14
SOUND COLLISION
Submarine USS Colorado. October 16, 1:51 a.m. local time. The Persian Gulf (Oct. 15, 4:51 p.m. EST).
The geologist, Branson, and the executive officer wove their way through the internals of the sub, toward the lowermost deck.
In the control room, the captain said, “Quartermaster, what’s the current sounding?”
“Ocean floor is at seven hundred and seventeen feet, Captain.”
“Roger that.” He turned toward the dive control officer. “Dive control, make your depth six hundred feet. Five degree down bubble. All ahead one-third. Let’s slow the old girl down. Chief of the Boat?”
“Aye, sir,” chirped a reply from the COB, the senior-most enlisted man.
“Radio, conn. Deploy the Deep Siren communications buoy to the surface. We’re going to be sending a coded transmission back
