A British Royal Navy Antarctic survey ship

HMS KoolArctic is a British Royal Navy survey, support ship, and icebreaker, that underpins the work of the British Antarctic Survey. Serving a dual purposes in surveillance duties, after concerns of the Chinese and Russian expansion of efforts at the South Pole.

The ship is sometimes referred to as: 'KoolArktiki,' or just 'Arktiki,' after the famous Kontiki raft of explorer Thor Heyerdahl.

KoolArctic replaced HMS Protector, after that vessel suffered a series of mysterious issues, much as with previous naval vessels that were either chartered, or purchased for overt and covert operation at the South Pole, but infrequently commissioned for this purpose. Ultimately, being scrapped or sold on.

In this fictional John Storm ocean awareness adventure, the KoolArctic is damaged when the crew panic, after finding two seamen eaten by something onboard, in such a brutal fashion, that rumours of the supernatural and aliens spread, leading to one mishap after another, and shooting of firearms that damages the ships navigation and controls, rather stranding the ship.

This is reported to the Navy and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, then reaching the PM, Honest Johnson, who decides, that as much of the equipment onboard is hush, hush. It will be better to scuttle the vessel, than let any of that fall into (Cold War) enemy hands. And, the crew appear unable to contain the developing panic onboard the spy ship.

Knowing John Storm has been asked by the British Royal Navy, if he might be able to help out, they give him the rank of Master and Commander, a naval attaché to NATO. He is already a Blue Shield operative and special adviser to the UN.

'Arktiki' is duly scuttled, when 'King-Kong,' the Sectasaur, jumps ships into the freezing South Atlantic ocean. John already has an inkling what might have happened, though he cannot quite believe it. He has seen some unbelievable things in his time. He suspects that the alien onboard KoolArctic, is somehow, a dinosaur giant insect.

COMMANDER'S & ATTACHES

People often wonder how long it takes to become a commander in the Royal Navy. The answer is about twenty-two years. A new Ensign at 22 upon graduation from the Naval Academy, ROTC, or OCS, would promote to Lieutenant, Junior Grade in 2 years, Lieutenant in 2 more years (4 total), Lieutenant Commander in 6 years (10 total), Commander in another 6 years (16 total), and Captain in another 6 years, for 22 total.

A commander in the Royal Navy is senior to an officer holding the rank of lieutenant commander but junior to a captain. A commander may command a frigate, destroyer, submarine, mine countermeasures squadron, fishery protection squadron, patrol boat squadron, aviation squadron or shore installation, or may serve on a staff. Formerly equivalent to the Army rank of major, a commander is now equivalent in rank to a lieutenant colonel in the British Army or a wing commander in the Royal Air Force. The rank of wing commander was derived from the naval rank of commander via the usage in the World War I Royal Naval Air Service. 

A military attaché or defence attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission, often an embassy. This type of attaché post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer, who retains a commission while serving with a diplomatic mission. Opportunities sometimes arise for service in the field with military forces of another sovereign state. The attache has the privileges of a foreign diplomat. 

An early example, General Edward Stopford Claremont, served as the first British military attaché (at first described as "military commissioner") based in Paris for 25 years from 1856 to 1881. Though based in the embassy, he was attached to the French army command during the Crimean War of 1853–1856 and later campaigns.

The functions of a military attaché are illustrated by actions of U.S. military attachés in Japan around the time of the Russo-Japanese war of 1904–1905. A series of military officers had been assigned to the American diplomatic mission in Tokyo since 1901, when the U.S. and Japan were co-operating closely in response to the Boxer Rebellion of 1899-1901 in China. The military attaché advised the United States Ambassador to Japan on military matters, acted as a liaison between United States Army and the Imperial General Headquarters, and gathered and disseminated intelligence. The military attaché's office in Tokyo usually had two assistants and a number of "language officers" who were assigned specifically to learn Japanese while attached to Imperial Japanese Army regiments as observers. These "language officers" translated training and technical manuals and reported on conditions in Japanese military units.

During the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), military attachés from many Western military organizations served as observers with the land and naval forces of Russia and of Japan. The United States Army detailed eight officers to serve as military attachés with opposing forces in the field; and all served from the start of hostilities in 1904 through the signing of the peace protocols in September 1905. After the war, the reports of British officers attached to the Japanese forces in the field were combined and published in four volumes. During this conflict, some attachés served primarily in Manchuria, and others served primarily in Tokyo. Some, like Italian naval officer Ernesto Burzagli, saw service both at sea and in Tokyo.

The agreed conditions that allow military attachés to gather information can be misunderstood with fatal results. United States military attaché Maj. Arthur D. Nicholson was killed on March 24, 1985, while photographing a military installation in East Germany 160 kilometres (100 mi) northwest of Berlin. He was reportedly observing from a point not marked off-limits, though near a place that was. According to Sgt. Jessie Schatz, Nicholson's driver, there were no warning shots and the Soviets refused to give Nicholson medical attention for nearly an hour. His role had been agreed to by the United States and the Soviet Union. Soviet liaison-teams were conducting similar missions in West Germany. These tours had evolved into a legalized form of intelligence-gathering, usually accepted by both sides. The killing became a diplomatic incident. In retaliation, the United States expelled Soviet military attaché Stanislav Gromov, who was selected for his effectiveness in collecting intelligence on the United States for the Soviet Union from his post in Washington.

One has to be just as careful being a military attaché, as being a full blow secret service agent. As a spy, John Storm is fully aware of the dangers. But with Dan Hawk and Hal watching his back, and with Charley Temple providing up front intelligence, he feels the odds are in his favour.

Commander John Storm RN, hails the 'KoolArctic' British Antarctic survey ship from the helm of the Elizabeth Swann. John, Dan and Charley, are adjusting to the sub zero South Pole temperatures, by dressing in warmer gear. John has always been a fan of the famous explorers: Sir Ernest Shackleton and Captain Robert Scott.

SECTASAUR CAST