Tiger Cruise by Douglas Morgan

The Strait of Malacca is the busiest shipping lane in the world . . . and it's a nest of pirates. These days, they're using modern methods.

The USS Cushing is coming home from the Persian Gulf on a course through the Straits. It's a good ship, a Spruance-class lean, fast, and armed to the teeth, with a few Special Weapons in her hold. But there's a major typhoon coming her way. Worse, the Cushing's been assigned to carry a batch of Tigers-civilians, family members-from Diego Garcia to Yokosuka.

When, under cover of the storm, the Cushing is boarded and cut off from her battle group, only the bravery of a few Americans aboard stands between those ruthless pirates and her Special Weapons. Making matters worse, the Australian navy has an idea what's up, and they have their own nation's security to worry about. All of which adds up to a deadly three-cornered game in which the men and women of the Cushing will have to contend with both their enemies and their allies-and with the sea itself-if they ever want to see home again.