Chereads / Voyage to the Past / Chapter 8 - Kurama first battle

Chapter 8 - Kurama first battle

After receiving confirmation from the unknown ship about the meeting, Admiral Yamamoto immediately leaves his cabin and heading to where the seaplane already prepared to depart.

"Watanabe, proceed according to the plan if no significant matter coming. I leave the fleet in your hand while I'm away"

"Yes, Sir, but if you leave at a time like this, would you able to return before the offense launched?"

"It depends on how the negotiation going. Well, at least I can ask them to drop me by somewhere hahaha….alright time to go"

Watanabe only speechless after hearing Admiral Yamamoto just said and watch his figure climb on the seaplane on the Yamato's deck.

"Okay Sawamura, let's go"

"Yes, sir"

The seaplane catapulted from the deck and flying toward the coordinate that sent before. It's a flight that will decide the fate of Imperial Japan Navy in the future.

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Two hours later….

Inside USS Flying Fish

"Captain Davis, we're about to arrive at the destination point"

"Half speed, up to periscope level"

"Aye, Sir"

Slowly USS Flying Fish start floating above until the depth when periscope can be elevated. After the periscope was up, Captain Davis start to observe the surrounding.

"Gotcha!!"

"Sir, what you see?"

"A ship, definitely not ours, distance 5000…I see two deck guns…destroyer type? But not something from Kaze class. She doesn't move and I don't see any combustion smokes from the boiler...maybe they had engine malfunction. That radio message before maybe request help to tow the ship back to their base"

"So captain…we attack?"

"Although seems easy a target still a target. All crew, battle station, trim down ten degrees 30 depth speed 8. Approach carefully, release torpedoes when we reach 2000 distance" (that means dive down with 10-degree angle into 30 meters depth with speed 8 knots, attack commence at 2000 meters distance-author)

"Aye sir"

There's no alarm for the battle station just oral command from the intern communication device and all USS Flying Fish immediately standby on their respective post, ready to engage in battle.

Slowly USS Flying Fish approaching DD-144 Kurama from the deep of Pacific Ocean water

4500 meters…

4000 meters….

3000 meters….

2000 meters….

"Trim up ten-degree …stabilize….prepare torpedo launcher 1 and 2"

"Tube no 1 and 2 are ready, Sir!"

"Open launcher tube no 1 and 2"

"Fire torpedo no 1 and no.2!!"

With the command from Captain Davis, two MK14 torpedoes launched from USS Flying Fish toward DDH-144 Kurama.

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At the same time, on the bridge of DDH-144 Kurama attack alert was ringing. It starts when the crew on the passive sonar detected something moving in the screen.

"Captain! Behind us, portside 220 degrees, detected torpedoes coming fast, speed 40 knots!! Distance 1950 two minutes until impact"

"What!! Turn battle station alert on, all crew to their position, start the engine, full starboard, make evasion move like on the drill!"

"Aye Sir!"

Although surprised Captain Ichiro stay calm and give the appropriate order to his crew. The engine of Kurama ship ignites and gives the power to Kurama to move in less than 30 seconds. Kurama starts to make evasion move while the torpedoes keep approaching and the distance getting near.

"How far that torpedoes from us?"

"300 meters, Sir"

Faces of Kurama's crew shows anxiousness, although they had trained to such condition, still it's their first real battle where their life in stake.

"

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"Captain Davis! That ship starts their engine!"

"Hahaha….that's too late, right? It needs hours before she can move. Alright rise to periscope depth, I want to see our torpedoes hit her"

"Haha…that's true, Captain"

USS Flying fish rise until periscope depth and raise the periscope.

"Huh? What the f*ck! How come that ship suddenly moves?"

From the periscope, Captain Davis can see DDH-144 Kurama sudden movement, only within seconds from when he gets report their engine started.

"WHAT?? That's impossible"

Other crew who laugh together with Captain Davis also surprised with that.

"No, that's true. I can hear propeller sounds and ship movement"

The sonar crew although can't see the DDH-144 Kurama movement, but he can hear from the sonar instrument in front of him.

"Can we hit them? How long until the impact?"

"Ten seconds until impact!"

10…

9…

8…

7…

6…

Captain Davis watches the ship from periscope anxiously, the torpedoes almost reach its target but that ship also starts moving.

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

0…

That ship manages to evade incoming torpedoes in the nick of time. The torpedoes passed around 20 meters behind the ship, make no harm at all to the ship.