"The last missile: chronicles of an asymmetrical war" (first part)

(To Ugo Vercellio)
05/05/17

(Military Fantasy Story)

7 April 2017, the command bridge of the destroyer Lincoln, Mitscher class, off the Syrian coast

It is evening, in the eastern Mediterranean sky. Commander James Wilson nervously taps his fingers on the desk, awaiting the decryption of the coded phonogram just received from Washington. His face is dull and worried, but above all annoyed. She can no longer bear the damned Willy parrot who, perched on her trespole next to the starboard oblique, continually humming hymns and marcettes; in particular, the commander can not endure that insurgent insistence on the last vocal of the "Glory glory alleluhiAAAAAHAHHH" revelation. Suddenly, the Marconista sailor bursts into the room by giving a leaf.

- Here's a commander

- You can go boy, no. Wait here.

The commander reads the statement in silence, and at each line progressively opens his eyes; at the last line of the dispatch has now assumed the expression of who ....

- But here is not the last line!

- Unfortunately, sir, we have just finished the ink of the printer now

- Change the cartridge, I'm lost!

- Sir, we also finished the cartridges

- Then let me write it on a piece of paper!

- We are proceeding, sir.

- And how long do you need to write a line?

- Little, sir. But the official says that the regulation prohibits the partial transcription of a dispatch. You have to transcribe all the text to avoid misunderstandings. The regulation is not discussed, sir.

- All right. You can go, boy. Just ready for the transcription I have.

- To the orders, sir

"To the orders, signorrre. For signing orders ... .. "

The parrot Willy finally found the phrase of his liking to repeat for the next twenty-four hours. It always does this.

The commander, standing up, is struggling to suppress the temptation to get rid of the damn dog. He knows what to keep him from doing so: the volatile is the last reminder of his grandfather Brennon, who was also a navy officer who had already been decorated with a silver coin in the Korean War and then walked away from the service because a rumble had intercepted him while dancing in adamite costume on a sidewalk near an American military brothel (the then famous "Sex Bazooka" in Seoul) that he used to attend. For the military code, nudity was not in itself so reprehensible (at the end of the war the Americans were all still in canvas pants ...), it was not for the fact that the unfortunate contextually wore the cap of the Navy of the United States . He defended the trial saying "I'm innocent, I can explain everything (... omissis)". After forty years, precisely in 1993, the desecration of omissis revealed that the complete sentence was: "I am innocent, I can explain everything. But first let me have another beer! ". Grandfather Brennon fled into the 2012 in his modest house in the green Ohio camps witnessed by Carmen, his faithful and fat Mexican caretaker. Three months earlier, in Brennone, the already miserable retirement war had been revoked in his own time for a mad confusion. The administration had also requested the return of the 587.422 dollars and 28 cents plus interests unduly paid by him from 1953 to 2012, therefore for three months Carmen did not receive any emolument. This did not prevent her from staying close to the old veteran, even because she would not know where to go. His three sons Manolo, Paco and Juan said El Tigre were in fact all offsetting long prison sentences for drug trafficking, homicide, rape and other minor offenses.

With the sheet in hand, the commander goes down the ramp of the bridge and rushes to the missile baton of the bow.

Lieutenant Frank Catozzo on the drummer saw him catching on the watch and greeting.

- Lieutenant Catozzo!

- For orders, sir!

- We've just received orders from Washington. They must be executed immediately, the code is red.

- Received, sir!

- So, let's see ... he says: "A - Make the nautical point"

- Already done, mister commander. The nautical point is automatically established by the navigation system and updated automatically every twenty-eight seconds.

- Great, boy. So ... "B - Objective Shayrat, Syria, GEOS coordinates 342924N / 0365431 / E. Calculate missile trajectory and battery uplift. "

- Just a moment, sir

Lieutenant Catozzo frantically types the data on the keyboard of the launch system. In a few seconds

a flashing green writing stands out on the old Honeywell monitor.

- Done, mister commander. Trajectory established. Raise 38,2 ° battery, already taken into account the weak wind that is currently 12 nodes.

- Great! So, let's see ... ... "C - modify the rise by increasing it by 0,1 °"

- But ... ..

- What's up?

- Mr. commander, if we modify the lift as required the missiles will go crashing ...... .only a second, please ...... .ecco ... ..may crash into 2500 meters beyond the target. We will fail the launch, sir.

- And what is 2500 meters beyond the goal?

- So ...... ... still a second ...... ... here is the satellite map ...... ... There is nothing! We're in the desert area, sir.

