Abyssus Abyssum Invocat

by Carlo Zen

  Everything he’s saying makes sense, but Tanya has to inquire about something. “May I ask you something straight?”

  Captain von Schraft signals with his eyes for her to continue, and Tanya throws him a fairly insolent question.

  Thirty knots may be incredibly fast, but if the exit point is known, even a novice at naval operations like Tanya can come up with any number of plans. Why weren’t the submarine units or the navy acting?

  “If you know the ship is in the port, can’t you just ambush them with the subs here? You’ve identified which port it’s in, right?”

  “Of course we considered that. We considered an ambush, and a wolf-pack attack, and also a mine operation where we planted a field along its projected course…”

  “This is just the opinion of an amateur, but none of those methods sounds so bad.”

  Those are the orthodox methods. They take full advantage of submarine-specific properties. The imperial submarines led by U-152 should be able to do those things.

  “Yes, if they were possible, they wouldn’t be bad.”

  “If they were possible?”

  There are an awful lot of overtones going on here. We’re talking about the basic options when conducting a commerce raid operation.

  They’re completely normal ways to use submarines. Frankly, she can’t shake the question of why they would be impossible.

  Weren’t submarines originally designed specifically to do those things?

  “Is there…some problem? If you don’t mind, I’d like to hear about it.”

  “Of course. Well, first, the plan of using submarines to build a mine screen…went up in smoke when a unit that nearly sank put up a fierce protest.”

  “What in the world happened?”

  One, sure, but the entire unit nearly sank?

  Did they build a minefield to defend against submarines? No…they shouldn’t have enough forces to build a minefield capable of blocking all submarines from sailing the Northern Sea. So she says, puzzled, “As far as the briefing I read, the Federation isn’t very good at fighting with mines. What I heard at home is that they’re sticking pretty close to their coasts.”

  “Yes, that’s all correct, Colonel.”

  Captain von Schraft puts on a smile that has a hint of irony about it. Still, he’s not sneering at her information. So then, what’s the issue with waging mine warfare?

  “As far as I know, we’re the only power attempting mine warfare in the Northern Sea. And that right there is the issue.”

  When Tanya seeks an explanation with her eyes, the submariner scoffs as he shares his woes. “The sensors of the new magnetic mines have a critical defect. In these high latitudes, and in this area rich with mineral resources, the magnetism is particularly powerful, you see. We can’t expect these garbage triggers to work properly at these levels.”

  “You mean they don’t go off?”

  “The opposite! It’s terrible!” he says, and though he’s smiling, a tense, weary emotion comes through. Why would this submarine captain who boasts he fears nothing look so stressed?

  What happened? She can’t help but be curious. “If they go off, that’s better than if they didn’t, right? Even if they go off early, that’s less of a problem than if they fail completely, no?”

  “If they weren’t exploding at times that they really, really shouldn’t be, maybe.”

  …Hmm. She feels like she’s heard this somewhere before. When she thinks about it, she recalls that the friendly subs trying to take out the Entente Alliance fleet were troubled by torpedoes that exploded too soon.

  “You mean they’re exploding before the enemy ships are anywhere near them?”

  “Nein, nein, nein! Nothing so charming as that. The triggers are overly sensitive… Shockingly enough, they react to the submarines!”

  “Huh? To the subs…?”

  “Yes. They were nearly sunk by the mines they laid themselves. We never should have tried fighting with mines.”

  For a moment, she doesn’t understand what Captain von Schraft has just said.

  She doubts her ears, and her jaw drops slightly.

  They wouldn’t be able to perform a sneak attack like that.

  “…Huh?!”

  “It’s incredible—the damn things will even respond to the U-152’s magnetic signature. It seriously makes me wonder if agents from Commonwealth Intelligence have infiltrated our underwater explosives development department.”

  Magnetic mines work by reacting to magnetic signatures. In theory, submarines also have magnetic signatures.

