveling in a slow margin. Summers made a request to Chayefsky for permission to increase speed just a bit. He nodded with approval. Summers reaches up and grabs for the overhead microphone while pressing the trigger guard to speak. Maneuvering, Conn! Increase speed to 20 knots, and hold! Conn, Maneuvering engine room! Increasing speed to two-zero knots, aye, aye, sir! replied the engineering officer who was obviously the supervisor of that department. Summers then switch the channel to contact the sonar/radar operator in the back of the control room. Sonar, Conn! I want active pings on all contact targets, including passive sonar detections. I don’t care if they’re biological. Report anything out of the ordinary. Conn, Sonar! Aye, sir! answered back the operator through the speakers. Summers was going around the entire control center. Checking and evaluating every little thing that caught his eye. Chayefsky did not mind it at all. He was glad to have a sufficient officer like Summers doing the work for him. All it did was make his job a lot easier and less stressful at the end. He sat in the Captain’s Chair in the center, next to the periscopes while looking at his XO taking charge, and walking to every department station observing and monitoring every little detail of the ships operations and functions. Passing forty-two meters, Commander. Trim and pitch is stead. said Master Chief Petty Officer Maximilian Abramovich who was of course the C.O.B. (Chief of the Boat). Very well, COB. Level us off at 46. Keep her on track and steady. said Summers. Aye, aye, sir. responded Abramovich. Chayefsky looked like a proud father watching his children play in the grassy field of his own yard. He was aware of how good his crew was, but not expecting the précised proficiency of how they were handling each and every detail of the ships systems and maneuverability. Even though the Typhoon was an exact replica of the Alliance as well as the other fourteen subs that Admiral Cooper had manufactured, she was still an awesome piece of equipment that has ever been shipped off the assembly line. She had more speed than her first predecessor, and could go a lot deeper as well. The Alliance was the first USDN submarine to travel the farthest and deepest in the Atlantic Ocean. But when they test dived the Typhoon, she made it all the way to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the South Pacific. Each submarine had a designed crush depth level of over 20 to 25,000 feet, but each ships accurate depth has always been 3 to 4000 feet, due to the limitations of earth’s oceanic sea bottom. The Typhoon was no different. She surpassed all of the expectations that were thought of her, and then more. When Admiral Albertson gave her to Chayefsky, he could not believe the magnificence of this behemoth size sub. She was definitely ten times larger than her Russian ancestry sub, the original Typhoon-Class, and a lot faster too. Chayefsky could not have been more proud than to command a ship of such magnitude and size. To him, the performance of the Typhoon was indeed astonishment to his likings. After sitting in his chair so relaxed and serene, Summers came over to acknowledge some interesting concerns of his own. "Captain, I know we have orders from COMSUBPLANT to explore and research this area, but shouldn’t we be on the lookout for any possible hostiles, such as Corrillean activity?" Summers question was legitimate, and carefully thought of. Ever since the initial contact with the Corrillean Empire seven years ago at the Battle of Alpha-One in the Andromeda Galaxy, the UEA along with Space Force and Star Depth Command has been on a high alert since they have ventured out from the solar system. Captain Shaw’s report from that incident of when he and his ship first encountered the Corrilleans at sea has been a text-book requirement of 21st century combat naval warfare tactics on interplanetary sea service and tour duties. This was something that neither navy’s had ever encountered before since the days of the cold war era when their grandfathers served. Chayefsky gestured to what his XO was saying, and replied back with, "I understand your concerns, Commander, but there’s no need for it. There hasn’t been any enemy activity for over six years. I know this is our second tour together serving on this ship, but the likely hood of a Corrillean attack happening now is a hundred to one. Besides, base command and Space Force Command has gone over this entire planet, and has found not one single enemy base or ships within the vicinity. They are aware of the situation out here. And furthermore, we do have back up support from SUBRON (SUBmarine SquadRON) in case we need help immediately if we do run into trouble out here. And besides, Comrade Commander, we are out here for scientific research and exploration. Our employment consists of us investigating the unexplained and unknowns. That is why we are out here, Number-One. I’m aware of that, sir, but we should be vigilant and careful in our efforts… Permission to state an observation, along with an opinion, Captain… We should give a radio call to base command to be absolutely sure that we don’t run into any strange or out-of-the-ordinary happenings while we’re still out here on patrol? I think it would be necessary to take the utmost precautions to insure the risk factors and safety measures of the ship in case of an immediate