Chapter 2: Shell Game
"Well aren't they clever," snarled Foghorn Leghorn, peering through the periscope. "Our sonar man's suspicions might be right, son. Looks like all three of the ships in that group are all nearly identical cruiser class ships."
"What does that mean, then, Kapitän?" Schmiermittel furrowed his brow, adding, "Did we follow the wrong group of ships? There was only supposed to be one prototype cruiser."
"No, son, I think we've got the right fleet," asserted Foghorn Leghorn. "The Japanese Navy's just bein' clever. One – or at least one – of those ships is our target. The only catch is that it's travelling with some decoys. It wouldn't be prudent to escort this new cruiser with battleships, son. It'd just make the fleet a bigger target. No, they're bein' sneaky, son! A few, unimportant ships with almost no paper trail sailing here? It's all too fishy, son. This is our group right here."
"I see," Schmiermittel said, clearly deep in thought. "What are your orders then, Kapitän?"
"Well, son, if we're gonna complete our mission, there's only one thing we can do: we have to sink every single ship in that fleet," surmised Foghorn Leghorn, adding, "how many torpedoes were we able to bring, son?"
"Sir, to make room for the extra provisions needed to make the trip to the South China Sea, we had to cut back on the number of torpedoes we brought," explained Schmiermittel. "I believe we have three, mein Kapitän," he added.
"Then son, I say son, we'd better make every one count," declared the Kapitän. After taking a moment to compose himself, Foghorn Leghorn picked up the ship's intercom system.
"Boys, I say boys, now hear this," he began. "I know this isn't the mission we're used to. I know these aren't the targets we're used to. I know there aren't the waters we're used to. But I also know that you boys are the best. I know that Admiral Dönitz chose this crew for this mission because we are the deadliest submariners in the entire Kriegsmarine! I know that you boys will carry out your orders with the speed, efficiency, and precision necessary to complete your mission, and I know that come tomorrow, there will be three less ships in the Imperial Japanese Navy! Now let's develop us a firing solution for the lead ship in that fleet, and solve the problem those ships pose to the Fatherland!"
After a moment of silence, Foghorn Leghorn howled, "boys, I say, boys, it's a joke! 'Problem,' 'solution,' it's a joke, boys. It flew right over ya! Pay attention, now, boys! Get to your action stations!"
"Sir," chimed in Schmiermittel, "we've developed a firing solution for the first ship in the fleet and are ready to fire on your orders."
"All right then, boys," Foghorn Leghorn said with a smile, "let's get this shell game started. Fire torpedo!"