JOHN C. STENNIS CARRIER GROUP, LAURENTIAN ABYSSAL PLAIN, 2009

As a Los Angeles-class submarine, USS Topeka had been involved with many classified operations. Her class and she had served their nation well. What she didn't expect though was an operation like this one. It involved high surveillance which she enjoyed, but it was the surveillance of the uninteresting kind. The "sitting around and waiting for something to happen" type of surveillance. It was what her human masters called a "desk job".

"How much longer?" She groaned to Arleigh.

Roosevelt's battle group was in the Gulf of Aden, readying for a possible strike. They lacked a submarine. Why couldn't she go and join in the action?

The fleet healer resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the sub's question. Topeka had been whining since she got here. The little submarine just couldn't shut her mouth but then again, she was ADHD. A long, dull assignment like this one was not her forte. But orders were orders. That still didn't protect command for the chewing out they would get when she returned to Cairo. Shame on them for sticking her with such a whiny ship! In fact the whole task force was just about sick of Topeka's complaining.

"If you don't like it, then leave!" Stennis snorted.

"If I do that though, I'll be punished!" Topeka replied.

"Then stop your whining and do your job." Stennis sighed, summoning her patience from somewhere.

"I am doing my job and complaining as I do it. I can multitask." Topeka snarked back.

The carrier growled, losing patience with her sub.

"Enough." Arleigh hissed. "Stennis, ignore her. She's just anxious and trying to calm her nerves. Topeka, remember the techniques I gave you."

"Okay, okay." Topeka sighed, taking deep breaths.

"Stennis ma'am, my sonar's picking up five unidentified contacts. Diving fast." Another destroyer, Kidd, called from the far side of the group.

"Topeka, investigate it." Stennis ordered.

"Aye, aye ma'am." Topeka dove. Once underwater she leveled out and immediately began pinging away. "Damn, I've never known something to dive that deep that fast." She said.

"What's happening?" Stennis questioned.

"They're diving to the site and there's no DRV's there." Topeka replied.

"Then people we've got a problem." Stennis said. "Topeka, keep me informed."

"Will do." The sub signed off the radio for now, she had more important things to take care of.

Her sonar beeped as the contacts started rising, only something was different. "Stennis, I'm reading six contacts now. I repeat, six contacts and they're rising fast. Get a bird in the air to intercept."

A Hawkeye was launched from Stennis' flight deck. Two Hornets waited in the catapults when the contact reached Topeka. The submarine tried frantically to turn away but a collision was imminent. The "thing" collided with her port quarter, forcing her stern to broach as it cleared the sea and made for the upper atmosphere. The Hawkeye could not keep up.

Blood coated the water and Arleigh was quick to respond. She didn't wait for Stennis' order, she rushed over. Topeka had blown her ballast and now lie even on the surface. A huge gash graced her port quarter, her aft fin mangled, bone exposed and her propeller bent beyond repair. She was shaking from the shock.

"Topeka, Topeka snap out of it! Look at me!" Arleigh roared.

The submarine's eyes rolled around in her head as she worked to focus on the healer.

"Damn you, focus!" Arleigh growled. "Don't you dare die on me." Don't you dare leave me...

Topeka's fins slapped harmlessly against the destroyer's sides as she positioned herself above the submarine. A harsh gurgling noise issued from her throat. "H-help me..." She rasped. "Arleigh, p-please."

Arleigh took a deep breath. "Tell me, where does it hurt?" She asked.

"D-doesn't hurt. Feel nothing..." Topeka's head fell against Arleigh's hull as she went limp.

Arleigh frantically felt for a pulse. "Topeka, Topeka wake up please!" She wailed. She swore when she felt none. "Stennis, I need a defibrillator, now!" She shouted.

The carrier tossed one to her. "Work quickly, Arleigh." She growled. "I have to get the task force out of here."

The healer slammed the device to Topeka's chest at least 6 times before she got a response. The sub's heart was erratic and Arleigh had to monitor it closely. She resorted to carrying Topeka on her back as they sailed for home. It was en route that she got word of Roosevelt. It was the last thing she needed to hear.

"There were a good 1800 people on that ship." She whispered.

Stennis looked at her. "There was nothing you could have done." She replied. Her voice was tight and Arleigh remembered Roosevelt was a Nimitz-class, her sister.

"I'm sorry." Arleigh bowed her head.

"They'll pay." Stennis growled. "I will make them pay!"

Arleigh turned her focus back to Topeka. The submarine was stable, for now at least. Though whether she would regain consciousness or not remained to be seen. "Come back to us Topeka. Wherever you are, please come back." Arleigh whispered. She sent her prayer to the Ancients, the stars holding a new meaning for her after the events of the last 2 years. She could only hope that whatever was up there, heeded her plea.

...

Topeka woke as the carrier group was diverted to the Egyptian coast. "Wha-where am I?" She groaned.

"Safe, for now." Arleigh replied, licking her. "Your heart completely stopped at one point. I was afraid I couldn't get it started again and once I did, it easily could've stopped."

"What's the damage doc?" Topeka asked.

"Don't call me doc." Arleigh sighed. "Ratchet's the doc. I'm the healer."

Topeka giggled. "Don't believe you're supposed to say that out loud." She said.

"Oh hush you! We all know what's going on." Arleigh growled though secretly she was glad the submarine was teasing her. It meant she was feeling better. "You have a mangled fin, a bent propeller, and a 90 foot gash on your port quarter. It sliced you open from your kidneys to your stomach."

Topeka nodded. "How long until I can get back to work?" She asked.

"I don't know yet." Arleigh replied. "Months at least. What you need is a drydock."

Topeka sighed. "No point arguing that is there." She asked. She shifted against the healer, resting at her side.

Arleigh tried to hide her worry at the sub's complacent attitude. Topeka must have been hurting bad if she was so agreeable.

Stennis swore, drawing the pair's attention. "What's going on?" Arleigh asked.

"Special Agent requesting the use of a rail gun. One of the NBE's is remodeling a pyramid. Apparently within that pyramid is a machine capable of destroying our sun!" Stennis replied.

"Well don't wait for me, do it now!" Arleigh growled. No more sun?! That would completely destroy all life on earth. Not on her watch!

Her sister ship, USS Kidd, readied her weapon. "Fire in the hole." She said and in a charge of electricity the rail gun launched its projectile.

The fleet was rewarded a few seconds later as an explosion hit the top of the pyramid, knocking the NBE clear.

"YES!" Arleigh cheered. Topeka managed a grin and high finned the healer as well.

"I love the smell of powder in the morning!" She said and Arleigh hugged her.

"Topeka, I love you." She whispered. There, she finally said what she'd always wanted to say.

The submarine's breath hitched and she stiffened. For a moment, Arleigh wondered if she'd pushed too far. Then Topeka snuggled her. "I love you too, you little bitch!"