Chapter 235
February 13th, 2021, 18:40
The deep sea, N 30° 4′ E 131° 5′ from southern Tanega Island, Kyushu, Japan (the Yang Se-bong’s location)
The two nuclear submarines that had continued to emit pings moved past the Hocula submarines. When they were about 3km away from them, the American submarines suddenly changed their route portside.
“What the...?”
Sergeant First Class Kim Hyung-min, who had been watching the movements of the two nuclear submarines noticed something was wrong as he looked at the sonar monitor and the analysis the Hocula supercomputer was making.
“Both nuclear submarines have turned portside and rapidly changing their direction!”
The operations director rushed to the scene to check the sonar monitor.
“What are they up to? Why are they doing that?”
The operations director also could not understand the enemy’s strange movements and felt uneasy. A report from the sonar operator confirmed their suspicions.
“Sir! The Corpus Christi’s injecting their launch tubes! The Houston is also injecting their’s as well!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, sir. Both vessels are injecting two launch tubes each.”
The two nuclear submarines all turned portside sharply and were sucking up the ocean water to inject into their launch tubes.
-Captain! Both nuclear subs have changed their routes portside! Each of them is injecting two of their launch tubes, sir!”
Captain Kim Jin-joon, immediately gave out orders after listening to the report.
“Are the enemy vessels still sending out active sonar pings?”
-No, sir. They are no longer using their active sonars.
“Set Corpus Christi as the 1st target and the Houston as our second. Insert the sonar patterns for each target to launch tubes 1 and 2 and stand by.
-Yes, sir.
Captain Kim Jin-joon had been ordered by the navy’s operations HQ to just keep watch, therefore he could not attack the nuclear submarines despite being ready to strike.
“First mate! Send an encrypted message to the operations headquarters! The American subs have changed their position to take the offensive! Request to strike first!”
“Sending the message now, sir.”
Meanwhile, at the Corpus Christi (SSN-705)...
“Target 1 and 2’s sonar patterns have been inputted!”
“Check the point where we could launch our torpedoes.”
“Eighty-one more seconds before launch! We will be able to launch them by then, sir.”
“I hope we are not too hasty.”
Captain Robert Harley had read the encrypted message. After doing so, he transitioned from using active to passive sonars and ordered his crew to make a turn portside. Then, he ordered his crew to inject four launch tubes and insert the sonar patterns for each submarine to two torpedoes.
The encrypted message claimed that the U.S was now at war against Corea under the president’s orders and was to conduct military operations against the nation. Captain Harley had presumed these two unidentified submarines to be from Corea and had given the orders.
A moment later, the Corpus Christi (SSN-705) and Houston (SSN-713) that had been turning portside, opened up their muzzle doors. The eight rounds of 533mm Mk 48 torpedoes shot out from their launch tubes and began to propel forward.
“We have launched two hard-wired torpedoes, and two active sonar torpedoes successfully, captain. The Houston had followed suit as well.” The arms man reported to the captain after hearing all the reports from both submarines.
“Torpedo 1 is 99 seconds away from reaching target 1, torpedo 2 is 101 seconds away, torpedo 3 at 103, and torpedo 4 is at 105 seconds!”
“We cut off contact with the hard-wired torpedoes when they are 1000 away from the target.”
The Corpus Christi (SSN-705) had targeted the Yang Se-bong (SSP-85) while the Houston (SSN-713) had targeted the Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86). Four torpedoes were sailing through the deep sea at a speed of 55 knots.
Meanwhile at the Yang Se-bong (SSP-85) ...
As they waited for the response from the navy’s operations command, a report of eight torpedoes being launched came up to the battle station and the control room.
-There are four torpedoes in total heading towards us. Two are hard-wired while the other two are guided by active sonar. The 1st round is 95 seconds away while the 2nd is at 97, 3rd at 99, and the 4th at 101 seconds away from reaching us.
The large screen at the helm showed the enemy torpedoes as red blinking dots heading towards them at fast speeds.
“First mate! Did the navy’s operations command respond to us yet?”
