"My crew has just returned from 76 days at sea." "The Americans are massing naval assets in the Pacific." "There must be a dozen boats better rested." "Squadron Command is insisting on the most experienced captain and crew available." "I'm being retired, remember?" "You should know that." "Your signature's all over the transfer." "Even if I wasn't, my boat will be in dry dock for months." "You won't be sailing your boat." "You'll be sailing the B-67." "The irony is a bit excessive, don't you think?" "Under the circumstances, we were unable to get all of your crew back from holiday." "Naturally, they'll be replaced." "The 67 is being decommissioned." "Considering your history, command wanted to honor you with her last patrol." " Honor me?" " The Navy's an unforgiving place." "We're both proof of that." "What'll happen to her after?" "Will they cut her up in Polyarny or just let her bleed rust in Murmansk?" "She'll be stripped of her sensitive equipment, refitted for her new life in the Chinese navy." "I'd rather see her on the bottom than sold to our enemies." "A nuclear navy has to be subsidized, Demi." "What better way to profit than by arming Peking with our museum pieces." "I read the academy's gonna be named for your father." "That's right." "Greatness casts a long shadow." "Do you think we can be redeemed for the things we've done?" "I don't know." "In our dreams, maybe." "And if there is such a thing, it surely requires opportunity." "And here she is, knocking." "Two lovely ladies and two bottles!" "Now..." " Oh, yeah." " There..." " No, no, no, no, no!" " ... and there." "Here..." "And fill it up for my soon-to-be-married friend, Sasha!" "Captain on deck!" "To men of salt, the women who endure us, and to my friend, our captain." "The captain!" "Three weeks back, I'm still spittin' up diesel." "Maybe life will be sweeter without the taste of fuel oil in your mouth." "You'd better take a look at this." "Don't fight me now!" "Listen up." "We're to return to sea." " What?" " Take the ladies." " Take-take-take them." " Come on." "Let's go." "We're supposed to have three months back, not-not-not three weeks." "Captain, I'm getting married to Nadya." "Say your good-byes quickly and without explanation." "You have until 1400 hours." "Sorry, gentlemen." "This is shit!" "I'm sorry, Sophi." "... and grant length of days, fair children, progress in life and faith through the prayers of the holy Theotokos and all of his saints." "Only God now can separate what he hath joined here today." "All right, sailor, stand down." "Congratulations, Nadya." "Thank you, Captain." "You'll grow into it." "You have two hours." "Thank you, Captain." "Congratulations." "I remember you standing here when you made your vows." "It seems a long time ago." "You wonder why he is silent and you have so many questions." "It was always, pretty much, a one-way conversation." "Thank you, Father, for getting up so early." "It's as much about what he hears as what he says." "Would you like to make a confession?" "Confession for what?" "Thank you, Father." "Captain." " Captain." " Mr. First Officer." "Do you know what's going on?" "Sophi baked us some tea cakes." "you realize that we're supposed to sail this thing." " Yes, I do." " Yeah." "What happened with Markov?" "Ship is fueled, sir." "Batteries are serviced." "Weapons systems are being loaded and inspected." "I'm sorry we cut into your honeymoon, Golov." "Well, we made the most of it, Captain." "I'm sure you did." "Captain." "Account for all ship's company." "I want a full report." " Aye, Captain." " Would you like a tea cake?" " Thank you, sir." " No, thank you." "I didn't think you could go backwards from a diesel, but we're gonna need an archeologist just to start this thing." "Look at this thing." "I mean..." "She was my first boat." "We share a lot of history." "Markov wanted me to have her last sail." "Last chance." "Thank you." "Captain." "These are technicians from the Special Projects Institute." "They'll be joining us on this cruise." "They're testing some kind of prototype equipment." "You ever been to sea before?" "Oh, we've spent some time on ships, yes." " Skimmer's a vacation, Mister...?" " Bruni." "Mr. Bruni." "This ship barely accommodates the 86 men required to sail her." "We'll try to stay out of your way then." "Good luck with that." "Mr. Pavlov will see you to your berths." "Stow your gear." "We'll sail with the tide." "Captain." "It's good to see you again." "Gentlemen?" "This way." "Lock the hatch!" "Captain on deck." "As you were." "The last of the replacements have reported aboard and been assigned to their divisions." "Weapons are stowed and the missile is secure." "Maneuvering watch is set, line handlers are topside." " Weather report?" " Fair seas." "Some pack ice offshore." "Shouldn't be a problem." "Good." "Bring all diesels online." "This is the captain." "Aye, sir." "Mr. Pavlov and friends are waiting for you in your stateroom." "Lucky me." "Our orders, Captain." "To be opened once we're safely at sea." "Our firing keys." "I'll see you up top." "Bowlines away!" " Secure the hatch!" " Aye, sir." "Secure the hatch." "Ready compartment for sea, gentlemen." "I'm always surprised it isn't harder to leave than it is." "We all go the same way on a boat, I guess." "You don't find that ashore very often." "It's a sickness." "How's