22 November
Rio Reporter
It is reported that a delegation from the Marina Imperial will be visiting Japan in the coming months, to inspect Nipponese developments in the field of gunboats, and their possible application to Amazonian warfare.
4 December
South Atlantic Ocean, 300km east of the River Plate
"Confirmed, Capitão. Bolivian flag."
Capitão-de-Corveta Hugo Guevara of the Imperial Submarine Golfinho shook his head. The Bolvian merchant fleet, although small, did exsist; the country had never given up hopes of regaining a Pacific shoreline, and until then the Rio Paraguay provided access to the Atlantic. The current was would surely put paid to the first scenario, while Paraguay was a disgusting mess that (it was rumoured) ship captians were paying their employers not to sail to. But the Bolivian merchant fleet, at least the majority of it that was in the Atlantic, continued its trade, feeling safe in the knowledge that with the Chilean and Peruvian fleets in the Pacific, and the Iberians not formally at war with them, they could conduct their business undisturbed.
Guevara's orders were to make that knowledge no longer so safe.
"Confirm there any no other ships above the horizion, please."
The periscope spun.
"Confirmed, Capitão. No ships or plumes visible. No aircraft visible."
"Very well." Guevara took a deep breath; fighting an undeclared war, and in violation of cruiser rules to boot, was risky business. At least his target was a freighter. "I have the attack periscope. Flood tubes one and two!"
"Flooding tubes one and two, aye, Capitão."
The noise of the torpedo tubes flooding filled the control room. "Bearing...mark!"
"Bearing 0-0-3. Capitão, we have a firing solution."
"Make tubes one and two ready in all respects, including opening the outer doors."
"Aye aye, sir."
Guevara took a final spin of the horizon. Nothing but the target. Confirm...yes, a Bolivian ensign. Well there was no going back now.
"Tube one...shoot!"
This post has been edited 1 times, last edit by "Swamphen" (Feb 14th 2007, 3:09am)