  But doesn’t that mean they have safety mechanisms to keep them from exploding? How can you even lay them if your own boat causes a reaction?

  “And on top of that, the torpedo fuses are rotten.”

  “You’ll have to excuse my ignorance, but they haven’t fixed that yet?” Tanya asks, utterly astonished. She had seen a torpedo shot by a submarine on an operation in this same Northern Sea explode too early, but she feels like that was ages ago.

  Regarding mechanical problems, Tanya’s impression has been that imperial manufactured goods are reliable. That it’s possible even now for the Empire with its national strength to keep pumping out high-precision industrial products.

  But the Empire’s marine weapons like torpedoes and mines keep having shameful failures?

  “Mm, we’ve made progress since before. Things have gotten better.”

  This is what true shock feels like.

  Did the definition of better change from “improved” to “worsened” when I wasn’t looking?

  “B-better…?” She nearly says, This is? but swallows the words because they would be too rude. Still, this is too much. The submarine units are the most active part of the Imperial Navy. Yet the primary arms we’re giving them are defective?

  “Things really have gotten much better. Believe me.”

  “I-in…what way specifically?”

  “It’s an important military secret, but all right, I’ll explain it to you. The contact fuses are so-so. At least, if you make a direct hit, they’ll explode more than half the time. Well, if the angle of incidence is shallow, it’s like shooting the same old dummy rifle, but…”

  Tanya gapes at him and shouts, incredulous, “…W-wait a sec! You’re saying that a direct hit only explodes half the time?!”

  Misfires happen, of course.

  She knows that for a fact.

  Even the shells the artillery fires are sometimes duds. Some torpedoes misfire; that she…can understand. But to Tanya, the fact that even a direct hit triggers only half the time is utterly absurd.

  And Captain von Schraft continues in a self-deprecating tone, as if he wanted to see that reaction from her. “Hmm? We love the contact fuses compared to the others.”

  “Sorry, but could there possibly be something worse?”

  “There is—this. There’s a problem with the depth-keeping mechanism, so we can’t aim torpedoes for direct hits on ships with shallow drafts. Specifically, ones like destroyers and so on.”

  The grave revelation that the submarines don’t have a way to combat destroyers… Even though submarines are so vulnerable themselves.

  They can’t even torpedo their natural enemy, those escort ships that scatter mines everywhere…?

  “So that leaves us with our dear magnetic triggers as our hope…but due to the high latitude, we keep having issues with them. In the Northern Sea, if our only option is magnetic triggers, we have a better chance of survival if we stay quiet and dodge the depth charges.”

  “…You’ll have to excuse me, Captain von Schraft. There are no words to describe the circumstances the submarine units are in. I’m impressed you’ve been able to carry on fighting…”

  “Thank you, Colonel von Degurechaff. It’s understanding, not pity, for which there is no substitute. Even so, may I vent about one thing?”

  Tanya nods yes, and the captain begins speaking in an even voice.

  “The most hopeless
thing of all is that…”

  Suddenly, she realizes…

  Everyone on the bridge seems to be resisting some urge.

  “The navy’s Weapons Division stubbornly claims that the issues are all operational errors. They’re convinced their torpedoes are perfect.” He snaps on the U-152 bridge how ridiculous it is. “As proof, they keep guaranteeing us that they worked in the lab. That’s their response to them not working in battle.”

  “…I’m completely dumbfounded. I can’t believe you have to fight a war with weapons you’re not even sure will work or not. You’re being jerked around by the developers’ egos—you have my sympathy. Please let me observe when you load the developers into your torpedo tubes.”

  “Sorry, but that bit of fun is restricted. It’ll be a party for submariners only; I hope you understand.”

  “Ha-ha-ha. No, that makes sense. It was a presumptuous request. I’d appreciate it if you could even just tell me how it goes.”

  “You can count on me for that, at least. I could even print up a leaflet and send it over.”

  The delight of blowing fools away… It’s a forbidden thrill. Yes, I see how outsiders shouldn’t be poking their noses in.