Alena?" " She's used to it." " And the boys?" "Oh... they have their studies, hockey." "They're busy, you know?" "When we clear the sea wall, we'll take her down." "Aye." "What do you think that is?" "That, Mr. First Officer, is the shortest distance between here and your own command." "You haven't gone unnoticed by Fleet, Alex." "You're gonna get an atom smasher." "Markov told me himself." "So we'd do well not to screw this up." "Thank you." "You deserve it." "Clear the decks." "Secure the bridge." "She's your ship to sail." "Lookouts below, secure the bridge." "Lookouts below, secure the bridge." "Clear the deck." "Why don't you go?" "I'd like a minute." "Captain on deck." "Bridge is clear." "Hatches are secure." "Sonar, depth under the keel?" "Two hundred meters, Captain." "Very well." "Engineer, secure diesels, ahead one-third on port and starboard motors." "Prepare to dive." " Belay the dive." " Belay the dive!" " Belay the dive!" " Belay the dive!" "All departments report." "Account for all crew." "Send the messenger topside." " Check the starboard bow." " Bow clear." "Do you hear that?" " No." " Decks are clear, sir." " Dive the boat." " Midships valves open." "Dive the boat." "Dive the boat!" "Decks awash." "Five degrees down bubble, make your depth 50 meters." "Five degrees down bubble." "Level at 50 meters." "Fifty meters." "Sonar, report." "No contacts, sir." "Navigator, plot us a course for blue water." "We're going deep." "Aye, sir." "Who the hell are you?" " Bavenod, sir." " Where'd command scrape you up from?" " I came off a November." " Really?" "You traded a nuke for a smoker?" "I heard the best crews in the Navy sail diesels." "I wanted a chance at one before they're all gone." "You see?" "Dreams do come true." "Make our heading zero-nine-five." " Let me know when we make the shelf." " Aye, Captain." "All ahead standard." "Mr. Kozlov has the con." "Aye, Captain." "You heard right about diesel crews, Bavenod." "Yes, sir." "Captain." " Captain?" " What the hell's going on, here?" "Only personnel with a security clearance are permitted in this room." " By whose authority?" " When you open your orders, you'll understand." "A lot of noise topside." " Is your equipment secure?" " Yes, it's secure." "Sound is the enemy on a submarine, Mr. Bruni." "The Americans have superior sonar." "They don't need any more help from us." " Who is it?" " Alex." "Come on in." "Our replacements have no personal records." "Names, ranks, that's it." "Except for Bavenod, the navigator." "He was on the K-27 when she had the reactor coolant leak." "Yeah, I know the K-27." "Did you know that he's listed among the dead?" "More precision from Squadron Command." "I've heard they'll shoot people just to keep their paperwork straight." "Sailors are superstitious." "It's easy to spook a boat." "Well, Bavenod better not tell anyone he's dead, then." "Here's to ya." "What's on your mind?" "I think our technicians are OSNAZ commandos." "Yeah, it looks that way." "OSNAZ are KGB radicals." "True believers and trained assassins, among other things." "Which is why I don't want any of our crew getting between them and whatever the hell it is they're doing." "Yeah." "Once we're deep, we're gonna drill." "Because I don't want to find out we have a boat full of nuggets in the middle of an emergency." " Aye, sir." "I'll see to it." " All right." "Angle on bow, port 35." "It's about 30 degrees..." "Water pressure seems..." "Sir." "Two degree up angle." "Captain on deck." "Captain has the con." "Sonar, one active ping for ranging, on my mark." "Standing by, Captain." "One ping for range." "With sound being the enemy, won't that alert the Americans to our position?" " Americans already know our position." " Captain..." "I'd just like to avoid running into them." "Forward and after torpedo, load, signal ejectors." " Stand by to launch countermeasures." " Aye, sir." "Standing by." " Countermeasures loaded." " Sonar, one ping for range." "Mark." "Con, sonar." "Submerged contact, bearing zero-six-zero, 12,000 meters at 30 knots." "Must be a Skipjack fast attack." "Americans, always with their snouts in the trough." "All ahead one-third, left full rudder, emergency deep." "Make your depth 160 meters." "Report when we've reached the thermocline." "Emergency dive." "Twenty degrees down on the forward dive planes." "Emergency dive..." "Release countermeasures." " Countermeasures, aye." " Firing." "Noisemakers blind the Americans, but they blind us, too." "Captain, entering the thermocline." "The temperature inversion reflects American sonar," " so they won't be able to hear us." " Won't they follow us?" "They'll pick a bearing and make a guess." "Their chances are one in 360." "Old submariner trick." "Your father was Nikolai Zubov." "Commanded the 1st Submarine Brigade of the Baltic Fleet." "That's right." "Make your heading one-seven-five." " One-seven-five." "Aye, sir." " This man's father wrote the book on submarine warfare." " One-seven-five." " The legacy of the captain's family is very well known throughout the Navy." "Awarded a "Hero of the Soviet Union" for sinking the Kriegsmarine ship, Goya, during the war." "Do I have that right?" "Gentlemen, we're in the middle of operations." "He was decorated, yeah." "Sent 6,000 miserable Wehrmacht and Nazi sympathizers to the bottom of Gdansk Bay." "If the acorn doesn't fall too