"That's what we'll try and do, then.  We'll radio in for permission to leave Toll Booth station and track this character down.  Jonesy, running at max speed means you sonarmen will be out of work for a while.  Set up the contact tape on the simulator and make sure the operators all know what this guy sounds like, but get some rest.  All of you.  I want you at a hundred percent when we try to reacquire this guy.  Have yourself a shower.  Make that a Hollywood shower—you've earned it—and rack out.  When we do go after this character, it'll be a long, tough hunt."

"No sweat, Captain.  We'll get him for you.  Bet on it.  You want to keep my tape, sir?"

"Yeah."  Mancuso ejected the tape and looked up in surprise.  "You sacrificed a Bach for this?"

"Not a good one, sir.  I have a Christopher Hogwood of this piece that's much better."

Mancuso pocketed the tape.  "Dismissed, Jonesy.  Nice work."

"A pleasure, Cap'n."  Jones left the attack center counting the extra money for jumping a rate.

"Roger, make sure your people are well rested over the next two days.  When we do go after this guy, it's going to be a bastard."

"Aye, Captain."

"Pat, get us up to periscope depth.  We're going to call this one into Norfolk right now.  Earl, I want you thinking about what's making that noise."

"Right, Captain."

While Mancuso drafted his message, Lieutenant Mannion brought the Dallas to periscope-antenna depth with an upward angle on the diving planes.  It took five minutes to get from five hundred feet to just below the stormy surface.  The submarine was subject to wave action, and while it was very gentle by surface ship standards, the crew noted her rocking.  Mannion raised the periscope and ESM (electronic support measures) antenna, the latter used for the broad-band receiver designed to detect possible radar emissions.  There was nothing in view—he could see about five miles—and the ESM instruments showed nothing except for aircraft sets, which were too far away to matter.  Next Mannion raised two more masts.  One was a reed-like UHF (ultrahigh frequency) receiving antenna.  The other was new, a laser transmitter.  This rotated and locked onto the carrier wave signal of the Atlantic SSIX, the communications satellite used exclusively by submarines.  With the laser, they could send high-density transmissions without giving away the sub's position.

"All ready, sir," the duty radioman reported.

"Transmit."

The radioman pressed a button.  The signal, sent in a fraction of a second, was received by photovoltaic cells, read over to a UHF transmitter, and shot back down by a parabolic dish antenna towards Atlantic Fleet Communications headquarters.  At Norfolk another radioman noted the reception and pressed a button that transmitted the same signal up to the satellite and back to the Dallas.  It was a simple way to identify garbles.

The Dallas operator compared the received signal with the one he'd just sent.  "Good copy, sir."