Cruise (11 page)

“Yes,” Ingram said. “But Italian boats are pretty much like Italian cars. They are okay as long as you have a full time repair and maintenance crew in your employ. They are also prone, like the cars, to having oddball features that the average crewmember neither knows about nor understands. That in itself is a major liability in a crisis.”

Groff nodded her agreement as she studied the impressive layout and detail of the boat. “I have some sailing experience, but much of what I see here is foreign to me.”

“That’s probably not going to change,” Ingram continued. “You Germans and the Greeks, as well as a few Asian nations, pretty much rule maritime trade.”

“So who decided that Miss Lynx and I were acceptable for this job?”

“Mr. Norquist, of course,” said Ingram, opening a hatch and entering a passageway that instantly illuminated. “But would it surprise you to know that we got the strongest, most impressive recommendations from Bernice Andrews, the actress?”

“Well, no. I’m not surprised,” said Jean. “Bibi and I worked for Ms. Andrews several times while she was in Europe. Our duties began as part time body guards and by the time we were finished, we were her full time personal detail. We secured and drove all vehicles, made arrangements for everything from hotels to riding stables and got on well with the entire entourage.”

“Indeed,” said Ingram.

“Yes. And she was not only the easiest person to safeguard, but also the most affable. She speaks five languages, knows her way around the globe and is pretty laid back. We enjoyed her company and I think she enjoyed ours.”

“So I hear,” Ingram said, a bit of admiration in her voice. “What you do is not always well received.”

“True enough. And,” Groff said slowly, picking her English words carefully. “There is always some, ah, shall I say, resentment that an outsider is brought in to protect someone who is well known and respected by her staff.”

“Right. I have the same problem. As you know, this is called a private charter, but for all purposes, Norquist owns this vessel. It’s a matter of meeting tax laws and other international issues. I’ve been on Altuna for two years and when a new captain comes aboard, there is a lot of crew chatter about it and she is on trial for a couple of months. Since this isn’t the Merchant Marine or the Navy, being in command here has a different connotation, believe me.”

“Right. Let’s have that quick tour,” said Groff, stepping down another steep ladder and following Ingram forward. “I promised Bibi I’d stop by and the clock is ticking. Lynx has a fetish for punctuality, (among other things), and I best not be late.” Unconsciously, she checked the Captain’s nicely formed ass in the well-fitted white trousers, wondering for a briefly erotic second if she took advantage of the wide assortment of females in this single sex crew or if she had other resources for her own social and sexual needs. Groff quickly put these thoughts aside as she studied the ship’s layout and listened carefully to Ingram’s running narrative about the yacht.

“This is, in every respect, a state-of-the-art vessel,” Ingram said as they moved forward of the bridge and out onto the deck that ran from the bow with its triple anchor chains to the base of the main super structure. “We’re not the biggest. That category typically is dominated by Mid Eastern rulers and almost every boat over one hundred, twenty meters is German built and belongs to some royal family in the oil game.

“Altuna is slightly under three hundred feet overall, two hundred, ninety-nine meters, which doesn’t put us in the same class as the sultans’ and sheiks’ boats, but we hang in there with Larry Ellison and Steven Spielberg’s personal yachts. Our ability to handle two helicopters and store them below is unique, for example. Our diving shop and equipment would rival Cousteau’s and, thanks to Mister Norquist’s genius, our technology exceeds anything available elsewhere, military or civilian.”

“Impressive,” Jean said. “Yet, the boat doesn’t appear to be that big.”

“It’s an interesting design illusion,” Ingram said, sounding a bit like she was reading a script. “Part of the original design was to give her a low key appearance and to fit in with other vessels in most ports. Note, for example, that we do not have the entertainment capability of many even smaller yachts. That means no real ballroom, fewer guest cabins and smaller galleys. Norquist pretty much avoids any sort of entertaining, values his family and business above all else and places great emphasis on his privacy and the family’s safety. With teenage daughters, this is no small concern. To a large extent, that’s why you and Bibi are here,” Ingram said as they moved along the passageway on a lower deck.