- Mmmhhhhh ... .we see. Dimmi Catozzo, on the first day of the academy, what did they teach you about the execution of the orders?

- That a military is required to execute them promptly and tassatively; orders should not be discussed or even interpreted.

- Appo Catozzo. Then proceed to pointing as required.

Lieutenant Catozzo again flips nervously on the keyboard; the big hydraulic engine starts to hiss and the battery from 6X10 starts to rise. Less than a minute and has already reached the required orientation.

- Are we ready for the launch?

- Ready, sir! That is ... ... er ... ..veramente ... ..

- What do you mean, Catozzo?

Lieutenant Catozzo, red in the face and visibly embarrassed, fumbles with his hands with a small metal object that he has just taken out of his pocket.

"You see, sir, just this morning I was clattering and inadvertently left my Zippo lighter in the sun. I think the gas is evaporated.

- So what?

- And so I can not proceed with the launch of the missile launcher

- The system boot? But how does this trigger work?

- Simple, sir. Just fire the fists placed in the back of each missile, at least I think.

- I think? The fuses? Catozzo, what are you saying? I miss the secession war !!!!

- Unfortunately, sir, sir. In the report on the state of the equipment I submit weekly to the command, I need to point out the need to replace the missiles with others with the most up-to-date trigger system.

- And what do they answer you?

- Well ... sir ... .the answers are usually vague. Last time they said that before doing the shopping at the supermarket you have to wait until you have emptied the fridge ... ..

- But I believe? Did you even think so?

- Yes, sir. I think that's how it is done.

- Lieutenant Catozzo! But have you ever launched a missile?

- Never, sir. And there are no practical exercises at the Academy courses.

"And how did they make you nominated for the glittering US Navy launcher?"

- Obviously I have presented the credentials, sir.

- What?

- You see, my great-great-grandfather Calogero was of Italian descent, from a country called Calatafimi, Sicily to be exact. They were homely at home and continued to work in several Catholic churches in Connecticut, inaugurating a tradition that we are proudly portrayed from father to son including the undersigned. At least before enrollment, of course.

- And what does this have to do with the missiles?

- Excuse me sir, I forgot. The family's specialty is to ignite the candles of the main altar of the church, a very similar operation to the instantaneous ignition, of the fuses.

- Yeah, but how do we do this now with your unloader lighter?

- We can activate the emergency procedure Mr. commander.

- And what does it consist of?

- It's the call of the second drummer, Lieutenant Williams.

- So what are you waiting for? We call Lieutenant Williams!

- Received, sir!

Lieutenant Catozzo, wearing the supplied headset, talks covertly with someone, presumably Lieutenant Williams. In a few minutes a tramped sailor reaches the place, snaps on and greets.

- Lieutenant Williams, first platoon, ninth team, second-round missile battery, to orders!

The commander with a vague mistrust looks at the newcomer.

- Lieutenant Williams, do you smoke?

- Yes, sir!

- What kind of lighter do you use?

- No lighter, sir. Use of windproof matches Saffa, Italian production. They are relatively cheap.

- And how are you?

- Excellent and efficient, sir! Apart from the smell of sulfur ....

- And does not make you smell the stench?

- No, sir. I like the smell of sulfur in the morning.

- Mmmhhhh ... .. I have already heard this sentence

- Me too, sir. It's from Apocalypse Now, my favorite movie. At the academy they projected him every Saturday evening.

- Good Williams! At this moment he takes over Lieutenant Catozzo in charge of the bow missile battery. The battery itself is already oriented, we just have to proceed with the launch. The order must be executed immediately!

- For orders, sir!

With great calmness and professionalism, Lieutenant Williams pulled out the box of matches to start the first firing, then the second, the third, and so on. By the seventh, the number one missile fired the combustion and in a drooping stench the weapon decides to start the race. After a few seconds the two missiles also take off, then the three, the four ... ... Within a minute a series of black skiers stands out in the Mediterranean sky. And at each wake add another, and then another again and then ...... ..

The marconist sailor reaches the station out of breath by waving a squared sheet written by an unsteady hand and hands it to the commander.

- So let's see. Then here at the last line there is written :, there is written ......... ..D -DD. Fermaaaaaa! Lieutenant Williams, FERMAAAA! SUSPENDING THE LANCIOOOOOO! DDD !!!!!!

- Please sir?

- We performed points A, B and C. The last point was missing, the D !!!!

"And what does point D say, sir?"

