[StarTrekMike]

The boat has been at 100 or so meters for no more than five minutes and already the men look like they have been under for a year. This was only made worse as the ASDIC pings became louder indicating that we were being pinpointed by at least two destroyers (not counting the one we hit.)

"fast screws coming from bearing 350...splashes in the water!" Joachim blurted as he braced for impact.

I bit my lip and grabbed the map table in anticipation as the first of the depth charges exploded close and put the boat into a chaotic mess of exploding lightbulbs and high pressure leaks, this was not the worst it could be.

"We are taking water in the stern torpedo compartment!" Karl yelled as he listened to the aft compartment damage report.

I looked around at the mess and found that most of the crew was already busy getting the boat ready for another round of charges in hopes that we can control the level of damage and wait out the destroyers.

"Depth charges in the water!" Joachim yelled from the hydrophone compartment.

The explosions started distant but moved close enough to make the hull feel like it will twist itself apart, more leaks erupted from pipes and the lights flickered and died. the boat took this pounding for at least five minutes as it seemed the destroyers were criss-crossing eachother on attacks to add firepower.

The lights were off and that indicated that the boat was without battery power. I looked around hoping to see some emergency lights kick on, Karl turned on some worklamps and the light revealed the extent of the internal damage with all the damaged gauges, pipes and controls...it would take time just to get this boat fit to surface.

The next round of depth charges were much closer and we could feel the boat pitch to the stern as the depth meter showed that we were indeed sinking...this was not going to end well if we hit the ocean floor to fast or even worse if we did not hit the floor at all.

"Depth at 220 meters!" the helmsman barked as he scrambled to regain control of the dead boat.

Karl was looking at the map with a flashlight. "We will hit bottom at 270 meters but we need to level the boat and slow the decent".

I scrambled to the stern compartment dodging men who were already smartly moving forward to try to level us off. The aft compartment was a mess of broken pipe seals that spewed water that only added to the small pond that was forming already.

"how long till we can get this worked out?" I asked the engineer over the din of the leaks.

"I need a couple more men to help back here...I should have the leaks stopped in a few minutes, assuming we don't get attacked again". he said without looking away from his work.

I pointed to two seamen and ordered them to help on the leaks while I moved forward to the control room to prepare our next move.

Minutes pass as I wait for the boat to slow down enough to level off...I could still hear leaks from the aft and my hands were starting to shake...I put them in my pockets before the men could see.

"our rate is slowing...we will make a soft landing if we can level". Karl said with hope in the slight uplift of his face.

The indicators showed that we were slowly raising the aft section and I counted the seconds before the boat hit the ocean floor a little to hard for comfort but not enough to damage the boat...it was over if we could lose the destroyers.


The depth charges were going off in the distance but only one or two at a time, this meant that they wanted us to think that they know where we are...I don't think they know we can go this deep. this goes on for hours as we slowly put the boat back together.


Five hours pass as the rest of the electrics are restored and the air startes to get more and more stale. the men rest to conserve energy and oxygen as I sit in bed and write a short letter and pack it in a waterproof bag. We were going to try to surface soon and we could only hope that they left.

I walk into the control room and order us to blow ballast and rise, the hydrophone has heard nothing for hours and we need to go home. The hull moans as we leave the bottom and begin to rise slowly.

The boat shudders as the electric motors kick on and add speed to our ascent and I assume position at the periscope ready to take a peak when we reach ten or so meters.

"fore and aft tubes prepare for solutions just in case...we don't want to be caught without teeth". I say as the water clears the periscope and I spin it around gently but swiftly. The sea was clear till I hit the stern and saw a destroyer starting to make a turn to make chase.

"Stern tubes set for my solution!" I yell as I hand the figures to Karl.

Through the periscope it seems that the destroyer is not trying to make this a fast process...they are only going 3 or so knots in hopes that we have not seen them (I kept the periscope low). I knew that we could get a hit but only if he kept this speed.

"torpedoes ready" Karl says behind me.

I wait a few seconds to savor the kill and then I order them to fire. I see two streaks of bubbles rush to the ship that is a mere 350 meters away and smile as I see the boat split in half as a explosion erupts from a munitions area or something of the like. The boat sinks quickly and I see survivors in rafts already...good sign.

We all rush to the tower to get some fresh air and smoke...the air feels so good when you did not think you would feel it again...the men and I were elated.

We all noticed at once that the first destroyer we hit was still off in the distance and we could barely see it.

I took range with the UZO and ordered the boat to get into attack range...one more and then we go home.


The end.