WesWorld

A hot night for november, even in the caribbean. A dark night, too. That's what Capitán Jorge Echarri was thinking while standing on the bridge. Silence everywhere. The lack of moon was a concern, the silence too. Since the fire dissapeared minutes before and the guns stopped firing, there was nothing to look at, nothing to be seen. Nothing to be heard other than the engines of his own ship sailing at 25 knots, and the waves hitting against the bow. No more guns, no more explosions.

There he was, commander of the old cruiser Santa María, sailing along a couple of destroyers, all darkened, and trying to hunt a phantom, or find what was left of its last prey.


Just one hour before the whole force had been put in alert, men called to battle stations, captain woken up. While patrolling some 50 miles N-NW from Navassa Island, with a E-SE course, when noone expected anything to happen, it happened.

"What's it, XO?"- he asked as he stepped inside the bridge. His executive officer, Felipe Juan De la Nuez, was a tall and serious looking officer he knew very well, for he had been his XO for now 4 years.

"flash of guns seen, bearing 310. It's still going on..."

Just as he spoke another flash of light came, followed seconds later by a faint thunderous sound. And this time the fire started. Whatever it was being fired, now it was also burning. De la Nuez looked with his binoculars and reported

"Bearing 305, can't make up the distance sir, it's too dark. But whatever it is, it isn't near"

Capt. Echarri looked through his own binoculars, then turned around.

"Rudder to port, make new course two-nine-five. All ahead. Signals, call the destroyers to increase speed and investigate ahead us, and then send a message to the HQs in Habana with our estimated location. Report another ship has been attacked".

And so it was done.


This had happened 50 minutes before. Shortly after that,a big explosion had been seen, and then the fire dissapeared on the horizon. The destroyers had seen nothing since then, the phantom was there,but to be seen by noone.


"What do you think, XO?" he asked "is our little friend?"

"It's him, sir, it's the raider, no doubt about it"- De la Nuez answered, while scanning the horizon with his binoculars. "Can't be anything else, isn't it?"-he smiled

Echarri lowered his own binoculars: "Not unless we have more than one raider in our waters, Juan. But whatever it was ,seems we've lost it"- and in a loud voice: "two thirds ahead, 20 knots"

-"two thirds ahead, steaming for 20knots, aye aye, sir"-was the answer.

-"He hits and runs, it seems", he said

-"Wise move, sir, he has been operating for months and he must know we're on the hunt"- De la Nuez answered

-"I wonder where he operates from. Hell, I wonder who he is. He has been operating for months, as you say, and we know nothing!...makes you thi..."

At this point he interrupted. On the starboard side of the brigde two seamans were discussing in low voice. Echarri walked there, followed by his XO.

"what is this?. Pay attention to the lookout duties" he said, in an angry tone. Who are you?.

"1st Seaman García, sir. My friend says he has seen a shadow, 4 points to the starboard of the bow, but I can see nothing"- he answered

"Really?", Echarri looked immediately through his binoculars, scanning the reported area De la Nuez followed suit. Then he stared at the seaman's friend "and why didn't you report it. Name?"

"1st Seaman Gomez, sir...I...I didn't know, sir, it was just an impression, I asked García if he could see anything, I didn't know if it was right to report something it isn't there..."

Echarri looked through his binoculars again: "No matter it's an impression or not, you don't call your friend if you think you see something, you call the captain or the officer of the watch. Is that clear, seaman?"

"y-yes, sir"- was the answer

"you say 4 points starboard?"- he asked

"yes, s-sir"- the terrified seaman answered

"I can't see anything. XO?"

"Nothing, sir, it's too dark" -was his answer.

"False alarm, it seems.", then he turned to Gomez "Don't forget it, if you think you've seen something ,you report it immediately. Better to be called for nothing than to lose something. Clear, seaman?"

"Yes ,sir"

"Sir, something is there, 5 points to starboard, it's a shadow and can hardly be seen, but it's there"- De la Nuez interrupted with a slight urgence in his voice

"What?" Echarri looked immediately "I see nothing"

"Sir, there's a bow wave there, there's a ship there I've seen it. I'm pretty sure"- the XO answered.

"Very well, we'll risk it." and in a loud voice: "Starboard secondaries, fire starshells!. Main battery, train to unknown target, angle to bow five- zero degrees to starboard"

"Starboard secondaries firing starshells, main battery training to unknown target angle on bow five-zero to starboard, aye aye, sir!" was the answer.

