Sea of Shadows eBook - Navy Thriller.com

278 JEFF EDWARDS
Ensign Cooper studied the chart. After a few seconds, he said, “Qatar.”
Commander Vargas looked at Captain Bowie. “Where did you find
this kid? The Psychic Hotline?”
“It’s within the sub’s range, if it fueled up in Socotra,” Ensign Cooper
said. “The current regime is not particularly friendly to the United States.
It’s even roughly in line with the sub’s last known position and the Siraji
port of Zubayr.”
“What about Iran?”Lieutenant (jg) Sherman asked. “They’re not big
fans of the U.S., and they’ve got tons of coastline that a sub could slip up
to.”
“Iran doesn’t like us much,” Ensign Cooper said, “but they hate Siraj a
lot more. Those guys have been sniping across the border at each other for
thirty years. I doubt the Iranian government would jump through hoops to
break an arms embargo against one of their long-running enemies.”
“I’ll admit,” Commander Vargas said, “that Qatar is copping an attitude
toward us. But would they risk international censure to help out Siraj?”
“They might, if the money was right,” Ensign Cooper said. “But, if
they’re smart, they won’t let the submarine pull into any of their ports.
They’ll keep it at sea, so they can claim ignorance if things go bad.”
Captain Bowie frowned. “Does Qatar have any oilers configured for
at-sea replenishment?”
Ensign Cooper shook his head. “Not that I know of, sir. But they don’t
need one. All they have to do is pull up to an oil platform.”
“An interesting theory,” Lieutenant (jg) Sherman said, “but subs don’t
run on crude oil. They’re going to need diesel, and oil platforms aren’t set
up to refine crude oil into fuel.”
“Actually, oil platforms do have diesel tanks,” Ensign Cooper said.
“For their generators and the small boats that work the rigs—that sort of
thing.”
Chief McPherson whistled slowly through her teeth. “You have been
eating your Wheaties!”
Commander Vargas nodded. “You could be right.”
Captain Bowie nodded also. “Maybe the pond isn’t as big as we
thought.”