situation that befalls on us. I know that we’ve been out here for almost a year, with patrolling this area of ocean half that time. But as you stated, sir, this is still an alien planet, with no familiarity whatsoever. I think that it would be wise on our part to show discretion and alertness no matter what the circumstances may lead too, sir. You are correct of our duties as explorers and innovators, but we are also soldiers and sailors of a military agency that must stay on guard constantly and consecutively. We cannot dismiss that, Captain." as Summers advises his commanding officer very astutely. Chayefsky rubbed his chin for a moment to ponder his XO’s request. He thought for only a second, then gave permission to make way for Summers suggestion. "Alright, Commander, you win. Tell command exactly of our position and course, and contact SUBRON also. I think the Nautilus, Poseidon, and Olympia should know where we’re at as well. Aye, aye, Captain." Summers went straight for the radio-communication station to assign the detail for their supervisor in charge. Lieutenant Brown, contact Beta-Two Base Command, and SUBRON Task Force Leader. Inform them of our position and location on the UHF or VHF broad band channels. Give them our nautical trajectory with longitude and latitude markings. Aye, aye, sir. I’ll have my men transmit now. Chayefsky mentioned several submarines that were part of the SUBRON-USDN task force. They were the U.S.S. Poseidon (SSCN-805), the U.S.S. Olympia (SSCN-804), and the U.S.S. Nautilus (SSCN-802). Since the Battle of Alpha-One, Cooper arranged a Submarine Squadron Task Force to be assigned to every USDN outpost or naval base for defensive and security purposes. Each SUBRON will have three or four subs attached to it, and the base itself. This plan was set up due from the Alliances confrontational battle with the Corrilleans. Cooper implements this stage to every deployed outpost across the sector region of space in which the Space Force had established an F.O.B. (Forward Operational Base) along those planets. This was definitely for security alternatives prior of what happened to the U.S.S. Discovery (OSV-203) and her expeditionary party on Alpha-One six years ago. The Typhoon was still traveling on a northern course of twenty-one knots at a depth of a hundred and fifty-two feet. Chayefsky wanted her to go deeper, but he needed the communication center to finish transmitting their coordinates to command while they were still in a shallow area for a strong signal to go through. Lieutenant (Full-Grade) Harold Brown, ships radio and communications officer relayed to Summers that they contacted base command, and they were aware of their position. After hearing that, Chayefsky gave the order to go deep. Chief Of the Boat, take us down to 213 meters. Aye, Captain! Chief Of the Watch! On the ONE-MC, make your depth 700 feet! Helmsmen, planes men! Take us down to twenty degrees, down bubble, all ahead full! Watch your pitch and steady on her stern! The Typhoon made her descent sharp and fast. She was still traveling at the same speed with no cavitation coming from her twin screws. Beta-Two oceans were a lot deeper and more wider than earths. The planet did not have as many craters or mountainous ridges like the ones back home, but it did have a lot of crevices and cracks at the bottom. The Typhoon has seen its share of much strange marine life within the planets vast ocean. In one particular event, it did encounter several strange species of oceanic, biological animals that resembled whales on earth, but of course much more extraterrestrial in retrospect. Almost prehistoric of earths distant past to be exact, and very much Jurassic in size and content. The planet was rich of marine life of every kind, both big and small; colossus in size and magnitude that describes the larger animals, but not aggressive or dangerous at all. Some of the creatures looked at the Typhoon as if she was a member of their own kind because of the size and shape of the USDN submarine. Most of the crew were terrified of these strange but magnificent animals, but a few were used to them because of their own experiences dealing with the ones back on earth; for example, the indigenous Blue, Humpback, Shark, and Sperm whales. But these creatures were far from the appearance of their distant cousins back on earth. They were spectacular and brilliant to gaze upon within the confines of the Typhoons steel, titanium observatory. The submarine continued her course until she reached her depth of seven-hundred feet. Chayefsky looked at the digital gauges and nodded to himself. He walked around the area by himself, with his XO on the periscope platform talking to Chief Abramovich in Russian, and his other two senior officers, Kovolinchski & Maslov operating the holographic, navigation table which was at the rear of the control room. The atmosphere in the room was still, but not quiet. Department heads from every corner & section of the ship were calling in to give reports of ship systems and status entries; from the forward torpedo room to the rear engine room. The MC intercom was busy with communication chatter and traffic at all times. There was not a day that went by when the control room was not silent. To Chayefsky, this was a normal, an everyday thing that he felt comfortable in. If it was too quiet, then he knew that something was wrong, very wrong and