NationStates Jolt Archive

45nm East of Zanzibar

In the Red Glow of the control room of the Tigershark class (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2132825#2132825) Diesel Electric Submarine Sierra Two One, Captain Shanir carefully gave orders to the crew as they entered the most dangerous part of their mission. The submarine would transit silently through the channel between Zanzibar and Pemba Islands to a position literally within miles of the Lusakan Port of Tanga. Then they would remain on station for about 24 hours as onboard signals intelligence equipement soaked up Lusakan communications. This dangerous operation was part of the Federal Intelligence Bureau's desperate attempts to improve what was pretty limited knowledge of Lusaka, its military and its government. Of course the fact that it coincided with the treaty discussions in Al Khals was an added bonus.

Now the submarine cruised at periscope depth at just six knots, crawling westwards and staying quiet to avoid detection. In the torpedo room, an array of weapons were ready to protect them if necessary, but they were forbidden from using them unless attacked. After all, this sort of invasion of territorial waters was just a little provocative, but only if the Lusakans found out, which seemed unlikely.

OOC: Lusaka, I don't really mind how this turns out, I just thought it might add a little complication to the peace talks if you discovered one of our submarines within swimming distance of your largest Port and naval base. Of course if you attempted to capture the crew that would make it even more interesting. :wink:

Commonwealth Ship Esselink, bound for Madagascar

"...steady as she goes, comrade Vink." Captain Geert Jones ordered the frigate out of Tanga as part of the long-term and gradual reduction of the Beth Gellen presence. The Gauntlet Class Fleet Defence Frigate was designed for air defence and anti submarine warfare, and would be on a fairly high state of alert in view of Lusakan/Al Khali tensions here and Beth Gellen/Nicobarese stand-offs later in the journey.

(ooc: I know it's closed, so I didn't really... do anything that has to lead anywhere, I just wanted to create the possibility of detection via-BG assets, as I'm not sure the Lusakans have many means at their disposal in that respect. BG vessels have been on hand for quite some time, increasingly so since the BG intervention against Argyllia and Roycelandia on Madagascar, where BG and Western Asia now maintain military bases and provide security to the Malagasy Republic. We do a lot of trade and, being based in the Indian Ocean east of Lusaka, our frigates frequently patrol shipping lanes and such as well. Uh, anyway, the point being I suppose that BG is relevant in some minor way to the information your boat's trying to obtain, since BG ships may frequently be seen on the Lusakan coast, and some Lusakan military equipment is actually Beth Gellen in origin (Pluvia rocket-artillery, for example.))

Commonwealth Ship Esselink, bound for Madagascar

Feel free to carry on, when I say closed I mean just people who would be involved, which I see that you are.

(Yes, yes, Lusaka's navy consists of a couple of corvettes usually tied-up with escort duties, and one frigate on a little mission of its own. We have shore-based ASW helicopters, but they don't fly often, in order to spare their airframes, so they respond but rarely search. We'll react to any Beth Gellen communication regarding suspicious activity. Oh, I'm getting trouble from all sides, this week, if ever Igomo was going to need replacing...)