  In that case… Tanya makes the appropriate gear switch and brings the conversation back to reality. “Anyhow, I understand your situation now. It’s no wonder submarine attacks go so poorly.”

  I had no business talking about orthodox methods. No, Tanya corrects herself. The joint intelligence agency’s plan was for the submarines to deal the final blow via torpedo.

  In other words, the information about the defects either hasn’t gotten to them, or they didn’t find it important.

  It’s stupid, but the Imperial Navy, which has expanded so rapidly, is awful at troubleshooting. It’s become a wholly useless organization. Time to make some cuts.

  But making that report comes after dealing with this.

  “As things stand, all we can do is observe, or maybe fire torpedoes if we’re lucky. I want to support you in the base raid, but…as frustrating as it is to say, we can’t.”

  “It’s a huge help for you to even carry us this far.”

  “U-152 is a submarine, you know? Not a transport ship.”

  “No,” the duty officer on the bridge grumbled. “As long as the eels can’t be counted on, U-152 is a transport ship that sneaks around the sea. Much to our regret, though we were built to sink transport ships, we ended up becoming one under the water at some point.”

  How true, she wants to sympathize.

  But there’s nothing more useless than blaming them for problems they didn’t cause.

  Tanya knows that the people on the ground are frequently exhausted by the top making systematically impossible demands. Though in theory, encouraging people is fine organizational management.

  You morons who discount the power of words, you scum who sling abuse! Whether it’s the teeming swarm of Being X’s allies or just a bunch of idiots, it can all just rot.

  “No, no, you’re a fine attack sub. You’re going to unleash us, so I think you can consider us something like aerial torpedoes.”

  Aircraft carriers don’t attack, themselves, either. They’re just platforms from which to launch the planes on board. But are there any soldiers who underestimate an aircraft carrier as a transport ship? Not if they have normal intelligence.

  “Ha-ha-ha, a torpedo that soars through the sky?”

  “Yeah, and you can use the word unleash just like for torpedoes.”

  Sensing the improving atmosphere aboard the sub, Tanya allows her lips to slowly curl into a bewitching smile. A ballistic missile platform is also a fearsome ship.

  Calling it a part of mutually assured destruction is plenty correct. Although at this point in time in this world axis, the idea is still an armchair theory.

  “…Don’t you think that’s something?”

  The crew members who replied, “Sure is,” probably think it’s just a cute story. But even a cute story can inspire people to be ambitious once more.

  I introduced words to General von Zettour as an inexpensive weapon, but…if they can be used to support allies, as well? Logos! How powerful.

  Perhaps it’s because she’s thinking those things?

  “That’s fine. Then quit sulking about a transport mission and concentrate on preparing to launch our aerial torpedoes.”

  Hearing how smoothly Captain von Schraft says it, Tanya realizes something with a start. Was this whole conversation just a skit for the crew?!

  Really? she does wonder, but the next thing he says convinces her. Speaking in a casual tone, the captain of the sub seizes the hearts of his crew.

  “Anyone with a free hand, I have something else for you to do. Even if we’re shooting into the air, a torpedo attack is a torpedo attack. We need to add to our sunk tonnage. The treasury’s got a bottle for anyone who comes up with a way to threaten the brutes at Fleet Command.”

  Amid the cheers on the bridge, Tanya discreetly removes her cap and waves it at the captain. Wow.

  “I finally understand why Submarine Command, despite being strangely cooperative in sending out boats, starts talking circles around me right before the attack.”

  “Ha-ha-ha! Sorry, Colonel von Degurechaff. I’ll apologize on behalf of all our officers for using you, an outsider, to further our own purposes. The torpedo troubles are really eating away at morale, both for us and for all the other submarine units.”

  She can’t argue with morale problems.

  And it’s true that the torpedoes are defective. Tanya knows the pain of being handed faulty weapons, so she understands and can even sympathize.