“No effort or cost has been spared to make this one of the top five or ten vessels in its class,” Ingram continued. “From her jet turbine engines to her secret and unique propulsion system, Altuna commands and gets global respect. However, even with our low profile, this puts us on display and always under threat. In most oceans, we are fine, but, should we venture into the Med or Indian Ocean, we operate more as a warship than as a recreational yacht.”

“Warship?” Groff asked.

“I’m speaking in terms of security and protection. Our defensive capability is well above anything even the Arab Sheiks have on their boats and some of them are nearly twice our size. We have sufficient passive protection, a semi-stealth radar profile, armament and defensive weapons to hold off the largest vessels in most global navies. This bulkhead,” Ingram said as she hammered her fist against a steel wall, “is the armored inner barrier against any sort of weapon. The ship has three different hulls, one inside the other. In between this layer and the next one is a special type of fire retardant foam. In between the second and outer hull is a secret armor-piercing round defeating material that even the U.S. government doesn’t have.”

Groff frowned, but said nothing.

“Well, I won’t say they don’t know about it,” Ingram continued, noting Groff’s reaction. “But it is far too expensive a system to use in conventional military applications. Mister Norquist owns the patents and process, I am told. It’s a critical system because a few surface to surface missiles, properly targeted and guided can take out a cruiser or an aircraft carrier, as was proven during the Falklands War.”

Groff nodded again, recalling the bitter debates about navies being obsolete that followed the total loss of a British cruiser after it was hit by a single STS missile.”

“Yes. I guess I knew that,” Groff said, adding, “Is Blohm + Voss the builder?”

“Originally, yes. They build virtually all of the top mega yachts. But they framed Altuna for another purpose. When Norquist Industries took the boat over, a lot of major renovation was done in a very hush-hush yard near the old Kiel submarine pens in northern Germany.”

“How do you handle all this technology?” Groff asked, wondering where they would find qualified technicians who didn’t mind spending their time at sea instead of job-hopping around Silicon Valley.

“All of the crew are multi-level-trained and qualified in defensive and, if needed, offensive operations,” Ingram continued. “Mister Norquist’s corporation provides a great deal of our defense gear and armament and off-site training for its use. On more than one occasion, we have been the unobtrusive base for some military intelligence gathering types, but Norquist resists this most of the time. In return for this kind of favor, we have diplomatic immunity in most countries,” Ingram continued as they skirted what looked like a large elevator imbedded in the deck.

“What’s that?” Groff asked, pointing to the sophisticated hardware and hatch releases.

“Short answer,” said Ingram. “It’s a retractable housing for missiles. The mount looks a bit like the old Patriot system, but it’s much more refined and much more accurate. Those deck latches retract and the entire mount deploys from below. We can acquire targets, activate the system and launch in less than sixty seconds.”

“Is the US government aware of this and do they permit it?” Groff asked.

“Some yes, some no. When we go below, if there’s time, I’ll show you the dual system. If we chose, the hatch opens and a small owner’s launch appears in a ready-to-launch davits structure. This suitable impresses nosey observers and leaves the missile unit below. If we are under attack or a threat, we raise the alternate unit and the sight of six surface to surface or surface to air missiles usually sends the problem back over the horizon.”

“Have you ever had to use it?” Groff asked.

“Yes, but that was in hostile waters a few months back and is never discussed. Besides, much of this kind of thing is considered experimental and we don’t share it with anyone, not even our home country, because of the almost certain compromise. We train, as you will see, daily, for handling everything from Somali pirates to tankers steaming along on auto-pilot without anyone on the bridge.”

“I read the entire SOP that was furnished and certainly agree with the strategy,” said Groff. “I do think, however, that some tactical assumptions are perhaps, shall we say, a bit optimistic.”

“Such as?” the Captain turned and studied Groff carefully.

“Well, we can address this another time, but some protocols presume that the enemy is not all that bright.”

“True. I agree. But bear in mind that in recent times, we have not had to deal with ‘evil genius’ as much as we have had to deal with ignorant sociopaths,” Ingram said as they moved on forward.

