Chapter 44: Sabotage and Sickness on the Belgorod
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens with Captain Konstantin observing the Klavesin submersible pilot Galkin struggling to free the cutting head, which is jammed about halfway through a cable due to compression-induced friction. Morozov reads from an unhelpful manual as Konstantin tries to remain composed. Called to the control room, Konstantin learns that sonar has detected a 151‑hertz signal – the signature of the noise augmentation device. He is furious that the conning officer, Blok, initially mistook it for an American submarine. Realizing the device is on their own vessel, Konstantin heads aft to investigate. En route, he suffers a severe internal pain attack, which he dismisses as indigestion but which is clearly worsening over time. In the engine room, Tarasov confirms the device is missing from its original installation point and from the storage locker where he thought he had placed it. Someone has taken it and turned it on. Konstantin orders Tarasov to find and destroy the noisemaker, then to hunt down the saboteur.
Key Events
- The Klavesin's cutting head becomes stuck mid-cut; the pilot Galkin loses patience with the manual’s lack of practical guidance.
- Konstantin is summoned to the control room because sonar picked up a 151‑hertz signal.
- He quickly identifies the signal as coming from the Belgorod’s own noise augmentation device, not an enemy sub.
- Konstantin suffers a violent internal pain episode in a passageway, which he hides from the crew.
- He and Tarasov discover the noise augmentation device has been removed from its storage locker and is now operating somewhere on the submarine.
- Konstantin’s memory wavers: he is unsure whether he actually saw Tarasov remove the device or imagined it.
- The captain orders the sabotage to be undone and the saboteur eliminated.
Character Development
Captain Konstantin
This chapter deepens his physical deterioration. The “flaming sword” pain is becoming more frequent and intense, and he privately admits he may soon need narcotics or become bedridden. His memory is also faltering: he cannot trust his recollection of seeing Tarasov remove the device. Despite this, he maintains a commanding presence, forcing himself to stand straight and project authority. His rage flares when he realizes the submarine has been sabotaged from within, but he channels it into decisive orders. The combination of bodily decline and cognitive uncertainty makes him a fragile yet determined leader.
Tarasov
The engineer is initially confident that he removed the device, but the discovery that it is missing shakes him. He quickly accepts the reality of sabotage and takes personal responsibility to fix the problem. He shows loyalty and competence by immediately volunteering to locate and destroy the device.
Galkin
The submersible pilot is short‑tempered and critical of the equipment and manual, but he is easily cowed by Konstantin’s authority. His frustration highlights the technical limitations of the Klavesin and the pressure of operating under deep‑sea conditions.
Blok
The conning officer makes a costly error by misidentifying the 151‑hertz signal. His nervous guilt shows that he fears Konstantin’s reaction, and his mistake underscores the crew’s lack of readiness for the noise augmentation device’s potential to be used against them.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Internal versus External Threat
The enemy is no longer only outside the hull; the noise device was placed by somebody inside the crew. The sabotage echoes Konstantin’s own internal disease – both are hidden, destructive forces that erode the submarine’s security from within.
Memory and Truth
Konstantin’s faltering memory calls into question what is real. He doubts whether he witnessed the device’s removal, a moment that could be crucial for identifying the saboteur. This motif of unreliable recollection raises the stakes for his leadership.
Pain and Duty
Konstantin’s pain episodes are a private ordeal he must conceal to maintain crew confidence. His determination to “hang on a little longer” suggests he is sacrificing his health for the mission, mirroring the submarine’s own hidden vulnerabilities.
Mechanical Failure as Symbol
The jammed cutting head serves as a physical parallel: just as the saw is stuck halfway through the cable, so is the mission stuck partway through its objective. The interference of the noise augmentation device adds another layer of obstruction.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 44 is a turning point because it confirms that the Belgorod is compromised by a saboteur, not merely by accident or technical fault. The 151‑hertz signal was previously believed to be a tool for deception, but now it becomes a beacon betraying the submarine’s position. Konstantin’s health crisis is also escalating, raising the question of how long he can function as captain. This chapter sets up the immediate goal of silencing the device and the longer‑term mystery of who among the crew is the traitor. It also intensifies the already high tension by merging two threats – one physiological, one operational – into a single crisis.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Konstantin immediately recognize the 151‑hertz signal as coming from his own submarine?
He knows the frequency matches the noise augmentation device that was installed on the Belgorod. His anger at Blok’s failure to make the same deduction shows that the captain trusts his own knowledge over the sonar team’s analysis. -
How does Konstantin’s physical condition affect his performance in this chapter?
The sudden pain attack nearly incapacitates him in the passageway, but he forces himself to continue. His shortness of breath while running to the engine room and his reliance on Tarasov to sprint ahead suggest declining stamina. The pain also disturbs his memory, making him question past observations. -
What does the discovery of the missing noise device imply about the crew’s loyalty?
It proves that a crew member deliberately removed the device from secure storage and activated it. Since only crew with access to the engine room and knowledge of the device could have done this, the saboteur is likely someone within the inner circle. This betrayal threatens the entire mission and forces Konstantin to suspect his own men.