Chapter 388 Battleship in Action
On the Captain Quarters of the battleship Ciela Bonaparte, Captain Maurice-Julien Emeriau was having tea inside while reading the latest print of the newspaper.
"It's a good thing that France is dealing with the influenza virus so effectively," Captain Emeriau commented.
Moments later, there was a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Captain Emeriau demanded, glancing at the door.
"It's Leclerc, and I have an urgent letter here that requires your attention," Leclerc replied from the other side of the door.
"Come in," Captain Emeriau beckoned, setting aside his newspaper and tea.
Leclerc entered briskly and extended an envelope towards Emeriau. "This just arrived from the Imperial Navy Headquarters in Paris," he informed.
Emeriau, his curiosity piqued, opened the envelope and scanned the contents quickly. His eyes narrowed as he absorbed the information. "Ten of our merchant ships sunk in the Ionian Sea," he murmured, a hint of concern in his voice.
"I think it's done by the Ottoman navy sir…probably their submarines," Leclerc guessed.
Emeriau continued reading the contents of the paper and nodded in agreement with Leclerc's assumption. "It seems likely," he said.
"According to this," Emeriau continued, holding up the paper for Leclerc to see, "the order comes directly from Grand Admiral Marshall Murat himself. We are to track and hunt the enemy vessel responsible for these attacks."
Leclerc's eyes widened slightly at the mention of the Grand Admiral's involvement. "That's a high-priority mission, sir."
"Indeed, it is," Emeriau replied, his voice taking on a more resolute tone. "The Grand Admiral has tasked us with ending this threat to our naval operations in the region. "You know what that means."
"Should I inform the crew to begin preparations for departure, Captain?" Leclerc asked, ready to relay the orders.
"Yes," Emeriau said.
Leclerc saluted and turned to leave. "I'll make sure the preparations are expedited, Captain."
After Leclerc left, Captain Emeriau took a moment to gather his thoughts. The mission was clear: locate and neutralize the Ottoman submarine that had been wreaking havoc on French maritime operations.
***
Two hours later.
Emeriau was on the bridge deck with Leclerc. The crews working on the deck saluted him.
"At ease, now give me the exact coordinates of the ship that was sunk by the Ottomans," Emeriau ordered and the staffers quickly responded by providing him with a detailed map marked with the locations of the recent attacks. Emeriau studied the map intently, tracing the routes and attack points with his finger.
"These attacks are methodical," Emeriau noted. "The submarine must have a well-planned route to strike these targets so effectively."
Leclerc nodded in agreement. "It seems they are targeting our supply lines specifically."
Emeriau looked up from the map, his eyes focused on the horizon. "Set a course for the last known attack site," he instructed. "We'll start our search from there and expand outward. Keep a sharp lookout for any unusual activity or signs of the submarine."
"But do we really know that it is a submarine?" Leclerc asked…looking at Emeriau.
"Well you read the reports, those merchant ships didn't even see a surface vessel attacking them. So it must be a submarine," Emeriau reasoned. "The pattern of attacks and the lack of sighting of an enemy ship point towards a submerged vessel."
Leclerc considered this and then nodded. "We are setting course to the last known attack site now, Captain," he confirmed.
"Excellent," Emeriau replied. "Keep the sonar active and monitor all communications for any distress signals or reports of further attacks. We need to stay informed."
Leclerc relayed the orders to the sonar and communications teams. Emeriau on the other hand sat on the Captain seat. A battleship is built and designed to counter another battleship. It would be best if there was a destroyer or a cruiser along with them as they are the suited ships against the submarines. But the Ciela Bonaparte battleship is equipped with torpedoes, depth charges, and advanced sonar systems, making it capable of engaging a submarine if needed.
Two hours later.
At the last known site of the last victim of the Ottoman submarine, Emeriau saw parts of the Victoire Class merchant ships floating on the water's surface. There were also survivors on a lifeboat, waving their hands in the air, trying to get their attention.
Emeriau immediately ordered a rescue operation. "Get those survivors aboard, and let's find out what they know," he instructed Leclerc, who quickly coordinated with the deck crew to bring the survivors safely onto the Ciela Bonaparte.
Once the survivors were on board, Emeriau met with them personally. They were visibly shaken, their faces marked by the trauma of the attack and the subsequent ordeal at sea. After ensuring they received medical attention and comfort, Emeriau began to question them about the attack.
One of the survivors, a middle-aged sailor with a thick French accent, spoke up. "We didn't see it coming, sir. There was no warning, no ship on the horizon. Just a sudden explosion, and then chaos."
Emeriau listened intently, his suspicions about a submarine attack being further confirmed. "Did you notice anything unusual before the attack? Any sounds or disturbances in the water?"
The sailor shook his head. "Nothing, Captain. It was a normal day at sea, and then suddenly, it wasn't."
Thanking the survivors for their information, Emeriau returned to the bridge to discuss their next steps with Leclerc. "It's as we suspected, an unseen attacker. This strengthens our theory of a submarine."
Leclerc nodded in agreement. "What are the chances we can find this submarine? It's been two hours since they are probably long gone…"
Emeriau considered Leclerc's question. "True, but there are chances that they might still be hunting for more. Let's keep our ears to the water and eyes wide open."
"Should we launch our seaplanes to scan the area?" Leclerc suggested, referring to the reconnaissance aircraft carried by the Ciela Bonaparte.
"That's a good idea," Emeriau agreed. "Deploy the seaplanes for an aerial search. They'll give us a better view of the surrounding waters and might spot something we can't see from the ship."
Leclerc promptly issued the order, and soon the seaplanes were launched, soaring over the sea to widen their search radius.
Meanwhile, the sonar team continued their vigilant monitoring. Emeriau remained on the bridge, coordinating the search efforts, his mind constantly analyzing the situation and planning for potential scenarios.
After some time, one of the seaplane pilots reported over the radio. "Captain, we've spotted something that looks like a periscope or a snorkel about three miles northeast of your current position."
"Head towards those coordinates, full speed," Emeriau ordered immediately. The Ciela Bonaparte's engines roared to life as the ship changed course, closing in on the reported location.
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