“Not yet, sir.”
“Damn it!”
Since the situation was dire, Captain Kim Jin-joon bit his lower lip out of anxiety. He couldn’t just wait forever, so he gave out orders.
“We respond by hard kill. Load launch tubes 1 through 4 with the Great White torpedoes and insert the sonar patterns. As soon as they are finished, launch them without waiting for orders.”
“First Mate! Tell the Lee Un-hyung to attack at their own discretion as well!”
“Yes, captain.”
-Great White torpedoes 1 through 4 have been loaded and sonar patterns have been inputted! Launching after countdown!
The arms man repeated the captain’s orders and manipulated the console. After finishing the three-stage process, the arms man pressed the launch button.
The newly created plasma torpedo launch tubes that had taken the advantage of the air pressure launching system and the self-propelled system opened their muzzle doors. Then, the four hard-wired Great White torpedoes used the momentum from the plasma magnetic fields to shoot out from their launch tubes and to their targets.
“All four hard-wired Great White torpedoes have been launched successfully! 44, 45, and 47 seconds from reaching their targets. The Lee Un-hyung has also launched their own Great White A torpedoes.”
“Cut off the connection when they are 1000 away from their targets.”
The distance between the Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86), Yang Se-bong (SSP-85), and the Houston nuclear submarine (SSN-713) was only about 2.2km. Captain Oh Hyun from the Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86) had judged that they were short on time, so he had attempted to intercept the enemy torpedoes using the super-cavitating Great White A torpedoes. The Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86) was in a more dire situation compared to the Yang Se-bong (SSP-86).
In the dark, deep sea 150m below the surface, 16 torpedoes that had been launched from both sides were speeding towards each other. The super-cavitating torpedo Great White A had collided with the enemy torpedoes first, and a large shockwave shook the entire area that had been silent just moments before.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sonar operator of the Yang Se-bong (SSP-85) reported about the collision.
“Three of the enemy torpedoes headed towards the Lee Un-hyung have exploded! It seems they failed to intercept one of the torpedoes, sir.”
The sonar operator who had been waiting for the 4th explosion reported in after not hearing it in the expected time.
“They failed? Damn it!”
The operations director grabbed his forehead and shouted. Additional reports from the sonar operator came in.
“The Lee Un-hyung is rising to the surface, sir.”
The Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86) was attempting to avoid danger by rising to the surface after failing to intercept the 4th enemy torpedo.
Meanwhile, the four torpedoes headed towards the Yang Se-bong (SSP-85) had luckily been intercepted by all of their Great White torpedoes.
“All four enemy torpedoes have been intercepted.”
A few seconds after the sonar operator reported in, a large shockwave from a torpedo explosion shook the entire submarine.
Boooooom~
Captain Kim Jin-joon, who had been listening to everything going on at the battle station asked about the Lee Un-hyung’s (SSP-86) status.
“What about the Lee Un-hyung?”
-The Lee Un-hyung has risen, but the enemy torpedo has changed its course and tailing it. They are 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Boom!
-The enemy torpedo has exploded. We are unable to check the Lee Un-hyung’s status! Please hold, sir.
When the Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86) rose to the surface, one surviving Mk 48 torpedo from the hard-kill transitioned from its hard-wired guidance to the active sonar stage. The torpedo had used its active sonar to detect the Lee Un-hyung’s (SSP-86) path and continued to tail it. When it was 50m away from the target, it exploded.
A large bubble split in two and collapsed on each other. The bubble storm had struck the bottom of the Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86) and engulfed the entire sub.
“Damn it.”
Sergeant first class Kim Hyung-min, the Yang Se-bong’s (SSP-85) sonar operator, took off his headset and grasped his head. The shockwave and the sounds of a vessel being torn apart had caused him pain.
The operations director shook Sergeant Kim’s shoulder and asked. “What happened? Did they get hit?”
“It seems to be that way, sir.”
“Sergeant Kim! Give me a straight report!”