far from the tree, our captain should be able to dodge a Yank sub or two." "Port and starboard motors, all stop." "Silent motor ahead, standard." " Port and starboard motors stop." " Make your course one-two-zero." " Silent motor ahead." " One-two-zero." "Aye, sir." "From Squadron Commander Vladimir Markov:" ""To the crew of B-67:" "Proceed south to patrol box Lima-Foxtrot and monitor American Naval activities." "When conditions permit, commence system testing of classified equipment for operational readiness, maintaining alert status." "Returning to Rybachiy on or about June 6th. "" "This is the executive officer." "Greg, you may post the orders in the enlisted men's mess." "Aye, sir." "What conditions?" "Simulate hydrogen leak, battery compartment one." "Hydrogen leak, battery deck one." "This is a drill." "Simulate flooding in compartments 13 and 14." "Flooding in compartments 13 and 14." " This is a drill." " Let's move it, gentlemen!" " Aye, sir." " Flooding in 13 and 14!" "Let's go, let's go!" "Move it, move it!" "Come on, gear up!" "Come on!" "All right, there you go." "All right, gear up." "Come to periscope depth, raise the snorkel," " prepare to ventilate the boat." " Aye, sir." "Prepare to ventilate." "Let's go, raise the snorkel." "What's wrong?" "Saltwater and electrolyte in the batteries makes chlorine gas." "We're dead already." "We just don't know it." "Con, surface contact, 11,000 meters, bearing one-nine-five." "Very well." "Classification?" "Big and slow." "Probably a merchant." " Five degree left rudder." " Five degree left rudder." "Five degree left rudder." "Stop the drill, Captain." " Why?" " Because our orders require us to take tactical advantage of the testing opportunities for the classified onboard equipment." "Captain, I need you to put us under that ship." " We have men below." " Then you should get them out." "Con, we have a problem in battery deck two." "Yeah, what is it?" "Not sure, sir." "The men are coming up now." " Mr. Kozlov, terminate the drill." " Aye, sir." " All hands, terminate drill." " Captain." " What?" " Put us under that ship." "Sir... we don't know who that is." "Mr. Bavenod, plot an intercept for that ship." " Put the moon on our stern." " Aye, Captain." " Sir..." " Level the boat." "Make our depth ten meters." "Level the boat, depth ten meters." " Aye, aye, level the boat." " Ten meters." "We'll take a look before we get any closer." "If that's all right with you." "Panamanian flag." " Tanker." " Good." "She can't shoot at us then." "No, but she can report our position." "Put us beneath her keel." "You can do that." "The noise from her screws will blind us, Captain." "Engineer, time on the batteries?" "At current speed, 30, 35 minutes, Captain." "All full ahead." "Make your depth 30 meters." " Put us in her wake." " Aye, sir." " Ahead full, 30 meters." " Ahead full, 30 meters." "Thirty meters." "Sixty meters." "Closing at two knots." "Con, sonar." "We're in her acoustic shadow." "Too much cavitation." "We need to get higher." "Captain?" "Officer of the deck, gently make our depth ten meters." "One degree up bubble." "Depth ten meters." "One degree up bubble, ten meters." " Ten meters." " Higher, Captain." " Those are 20-ton screws." " Higher, Captain." "Engineer, time on the batteries?" "Ten minutes, more or less." "Higher!" "If you please." "We're already rolling, Captain." "Fluid dynamics, Mr. Kozlov." "We're both in the same plane of motion." "One degree up bubble." "Very gently." " Make your depth five meters." " Come to five meters." "One degree up bubble." "Maybe you'd like to tell us" " what we're risking 86 lives for?" " Hey, hey, hey..." "For our patriotic duty, Mr. Kozlov." "Come on." "Come on!" "Con, maneuvering." "We're losing main battery power." "Reduce all engines 40 percent." "Make turns for five knots." "Stand by, all diesels." " Diesels online." " Brace for impact." "Brace for impact!" " Stand by." " Get down there and take a look!" "I want a damage report." " Raise the snorkel." " Engine room," " give me a damage report!" " All start diesels." "Aye, sir." "All start on diesels." "Will that be it for a while, Mr. Bruni?" "Yes." "Mr. Kozlov has the con." "Always the rebel, Demi." "I mean, don't you think that vodka would be more in keeping with a servant of the Soviet Navy?" "Rum's a sailor's drink." "Vodka, a politician's." "One serves the other, don't you think?" "Politics serves itself." "I mean, no offense, but..." "I drink what I like." "Try some." "Good for ya." "How is it, after all this time, you and I end up on a boat older than most of the men sailing her?" "Well, this boat is reprisal for the benefit of Squadron Commander Markov's amusement." "Reprisal for what?" "The "what" is well understood by the Admiral and myself." "What was her name?" "Sophi." "I married her." "That was superb sailing." "But I'm not sure Alex would have made the same call." "Well, some younger officers aren't comfortable working near the margins." "He needs to be more careful around the OSNAZ." "They have connections that could just as easily land him in the gulag as on his own submarine." "We risked our lives without knowing why." "He's entitled to his opinion." "Opinions are antithetical for a clear chain of command." "I'll remind you of that the next time you have one." "You didn't like Bruni's orders either." "That confuses