At that moment, however, Smith had no time to puzzle over it. His military training immediately prompted him to make the most effective response.
"Report our depth! As soon as we reach thirty meters, launch five Tomahawk Missiles!"
Unlike torpedoes, missiles had launch-depth restrictions and could generally only be fired from around twenty-five to forty-five meters below the surface.
"Yes, sir! Current depth, one hundred fifty meters... one hundred ten meters... ninety meters..."
Strange. At this distance, with the USS Florida in this state, there's no reason they wouldn't have detected us. Why haven't they shown the slightest sign of attacking? Could they lack antisubmarine capabilities? Smith wondered.
Although the enemy's inaction left Smith uneasy, whatever the reason, this was his chance!
"...Seventy meters... thirty meters! Launch missiles!"
As the command rang out, the USS Florida's missile hatches sprang open. With a series of thumps, five Tomahawk Missiles shot upward one after another amid vast clouds of bubbles, soon bursting through the surface on trails of flame!
The USS Florida followed them up. With a tremendous splash, its massive hull broke the surface, throwing up huge waves!
Before the rocking from the hull crashing back onto the water had subsided, everyone heard five tremendous explosions. Boom! Boom! Boom...
When the image on the monitor stabilized, everyone was stunned by the sight before them.
The five Tomahawk Cruise Missiles had become five fireballs in midair. Clearly, they had failed to reach their intended target and had merely added a pall of smoke to this stretch of sea.
And within that dissipating smoke, the imposing contours of an enormous warship slowly emerged!
Its graceful, streamlined hull, its steel body gleaming silver in the sunlight, and its sheer size dealt a crushing blow to everyone watching!
More importantly... it was hovering!
Everyone could