Sergeant Kim Hyung-min put the headset back on and answered the operations director. “It didn’t sound like a direct impact, but I definitely heard the hull being torn apart by the shockwave, sir.”
The blue dot on the sonar monitor representing the Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86) did not show up from the bubble storm.
“Damn the Americans...”
The captain’s angry voice came from the helm.
“The battle is not over yet. Keep your wits about!”
Captain Kim Jin-joong was mild-tempered and never raised his voice during training. When operations director Captain Song Ki-young and sonar operator Sergeant first class Kim Hyung-jin had heard him shout, they came back to their senses.
-Sorry, captain!
“Keep your focus while in battle! Alright?”
-Yes, sir.
First mate, Major Na Kang-soo, came up to Captain Kim Jin-joong yelling at his wrist-watch communicator. “Sir, it’s from the navy’s operations command.”
“Took them long enough. Fuck!”
Captain Kim Jin-joong, who had snatched the encrypted message off of the first mate’s hands, thought to himself as he read the message. “If they had told us to attack, then we wouldn’t have lost the Lee Un-hyung!”
Captain Kim Jin-joong crumpled up the encrypted message and shouted his orders. “Helmsman! Set our azimuth to 1-8-5 and a full turn portside! Set our diving angle to 10 and depth to 170, speed at 10 knots.”
“Azimuth to 1-8-5 full turn portside! Diving angle to 10, and depth up to 170, speed at 10 knots.”
-Arms man! Load launch tubes 1 through 4 with the Great White A torpedoes! Load 5 through 8 with the Great White torpedoes! Insert the sonar patterns for target 1 at torpedoes 1 and 2! Insert sonar patterns for target 2 for torpedoes 3 and 4! Torpedoes 5 through 8 are on standby!
The encrypted message crumpled up by Captain Kim Jin-joon said he had permission to engage in battle against the American forces under the authorization of Corea’s commander in chief. A few hours ago, Chairman Kang Ui-sik from the Joint Chief of Staff had alerted the entire military about the official war against America. The navy’s operations command had sent the content to the Yang Se-bong (SSP-86) as well.
-All sonar patterns have been inputted for the Great White A torpedoes from launch tubes 1 through 4, sir!
-The enemy has launched a second wave of torpedoes. Four rounds are headed towards us. They are 110 seconds away from impact.
The torpedo arms man’s report was followed up by the sonar operator’s.
-Open the muzzle doors!
-Opening the muzzle doors!
-Launch starting from torpedo 1!
-Torpedo 1 launch! Torpedo 2 launch! Torpedo 3 launch! Torpedo 4 launch!
-Enemy torpedoes are 91, and 92 seconds away from reaching us...
-Torpedo 1 is 12, 13, 14, and 15 seconds away from reaching the enemy...
The super-cavitating torpedoes Great White A raised their speed to 500 knots and glided towards the two American nuclear submarines.
Meanwhile, the Corpus Christi (SSN-705) and the Houston (SSN-713) was in shock from the super-cavitating torpedo attacks made by the unidentified submarines. However, the surviving Mk 48 torpedo had struck one of the unidentified submarines, and they were drunk on victory. Then, they launched two rounds each towards the surviving submarines for a total of four torpedoes to make their second attack.
However, the appearance of the super-cavitating torpedo made the combat intelligence center of the Corpus Christi and Houston go into an uproar. They could not react to the Great White A torpedoes traveling at the speed of 500 knots with only 3km between them. There was not enough time.
“Inject launch tubes 3 and 4, launch as soon as they are ready!”
Captain Robert Harley of the Corpus Christi (SSN-705) gave the order to intercept the enemy torpedoes by hard kill. However, the Great White A torpedoes were already within 1km from them in the blink of an eye.
Boom! Boom!
The muzzle doors opened, and the Mk 48 torpedoes were about to leave the launch tubes! However, the 7000t LA class nuclear submarines the Corpus Christi (SSN-705) and Houston (SSN-713) were struck by two rounds of the Great White A torpedoes each and were torn to pieces.
Boooom! Bang!