me." "Following orders confuses you?" "You not questioning them confuses me." "Well, like you say, one must take care around OSNAZ." "An instinct worth sharing with your executive officer." "Which I'm sure you'll do at the first opportunity." "This boat is an outrage, especially for a man with your record of service." "Markov must have offered you something." "You know what they call an old boat captain without a boat?" ""Just another drunk. "" "Markov offered me the only command left in a shrinking navy." "Pathetic as that may sound to you I took it." " Do you think we can..." " WO Wake up." " Where are my men?" " WO Wake up." "If you have so many questions..." "Why are they doing this?" "I said where are my men?" "WO You were gone again." " They're where you left them." " WO And again." " I was dreaming about you." " I'm sorry, Sophi." "Hey..." "Hey, I'm here." "I'm here." "I'm here." "I'm here." "It's all right." "It's all right." "All right, all right." "All right." "All right." "OK." "There you go." "Yeah." "You're OK." " He just collapsed." " It's all right." "What's wrong with him?" " He's epileptic." " He's epileptic?" "Yes, from a brain trauma years ago." "Only happens once or twice a year." "Yeah, help me get him to his bunk." " There we go." " There you go." " You got him?" " Yeah." "His medication, this government stuff, is shit." "Demi..." "I'll be in the con." "I got him." "Shit." "You're all right." "OK?" "Just relax." "Melville?" "The white whale." "Sometimes I have dreams so clear I can't tell them from what's real." "They beckon..." "like Ahab." "It's not uncommon with a brain injury." "There are times I feel I'm losing my mind." "Alex." "If it gets back to the party that we knew about his condition we could be spending the rest of our careers scraping paint." "I'm not gonna tell 'em." "Con, sonar." "Sonar, con." "Go ahead." "We have a contact." "Three thousand meters." "On my way." "Secure port and starboard motors." "Make turns on the propellers for three knots." "Excuse me." " Rig for silent running." " Aye." "Secure for silent running." "You realize this is supposed to be your patrol." "If it was supposed to be mine, I'd be the captain." "Well, as far as we know, the party already knows about this and wants to see how you perform under pressure." " How am I doing?" " That man has a nuclear firing key." "And you and I have the other two." "Captain Kozlov..." "If you're ready to relieve the commanding officer of a Soviet ballistic missile submarine, your captain and your friend because he fainted then you go right ahead." "I'll be in sonar." "It's a Skipjack, sir." "And he's going someplace in a big damn hurry." " Have they seen us yet?" " I don't think so." "She's moving too fast to hear anybody, that's for sure." "All right." "Why are we slowing?" "We've had contact with an American sub." "Tommy, come right full rudder." "Aye, sir." "Right full rudder." "Surface the ship and start the diesel engines." " Why would I do that?" " Yeah." " Why would he do that?" " Captain on deck." "Sonar, con." "Has the American changed course?" "No, sir." "He's holding steady." "Very well." "Keep me posted." "Captain, I need you to snorkel the ship and start the engines." "If we start the engines, the Americans will know our position and our mission will be compromised." "That presumes you know what our mission is." "Maybe you'd like to let us in on it." " Are we ready?" " We're ready, sir." "A little faith, Captain." "Officer of the deck, make our depth ten meters." " Aye, Captain." "Ten meters." " Ten meters, aye." " How long was I out?" " About six hours." "The Americans have acoustic signatures for all submarines and ships in our fleet." "They'll be able to identify us." "I understand." "Engineer, raise the snorkel." "Start port and starboard diesels and make turns for six knots." "Engage the Phantom." "Phantom's engaged, sir." "What the hell are we doing?" "Son of a..." "Con, sonar." "American is turning to intercept." " Battle stations." " Battle stations." "Aye." "Rig for battle stations." "This is not a drill." "Rear torpedo, stand by on tubes five and six." " Move it!" " Go, go, go, go!" "Loaded!" "Sonar, con." "What's that ship doing?" " She's falling in behind us, sir." " Has she opened her doors?" "Not yet, sir." "You ever start a war, Mr. Bruni?" "Because if she even blinks, I'm gonna put a fish into her." "Any R.O.E. I need to know about before I sink this son-of-a-bitch?" " That's "Rules of Engagement. "" " I know what an R.O.E. is." "Any hostile action may be met with force at your discretion." "At least we agree it's hostile." " Stand by to fire." " Standing by, Captain." "Con, sonar." "The enemy's changing course." "What's their heading?" "They're heading back on their original track, sir." "It's a cloaking device?" "You understand this is completely classified." "So the Americans thought they were following the Panamanian tanker." " Yes." " We've turned their own technology against them." " Perfect countermeasure." " Any ship equipped with the device becomes a phantom." "Soon, we'll have acoustic signatures from ships all over the world." "The Americans will run in circles." "Our engines were running." "We were making noise too." "Besides, the strength of a sonar echo is directly proportional to the size of a ship." "And we're not exactly a freighter." "The