- He says: "Launch 50% of missiles on the target, and be ready to launch the remaining 50% to the next attack order." How many missiles do we have in the stern battery?

- Well, ...... ... no missiles, sir.

- How nobody?

- This ship has no stern battery for over six months. It has been dismantled for a revision and never reassembled.

- And how many missiles do we have in the bow?

- It's a 6X10, sir

"Lieutenant Williams, it is not time to philosophize. I need to know how many missiles we have!

"You see, sir, missile batteries have a typically square or rectangular composition. Just multiply the number of rows for that of the columns and you get the total of missiles. In our case it is a 6X10, so 6X10 = 60

- And how many have we launched so far?

Fifty-nine, sir.

- ... .azz ... It's okay, the launch is suspended. Lieutenant Williams, you can go to the cabin to rest.

- Received, sir and .......... Thanks.

- Thanks for what?

- In five minutes the final of the American League of basketball begins. I've always been a fan of Cincinnati Reds who has excellent chances tonight. Thanks again, sir.

It is night in the skies of the eastern Mediterranean. American, Russian, and Chinese satellites are silently monitoring the Homs area, Syria just made a sign of a burst of missiles left by an American ship. The Lincoln commander has just sent his report to Washington.

After a few hours ......

It is morning, on the Mediterranean. The first rays of sunlight enter the cabin of the bridge of the cruiser Lincoln where the commander Wilson, after a sleepless night, is biting the twelfth slice of toast covered with a thick layer of brownish cream. The smell of peanut butter in the cabin is acrid. Too bit acrid. Fifteen days before due to a twelve-hour blackout due to the failure of an auxiliary power generator, all the refrigerators were temporarily disconnected because they were not considered of high strategic interest; the commander's peanut butter was so hopelessly rancid but he insisted on consuming it as it had become dependent on it since the days of the Second Gulf War. After breakfast, the commander sits at the computer and begins reading domestic and foreign online newspapers.

New York Times, front page.

Title "American missiles on the Syrian base of Shayrat"

Subtitling "Fifty-nine missiles launched by our fleet destroyed the base from which the infamous chemical attack broke. All missiles centered on the goal "

Pravda, the first page

Title "Vile American Attack in the Sovereign State of Syria"

Subtitle "Launched 59 missiles, of which only 28 went to sign. Ten dead all civilians. Limited damage to facilities "

Damascus's Time, front page

Title: "Failed American attack at the base of Sharyat"

Subtitle "All 59 missiles launched missed the airport. After routine checks, the base will return to full operation within 12 hours "

The Missouri Mirror, second page

Title "Mcdonnell Douglas workers exult"

Subtitle "Stop the zero hour layoff for the 600 factory workers in Saint Louis. Announced the signing of the contract for the supply of 120 Tomahawk missiles equipped with the new high technology piezoelectric ignition system. Mcdonnel's shares fly in the stock market. From Monday the activity resumes "

Commander Williams is dark in the face. The sleepless night and the peanut butter overdose are beginning to be felt. It is crumbling when, suddenly, a glittering voice coming from the starboard portlight shuts off the silence of the cockpit.

"Trigger piezoeletrrrricooooo ............. piezoeletrrrricooooo trigger .......... piezoeletrrrricooooo ..........

The hated bird is becoming unbearable.

The sun is already high, in the sky of the eastern Mediterranean. At the bow battery of the Lincoln cruiser the commander in unusually nervous tone of voice imparts dry orders. An hour before he had left Lieutenant Catozzo and had been seen fumbling around the last missile left in the battery.

- Lieutenant Catozzo, I repeat for the last time: A - perform pointing with the same coordinates last night.

- Already done, sir.

- point B and last: RUN THE LAUNCH!

- But, sir, it's the last missile we have! It will also be wasted like the others going to fall in the middle of the desert!

- Lieutenant Catozzo, one o'clock: either execute the orders or I will be forced to refer you to the court martial! For the last time: RUN THE LAUNCH!

Reluctantly, Lieutenant Catozzo finally decides to put his hand at Williams's chambermaid's box.

- But ... ... I apologize, sir

- What's still there?

- I hear a music ... ..like a sound ... ..

- I do not hear anything

- Yes, listen well. It seems to come from that small green object secured with the adhesive tape on the top of the missile. Almost a voice .........

- Just Catozzo. It must be the soul of your Grandfather Calogero calling you to duty. We do not waste any more time. Turn on the candle! That is ... I was saying the fuse!

- To the orders sir!

After a few seconds a buoy breaks the air and the last missile finally sets the flight.

(teacher)