February 13th, 2021, 18:40
The deep sea, N 30° 4′ E 131° 5′ from southern Tanega Island, Kyushu, Japan (the Yang Se-bong’s location)
The two nuclear submarines that had continued to emit pings moved past the Hocula submarines. When they were about 3km away from them, the American submarines suddenly changed their route portside.
“What the...?”
Sergeant First Class Kim Hyung-min, who had been watching the movements of the two nuclear submarines noticed something was wrong as he looked at the sonar monitor and the analysis the Hocula supercomputer was making.
“Both nuclear submarines have turned portside and rapidly changing their direction!”
The operations director rushed to the scene to check the sonar monitor.
“What are they up to? Why are they doing that?”
The operations director also could not understand the enemy’s strange movements and felt uneasy. A report from the sonar operator confirmed their suspicions.
“Sir! The Corpus Christi’s injecting their launch tubes! The Houston is also injecting their’s as well!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, sir. Both vessels are injecting two launch tubes each.”
The two nuclear submarines all turned portside sharply and were sucking up the ocean water to inject into their launch tubes.
-Captain! Both nuclear subs have changed their routes portside! Each of them is injecting two of their launch tubes, sir!”
Captain Kim Jin-joon, immediately gave out orders after listening to the report.
“Are the enemy vessels still sending out active sonar pings?”
-No, sir. They are no longer using their active sonars.
“Set Corpus Christi as the 1st target and the Houston as our second. Insert the sonar patterns for each target to launch tubes 1 and 2 and stand by.
-Yes, sir.
Captain Kim Jin-joon had been ordered by the navy’s operations HQ to just keep watch, therefore he could not attack the nuclear submarines despite being ready to strike.
“First mate! Send an encrypted message to the operations headquarters! The American subs have changed their position to make the offensive! Request to strike first!”
“Sending the message now, sir.”
Meanwhile, at the Corpus Christi (SSN-705)...
“Target 1 and 2’s sonar patterns have been inputted!”
“Check the point where we could launch our torpedoes.”
“Eighty-one more seconds before launch! We will be able to launch them by then, sir.”
“I hope we are not too hasty.”
Captain Robert Harley had read the encrypted message. After doing so, he transitioned from using active to passive sonars and ordered his crew to make a turn portside. Then, he ordered his crew to inject four launch tubes and insert the sonar patterns for each submarine to two torpedoes.
The encrypted message claimed that the U.S was now at war against Corea under the president’s orders and were to conduct military operations against the nation. Captain Harley had presumed these two unidentified submarines to be from Corea and had given the orders.
A moment later, the Corpus Christi (SSN-705) and Houston (SSN-713) that had been turning portside, opened up their muzzle doors. The eight rounds of 533mm Mk 48 torpedoes shot out from their launch tubes and began to propel forward.
“We have launched two hard-wired torpedoes, and two active sonar torpedoes successfully, captain. The Houston had followed suit as well.” The arms man reported to the captain after hearing all the reports from both submarines.
“Torpedo 1 is 99 seconds away from reaching target 1, torpedo 2 is 101 seconds away, torpedo 3 at 103 and torpedo 4 is at 105 seconds!”
“We cut off contact with the hard-wired torpedoes when they are 1000 away from the target.”
The Corpus Christi (SSN-705) had targeted the Yang Se-bong (SSP-85) while the Houston (SSN-713) had targeted the Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86). Four torpedoes were sailing through the deep sea at a speed of 55 knots.
Meanwhile at the Yang Se-bong (SSP-85) ...
As they waited for the response from the navy’s operations command, a report of eight torpedoes being launched came up to the battle station and the control room.
-There are four torpedoes in total heading towards us. Two are hard-wired while the other two are guided by active sonar. The 1st round is 95 seconds away while the 2nd is at 97, 3rd at 99 and the 4th at 101 seconds away from reaching us.
The large screen at the helm showed the enemy torpedoes as red blinking dots heading towards them at fast speeds.
“First mate! Did the navy’s operations command respond to us yet?”
“Not yet, sir.”