  The Elinium Type 95 is ridiculously flawed. It’s a toss-up which is worse: that or a mine that explodes right near a submarine the moment it gets laid.

  Who could fight a war under such conditions? It would drive you nuts.

  “I understand painfully well. I’m not going to hold a grudge over getting used or anything like that. If I get a chance, I’ll report to the core General Staff members about the torpedo issues.”

  “We’d appreciate that so much. Thank you.”

  Surely exchanging textbook salutes is enough, then. Inside the cramped submarine, on the crowded bridge, there’s no reason to annoy everyone with prolonged motions.

  All that is left is hashing out the administrative details.

  “So what are you actually planning to do, Colonel von Degurechaff? That ship is enormous. Honestly, I think it will be very hard to sink. If we succeed,” he says, continuing in a lighter tone, “do you think we could have half the tonnage?” But his eyes show his concern for us. “Can you tell me how this is going to work?”

  “Basically, we’ll be taking a classic approach. We’ll distract the enemy with a feint, and in that opening, the task force will go about blowing it up.” Tanya gives a brief explanation of the plan. “Therefore, most sneak attacks are distractions with a task force delivering the main blow. Well, even if we fail to destroy the enemy ship, we’ll have achieved a distraction. We’ll be counting on you to recover us.”

  “What a bold plan. Understood. We’ll get it done.”

  OCTOBER 8, UNIFIED YEAR 1926, DAYBREAK, FEDERATION TERRITORY, NAVAL BASE

  For First Lieutenant Serebryakov, the sight reminded her for a moment of the Rhine front.

  No matter how much I try to bury the memories of those days, the smell of gun smoke brings them back. I’ll never be able to play in the mud like a child again. Mud recalls irritating yet nostalgic memories.

  How could I ever forget the days I spent holed up in the trenches?

  “Oh God, forgive our enemies.”

  The one who began singing next to me was my superior officer, feared by our enemies as a monster. It makes sense that even allies are quietly calling her Rusted Silver instead of White Silver.

  Still, I know Tanya von Degurechaff better than anyone in the 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion. In fact, I’ve served under her since before
she earned the von in her name in the war college.

  She’s the officer who let me live while the guys I joined up with, Harald and Kurst, became so much ground beef.

  That eminent figure, that person, that senior member of the forces…

  She doesn’t seem to believe in God. Yet she was praising Him on the battlefield…? The moment I think, Don’t give away our position…, I remember her clenching her orb on the Rhine front and praying just like this. She doesn’t talk big at all; in fact, she’s modest. Reality is far too unreal.

  She’s crazy. There’s something strange about her.

  “Oh God, forgive our enemies.”

  The enemy mages scattered every which way.

  Two companies of Federation aerial mages were being toyed with by a single opponent. Her own company didn’t even have time to jump in.

  “It’s not that the enemy is stupid, just…”

  That’s what it’s like to murmur a mixture of surprise, admiration, and astonishment in spite of yourself.

  Despite the sneak attack—I suppose—the Federation had responded with surprising speed.

  Though they came with a force of two companies from a different direction to cause confusion, troops were scrambling to meet us immediately. I’d heard the Federation Army’s rear was completely relaxed, but apparently not.

  We should have anticipated it, but there were Commonwealth escorts with them. Well, no, that much was according to expectations. There was only one problem: Their coordination was actually not too shabby.

  It was a regiment of Commonwealth mages plus the same number of Federation mages. I couldn’t deny that I was shocked that the two countries managed to coordinate just as they had said. I thought they would be sloppier, but I underestimated them.

  …Our battalion even managed a direct attack on Moskva. Yes, we were the veteran 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion, and yet… I nearly despaired at the tenacity with which the Federation aerial mages and wall of ground forces devoted themselves to keeping us from breaking through. We were all prepared to be subdued and wiped out.

  But a single soldier’s fierce fighting turned the tables.

  “Those poor ignorant lambs.”