“True enough,” echoed Groff. “We have been fortunate enough to have to cope with the Idi Amin, Saddam Hussein types, although Bin Laden presented some challenges.”

“Yes, and we are fortunate that the Chinese have remained more or less neutral thus far while they build their Navy. But making changes, even when experience points to alternatives, is a hard sell when the owner’s firm makes billions of Euros and Yen on weapons intended for such purposes, if you follow me.”

“I do. Can we visit the armory on our way aft? I’d like to see what you have and pick up a personal weapon since we did not bring any with us. And, speaking of pirates, the hysterical TSA here is something we simply didn’t want to have to deal with.”

“Agreed. American paranoia has taken its toll in many ways. Oddly though, if I might comment privately to you, they seem more preoccupied with show rather than delivery.”

“You mean the manic fascination with making things look “secure”? Groff’s tone of voice indicated her disenchantment with the term. “I think some bloggers have called it ‘Security Theater’.”

“Yes. For example, they harass us on a regular basis because we are an easy target, a foreign vessel, but ignore rust bucket freighters and tankers because they are too much trouble to inspect properly.”

“Right,” added Groff.

“Let’s go below and visit the stores and armory while we still have time. I expect the family to be back any minute now and we need to introduce you to them ASAP. If we have time, I will show you our clinic and our disciplinary quarters.”

“Really?” Groff asked. “You have a jail?”

“Well, yes, a brig. Consider that with a crew this size there are always a few recalcitrant individuals who take advantage of the trust system or violate the rules. It is very difficult and time-consuming to have to transfer a crewmember ashore, especially a female, and more often than not, the local authorities are totally corrupt and the facilities leave a lot to be desired. Most offences merit only a pay stoppage and a few days in the brig. Besides, we are far better off imposing our own laws than trying to get involved with international legal issues. Again, to use your reference, witness the nonsense in Somali pirates situation.”

“I know what you mean,” said Groff as they entered the super structure and descended several decks to crew areas and offices. “The national cowardice displayed by heads of state and their agencies in regard to outright piracy is disgusting. What is our SOP if we are approached by such riff-raff?”

“Well, we are very clear on that one, Groff,” said Ingram as they crossed a major passageway intersection and she stopped at a non-descript door and applied her right thumb to the print reader. The door lock clicked and Ingram entered first, motioning for Groff to follow.

“Any attempt to board us without my express permission will be met with the strongest possible resistance. In most cases, assuming our proximity alerts work, we simply pour on the coal and outrun just about anything except an aircraft. Full emergency power to the jet turbines gets this vessel up to over fifty-five knots and there isn’t much out there that can do that.”

“So SAC-type threats are of no concern?” Groff asked, surveying the various vaults and lockers that filled this interior space.

“Small Attack Craft, if they pose a threat, will simply be disposed of. The Ultra High Frequency Anti-Personnel Weapons are useful in this regard and our equipment lets us aim and focus the beam on a very small area. The affects are almost instantaneous and the results are usually terminal. You are familiar with this weapon?”

“Yes and no,” said Groff, warming to one of her favorite subjects. Where Bibi was martial arts and physical force oriented, Groff tended to prefer electronic and physical hardware when needed.

“This UHFAPW gear is portable, to a point,” added Ingram. “And it works night or day, rain or shine. Range is approximately a thousand meters, which is more than enough to engage a fast outboard RIB or launch. We can also take on larger craft by just focusing on the pilot house or anyone on the rails.”

“What is the effect?”

“Simply put, their brains turn to mush in about two seconds. No nasty after-effects. No recovery. The big caveat, and, actually, the only one, is to make sure you’ve got it properly aimed and the beam focused. Once it fires, the brain fry is a given.”

“I assume you have not modified the survivor protocols either.”

“We will determine if there are any survivors and, based on that conclusion, decide if we’ll allow them to go back home with a message or simply swim for the nearest shore. It’s cold-blooded, but that’s the way pirates must be dealt with. Once aboard, we will show them no mercy and take no prisoners, ever. The boat’s owners have no desire to get involved with international quibbles about liability and ‘rights’ of highjackers.”