“Damn it!”
Since the situation was dire, Captain Kim Jin-joon bit his lower lip out of anxiety. He couldn’t just wait forever, so he gave out orders.
“We respond by hard kill. Load launch tubes 1 through 4 with the Great White torpedoes and insert the sonar patterns. As soon as they are finished, launch them without waiting for orders.”
“First Mate! Tell the Lee Un-hyung to attack at their own discretion as well!”
“Yes, captain.”
-Great White torpedoes 1 through 4 have been loaded and sonar patterns have been inputted! Launching after countdown!
The arms man repeated the captain’s orders and manipulated the console. After finishing the three-stage process, the arms man pressed the launch button.
The newly created plasma torpedo launch tubes that had taken the advantages of the air pressure launching system and the self-propelled system opened their muzzle doors. Then, the four hard-wired Great White torpedoes used the momentum from the plasma magnetic fields to shoot out from their launch tubes and to their targets.
“All four hard-wired Great White torpedoes have been launched successfully! 44, 45, and 47 seconds from reaching their targets. The Lee Un-hyung has also launched their own Great White A torpedoes.”
“Cut off the connection when they are 1000 away from their targets.”
The distance between the Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86), Yang Se-bong (SSP-85) and the Houston nuclear submarine (SSN-713) was only about 2.2km. Captain Oh Hyun from the Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86) had judged that they were short on time, so he had attempted to intercept the enemy torpedoes using the super-cavitating Great White A torpedoes. The Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86) was in a more dire situation compared to the Yang Se-bong (SSP-86).
In the dark, deep sea 150m below the surface, 16 torpedoes that had been launched from both sides were speeding towards each other. The super-cavitating torpedo Great White A had collided with the enemy torpedoes first, and a large shockwave shook the entire area that had been silent just moments before.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sonar operator of the Yang Se-bong (SSP-85) reported about the collision.
“Three of the enemy torpedoes headed towards the Lee Un-hyung have exploded! It seems they failed to intercept one of the torpedoes, sir.”
The sonar operator who had been waiting for the 4th explosion reported in after not hearing it in the expected time.
“They failed? Damn it!”
The operations director grabbed his forehead and shouted. Additional reports from the sonar operator came in.
“The Lee Un-hyung is rising to the surface, sir.”
The Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86) was attempting to avoid danger by rising to the surface after failing to intercept the 4th enemy torpedo.
Meanwhile, the four torpedoes headed towards the Yang Se-bong (SSP-85) had luckily been intercepted by all of their Great White torpedoes.
“All four enemy torpedoes have been intercepted.”
A few seconds after the sonar operator reported in, a large shockwave from a torpedo explosion shook the entire submarine.
Boooooom~
Captain Kim Jin-joon, who had been listening to everything going on at the battle station asked about the Lee Un-hyung’s (SSP-86) status.
“What about the Lee Un-hyung?”
-The Lee Un-hyung has risen, but the enemy torpedo has changed its course and tailing it. They are 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Boom!
-The enemy torpedo has exploded. We are unable to check the Lee Un-hyung’s status! Please hold, sir.
When the Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86) rose to the surface, one surviving Mk 48 torpedo from the hard kill transitioned from its hard-wired guidance to the active sonar stage. The torpedo had used its active sonar to detect the Lee Un-hyung’s (SSP-86) path and continued to tail it. When it was 50m away from the target, it exploded.
A large bubble split in two and collapsed on each other. The bubble storm had struck the bottom of the Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86) and engulfed the entire sub.
“Damn it.”
Sergeant first class Kim Hyung-min, the Yang Se-bong’s (SSP-85) sonar operator, took off his headset and grasped his head. The shockwave and the sounds of a vessel being torn apart had caused him pain.
The operations director shook Sergeant Kim’s shoulder and asked. “What happened? Did they get hit?”
“It seems to be that way, sir.”
“Sergeant Kim! Give me a straight report!”
Sergeant Kim Hyung-min put the headset back on and answered the operations director. “It didn’t sound like a direct impact, but I definitely heard the hull being torn apart by the shockwave, sir.”