not normal at all. He continued his pace around the room until he heard his sonar operator make a peculiar and strange announcement over the speakers. Conn, Sonar, I’m getting a strong, active ping on my monitor. The contact is bearing 053 degrees north by northeast latitude, of a 160 degrees eastern longitude. Range possibly between 20,000 to 30,000 yards at a Master number of 89. It may be a seismic anomaly, but I’m not sure, Conn. Hearing this, Chayefsky and Summers walked to the sonar station to verify what the operator was looking at. When they got there, he was fooling around with the controls for a minute, then concentrated his attention on the computers information readout which was giving an index layout on his findings. Petty Officer Doorman, what do you have? asked Summers. E-6 Petty Officer, First-Class Michael Doorman was supervisor over the sonar station. He turned slightly to the right as Chayefsky and Summers were standing over top of him. Sir, I went over and checked the systems to see if I was wrong, and did a diagnostic, but I wasn’t… A large passive sonar contact, measuring in a range of now 25,000 yards is positioned in front of our bow. It does not seem to be an ongoing object or a movable target, but its making some serious sound waves directed towards us; possibly a seismic anomaly as I said before or a magma displacement. It’s really hard to tell from this range, sir, but I can tell you that it’s humming at us and very loud too. Do you think it’s a Convergence Zone of some sort, Comrade Petty Officer? asked Chayefsky. It’s possible, sir. Convergence Zones do give away sound waves from water pressures to estimate the depths of the water, and how far the bottom really goes. Bouncing up & down between the surface and the floor itself by giving away its précised depth. But this is not only giving off sound, it’s giving off energy as well. Chayefsky and Summers looked at each other, and then turned back to Doorman with confused looks on their faces. Excuse me, Doorman, but did you say Energy? Giving notice to Summers question, Doorman did understand the Commanders query and surprise. "Yes, sir. From the computers scanners, sensor relays, and the S.A.P.S. (Signal Algorithmic Processing Systems) equipment, that anomaly is giving off energy; an incredible amount of it. Measuring in miles, approximately 700 to 800 exactly." said Doorman. Jesus Christ! That’s almost as wide as Texas! replied Summers with a proclamation of being a native resident of that state. Chayefsky stared at the screen for a moment. He was thinking whether or not to investigate the phenomena more closely while still glaring into the monitor. Petty Officer Doorman, do you think that this will pose a threat to the ship? You know, radiation or otherwise? Doorman paused for a moment at Chayefsky question. He could not really answer that on an inaccurate analysis based on an insignificant discernment of his own predetermination or of the computers. It was totally inconclusive to say yes or no to the question. So instead, he just gave his best answer. Indeterminate, sir. I really couldn’t tell you. The scans are not telling us that it’s not radiation, but it’s not telling us that it is… If I were to take an educated guess, I don’t think that we would be in any immediate danger. The Typhoon’s outer hull will protect us against any such radiation. But, that’s just my hypothesis, sir. Chayefsky folded his arms and turned back to Summers. Well, Mr. Summers, what do you think? Summers gave a gesture as to say, I don’t know with a slight pause in front of it, and then began to answer his captain’s question with his own indecisiveness. Well, sir. We can look to see what is down there, but I advise extreme caution. It could be a natural phenomenon of the oceans crust, or a dangerous incentive for an enemy trap, or attack. Either way, I think we should be on guard, and watch our asses, sir… In addition, sir. I’m obligated to tell you that it will take us out of our patrol area, at least off course by several miles; twenty or thirty, Captain, probably fifty at best. Chayefsky nodded at his first officer’s opinion. He also gave a thank you gesture to Doorman as well. He told the petty officer to continue to monitor the seismic phenomenon as they both went back to the control center.

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Captain on deck! shouted Abramovich as Chayefsky and Summers entered the control room. The crew continued about their business, but knowing their CO was around their presences. Chayefsky stood in the center of the control room with his arms folded once again. He was still pondering at the idea to go down there to see what it was. After a minute or two, he gestured to Kovolinchski for the overhead mic. Speaking in Russian, he ordered him to turn it on so he could address the entire ship. The TIC acknowledged and replied with his request. You have the speakers, Captain! Attention my Comrade crew, this is your Captain speaking. We are traveling at speeds of twenty knots, and at depths of seven-hundred feet. Our sonar officer has just informed me that we have strange happenings occurring at the bottom beneath us. I wanted to inform you that we are going to investigate this, and see what it is. This will definitely take us from our routine patrol area, and into the unknown, unexplored boundary of this region of the planets ocean. A few minutes