"Will you fire Colorado?"
"With evidence suggesting that Washington DC is still in existence, no I will not sir."
"Then you leave me no choice."
"Missile inbound!"
"Dive Colorado dive!"
"100 yards and closing."
"WE'RE GONNA HIT THE OCEAN FLOOR!"
"BRACE FOR IMPACT!"
"Gah!" Colorado jumped forward, her fins landing on soft warm sand. After a few harsh pants she remembered where she was. The small island of Saint Martie was, until recently, just a NATO warning station. Now, it was a haven for her and all the little boats that lived here. Though she enjoyed the tropical island as much as the next boat would the fact that her own fleet had tried to kill her still haunted her. It was common for submarines, even in the service, to fight for dominance. Indeed, her hull bore the scars of such battles. But never try to kill. There was too much mutual respect between fighters for that. Whoever fired the missile at her, was without honor just as Colorado had come to find her government wasn't either.
She was American by birth, but being betrayed by one's country can change things for you. She considered herself to be nationless, a rogue, a pirate. The only home she had now was this little island. And the small boats around her were her fleet. She had to protect them. There was a stirring beside her and Colorado gently slipped back down into the berth before her little half excursion could be noticed. L'iana was a small fishing trawler, even in comparison to most of the boats here, but she lead the flotilla before the Ohio-class' arrival. She'd turned the title over to Colorado then though the submarine insisted upon otherwise. She was here to spare herself and her crew from a government conspiracy, not to annex an island. Her protests fell on deaf ears and she found herself as flagship of 50 boats ranging in size from zodiacs to large longliners. They were free to come and go as they pleased, she doubted that the US Navy would harm civilians. She turned back to L'iana as the little trawler snuggled into her side. Gently, she pressed her muzzle to her deck. L'iana had not just given her the title of flagship, a post that most submarines would never see, she had also won the big boomer's heart. Not the Colorado minded. L'iana was so much smaller than her that one wrong move could... well that's why the pair had agreed without saying to restrict their relationship solely to business with the occasional kiss or snuggle. They were pushing that established envelope now. The fleet didn't know and Ohio hoped to keep it that way which is why at the crack of dawn the submarine wriggled her way quietly out of the berth and into the harbor in time to watch the fishing boats return from an overnight jaunt. Part of their daily routine. Everyone's schedule had been stretched thanks to Ohio's arrival. She'd brought 150 extra mouths to feed. The sub herself could forgo any traditional food. She had enough Uranium in her reactor to last her another few months. No need to burden down the already strained resources with the amount of food it would take to keep her going.
"Don't tell me you stayed up all night waiting for us." Blinka, a longliner, said as she passed by. "Hardly." Colorado yawned. "Contrary to your belief submarines do sleep. Once in a while." She snorted. "You heading out?" She asked. "As soon as you're all back in, yeah." Colorado replied. Blinka shifted in a manner which Colorado had come to recognize as "I wanna tell you something but I can't because it would break propriety". Funny how these little rascals had come to care about propriety since she arrived her. Though the hatches on her back and the doors on her bow told Colorado exactly why. "Go ahead and say it kiddo." She murmured. "Well, when you're out maybe you could try and catch something. We didn't do so good on our runs." "Me, hunt?" Colorado asked. "That is only if you want to. You don't have to do it. I shouldn't have asked." Blinka sighed. "No, you should always tell me when you have a problem." Colorado assured, cupping her fin and licking the top of her head. "I'll see what I can find. Could be the fish are just hanging deep, a problem for you but not so for me. I'll come back with something, I promise you that." She headed out. "Good hunting!" Blinka called after her and Colorado flicked her rudder in reply.