The blue dot on the sonar monitor representing the Lee Un-hyung (SSP-86) did not show up from the bubble storm.
“Damn the Americans...”
The captain’s angry voice came from the helm.
“The battle is not over yet. Keep your wits about!”
Captain Kim Jin-joong was mild tempered and never raised his voice during training. When operations director Captain Song Ki-young and sonar operator Sergeant first class Kim Hyung-jin had heard him shout, they came back to their senses.
-Sorry, captain!
“Keep your focus while in battle! Alright?”
-Yes, sir.
First mate, Major Na Kang-soo, came up to Captain Kim Jin-joong yelling at his wrist-watch communicator. “Sir, it’s from the navy’s operations command.”
“Took them long enough. Fuck!”
Captain Kim Jin-joong, who had snatched the encrypted message off of the first mate’s hands, thought to himself as he read the message. “If they had told us to attack, then we wouldn’t have lost the Lee Un-hyung!”
Captain Kim Jin-joong crumpled up the encrypted message and shouted his orders. “Helmsman! Set our azimuth to 1-8-5 and a full turn portside! Set our diving angle to 10 and depth to 170, speed at 10 knots.”
“Azimuth to 1-8-5 full turn portside! Diving angle to 10, and depth up to 170, speed at 10 knots.”
-Arms man! Load launch tubes 1 through 4 with the Great White A torpedoes! Load 5 through 8 with the Great White torpedoes! Insert the sonar patterns for target 1 at torpedoes 1 and 2! Insert sonar patterns for target 2 for torpedoes 3 and 4! Torpedoes 5 through 8 are on standby!
The encrypted message crumpled up by Captain Kim Jin-joon said he had permission to engage in battle against the American forces under the authorization of Corea’s commander in chief. A few hours ago, Chairman Kang Ui-sik from the Joint Chief of Staff had alerted the entire military about the official war against America. The navy’s operations command had sent the content to the Yang Se-bong (SSP-86) as well.
-All sonar patterns have been inputted for the Great White A torpedoes from launch tubes 1 through 4, sir!
-The enemy has launched a second wave of torpedoes. Four rounds are headed towards us. They are 110 seconds away from impact.
The torpedo arms man’s report was followed up by the sonar operator’s.
-Open the muzzle doors!
-Opening the muzzle doors!
-Launch starting from torpedo 1!
-Torpedo 1 launch! Torpedo 2 launch! Torpedo 3 launch! Torpedo 4 launch!
-Enemy torpedoes are 91, and 92 seconds away from reaching us...
-Torpedo 1 is 12, 13, 14, and 15 seconds away from reaching the enemy...
The super-cavitating torpedoes Great White A raised their speed to 500 knots and glided towards the two American nuclear submarines.
Meanwhile, the Corpus Christi (SSN-705) and the Houston (SSN-713) was in shock from the super-cavitating torpedo attacks made by the unidentified submarines. However, the surviving Mk 48 torpedo had struck one of the unidentified submarines, and they were drunk on victory. Then, they launched two rounds each towards the surviving submarines for a total of four torpedoes to make their second attack.
However, the appearance of the super-cavitating torpedo made the combat intelligence center of the Corpus Christi and Houston go into an uproar. They could not react to the Great White A torpedoes traveling at the speed of 500 knots with only 3km between them. There was not enough time.
“Inject launch tubes 3 and 4, launch as soon as they are ready!”
Captain Robert Harley of the Corpus Christi (SSN-705) gave the order to intercept the enemy torpedoes by hard kill. However, the Great White A torpedoes were already within 1km from them in the blink of an eye.
Boom! Boom!
The muzzle doors opened, and the Mk 48 torpedoes were about to leave the launch tubes! However, the 7000t LA class nuclear submarines the Corpus Christi (SSN-705) and Houston (SSN-713) were struck by two rounds of the Great White A torpedoes each and were torn to pieces.
Boooom! Bang!
Follow current novℯls on f(r)eewebnov𝒆l