Whip of the Sea

[StaolDerg]

MINISTRY OF WAR

AUTUMN 1930

TAKPOE NAVAL REGION TERRITORIAL COMMAND

THE IMPERIAL NAVAL MUNITIONS DEPARTMENT

---

NAVAL MUNITION PROPOSAL - 1930 TORPEDO “GUIDED”

TO SUPERINTENDENT YAMOKAWA-KAMA,

UNDERSTANDING THE LIMITATIONS OF OUR EXISTING TYPE 97 TORPEDO, ELENRIA NAVAL STATION “VO” HAS DEVELOPED A PROPOSAL INTENDED TO ASSIST GUIDANCE. ATTACHED IS A DIAGRAM OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES.

(1)GUIDANCE APPARATUS. ELECTROMECHANICAL MOTOR SYSTEM HOUSES SIX MANIPULATING GUIDANCE STRANDS THAT CONNECT TO AND COMMAND THE RESPONSIBLE GUIDANCE SYSTEMS. (SEE FIGURES 3 & 4.)

(2)GUIDANCE WIRES. BRANCH OUT FROM FIGURE 3 HOUSING AND MANIPULATE THE ELECTROMECHANICAL PIEZOELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WITHIN FIGURE 1, ALLOWING FOR MANUAL CONTROL FROM REMOTE COMMAND.

(3)“HOME” STRAND. STRAND RESPONSIBLE FOR HOUSING THE GUIDANCE STRANDS UNTIL CONTACT WITH INTENDED TARGET. CONNECTS TO FIRING VESSEL AND SERVES AS CONTACT FOR COMMANDS BY OPERATOR.

(4)STABILIZATION & DIRECTIONAL FINS. RESPONSIBLE FOR STABLE CRUISE CONTROL AND CAN BE MANIPULATED BY CONTROLLER TO REDIRECT TORPEDO COURSE.

(5)PRIMARY DRIVE SHAFT. MAIN POWER SHAFT RESPOSIBLE FOR DRIVING THE TORPEDO PROPELLER. PASSES THROUGH THE GUIDANCE APPARATUS.

(6)1800 WATT BATTERIES. RESPONSIBLE FOR POWER GUIDANCE APPARATUS UP TO 22,000 YARDS.

THE GOAL OF THE SHOWN MODIFICATION IN THE TYPE 97 TORPEDO IS TO RAISE THE ABILITY OF SUCCESSFUL GUIDANCE TO AN ENEMY TARGET BY WAY OF A SILK STRAND-GUIDED APPARATUS, FEATURING A SPOOL THAT EXTENDS FROM THE FIRING TUBE TO THE LAUNCHED TORPEDO. MANIPULATION OF THE STRAND FROM THE LAUNCHING VESSEL WILL ALLOW FOR MANUAL GUIDANCE OF THE TORPEDO BY EXISTING SYSTEMS, SUCH AS VISUAL ACQUISITION.

I BELIEVE THE POTENTIAL OF THE SYSTEM, WITH ENOUGH TIME AND INVESTMENT, WILL PROVE A GREAT BOON FOR THE ROYAL BATTLE FLEET. I HUMBLY AWAIT YOUR OPINION ON THE MATTER.

WITH HONOR TO THE EMPRESS.

SUPERINTENDENT ISI OLIKA, IMPERIAL NAVY STATION AUNDUI YIO “VO”

[Sophie]

MINISTRY OF WAR



Autumn 1930

THE ROYAL BATTLE FLEET MUNITIONS DEPARTMENT

TAKPOE NAVAL REGION TERRITORIAL COMMAND

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TO SUPERINTENDENT OLIKA-KAS

OUTSTANDING WORK TO EVERYONE AT ELENRIA NAVAL STATION "VO". YOUR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CURRENT TYPE 97 TORPEDO ARE INCREDIBLY INTERESTING AND HAVE CAUGHT THE EYE OF EMPRESS SHIRAORI.

MYSELF, THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY RIKO KURE, REAR ADMIRAL IN CHARGE OF SUBMARINE COMMAND YOSHI KAWASAKI, AND VICE ADMIRAL IN CHARGE OF DESTROYER COMMAND ARE NOW UNDERWAY TO ROYAL BATTLE FLEET STATION AUNDUI YIO “VO”.

HAVE ACCOMMODATIONS AND TRANSPORTATION PREPARED FOR OUR ARRIVAL IN EXACTLY ONE WEEK.

