The atmosphere aboard the RNS Sovereign, flagship of the Ruthenian fleet, was thick with tension. The previous night's confrontation had been a disaster. Admiral Artyom Volkov stood rigid at the center of the command room, his usually calm demeanor now a mask of barely restrained fury. The once-proud Ruthenian fleet was bleeding, and every fresh report brought with it the weight of yet another failure.
"Admiral, we've received the latest update from Captain Voronov of the Moskva," Captain Alexei Leonov announced, his voice uncharacteristically subdued as he handed over the hastily scrawled report. "Two of our submarines, the Belgorod and Kazimir, have been confirmed lost. The Moskva sustained critical damage and is retreating for emergency repairs."
