Episode 38

USS Kidd (DDG 100)

150 NM North West of Guam

“Sir, we have lost sat comm.”

Captain Harris walked down to where the watchstander was trying to re-establish communications with the satellite communications system.  “Did you try the backup antenna?”

“Yes sir, negative function there.”

“Sparky, get on the horn and see if the rest of the task group has sat com.”

“Yes sir, one moment.  Sir, they are also reporting no sat com.”

His first officer walked into the CIC.  “I don’t like this skipper.”

“Me neither Butch.  Take the task force to condition one.”

“General Quarters! General Quarters! All hands man your Battle Stations, Air Defense! Set Condition One throughout the Ship. I say again, Set Condition One!”

“Sir, we have lost GPS also.”

The task force had been running at reduced emissions to avoid any Chinese tracking.  However, that only made sense when they were getting early warning info from the satellite communications network.  “Light up the main arrays.  Let’s see what’s going on.  What friendly assets to we have close by?”

“We have a Poseidon and an AWACS bird.”

“Get them on the horn, see what is going on.”

“Captain!  I have multiple ex-atmo contacts.  Ballistic missile tracks!  Estimate that Guam is under attack!”

“Weapons free!  Anti air!”

“Weapons free aye!  Tracking one hundred inbounds!  One zero zero!”

“Sparky, warn those planes.  Get the word out to Guam, pronto!”

“On it!”

Lieutenant Commander Thomas walked over to get his captain’s ear.  “We cannot take down one hundred inbounds.”

“I know, we are almost dry.   But we have to do what we can.”

“And what if we run into a ChiCom frigate between here and Guam?”

“Then we are well and truly fucked.”

“Right.  So we shoot them dry?”

“We shoot them dry.  No choice Butch.  There are over a hundred thousand civilians on that island.  Not to mention Andersen and all of our reloads.”

The Kidd and her sisters began to launch interceptors.  It would not be nearly enough.