Who hunt who?
When the ASROC launched from Kurama, Captain Davis see it too from the periscope. But the ASROC went too fast and immediately vanish from periscope sight.
"What the heck is that? Is that some kind of flare? Did they send a distress signal?"
Although distracted, but Captain Davis still observing the torpedoes launched before. He expected a blast will rip that ship hull and sink her to the bottom of Pacific Ocean.
* * *
"How far our distance from those torpedoes?"
"Aye, Sir! Stern side 160 degrees, speed 40 knots!! The distance on nearest torpedo 1100 meters, one minute twenty seconds until impact"
"Keep on evasion moves! What about ASROC?"
"Ready to be deployed from the parachute, Sir!"
"Good! Stay alert for another incoming torpedo. They surely not only bring six torpedoes with them"
"Aye, aye Captain!"
It's only less than a quarter of an hour since DDH-144 Kurama engaged battle with U.S submarine Flying Fish. But for those staff and crews in Kurama, it feels like a long time, the crews in CIC watch the monitor in front of them anxiously, especially the sonar crew who watching the torpedoes movement.
"Update the incoming torpedoes status"
"Yes, Sir! Distance 700 meters, bearing 170 degrees, one minute until impact!"
"Good! A little more….keep calm and evade those damn torpedoes like we're doing on drill"
Every second on the clock seems ticked slowly. The sonar crew keeps watching the ever-changing numbers on the screen in front of him while keep updating the status.
"Distance 350 meters, bearing 170 degrees, thirty seconds until impact!"
Another second ticked slowly, the tension rise when the number of impact timing getting smaller and smaller.
"Fifteen seconds to impact!"
"Ten seconds to impact!"
And the last countdown is starting again.
Nine….
Eight…
Seven….
Six…
Five….
Four…
Three…
Two….
One…
Zero…
DDH-144 Kurama succeed evade incoming torpedoes. The torpedoes passed ten meters on both sides of the ship. After exhaling relieved breath, Captain Ichiro's focus turns to the ASROC that on its way to the enemy submarine.
* * *
"Ooohhh….they can evade those torpedoes, Sawamura!"
Admiral Yamamoto who observed the battle between DDH-144 Kurama and U.S. Submarine Flying Fish can't hide his joy when seeing the torpedoes just passing Kurama and didn't cause any harm.
"That awesome, Sir…it's hard to believe a ship capable to make such maneuver"
"I know that! Now…what will happen next after that thing released from parachute enter the water?"
Same with Kurama's staff and crews, Admiral Yamamoto also waiting for the surprise that ASROC will bring
* * *
"DARN!! Missed again!!"
Captain Davis can't hold his swearing and curse when seeing his torpedoes failed to hit DDH-144 Kurama.
"Prepare the launcher! This time we shoot all of them at once!"
Captain! Active sonar detected! We're being locked by that sonar"
Suddenly the sonar crew shouting at Captain Davis
"What! Enemy submarine?"
"No, Captain! It's small….this must be…torpedo?"
The face of the crew in there suddenly pale.
"That can't be true! The British Navy still developing this homing sonar…that's impossible that Japs already use it in war"
"It's coming fast, Captain!"
The sonar crew yelled again, make Captain Davis realize that they still at the battle and he must make the decision as his duty as the ship captain. Sensing the danger approaching, Captain Davis make a quick decision.
"Dive! Crash dive!! Open all ballast! Dive until 100 meters deep! change bearing to 0-9-0! Torpedo, unlike deep charges, they only move horizontally! We still have chance to evade that torpedo!"
Well, Captain Davis' thinking is not wrong but that only applied to the current torpedo. What he faces now is a modern torpedo which capable to track its target and follow its target movement. U.S Submarine Flying Fish make a haste dive to evade incoming ASROC torpedo. The original role when Captain Davis thinks they hunt a prey reversed, they become the one being hunted instead.