Phantom magnifies the echo, making us appear any size we want." "The genius of the algorithm is how it makes us invisible to active sonar and enables us to mask ourselves as any ship we like." "We should all be very proud of what we've accomplished here today, gentlemen." "To the Phantom." "I'm sure Squadron Command will be pleased that the device is operational." "Of course." "As protocol dictates, we'll send word to Fleet as soon as we reach our reporting point." "Protocol is the political officer's purview, would you agree, Mr. Pavlov?" "I agree that Fleet will be pleased." "Mr. Pavlov is one of the most diplomatic political officers in the Navy." " A contradiction in terms." " That's what I keep trying to tell him." "I assure you that my intentions are purely that of the State and the party." "Well, thank goodness." "As you might imagine, we have quite a bit of data to analyze." "Thank you, Captain, gentlemen, for the fine meal and the company." "Captain." "Mr. Bavenod, I'm gonna need an update on the arrival time at the reporting point." "Aye, Captain." "Excuse me." "Excuse me." "If you'll excuse me as well, gentlemen." "I think I'll retire for the evening." "Good night, Sasha." "I suppose you think it's sporting to embarrass me in front of the KGB." "It wasn't personal, Greg." "Why did you feel the need to say so?" "You give me a direct answer and I won't have to guess at what you mean." "What was the question?" "If you agree we should report to Fleet." "What are you worried about?" "This is an historic moment." "Well, nonetheless, as officers of a ship that could trigger the end of the world," "I think we should consider all scenarios." "What scenarios?" "If the Americans can't track us with all their money and technology then our boats can't track us either." "It means it wouldn't be hard to alter the purpose of this ship." "So you're saying they're some rogue Spetsnaz force?" "I'm saying a message from Fleet would answer a lot of questions." "Well, as political officer on this boat and as your friend, it's my duty to tell you that if you even imply treasonous intent of elite KGB officers without proper evidence or cause, you'll be put up for charges of misconduct" "of the Code of Military Justice." "Sometimes a man has to pick a side, Greg." "Well then, you should pick wisely." "'Cause if you're wrong this will haunt you and your families for the rest of your lives." "And it won't matter who your father is." "Well, that was uncalled for." "It's not his fault." "He was trained to fear everything." "Still, I think we should take him at his word." " How so?" "don't work for the military or the central government." "Their orders come from the most zealous elements of the KGB." "They can destroy you, Demi." "They can destroy all of us." "Captain, we've reached the reporting point." "All right." "Helm, make your depth ten meters." "Aye, Captain." "Ten meters." "Radio, con." "Prepare to send microburst transmission." "Our orders are to proceed to our patrol box." "Well, as soon as we make our position report and confirm our orders, we'll do that." "Sending a transmission will alert the Americans of our position." " Fifty meters." " Continue." "You can turn your gadget on and we can run away again." "We seem to be pretty good at that." "The Phantom device can't mask a radio broadcast." "Our mission objectives would be compromised." "What are our mission objectives?" "To remain undetected, of course." "We have countermeasures, procedures to ensure our stealth." " Thirty meters, Captain." " Continue." " That is an unacceptable risk." " Protocol dictates encrypted progress transmissions are sent to Fleet Command at predetermined waypoints." " Are you saying something to me?" " You have authority to make status reports at your discretion." "In time of war, yes, I do." "You know something I don't?" " Twenty meters." " Stop the ascent." " Continue." " Stop the ascent, Captain!" "Mr. Pavlov, if you contradict me again," "I'll have you chained to the forward head." " Ten meters." " Stand by for microburst transmission." " Standing b." " I can't allow you to do that." "Officer of the deck, escort Mr. Bruni to his cabin and lock him to his bunk." "Aye, sir." "Somebody dive the boat or I'll shoot the captain." "Dive the boat." "Bow planes 20 degrees down." " Aye, sir." " Gentlemen," "I'm sure if we let the Captain think..." "I don't have anything to think over." "Dmitri Zubov is an epileptic who uses drugs and drink to medicate his neurological malady." "The result of a brain injury he sustained when he collided with Vladimir Markov's boat killing how many sailors?" "Thirty-six injured." "Six lost souls." "All on this very ship." "You also boast one of the lowest scores to ever come out of the Officers Training School." "Well, you don't deny it, anyway." "The real mystery is how you were never run out of the Navy altogether." "And I'm sure you're going to tell us why." "Pedigree, influence and advanced skills in bribing duty officers," " ship surgeons and political officers." " That's a lie." "So much shame, you tried to take your own life, but even at this you failed." "But I'm sure you knew all that." "No, actually I didn't." "Those of you who wish to remain in the service of your country may stand your posts." "Those who do not may join your captain in a court martial." "What about you, Mr. First