Legends

Chapter 40~ Operation Chariot

Being shot out of a torpedo tube, Upholder finally felt what flying was like. Or at least the underwater version of it. The power of the waterslug around her set her forward at over 40 knots straight into the harbor. When she felt herself slowing down she started her engines, running on battery. 103 came in next followed by Umbra. Venture was flailing her arms and legs about in a vain effort to slow down before she hit something. It was only because they were on a mission that Upholder kept the volume of her snickers down. But only just. On the other side of the harbor, the submarines from Florida and Achilles were doing the same thing.

It was mid-afternoon and the submarines would need to wait another 4 hours before they could attack using the cover of darkness. 19:00 hours was when the first wave of bombers was due to hit Southampton. Upholder had to lay low until then. She and her sisters found a deep hole in the middle of the harbor and settled into it, passing the time with a few games of cards and a round or two of cribbage.

As the sun set the light penetrating the water became less and less. When the girls could no longer see their playing cards right in front of their faces they knew it was time to go to work. Putting their stuff away, they rose to periscope depth to take in fresh air. Their batteries were still good but they would need a charge when this was all said and done.

The harbor was quiet. Other than the harbor picket, the Abyssals were all berthed in for the night. Not for long though. The honor of the first fish fired went to U-103 who silently pulled the trigger. Against stationary targets her torpedoes made their presence felt almost instantly. Most of the big ships were out at sea but there were quite a few transports present and sinking those, Upholder knew, would put a dent in The Lone Princess' operation.

Most of them most have been tankers because they went up like a roman candle. Within minutes, every ship along the waterfront was up in flames. Still, something didn't feel right to Upholder. This had been easy. Too easy. And then, because she had her scope up and was on occasion flipping on her radar, she saw them. So many aircraft filled her screen, it couldn't distinguish between the dots.

"AIRCRAFT INBOUND! EVACUATE NOW!!" With the element of surprise lost, Upholder had no issues being as loud as she could. Each submarine fired their last salvo and retreated out of the harbor as fast as they dared. The maneuver only drained them more of precious amps but they had little choice with the aircraft above them.

The four traveled in formation at a steady 8 knots. U-103 couldn't go much faster than that. She was panting as it was. Aircraft whizzed past overhead, each dropping a payload of two depth charges a piece. Considering their number, they may as well have set off a Magnitude 9 earthquake. None of the submarines had been jostled about like this before.

Upholder was slammed into the sediment hard enough to knock most of the fresh clean air out of her lungs. The rest of the submarines disappeared in the cacophony of noise. Upholder didn't know where they'd gotten to or if they were still alive. All she knew was she was incapable of finding them. The impact had broken her propeller shaft. Water was now slowly flooding into her aft compartments further compromising her oxygen supply. She could blow ballast and take her chances on the surface but the aircraft above still had their guns and would make short work of her. She had no choice but to stay put and hope they would depart soon, before she was too flooded to take the chance.

The hours passed and still the aircraft remained. They must have taken off from the base's field, being held in reserve just for this purpose. The Abyssals knew what Cunningham had planned and willingly fell for the trap just to spring one of their own. Upholder couldn't help but think of her fellow submarines as she waited. She wondered if the attack on Portland had gone just as well in the beginning, only to fall victim to the same trap. She tried not to dwell on it but being stuck on the ocean floor for several hours gave her little else to think about.

Her oxygen supply was beginning to dwindle to dangerous levels and a check with her engineers determined she was now too heavy to attempt a blow even if she had the energy left to do so. If this was to be her end, she accepted it. She closed her eyes.

A nudge made her open them again. She looked to her right and saw a small cylindrical object about 6 feet long and shaped like a torpedo. But it wasn't a torpedo. Her oxygen starved mind couldn't comprehend what she was seeing. The object nudged her again and she reached for it. Almost like a puppy it settled next to her, allowing her to grab hold of its smooth surface. Once she did, it moved slowly so as not to dislodge her. Upholder looked ahead and saw a larger shape emerging from the gloom. It was the Washington.

Now Upholder understood and she took a vicious hold of her remaining lucidly. Now that she had a chance, she fought to live with everything she had. The Sea Scan pulled up next to the massive Virginia-class submarine, hovering over the escape truck. In a shower of bubbles, a diver exited from it. Upholder let go of Sea Scan and allowed the diver to take her in his arms. A regulator was passed to her and she took in the oxygen immediately, the fog clearing from her mind after a few breaths. She looked into the face of the diver and was very surprised to see who it was.

"Hi there." Washington greeted her as she was taken inside, the water drained from the trunk. Shipgirls didn't have to worry about decompression like humans did which is why Washington was the one to be sent out she supposed.

Upholder was exhausted but she found the strength to speak. "Th-the others?" She asked.
"All recovered." Washington replied, her voice tight. "We used your BluFor trackers to locate you."

"Alive?" Upholder was almost afraid of the answer.

The look in Washington's eyes confirmed what she was about to say. "I'm sorry. They didn't make it. You're the only one we've found alive." She said. She carried Upholder into the boat's makeshift sickbay which was the XOs hastily converted stateroom.

Upholder was too weak to cry. As it was the pain that settled in her heart coiled tightly around it, shattering any optimism and love of life the submarine once had. She couldn't take any more bad news but she had to know. She looked at Captain Christofk. "What of the surface fleet?" She asked.

His expression was even tighter than Washington's. "Upholder, please not now." He said.

"I have to know!" Her insistence, plus a gentle nod from Washington, made him give in.

"The British lost five ships. We lost three."

"Names?" Upholder's voice was no louder than a whisper.

"On the British side; Ark Royal, Maury, Prince of Wales, Huron, and Repulse. We lost Neunzer, Davis and-and Montana." He replied.

The pain was back, harder than ever and Upholder sank into it.