Chapter 1: Reflections
Foghorn Leghorn looked out at the sprawling blue of the South China Sea from atop his ship's conning tower, a feeling of uncanniness washing over him like the waves below. In so many ways, these waters were the same as the Northern Atlantic he and his crew patrolled back during the Happy Time of 1943 – an endless expanse of blue. Despite initial appearances, however, these weren't the waters he knew, and just as they had changed almost imperceptibly, so too had his mission.
The orders had come over the enigma machine that morning straight from Admiral Dönitz himself. At face value, the mission was much the same as always: proceed to a location and sink a vessel, preferably without being sunk yourself. This time, however, the target was not a merchant ship or convoy, but a warship – a new prototype anti-submarine warfare cruiser currently undergoing trials in the South China Sea.
And it was Japanese.
"Herr Kapitän, we're picking up sonar contacts approximately 30 kilometers west of our position," reported Schmiermittel, the ship's first mate. He continued, "they appear to all be surface ships, mein Kapitän, and it's doubtful that any non-submarine Allied ships would be operating in that area."
"Can ya confirm that no Japanese ships are officially operating in that area, son?" asked Foghorn Leghorn. "Boy, I say boy, if we end up going on some wild goose chase sinkin' some random Imperial Navy battle group, we're gonna have a lot of egg on our faces! Get it, son? Goose? Egg? Goose eggs, son! It's a joke! Flew right over ya, son! Pay attention now!"
"Sir, according to intelligence reports from the Japanese Imperial Navy, there are no Imperial Navy warships officially operating in that part of the South China Sea," countered Schmiermittel, casually ignoring his Kapitän's playful banter. "We have good reason to believe that these contacts are indeed the new cruiser and its escort."
"All righty," answered Foghorn Leghorn. He deliberated for a moment on the best course of action and then continued, "follow those contacts and keep 'em at the outer edge of our sonar range until 2100 hours. After that, we'll dive to periscope depth and get a closer look. If it's our target, we'll get 'em while they're sleepin' nice and cozy in their beds. That's right boy, from sleepin' in their beds to sleepin' with the fishes! You get that, son?"
"Aye, Kapitän," curtly replied the first mate before descending back into the depths of the Type XIV Uboat, his brevity offering a striking contrast go his superior.
"Huh, that boy's like a mule with four bum legs," mused Foghorn Leghon. "Can't kick back at all."