Achilles could care less about the so-called "destroyer sightings" along the coast. She knew they were fake. She knew Nathan had captured Val and was now using her to trick the network. But she didn't tip the Ramsey's off to this. In fact, she could care less about them or anything else at the time. The submarine groaned as she felt the beginnings of a contraction seize her. It was 30 minutes earlier that her water had broke. She was going into labor at the worst possible time. She was going into battle as she gave berth!
The water smelled funny to Nathan as he emerged from the mouth of the river and into the open sea. Not a toxic funny just, funny. He knew the smell from somewhere but he couldn't place it. He shook his head, now was not the time to be thinking about trivial things. He had a submarine to catch!
He killed his engines and drifted into the predetermined battle zone. His dance partner had yet to arrive though. What was taking her. His makeshift sonar saw nothing, then. A ping revealed their position...
"Son of a..." Nathan swore.
...Right under him!
Achilles detected him in the same instant and rose to the surface. Nathan swore again and accelerated, she with him. He was forced to disengage the safety features on his engines which kept them from revolving too fast. But he had no choice now. He needed all the speed he could get. Up ahead his sonar detected a deep trench. Achilles would fire her torpedoes and then dive. He had to make a move before then.
As she reached the edge of the trench, Nathan reversed his engines suddenly, creating a spectacular roostertail behind him. His torpedoes were launched and he confirmed at least 1 hit though he wasn't sure if Achilles was sunk or not.
The sub screamed as she felt the impact. Within her womb she felt her pups shift, their little bows and props digging into her flanks. She pulled up from her dive, heading for the surface as she left a trail of blood behind her.
300 yards astern of Nathan the water shifted and up came Achilles. The submarine was in bad shape, her port quarter dented inwards and mangled. She whimpered in fear and pain, barely able to get up enough speed to come alongside Nathan who had his teeth bared and guns aimed at her. The destroyer seemed unflinching and Achilles submitted herself to whatever fate awaited her. Pregnant or not, she was a ship of war and she had lost.
Nathan's nose twitched and his eyes widened slightly as he finally recognized the funny smell for what it was. Water and not just any water, water from a womb that had just broke. Eyeing Achilles' severely widened sides he knew.
"How many?" He asked her.
"A-A dozen." She replied. "Please!" She begged, crying out as a contraction seized her. She rolled on her side.
Nathan sucked in a breath. The damage to her stern prevented the pups from safely traveling down the passage but it was too late now to do anything about it. The pups were already on their way. Achilles shrieked in pain as the first one collided with the blocked region. Behind it the other pups waited, impatiently. The line built up and with a sudden pop and flying of hull plates, Achilles' dent came undone. The submarine screamed, pushing hard as her tongue lolled between her teeth. In a fountain of blood the first pup emerged, swimming doggedly to the surface, its little fins splashing the waves. Nathan picked it up, discovering it was a girl, and set her down at her mother's side.
Achilles moaned in pain, managing to push the next pair out, both boys. They too were set at her side where at once they latched on and began to suckle. Despite her agony, Achilles managed a purr.
"I never thought I would feel that..." She rasped.
"Keep going, you've got nine more." Nathan encouraged.
Achilles' screams and wails sounded out for the next several hours as she labored to push the remaining pups out. She'd managed 7 before the remaining 5 decided they wanted a little more time in the womb and remained there. Achilles tried to push them out but they were resolute.
"They'll come when they are ready." Nathan told her. "In the meantime, try to rest. You've been at it for hours."
"So have you." She pointed out.
"I haven't just given berth to 7 babies." Nathan said.
Achilles gave in and rested against his hull. He gladly supported her. "I owe you one, Yank." She said.
"You owe me nothing, Brit." He shot back. "It's a ship's code to help another in distress."
Achilles licked her thanks and curled around her 7 pups, getting a few hours of peace.
2 hours later, she was at it again. The remaining five pups weren't eager to come out but they weren't resolute in not coming out either. Either way, Achilles couldn't keep this up for much longer. The submarine was exhausted. She'd been at this for 10 hours straight!
Finally, after 15 grueling hours, the last pup was finally born. Achilles collapsed against Nathan, 12 little bundles all squirming at her side. Their exhausted mother, wounds both external and internal beginning to get the better of her, curled up to go to sleep.
Nathan nudged her, doing what he could to keep her awake but he could only do so much. And no one had compatible blood for a submarine. That was unique to the submarine community alone.
"Achilles, stay awake." Nathan urged her as the sub began to nod off again.
"Mmm, can't." She managed. "Sleepy."
"I know. I know you're sleepy but you can't go to sleep now. You'll die." Nathan said.
"Death is what I deserve." She rasped. "Nathan, I never told you how grateful I am to you for helping me. I should've just been left to rot, like all the other people I'd left to do the same."
"That was the Ramsey's Achilles, not you." He said.
"I could've stopped them." She murmured. "Like I am doing now. They are closed off, all systems turned off. When I die, they die."
"There has to be another way. I'll carry you into a drydock. There are still people who can help." He said.
"Carry me, your and my 12 pups?" She asked. "You'd break your back trying."
"I can still try." He replied.
She shook her head. "In another life, I would've been proud to call you my friend." She rasped, holding out a fin.
Nathan didn't know what to say to that. He met the outstretched limb with a wire, grasping it tightly. "Achilles, please..." He begged, his voice breaking.
He'd lost so many, he couldn't lose another.
Achilles smiled, a warm but sad expression. She gazed at her pups. "They are strong and healthy and deserve a better mother than me. Take care of them. See they don't make the same mistakes I did."
"Achilles, I.." Nathan began.
"Promise me." The sub begged, her green eyes passionate.
Nathan could feel her hull growing cold. There was so little time. "I-I promise." He whispered.
She gripped his wire in her fin, resting against him. "Thank you, sina." Her grip slackened and Achilles moved no more...
