Chapter 76 - The Admiral's Triumph
High above on the bridge wing of the *Dauntless*, Admiral Richard Vance stood watching the foaming wake where the *Leviathan* had vanished. The wind pulled at his heavy coat, but his expression was that of a man who had successfully navigated the final reef of his grand career.
Captain Reynolds, the commanding officer of the *Dauntless*, stood two paces behind him, visibly unsettled. "Admiral, the salvage drone reports massive hull distortion at eight hundred feet. Magnetic signatures are dropping fast. Life support systems on the rogue sub are confirmed offline."
"A tragic loss," Vance said smoothly, not a shred of remorse in his tone. "A rogue commander pushed past her psychological limit, driven by the unresolved traumas of her lineage. The Navy will mourn her, Reynolds. We will hold a memorial service in Norfolk that will bring tears to the eyes of every senator on Capitol Hill. Her parents will be remembered as patriots who bore the ultimate domestic sorrow."
"And the quantum data, sir?"
"Lost at sea," Vance said, turning away from the railing with a satisfied smile. "A tragic technical casualty. Set course for Mayport. We have a press conference to conduct at sunrise."
Before Reynolds could acknowledge the order, the ship’s primary tactical consoles screeched in unison. Every monitor across the Combat Information Center flared white, then snapped to a brilliant, unyielding blue.
"What is that?" Vance snapped, his voice hardening as he stepped back into the wheelhouse. "Reynolds, clear those screens!"
"I can't, sir!" the tactical action officer shouted, desperately hammering keys. "Our firewalls just disintegrated! We're being overridden from an external uplink! It’s coming from... good God, it's coming from beneath our hull!"
May you like
A single, clear voice began to transmit through every speaker, every tactical headset, every crew quarter broadcast horn, and every emergency frequency across the Western Hemisphere.
*"This is Captain Eleanor Holloway, commanding officer of the United States Navy,"* the voice declared, unwavering and thunderous. *"Admiral Vance, step to the rail. Your trial has begun."*
