RTS System in the Apocalypse: New World

The larger contact remained near the platform’s supports. Conrad watched it circle between two columns before turning back toward the deeper side.

Firing there was out of the question. A torpedo detonating beside one of the supports could damage the structure before they even knew what condition it was in.

"Keep the weapons off the platform."

Triton One carried another option.

An expendable noisemaker entered the water several hundred meters beyond the structure, well clear of the supports.

The device was smaller than a torpedo and carried no warhead. Once it reached its programmed depth, it began transmitting instead.

A series of low-frequency pulses spread through the surrounding water, followed by harsher mechanical noise meant to create an artificial acoustic target.

Normally, the decoy existed to give hostile sonar or an incoming torpedo something else to follow. Today, Triton needed it for the opposite reason.

The surrounding water carried the noise far better than air ever could. On Triton’s sonar picture, the decoy appeared as a concentrated source away from the platform while the frigate kept the biological contact under observation.

The creature remained on the supports for a short moment before its marker shifted and turned toward the open water where the decoy was located.

The contact left the first support behind and crossed the space toward the noisemaker, accelerating as the acoustic output continued.

The creature moved several hundred meters away from the platform.

"Hold fire." Conrad waited, wanting more room.

A second noisemaker entered the water beyond the first and started transmitting shortly afterward. The large contact remained on the same course.

It passed the first noisemaker and continued toward the second, putting more open water between itself and the platform.

Conrad waited until it was almost a kilometer from the platform.

"Engage."

An ASW missile left the frigate and crossed the remaining distance above the water. Its payload separated near the contact before a lightweight torpedo dropped into the sea.

Sensing something entering the water, the creature turned away from the noisemaker and accelerated toward deeper water.

The torpedo entered close enough that the creature had little time to react. It corrected its course after the target changed direction.

The torpedo closed in, chasing what appeared to be an enlarged shark.

The creature dove toward a field of wreckage scattered across the seabed.

Broken structural sections and collapsed framework lay between it and the open water, giving the shark several narrow passages to cut through.

The first change in direction forced the torpedo wide, but its seeker quickly corrected.

The shark turned again, slipping past a section of twisted metal before dropping lower along the bottom.

The torpedo followed the new course.

The shark turned through the same patch of seabed while the torpedo corrected after every change in direction.

The shark gained little from it.

Each turn cost the shark speed, while the torpedo kept closing. It cleared the last obstruction and curved back toward the contact.

The torpedo kept gaining until it hit.

The explosion shoved the shark into the seabed. Its body struck the uneven bottom before rolling across rock and reef, its tail thrashing hard enough to stir sediment around it.

The contact remained on Triton’s sonar.

Conrad watched it struggle away from the impact site.

"Wraith One, finish it."

"Copy, Triton One."

Another heavy torpedo appeared on Triton’s shared picture and moved toward the wounded shark from farther out.

The creature tried to turn away but the torpedo closed without difficulty and struck several seconds later.

The biological marker disappeared.

Conrad watched the area while the remaining contacts around the platform moved away.

"Advance on the structure."

Triton One moved closer while the Sentinels widened around it.

At shorter range, the extraction platform became easier to inspect.

It was much larger than a simple rig.

Several broad processing decks surrounded a reinforced central block, supported above the water by massive columns and interconnected lower platforms. Cranes stood over loading areas large enough to handle industrial modules, while enclosed accommodation sections and maintenance buildings occupied much of the upper structure. A wide aviation deck extended from one side.

Part of the lower levels was damaged where something struck or scraped against the supports repeatedly. Several external walkways hung at uneven angles, and one section close to the water was partly collapsed.

The upper decks were in better shape. Some parts of the platform still had power.

Exterior lights remained active despite the daylight, ventilation units continued running across several sections, and a radar mast above the operations block turned at a slow but steady rate.

Conrad shifted to Triton’s locally generated Radar picture.

Several gray markers occupied the upper structure.

He counted more than a dozen around the accommodation and operations sections, while several others moved between the upper decks.

"Human contacts on the platform."

The report spread across the group. Triton continued closing the distance while the Sentinels maintained their positions around it.

The markers moved as the ships approached.

Several gathered along the seaward side of the upper structure while others stayed deeper inside.

"Do not fire unless fired upon. Initiate contact on civilian maritime channels."

The communications section began transmitting toward the platform.

"North Platform, this is Triton One. Respond if you can."

Static answered from the radio. The gray markers moved across the upper decks, while several clustered near what seemed to be the platform’s main operations section.

The transmission repeated.

"North Platform, this is Triton One. Respond."

This time, a weak signal answered, slightly broken by interference.

"Hello? Hello?! Tri...Triton One, we can hear you! This is ASR-003! Can you hear us?!"

The comms personnel turned to Conrad. "Platform crew has responded, sir."

"Assure them we’re here to help. Don’t make them more nervous than they probably already are."

"ASR-003, Triton One. We’re here to help. We—"

"Yes! Yes! We need help. I... some of us are running low here. I don’t know what to say. Can you carry some of our people back? A few need medical help. Food. Whatever you have."

The voice broke for a moment.

"We’ll do anything you want. Just... please send someone."

Conrad listened for a moment before answering through communications.

"ASR-003, Triton One. Stay where you are. We’re not leaving you."

The reply came almost immediately.

"Thank you. Thank you."

"Tell me how many people you have and whether anyone is in immediate danger."

There was a pause on the other end.

"Twenty-three. Twenty-three still alive."

The speaker gulped hard enough for the microphone to catch it.

"Five need medical attention. One is bad. Very bad. We haven’t been able to do much except keep him stable."

Conrad glanced toward the platform picture.

"Any fires, flooding, gas leaks or structural failure we need to know about?"

"No fires. Lower deck took damage. One support section is damaged, but we’re still holding. Power is still running."

Months after the Event, ASR-003 still had enough power to keep parts of the offshore extraction complex operating.

That alone showed how valuable the platform was.

If Golden Eagle restored it, the platform could provide extraction equipment, storage, power and a permanent position farther into the northern sea. The surviving crew probably knew more about the installation than anyone Golden Eagle could send from shore.

But the platform could wait. People aboard still needed help.

"Understood. Keep everyone away from the damaged lower section. We’re arranging transport now."

The response came quieter.

"...Thank you, Triton One."

Conrad switched channels.

"Flight Operations, this is Triton One. Requesting two Falcons for offshore evacuation. Twenty-three civilians, five medical cases, one urgent."

"Request received, Triton One. Stand by for aircraft allocation."

A short pause followed before Flight Operations returned.

"Evacuation lift approved. Send us the location, Triton One."

Conrad forwarded ASR-003’s position and the current surface picture.

"Marine contacts have been pushed clear of the platform. The southern approach is the safest right now. Five medical cases, one urgent."

"Copy. Two Falcons preparing for departure."

Conrad returned to the platform channel.

"ASR-003, we’ve got aircraft coming for you. Two helicopters."

"Helicopters?!"

Gasps could be heard from the other side.

"Okay, okay! Understood, Triton One. We’ll be ready!"

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