Officer?" "Your loyalty in exchange for a hero's welcome home and your first command?" "Separate them, fore and aft." "Last chance, Captain." "Compliance for a grateful nation." "There's a Ukrainian proverb that says:" ""Share a tent with Gypsies, and you wake up in a field of shit. "" "I've heard that one, yes." "Then you'll understand if I tell you to go fuck yourself." "Captain!" " Back up!" "Back up!" " OK." " Easy, easy." " Take it easy." " Easy..." " What is this?" " Step aside." " Watch yourself, OK?" ""To defeat an adversary you must always drive the fight, be willing to do that which is never expected. "" "We've all read his book." "My father had ambitions for me." "So did the party." "I was in a hunter-killer exercise with Markov." "Command was sizing us up for bigger things, and I had so much to prove." "I knew Markov would never expect me to fight in the blind, so I pulled into his wake." "But I never expected him to reverse his engines, either." "During the collision, I smashed my head into the gyro." "When I came around, there was a fire in the forward torpedo." "The men fighting it wouldn't they wouldn't come out." "They refused." "So I was, um I was forced to seal them inside." "Eventually they just let the tubes open and let the sea rush in." "Better to drown than burn, I guess." "That should've been the end of our careers, but..." "We never faced the families, we never faced ourselves." "We were just quietly passed over, exiled out here so we wouldn't embarrass anybody." "Command would never put something as important as the Phantom in the hands of someone like me." "There are only two reasons why a boat would go rogue." "One is to defect, and the other it to start a war." "And I don't think we're defecting." " Yeah." " We need to disable the warhead." " They can't launch without the codes." " They have the codes." "I'm sure of it." "We can navigate the ship through the bilges." " Is Tyrtov with you?" " He's right here." "He knows that warhead better than anybody." " Can you rig a transmitter?" " Aye, Captain." "Quietly." "Listen, if we can rearrange the firing triggers, we should be able to create a single-point detonation." "It'll still launch, but it won't start a nuclear explosion." "Maybe." " I can't argue with "maybe. "" " It's possible." "This ship's full of OSNAZ." "We need to get to the weapons lock-up." "It'd be best to take back the boat than to test a theory." " Can you get below decks?" " We can do that." "Yeah, roger that." "Get back to me." "You and Bavenod are going below." "How long?" "Six hours." "Helm, let's have a look behind us." " Left, 45 degrees." " Left, 45." "Sonar, report." "All clear." "Helm, steer a course for two-seven-four." "Two-seven-four." "Aye, sir." "That heading puts us extremely close to the American fleet." "Correct." "So we have a saltwater-activated battery." "Now this here will broadcast our location." "This will tell them that we've been overtaken." "Demi, if the Americans think we're rogue, they're gonna try and sink us." "And if we are rogue, our fleet will do it for them." "That should tell us everything we need to know." "Why would Bruni do this?" "If we launch a nuclear missile," " the Americans are gonna have to respond." " It's a false flag." "He'll cloak us as one of the subs we already sold to Peking." "The Americans will think it was the Chinese who fired on them." "But we're about to change all that with this." "Bruni's trying to start the only kind of nuclear war we can win." "One we're not in." "Shit!" "Come on." "Now if we pressurize the breach right now, they will definitely hear it in the con." "Now, look." "This is sodium bicarbonate." "Now mix with a little saltwater it creates carbon dioxide." "That will pressurize the breach and it will launch the transmitter." "But quietly." " We're through." " Go with Tyrtov." "Do whatever you can to get to the missile." " The rest of you?" " Yes, sir." " Come with me." " Aye, sir." "Stow that in here." "Open the hatch." "What was that noise?" "I don't know..." "Captain." "What'd you run us into?" "You're in no position to understand the events unfolding around you." "I understand you've seized this vessel without authority." "You'd better get up here." "We have a contact bearing down on us at almost 40 knots." " American?" " No." "It's one of ours." "If I were you, skipper, I'd sound battle stations." "Sound battle stations." "Bring the captain." "Relax." "Come on, come on!" "Captain." " Captain." " Mr. Pavlov." "The November's slowing." "It's the K-123." "That's Constantine Gubin's boat." "You should be flattered." "He's the most decorated hunter-killer in the fleet." "Con, sonar." "November's 2,000 meters and closing." "The November's lining up to take a shot." "Appears our government doesn't approve of your plan." "What you do not understand and what our politicians don't want to accept or face is that the Americans have acquired a first-strike nuclear capability." "Well, even if that's the case, what makes you think they'd use it?" "We would." " Hey..." "What?" " No." "I can't." "I" " I can't go in there." " It's too small." " Oh, shit." "Jesus Christ, you're claustrophobic?" "Can you talk me through it?" "Twenty-five charges that surround the core." "The timing of the detonation has to be perfect to start a nuclear reaction." "Whoa, it's OK, it's