Azazia
13-12-2004, 21:02
Anatoly Burshkov wrapped his heavy woolen coat tighter around his body. His back stood to the sharp wind that threw the cold rain like daggers into the exposed flesh on the back of his neck. He glanced down at the man standing in the protected well below him, the two of them looked over a large dock that normally would have been crammed full of spectators, but today was sparesly populated. Only those interested in this ship, and this crew would be present.
But Burshkov smiled a little, for they would be facing this blasted rain. On a makeshift platform erected at the edge of the wharf there was another man making a speech, dragging on about patriotism this, and nationalism that. Burshkov could care less; he had been appointed the commander of the Commonwealth's newest submarine after his 23 years of impeccable service.
As he looked down over the cold, rain-slicked hull, over the 550 feet of greyish-black sound absorbing tiles he took some pride in his new command. It wasn't one of the new attack boats, or even a missile boat, but a new "experimental" boat as Admiral Johnson had briefed him. The sub, the Surreptitious, had been designed as an anti-carrier weapon. It fired large anti-ship missiles that he had still not yet been briefed upon. Of course, they could carry nuclear weapons, but that was part of the experiment apparently. The missiles carried some new-fangled form of warhead. Without a doubt more questions for the specialists being brought on board for the shakedown cruise.
Finally, Burshkov noticed that the man down below was signalling the impending end of his entirely unnecessarily long and cliche speech. The man down below turned into the rain to face Burshkov and his hidden first officer. He saluted Burshkov quickly and turned to step down, probably all to glad to get out of the rain mused Burshkov. And with that he pulled once on his coat, "Mr. Lightenberg, instruct the pilot to take us out." Burshkov heard his command echoed through the conn several feet below him within the hull of this new submarine.
By nightfall - a nightfall heralded by no glorious sunset but instead an increase in heavy cloud cover and squall lines - any observer foolish enough to be at sea would have witnessed the neraly triangular sail slice down through the choppy ocean and disappear beneath the waves. And another submarine was now in Commonwealth service.
But Burshkov smiled a little, for they would be facing this blasted rain. On a makeshift platform erected at the edge of the wharf there was another man making a speech, dragging on about patriotism this, and nationalism that. Burshkov could care less; he had been appointed the commander of the Commonwealth's newest submarine after his 23 years of impeccable service.
As he looked down over the cold, rain-slicked hull, over the 550 feet of greyish-black sound absorbing tiles he took some pride in his new command. It wasn't one of the new attack boats, or even a missile boat, but a new "experimental" boat as Admiral Johnson had briefed him. The sub, the Surreptitious, had been designed as an anti-carrier weapon. It fired large anti-ship missiles that he had still not yet been briefed upon. Of course, they could carry nuclear weapons, but that was part of the experiment apparently. The missiles carried some new-fangled form of warhead. Without a doubt more questions for the specialists being brought on board for the shakedown cruise.
Finally, Burshkov noticed that the man down below was signalling the impending end of his entirely unnecessarily long and cliche speech. The man down below turned into the rain to face Burshkov and his hidden first officer. He saluted Burshkov quickly and turned to step down, probably all to glad to get out of the rain mused Burshkov. And with that he pulled once on his coat, "Mr. Lightenberg, instruct the pilot to take us out." Burshkov heard his command echoed through the conn several feet below him within the hull of this new submarine.
By nightfall - a nightfall heralded by no glorious sunset but instead an increase in heavy cloud cover and squall lines - any observer foolish enough to be at sea would have witnessed the neraly triangular sail slice down through the choppy ocean and disappear beneath the waves. And another submarine was now in Commonwealth service.