ago, our communications officer gave explicit and direct instructions of our whereabouts to Beta-Two Fleet Command. They know exactly where we are and how to find us if something goes wrong… My Comrade crew, we have sailed and serve together twice aboard this magnificent ship of ours. I have never been more proud of you than I am now at this moment, but I need your help once again. I need for all of you, Russian, American, British, Canadian, Asian, and all Europeans alike who are here right now to join together as one. We have all volunteered to join this unique service that our Comrade Admiral Cooper has created. This ship and her organization is the future for our nations and people we serve. Our duty is to explore the unknown, and to try to understand as much as we possibly can of it. I am quite aware that we are going through a dispute with an aggressive alien species known as the Imperialistic Corrilleans, but you know as well as I do that we are no strangers to wars or conflicts. Both our countries had been at war for decades until the treaty came forty years ago to unify both of our countries. Now, we’re brothers. Working together, and fighting together side-by-side for a unique cause, for our freedom, and for our humanity… We will proceed with our mission for scientific research, and exploration. However, if we encounter those Imperialistic, alien Cossacks, we will fight, and we will fight hard. I am trusting in all of you to do your duty as officers and enlistees of our navy and unified government… That is all I have to say to you my Comrade crew. Stay alert, and be vigilant. This is your Captain that is all. Kovolinchski took the mic from Chayefsky hand and hooked it back up onto the receiver. Chayefsky asked Doorman on how far and how deep the contact was from their end. Sonar operator! How far is the target?! Doorman answered right away. Conn, Sonar! Target is now at a range of 21,000 yards with a depth of 3,300 feet! Still producing energy & sound emissions, sir! Very well! Mr. Summers, take us out of our patrol route. Change our course to 053 degrees, mark 160 at a heading of 89. Take us down to one-thousand meters, ahead slow. Summers acknowledged and went to the COB. Master Chief. Ahead zero-five-three north, mark one-six-zero. Take us down to thirty-two hundred feet. Bow planes at 30 degrees down angle, all ahead slow. Aye, aye, sir! Thirty degree down bubble, ahead slow! Abramovich repeated the orders to the COW and the helmsmen. The operator turned a couple of knobs, and switched on several control links. He then pushed the wheel throttle down, and the sub began to make her descent. As the sub was going down, the crew inside her was a bit uneasy, but still went along with business as usual. The control room’s mood was quiet, except for the noise chatter coming from the intercom speakers overhead. Everyone was holding on to something except for Chayefsky who stood in the middle as if he was defying gravity itself as the Typhoon was at a 90 degree down angle. Maslov was counting down the measurements out loud as the numbers were projecting across the digital gauges. Summers acknowledge it, but Chayefsky stood as a stone statue. Stiff and unmovable without interruption; almost resembling the late Russian leader Vladimir Lenin himself in a younger fashion. The Typhoon had passed nine-hundred meters, but still had a hundred more to go. She like her predecessor did not buckle or flinch to the water pressure that was bouncing off her hull. She stayed steady and straight all the way down until Maslov announced her depth level. Captain! We are now at thirty-two hundred feet! Very well! Commander, all stop. Aye, sir… Summers grabs for the microphone. Maneuvering, Conn! All stop, repeat! All stop! Master chief, rudders amidships! Level our descent to a straight hover! Angle us out, Chief! Aye, aye, sir! responded Abramovich. The Typhoon made a dead stop with only a hundred feet from the bottom. The depths were dark, but not pitch black like some of Earths Ocean bottoms are. It was rather clear in a visual sense, but still an extremely dark blue. There were no mountains or ridges as mentioned before, just a curvature, bottom surface with a lot of crevices and cracks within the floors. It was sort of beautiful in a mysterious way, if it had not been so alien in an evolutionary design. Chayefsky wanted to see what his sonars were picking up, so he ordered Abramovich to turn on the forward viewing monitor to catch a glimpse of what they came down here to investigate. The screen flashed instantly, and then went black for a second. Then, it started to clear up slowly, and everything began to take shape at once. It was as before, startling and captivating. The clearest darkest blue that anyone has ever seen before. It was truly breathtaking in the eyes of the control room personnel. For a minute, they had forgotten what they were down there for. Sonar, Conn! Distance from immediate target! shouted Summers. Conn, Sonar! Target is now 5000 yards away, bearing forty-five degrees north! Summers looked over at Chayefsky to get the go ahead. He waved his finger at him, and Summers went through with the gesture. "Mr. Kovolinchski, tie the NAVCOMPUTER (Navigational Array Computer Unit) into the sonar array. Pinpoint an accurate course of the target." pronounced the XO. Aye, sir. said Kovolinchski as he went to the rear of the control room to