OK." "Con, sonar." "The November's closing." " Two thousand meters." " We have to do something, sir." " You ever been in America?" " No." "Have you?" "Yeah, my wife was a dancer." "I was allowed to accompany her to New York City in an arts exchange." "The November's opening her outer doors." "Unless you know some naval combat tactics, Mr. Bruni, this situation is gonna to get ugly." "All right, Captain." "You have the ship." "Sound battle stations." "Aft torpedoes, prepare countermeasures." "Load tube seven with a decoy." "This is the captain." "Start it up!" "Move it, move it, move it!" "Sonar, one active ping for range, on my mark." "Aye, Captain." " What are you doing?" "Letting them know they're in for a fight." " Helm, full right rudder." " Aye, sir." "Forward torpedo, prepare tubes one and two." " Arm for acoustic homing." "Mark." " Aye, sir." "Two detonating wires come into contact with the timing board through a two-piece connector." "You have to f-free the locking ring without disconnecting it." "Go." "Take..." "Take that." "Twenty G's of acceleration will turn that four-pound wrench into an 80-pound sledge that will rip the connectors apart" " once it's clear of the boat." " Then what?" "Then we get a shape-charge detonation" " and the missile falls into the sea." " Good." " Flood tubes seven, eight and nine." " I'm curious, Captain." "What did you learn about the enemy from their dancers and their clowns?" "The Americans value individual life above everything else." "They wouldn't tolerate the loss of even one single city." "Con, sonar." "November's 1500 meters and closing." "Ten degrees down bubble." "Make our depth 300 meters." " Aye, Captain, 300 meters." " That's below crush depth." "I know what our crush depth is, Pavlov." " What are we doing?" " Lifting our skirt." "Con, sonar." "Two fish in the water, 1,000 meters." "You can shoot me now and I'll see you in hell in about 90 seconds." "It's gonna set off an alert on the control panel." "There's nothing we can do about that." "You gotta understand if the connector comes apart... before ignition, the fail-safe is gonna detonate the missile in the tube." "Yeah." "Open the door to tube seven and stand by to fire the decoy." "Maybe now would be a good time for you to tell me just what the hell it is we're doing, Mr. Bruni." "Have you heard of an American program called Dark Star?" "It's a fully synchronized system of endoatmospheric antiballistic missiles, guided by a highly accurate radar." "Torpedo, 700 meters." " Copy that." " If the Americans launch a first strike, all our land-based missiles would be taken out even before they can be fueled." "That's why we have submarines and bombers." "That's why they developed Dark Star." "It's a radar array that guides and detonates atomic missiles in the ionosphere." " An electromagnetic pulse weapon." " Yes." "It'll take down everything our surviving submarines and aircraft can get up." "They've tested it and it's fully operational." "Not a single American city would be hit." "If there's no consequences for attacking us, what's their incentive for peace?" "There is none." "Torpedoes, 500 meters!" " Release all countermeasures." " Aye, Captain." " Fire the decoy." " Firing decoy." "Emergency dive." "Full right rudder." "Brace for impact!" "Con, sonar." "One of them got through, bearing two-six-five." "It missed!" "It missed!" "Helm, take us deeper." "Let me know when we have a temperature differential of ten degrees." "Approaching crush depth, Captain." "It's breaking her up!" "Three hundred and sixty meters." "Entering the thermocline." "Do something, Captain!" " Captain!" " Pavlov!" "Level bow plane." "Forward torpedo, flood doors one and two." " Stop all engines." " Stop all engines." "Aye, sir." "Sonar, con." "Where's the November?" "She's right on top of us, sir." "Now what?" "We wait." "The Americans do have an incentive for peace." " What would that be?" " Empathy." "Humanity." "You'd wager the survival of our country on that?" "And what if you're wrong?" "What if their intentions are completely defensive?" "Well, what if you're wrong and they're not?" "What's her depth now?" "Two hundred meters bearing two-seven-five." "All ahead, full." "Come left, two-seven-five." "Aye, sir." "All ahead, full." "Come left, two-seven-five." "Forward torpedo, open doors one and two." " Aye, opening doors one and two." " They'll hear us." "Not if we're behind them." "Five degree up bubble." " Aye aye, sir." "Five degree up bubble." " But we'll be blind." "If she slows down, we'll run right into her." "That's right." "Forward torpedo, set the torpedoes for manual detonation." " Why manual?" " I'm not gonna sink a boat full of patriots if disabling her will give us the same effect." "Forward torpedo, stand by to fire." "November, 1200 meters, bearing two-seven-five." " Do we have a firing solution?" " Yes, sir." "Firing solution is loaded." " Fire tube one." " Fire!" " Fire tube two." " Fire two!" "She's opening her doors." "Two fish in the water, bearing zero-niner-five." "Release all remaining countermeasures." "Blow ballast and commence emergency ascent." "Emergency ascent." "Aye, sir." " Move, move, move!" " Go, go, go!" "Forward torpedo, stand by to detonate torpedo one." "Aye, sir." "Detonate torpedo one." "OK, OK." "Sonar, con." "Range of second torpedo to the November?" "Three hundred