Pacific Deeps

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The USS Obama slipped her mooring ropes, and made ready for sea.

A Virginia Class Attack boat, also known as an SSN 774 Class, the submarine had been commissioned in 2014, and was named after the President of the United States — the present incumbent. The submarine type was a replacement for the old Los Angeles Attack boat, and carried a crew of 134. It had a displacement of 7,900 metric tons, was 377 foot long with a beam of 34 feet. She could dive to 800 foot plus and had a speed of over 35 knots. As well as being nuclear powered, her armament consisted of twelve Tomahawk missiles that were launched from vertical positions, 4 by 533 mm torpedo tubes, and 27 torpedoes and missiles.

Captain Russell Grant followed the progress of the small pilot boat leading them out from the bay at San Diego Naval base. He stood on the bridge in a heavy seagoing reefer trenchcoat, binoculars around his neck, his cool grey eyes everywhere. He was in his early fifties, and a Cold War veteran in its latter stages including Able Archer '83, who knew his way around submarines. He'd previously commanded both Seawolf and Los Angeles boomers.

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