operate the navigational table so he could determine where exactly the phenomenon was at. The holographic display lit up, and an image was hovering in the center of the table. He then punched in some numbers and letters from the keyboard to get a precise location. A computerize image of the submarine and its target viewed itself in the middle of the hologram with course projections of latitude and longitude numbers displaying in front of it. Captain, Commander! I got it! Target is exactly four-thousand and nine-hundred yards away due north. If we increase our speed to twenty-five or thirty knots, we can be there within fifteen minutes or less. Good, Commander, good. Well done… said Chayefsky as turned his attention back to Summers. Mr. Summers, as you said, we must be careful and take extreme precautions, no? I have given it a lot of thought to this, and I agree to what you said earlier. I don’t want to take any chances on my ship and crew. Let us see what this is. Study it, analyze it, and record it. And then report back to command on our findings, yes? Summers agreed with an "Aye, Captain. Understood." Summers gave the command to get underway at 28 knots. The Typhoon started slowly, and then picked up speed fast. She was straight and steady at a depth of 3300 feet without complications. She moved along the bottom with grace and ease, not once fluttering or shaking about. As she was moving steady, she came upon a fissure that was producing a faint light from it. This was the phenomenon that her sensors were attracted too from the start. The overhead screen showed the cracked wedges that the light was coming out from. All stop! All stop! yelled Summers as the whole control crew saw the same thing as he did. The Typhoon did make a sudden halt with the entire crew jolting from its reaction. For a second, they were in awe at what they were seeing. A brilliant, fluorescent, blue light was protruding out from a long, wide, narrow crevice on the ocean floor. Something that they never seen before. It was truly phenomenal of what they were witnessing. Chayefsky steps off from the platform to get a closer look. Even though the monitor was a 57" inch plasma screen, it was still something to get up close and personal to look at. Chayefsky then directed his voice to Kovolinchski. Kovolinchski, what is the size of that fissure? The TIC went back to the navigation table and once again punched in some numbers on the keypad. After he got an accurate measure he said, Sir, you’re not going to believe this, but this is incredible! The fissure is 560 miles long with an accurate measure of… He paused for a moment to get a good understanding of what he was seeing. 2,640,000 feet long, and a width of 175 feet wide, Captain! Everyone was astounded by the announcement given from Kovolinchski. This was truly a magnificent find of oceanography and underwater exploration. Chayefsky told Summers to record the imagery that was displayed on the viewer into their log database. The XO went across to the other side of the control room to do just that. He slipped in a CD disc and started the download automatically. Afterward, they went back to the sonar station to find out exactly what that phenomenon was. Doorman, go over to the SEACR unit. See what it says that we’re looking at. S.E.A.C.R. (Sensor Energy Analysis Computer Relay) is a computer system that analyzes, probes, and investigates certain types of energy emissions in order to find out what kind of energy source it is, and what certain particles it’s made from by scanning the object or material fragments it produces. It also identifies the signature and the overall structure of the object or phenomenon it is investigating. Space Force star ships have these same systems integrated within them, but Cooper wanted them installed in every one of his submarines since they were doing the same exact task as their fellow ships in space were, but only in the confines of the watery depths. With the request made by Summers, Doorman jumps up from his chair and dashes to the other side of the small-congested room that he is stationed at. He brought up the SEACR’s systems and computed the information into it. It was displaying incredible feedback of the energy that was coming from the crevice. "Sir, I can’t believe this… The SEACR is saying that the energy wave emissions that are coming out of that crack are pure ionic energy! The same thing that the Space Force uses to energize and power their Hyper-Drive engines!" Summers, as well as Chayefsky along with Doorman were stunned by the findings. It was something unheard of and never before seen. Pure, raw energy coming from a cracked fissure in the middle of the ground, at the bottom of an oceanic substance. This was something too much to take in from their perspective. Chayefsky and Summers was about to go over and figure out what was going to be their next move on this unique find, until something else caught their attention. The sub itself started to shake tremendously with a very disturbing, and uneasy turbulence within it. Chayefsky and Summers noticed the surprising vibrations that were happening suddenly, and with a quick reaction ran back to the control room in haste. Mr. Kovolinchski, report! yelled Chayefsky. Kovolinchski turned around and said, "Sir! The fissure is creating an electrified magnetic field pulse of some kind! We’ve been caught into its wake! We’re being drawn