meters, closing." " Prepare to detonate torpedo two." " Aye, sir." "Torpedo is 150 meters from the November." " Detonate torpedo two." " Detonate torpedo two!" "She's blowing her ballast!" "She's headed to the surface!" "Captain surface the ship." "Do you have any authority for doing this?" "Secretariat, the Central Committee, anyone?" "Politicians have no stomach for anything but self-preservation." "This man proves that." "What's our target package?" "We will create the conditions necessary for our leaders to seize absolute..." " What's the target?" " The Pacific Fleet at Midway." "Once the Phantom is engaged, and the Americans are fooled into believing that the Chinese launched a nuclear strike against them, they will have no choice but to retaliate." "We will step aside as our enemies destroy each other." "We will emerge on the right side of history." "You give me no recourse." "Recourse for what?" "To take back my ship." "Drop your weapons." "Mr. Bavenod." "Contingencies, Captain." "You didn't think I was gonna leave you alone to plot our defeat, did you?" "They're trying to get to the missile." "You." "Post a man." "Your firing keys." "I will not ask you twice." "You really think religious icons are gonna save you?" "Fuel the missile." "Enter the firing coordinates." "Loading into firing computer." " You'll be starting the apocalypse." " Not me." "You, Demi." "You'll be remembered as the man who turned our enemies to dust." "Years from now, children will be taught your name in school, and you'll be honored as the hero you've always longed to be, but never were." "Missile fueling complete, sir." "Activate the warhead." "Warhead activation complete." " Loading into firing computer." " Begin firing sequence." "Enter launch code four-seven-seven five-three-six." "Shit!" "The launch code's been compromised." "Bring him!" "All of them!" "Bring him." "Easy." " Bavenod, stand a post." " Aye aye, sir." "Open the safe!" " What good is that gonna do?" " There's an encrypted water mark on the ship's orders with an alternate launch code." "Do not test me!" "Demi... don't open it." "No!" "Sometimes you gotta pick a side." "For God's sake, Demi, do not open that..." "No!" "I have a bullet for every man on this ship, Captain, including you." " Now open the goddamn safe." " You son-of-a-bitch!" "Contact bearing zero-six-zero, 1500 meters." "It's the November, sir." " That's why you left them alive." " Contingencies." "Con, sonar." "Torpedoes in the water!" "Gubin's gonna sink this ship, he's gonna sink you!" "You can be next." "Engage the Phantom." "Go." "Sir, the launch code is zero-eight-nine-six-eight-seven." "Con, sonar." "Torpedoes now 1200 meters!" "Open the missile tube." "Oh, shit." "Don't do it." "Don't do it." "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!" "Dive the boat." "All ahead full on port and starboard engines." " Aye, Captain." " Secure the hatch." "Aye, sir." " Close the missile tube." " Aye, sir." "Closing the missile tube." "Torpedoes closing now, 700 meters!" " Aft torpedo, fire the remaining decoy." " Aye, sir." "Right full rudder, all ahead flank." "Emergency dive." "Right full rudder, all ahead flank." "Dive, dive, dive!" "Con, sonar." "Torpedoes, 500 meters, closing now very quickly." " We're on the bottom." " Yes." "We haven't been crushed." "You sound disappointed." "Surprised." "We're sitting on the French Frigate Shoals a flooded mountain range." "So close to the surface we could almost swim." "You don't remember me, do you?" "Why would I?" "I was your boatswain's mate on this very boat." "You ordered me to seal the hatch on the lives of all the men in the forward battery." "Afterward, I didn't have your choices, Demi... didn't have your father." "So this is what?" "A vendetta?" "It wasn't personal." "You were a target of opportunity." " Yeah?" " We're trying to cross-connect the air banks, but we're running out of pressure." "Do your best, Alex." "Keep me posted." "Missiles between the Americans and the Chinese are crossing in the air as we speak." "We're lost." "Why not accept it?" "There's something down here with us." "It's outside the ship." " I hear voices." " Listen to me." "You're breathing poisoned air." "OK?" "You understand me?" "You have to breathe." "Breathe." "Put that on." "Put this on." "Breathe." " Where's your post?" " Over there." "You show me." "Keep that on." "Put that on yourself." "Saltwater's in the battery deck." "Get into the egress suit." "If I'm going to die," "I'm going to do it here, with my crew, with you." "Listen to me, Gubin's up there somewhere." "You're the only chance we have for a rescue." "Or to explain that this was the work of madmen." "Not our country." "Not these men." "If the Americans find me?" "Tell 'em everything." "And if the missile detonated?" "Then it'll be a beautiful sunrise." " You in there?" " Yeah, I got it." "I want you to give this to Sophi." "Give this..." "give that to my little girl." "Tell her to wear it in her hair." "You were dreaming." "My watch stopped." "There's somebody out there." "They found us." "They're raising the boat." "This is a restricted area, Captain." "This was my boat." "And this is my captain's family." "Apparently the Americans showed self-discipline." "We didn't make it, did we?" "No, son, we didn't." "I wish he knew how proud I am." "He knows, sweetheart." "He knows."