Again in low voice "if there's nothing, everyone in a 30 mile radius will know we're here"

He looked through his binoculars...and then he suddenly it saw it. A big, looming shadow appearing from nowhere. And four tonges of fire.

"Enemy ship firing at us, Sir!"- De la Nuez yelled.

Three big columns of water surrounded the Santa María, and a loud thud was heard. A hit.

"Yes...even I could notice that"- was the bitter asnwer.

and so the fight begun.

Good grief. Depending on the day, KM Von der Tann and her escorts might not be all that far away. Hmmmmmmm....

Oh greeeeeat, another Pirate looming in the Caribbean! It seems he's stuck to Iberian waters though.

Hell Memnon and her group are also in the South Western Caribbean but I assume this story will be over before they can offer their assistance.

Quoted

Originally posted by thesmilingassassin
Oh greeeeeat, another Pirate looming in the Caribbean! It seems he's stuck to Iberian waters though..

Quite actually, this is the same raider as in teh canadian news...

I should've posted Q3/Q4 news before this, as in them it's explained that Santa María and a couple of destroyers are detached to patrol the Windward passage after the raider activity reported there.. but oh well .


There's more to come in some hours.

Great start for a story. Can´t wait to read more...

"XO, I want a damage report, and want it now!. Officer of the deck, sound general quarters!. Helm, rudder all to port, new course two-five-five!, all flank ahead!"- the captain yelled immediately. "I want starshells over that ship, I want the range on him and I want a firing solution, NOW!"

As his orders were repeated and complied,and as general quarters were being sounded, he looked through the binoculars again. Still dark to see much detail, the shadow was still there.

"Signals, order the destroyers to return towards us at top speed, order them to torpedo that bastard. Report to Habana HQs: "fighting against unknown vessel""

"Aye aye, sir"

"XO, where's the damage report?" Echarri asked, impatiently

"Hit on the aft superstructure, sir, the shell has punched from side to side, no explosion"

"Very well, Juan. Did you saw those splashes?. I'd say nine-and-a-half or ten, you agree?"

"Sounds about right, sir."- as De la Nuez spoke a starshell was fired ,popping a couple of seconds later-

"Gunnery, open ranging fire as soon as the turrets are on bearing!. Half salvos until range is found" - ordered Echarri, to then look throw his binoculars as his orders were repeated and followed. Their adversary was perfectly visible now, under a box of light.

the XO was the first one to talk "Sir...cage masts, sir"

"Americans..." his words were cut by yet another round by the raider ship. Four tonges of fire, two fore, two aft. Four columns of water surrounded the Santa María.

"Gunnery reports all main turrets on bearing, sir!" the officer of the deck yelled

"Fire!" Echarri immediately answered. The ship was still turning, but he wanted to fire back as soon as possible.

With a thunderous noise, four of the eight main guns in the Santa María opened fire at once. All splashes fell short of the target, but mere seconds after they fell the other four guns also fired to a corrected solution. This time only three splashes were seen. So, at least one had impacted the enemy ship.

"Gunnery, I want the targets' range, heading and estimated speed!" he yelled.

"Sir, helm steady, course two-five-five", another voice sounded in the bridge

"Enemy ship nine thousand meters to starboard, sir, heading two-three-five, speed estimated at 25 knots!" came the gunnery report

"Fire to effect, full salvoes on said solution!" echarri ordered "Open fire with secondary guns, keep target illuminated!"

"Aye, aye, sir, firing to effect on said solution, secondary guns opening fire"

Echarri turned to his XO who had said not a word in the meantime: "what do you think, juan?"

"Two main turrets, one fore one aft. two, maybe three funnels. Main weapons of around ten inches. And it has a strange, tall, superstructure just on it's stern... no idea, sir, but it's not a battleship. As for nationality, those cage masts are hard to miss, though. It's american"- was the answer

Another volley was exchanged when the strange ship and the Santa María opened fire almost simultaneously. Echarri had no time to see the results of the eight gun broadside from his cruiser, because two loud "Thumps" and a great explosion were heard shortly after their own salvo was fired. Fire was visible on the starboard side of the Iberian cruiser.

