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Back Sea of Fire Save as PDF
Chapters (84)
  1. Title Page
  2. Acknowledgements
  3. ONE - The Celebes Sea Tuesday, 4:19 A.M.
  4. TWO - Washington, D.C. Monday, 7:45 P.M.
  5. THREE - The Celebes Sea Tuesday, 4:34 A.M.
  6. FOUR - Sydney, Australia Thursday, 8:30 A.M.
  7. FIVE - Darwin, Australia Thursday, 8:42 A.M.
  8. SIX - Washington, D.C. Wednesday, 7:33 P.M.
  9. SEVEN - Sydney, Australia Thursday, 10:01 A.M.
  10. EIGHT - The Celebes Sea Thursday, 12:12 P.M.
  11. NINE - The Celebes Sea Thursday, 12:33 P.M.
  12. TEN - Darwin, Australia Thursday, 12:05 P.M.
  13. ELEVEN - Darwin, Australia Thursday, 12:17 P.M.
  14. TWELVE - The Celebes Sea Thursday, 1:08 P.M.
  15. THIRTEEN - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 11:09 P.M.
  16. FOURTEEN - Darwin, Australia Friday, 12:47 P.M.
  17. FIFTEEN - Darwin, Australia Friday, 12:59 P.M.
  18. SIXTEEN - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 11:55 P.M.
  19. SEVENTEEN - Cairns, Australia Friday, 7:00 P.M.
  20. EIGHTEEN - The Celebes Sea Friday, 7:33 P.M.
  21. NINETEEN - Over the Pacific Ocean Friday, 2:57 A.M.
  22. TWENTY - Cairns, Australia Friday, 7:58 P.M.
  23. TWENTY-ONE - The Celebes Sea Friday, 9:44 P.M.
  24. TWENTY-TWO - Cairns, Australia Friday, 9:45 P.M.
  25. TWENTY-THREE - Washington, D.C. Friday, 7:17 A.M.
  26. TWENTY-FOUR - The Celebes Sea Friday, 10:33 P.M.
  27. TWENTY-FIVE - Tokyo, Japan Friday, 9:34 P.M.
  28. TWENTY-SIX - Washington, D.C. Friday, 8:57 A.M.
  29. TWENTY-SEVEN - The Celebes Sea Friday, 11:09 P.M.
  30. TWENTY-EIGHT - Over the Pacific Ocean Saturday, 2:22 A.M.
  31. TWENTY-NINE - The Celebes Sea Saturday, 12:04 A.M.
  32. THIRTY - Washington, D.C. Friday, 10:07 A.M.
  33. THIRTY-ONE - The Celebes Sea Saturday, 12:36 A.M.
  34. THIRTY-TWO - The Celebes Sea Saturday, 1:00 A.M.
  35. THIRTY-THREE - The Celebes Sea Saturday, 1:01 A.M.
  36. THIRTY-FOUR - Washington, D.C. Friday, 12:31 P.M.
  37. THIRTY-FIVE - The Celebes Sea Saturday, 2:02 A.M.
  38. THIRTY-SIX - The South Pacific Saturday, 7:44 A.M.
  39. THIRTY-SEVEN - Washington, D.C. Friday, 7:44 P.M.
  40. THIRTY-EIGHT - Cairns, Australia Saturday, 9:45 A.M.
  41. THIRTY-NINE - Darwin, Australia Saturday, 12:08 P.M.
  42. FORTY - Darwin, Australia Saturday, 12:31 P.M.
  43. FORTY-ONE - Washington, D.C. Saturday, 12:23 A.M.
  44. FORTY-TWO - Cairns, Australia Saturday, 5:57 P.M.
  45. FORTY-THREE - Cairns, Australia Saturday, 6:22 P.M.
  46. FORTY-FOUR - Washington, D.C. Saturday, 7:31 A.M.
  47. FORTY-FIVE - The Great Barrier Reef Saturday, 10:03 P.M.
  48. FORTY-SIX - Cairns, Australia Saturday, 10:04 P.M.
  49. FORTY-SEVEN - Washington, D.C. Saturday, 8:47 A.M.
  50. FORTY-EIGHT - Cairns, Australia Saturday, 10:49 P.M.
  51. FORTY-NINE - Cairns, Australia Saturday, 11:12 P.M.
  52. FIFTY - Cairns, Australia Saturday, 11:27 P.M.
  53. FIFTY-ONE - Cairns, Australia Sunday, 12:00 A.M.
  54. FIFTY-TWO - Washington, D.C. Saturday, 11:00 A.M.
  55. FIFTY-THREE - The Coral Sea Sunday, 1:21 A.M.
  56. FIFTY-FOUR - Cairns, Australia Sunday, 1:42 A.M.
  57. FIFTY-FIVE - The Coral Sea Sunday, 1:55 A.M.
  58. FIFTY-SIX - The Great Barrier Reef Sunday, 2:09 A.M.
  59. FIFTY-SEVEN - The Coral Sea Sunday, 2:09 A.M.
  60. FIFTY-EIGHT - Washington, D.C. Saturday, 12:38 P.M.
  61. FIFTY-NINE - The Coral Sea Sunday, 2:39 A.M.
  62. SIXTY - Osprey Reef Sunday, 2:46 A.M.
  63. SIXTY-ONE - Washington, D.C. Saturday, 1:00 P.M.
  64. SIXTY-TWO - The Coral Sea Sunday, 3:01 A.M.
  65. SIXTY-THREE - The Coral Sea Sunday, 3:08 A.M.
  66. SIXTY-FOUR - Washington, D.C. Saturday, 1:24 P.M.
  67. SIXTY-FIVE - The Coral Sea Sunday, 3:33 A.M.
  68. SIXTY-SIX - Cairns, Australia Sunday, 3:56 A.M.
  69. SIXTY-SEVEN - The Coral Sea Sunday, 4:01 A.M.
  70. SIXTY-EIGHT - Cairns, Australia Sunday, 4:45 A.M.
  71. SIXTY-NINE - Cairns, Australia Sunday, 4:59 A.M.
  72. SEVENTY - Washington, D.C. Saturday, 3:06 P.M.
  73. SEVENTY-ONE - Cairns, Australia Sunday, 5:07 A.M.
  74. SEVENTY-TWO - Cairns, Australia Sunday, 5:16 A.M.
  75. SEVENTY-THREE - Cairns, Australia Sunday, 5:24 A.M.
  76. SEVENTY-FOUR - Cairns, Australia Sunday, 5:30 A.M.
  77. SEVENTY-FIVE - Cairns, Australia Sunday, 5:38 A.M.
  78. SEVENTY-SIX - Washington, D.C. Saturday, 4:00 P.M.
  79. SEVENTY-SEVEN - Cairns, Australia Sunday, 7:10 A.M.
  80. SEVENTY-EIGHT - Darwin, Australia Sunday, 7:13 A.M.
  81. SEVENTY-NINE - The Coral Sea Sunday, 7:45 A.M.
  82. EIGHTY - Darwin, Australia Sunday, 7:46 A.M.
  83. EIGHTY-ONE - Washington, D.C. Saturday, 6:29 P.M.
  84. Other titles by Steve Pieczenik

