Tuesday, November 4, 1997

Against All Enemies - 44

An AMRAAM missile was being tested near North Korea and a "civilian" plane flew into the test zone so the captain ordered the test to "stand down." But, as the pilot did so, the missle spontaneously fired killing 31. Harm, Mac & Bud were sent to the USS Reprisal to investigate. The salvage vessel Sea Star was surrounded by North Korean war ships and the cruiser Choson gave ultimatums & fired shots across the Sea Star's bow. Capt Jim (?Ray) Hubbard sped to the scene and authorized "booming" the Choson with tomcats & "shouldering" by other vessels. Mac "pushed" and "bullied witnesses and H had to warn her several times. Walt Rockwell, the communications officer, acted guilty and was found to have made a $90K bank deposit. He, later, said that it was an inheritance. Bumbling seaman Alice Tuppany poured hot coffee in Hs lap. When Tuppany was being chewed out by her chief, Mac bought into her excuse for leaving the galley unattended while a fire started. She was gone to communications for 15 minutes "for career practice." H found that the missle had fired before it had left the launch rail and that it had been caused by a radar sweep, which was also unexplained. Bud, working with PO Sullivan, found that there had been an unaccounted for burst transmission the day before the test. It was decoded, and found to be from a spy notifying of the test. It had been during the time Tuppany had left the galley for the CIC room so M asked C for background information. The photo sent was different so H confronted Tuppany, was taken hostage and forced, with a de-pinned grenade, to take off in a Tomcat toward North Korea. NK launched MIGs, which wouldn't accept Tuppany's radio message, and shot at them. H ejected Tuppany before her grenade could explode. The Sea Star found that the downed plane had: actually been a NK spy plane; swept the missle with radar launching it; and caused it's own demise.

M denied to H that she was in a hurry to get back to Dalton. M said "that's the stupidest think you've ever said. He's a man not a new career choice." Harriet tried to get a "good bye kiss" from B before he left then called "I love you" across the room. B just nodded then called her several times from the ship playing "Rambo" role.

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