"Damage report!" Echarri asked.

"two hits, sir, one against C turret. It didn't penetrate, nothing else is known for now. The other hit has penetrated B casemate and blown it out. The 100mm is out of action, fire has been reported, and there are casualties, sir!"

Over the noises of the secondaries firing, Echarri was heard again:

"those guy know how to shoot...where are our destroyers?"

"last reporting position fourteen thousand yards bearing 300, steaming at full speed towards us, sir"

"Sir!, gunnery calls the target is turning away" the officer of the deck reported

taking his binoculars to his eyes Echarri looked at the enemy ship. "Gunnery is right" he thought "space between masts has decreased".

"they can't shoot directly aft"- the Executive officer said "The strange superstructure over the stern prevents them to".

"All kind of good news"-Echarri answered sarcastically: "Keep course steady, keep on firing, gentlemen. We will wait until he stops turning, then we hunt him. XO, any news from C turret and B casemate?"

After a brief moments where De la Nuez spoke in the intercom...
"seems the hit glanced off the face armor, but has jammed the C turret, sir, and inter-comunication in the turret is out of service because of the concussion. For now it's out of action.

As for B casemate firefighting parties are working on the fire, which is controlled...but...The whole crew in the casemate is gone, sir"

"gone?"

"Yes sir, all dead"- De la Nuez answered.

Echarri stood silent while the main guns, only six this time, fired from his ship again. A whole casemate crew had died. His men. All he could do now was to hunt the responsible and make it pay for their lifes.

"Gunnery reports two hits on last salvo, sir, target is on fire, and seems now steady on course 0-3-0"- he heard.

Echarri looked towards the unknown foe and sure, it was burning.

"standard starboard rudder, new course three, four, zero. Make it fast, helm."

"standard starboard rudder,course three, four, zero. Aye aye sir"- the officer at the helm answered

"Signals, order the destroyers to burn their ass if they need to, but I want them here as soon as possible. And send report to habana HQs :"Enemy fleeing action, ship damaged but battleworthy, we start pursuit""

"Understood, sir"

"gunnery, stop firing to effect, return to half-salvoes while we turn. I don't want to lose this guy a single second"

Echarri turned towards De la Nuez "they better be fast, for their own good. They better be."

Nicely done RAM.

Sounds like a Tennessee class AC, but only 3 funnels, but it is...modified.
Except for a couple days in late November, when I believe ships will be returning from the SF talks, the Dutch don't have much around.

I think the diplomatic aftermath should prove as interesting as the battle itself depending on the conviction of the Iberian crew that the ship is American and the evidence remaining from the battle.

The last armored cruisers were sold to ship breakers over a decade ago. The only US vessels in service right now with cage masts are the Tennessee class Battleships and the carrier Ranger. All of those ships are currently based out of San Pedro & San Diego in the Pacific.

I hope none of the ACs were sold to Korean ship breakers..... (remembering the carrier "lost" by Japan).

for pursuing this menace to peaceful navigation on the high seas.

The diplomatic fallout will be interesting, I agree.

The Ship's Photographer has an important job now!

Oh, oh..

Mexico also has a ship with a cagemast, Santa Anna, and in the Gulf too. She's armed with 12" and 8" guns, so could be mistaken for the attacker.

It's not Harlock since the Arcadia has only 6" guns. I can't think of any other ship with cagemasts. There will be Diplomatic fireworks.

Deathshadow USED to only have 6" guns, but she hasn't been seen for a while and could have been refitted... Or Harlock, if she were actually sunk by R & R, might have replaced her with something bigger.....

Heh-heh.

Wasn't me. Harlock's ship(s) are not active at present (nor in the Gulf).

Oh S***! That leaves Santa Anna as the only (that we know of) cagemast ship this side of the canal. And she wasn't even in port on that date! She only has on mast and funnel but could otherwise pass for the attacker.

Not to mention that she's rather too slow to escape the pursuit, isn't she?

And the crew speaks Iberian.

Foxy, I'm shocked and appalled that Mexico would pirate vessels belonging to its own Canadian allies.

Really? J/K

It's not Santa Anna, but it sure looks like her. That's why I'm worried. Iberia could easily blame Mexico for it.

I think we should blame India.

I like to think the ugliness of Indian pagodas is unmistakeable for anything else. But I concede that this is a night action.