“When you see the captain, tell him I’m pleased that everything went as it was supposed to,” Darling said.

“What if I don’t see the captain?” Marcus asked anxiously.

“Then deliver the message to the next in command,” Darling replied. “That is typically how things are done, is it not?”

“Of course,” Marcus replied. He hesitated.

“Was there anything else?” Darling asked.

“Actually, yes,” Marcus said. “I’m not sure I want to go back on board.”

“Why?”

“There’s bad air on that ship,” Marcus said. “First the attack, now this strangeness between the captain and Mr. Hawke.”

“That shouldn’t impact your work or your job performance,” Darling said. “You’re insulated from all of that.”

“I don’t feel insulated,” Marcus complained. “Everyone on board feels it.”

“Deal with it,” Darling said firmly. “Set an example for the others. I need my radio operator.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Now go back on board,” Darling told him. “Remember that fear is its own fuel. Have a positive attitude.”

“I will, sir,” Marcus said unconvincingly and hung up.

Darling placed the phone in its cradle. He glanced at his laptop without seeing it. He felt confident with Hawke watching things. He actually felt sorry for Peter Kannaday. Command was beyond the abilities of some people. Kannaday was one of those men. He was and would continue to be nothing more than the master of a pleasure boat. A rich one after another few years, but what did wealth matter without self-respect?

Darling wondered if Kannaday would settle into his role as a subordinate captain or whether he would try again to take on Hawke. Darling did not know the captain, but he knew human nature. He knew men. When it came to testosterone and reason, reason usually lost.

Kannaday would lash out again. Only this time it probably would not end with the captain being locked in his cabin.

Darling returned to the computer to read the latest rumors about a radioactive sampan found in the Celebes Sea. According to the reports, no one knew who the unconscious sailor was or what happened to him.

That was good. Even if he were conscious, it was unlikely the seaman had seen or heard anything useful. Hawke would have made certain of that. After all, Darling thought, he did do his best work in the dark.

THIRTY-NINE - Darwin, Australia Saturday, 12:08 P.M.

THIRTY-NINE

Darwin, Australia Saturday, 12:08 P.M.