SUPERINTENDENT YAMOKAWA

[StaolDerg]

With a whole week to prepare, Superintendent Olika still managed to find herself outstandingly anxious when the date came for the Kumo officers' arrival. She had originally been a logistics officer, and with word of major officers being present at the Naval Station, she had ended up readying two more of everything than originally needed- two more Kumo-sized cars for their transport, two more platters of tea, and so forth. She was well aware that the attention of the Empress could very well make or break the careers of those involved, and to be perfectly honest, she was sure the inventor of the guided torpedo, a short crown human petty officer by the name of Ouska, was even more worried for the visit than her.

She rapped on his workshop's door in the early morning, wanting to have the young man ready to present himself. "Come in!"

She opened the door to see his team sleepless, huddled around a handful of unarmed type 97 training torpedoes, their back ends open, revealing complex wiring and several dozen glossy strands of Kumo silk stretching out from a number of spools. But her attention was more focused on Ouska himself as the man stepped over to her from one torpedo at the far end of the room. He had deep bags under his eyes, but he saluted the Superintendent smartly nonetheless, likely powered through by the strong tea that she saw mugs of littering the work tables everywhere. 

"Are you ready to present, Petty Officer?"

"We've had the week to prepare, but there are still some reliability issues with the guidance apparatus- it gets increasingly difficult to guide the torpedo the farther it goes, and you risk disconnection or tangling the home strand in the propeller if too wide an arc is made at one moment. My team needs more time-"

The Superintendent shook her head. "We have no more time. We present in but a handful of hours. Does the prototype at least work?" 

With a grimace and sigh, the man nodded. "It does. Range is reduced to 17,000 yards, the battery risks short-circuiting if there are leaks, the fuse might fire prematurely and blow the damn thing up- but in short? Our guidance system works, if only barely."

Olika nodded. "Have faith. If we impress our superiors enough, we will have all the time we need to perfect the design. Prepare the workshop shortly for presentation in about three hours. I'm going to the docks to meet them."

---

The Superintendent stood in full dress uniform at the docks of Aundui Yio, a ceremonial guard standing with her in the cool coastal breeze. She was grateful for the weather as she peered across the bay for the vessels of her superiors, hands folded behind her dress. An area of the bay had been set aside near the naval station for testing the torpedo, and though it wasn't visible from where she stood on the docks, she saw port authority vessels shepherding civilian ships away from the vicinity.

All she waited now was for her superiors to arrive.

[Sophie]

A small convoy of destroyers and a single light cruiser arrived at the docks. Many enlisted were the first-come ashore to begin their dock duties. A few hours after arriving in port, a group of sailors in incredibly well-kept dress uniforms all disembarked the RBS Yuubari, the light cruiser. The leader of this group, Nao Yamakawa, 's eyes locked onto the Elenrian superintendent and lead the group towards them. The group was much more than the initial message implied. It was double. Yamakawa smiled with her lips pursed. She was exceptionally tall, even for a Kumo, with dark skin and flowing white hair. Her body was akin to an Oval St. Andrew's Cross Spider.

"Good afternoon, Olika-kas I presume? This is Admirals Yoshi Kawasaki and Hikaru Kaneko, Secretary Riko Kure, and Commander Akiko Sawada of the I-202 with two of her torpedowomen." She introduced pointing to each Kumo as they were named.

Secretary Kure spoke quietly and calmly and without opening her eyes. "From what I saw of your proposal this could revolutionize all torpedo warfare. I am excited to see your prototype."

The Admirals and Yamakawa responded with minor shock towards Secretary Kure before regaining their composure. "Very well, let's get going shall we?" Vice Admiral Kaneko asked.

[StaolDerg]

The Elenrians saluted smartly, but as Oliika was introduced to each Kumo, she realized that the additional vehicles she had set aside in case of a mechanical breakdown might not be enough for those present. Craning her neck to reach the watch of her superior, the crown human bowed before each officer in turn, figuring that she would immediately acquire more transport- trolleys were not ideal, but they were made for the Kumo in mind, and one line did run to the Naval Station for its personnel. Being truthful, she decided, would be best.

"Of course, ma'am. If you'll follow me, I have transport ready. The station is not that far away, but I did not anticipate this many officers to be present, and I apologize deeply for that mistake is my fault alone. I can have your group brought to the station in two trips, but if you would rather everyone arrive at once, I can mobilize some civilian trollies to provide transport for those who cannot fit in the cars, though the trip may take slightly longer."

She led the group to a convoy of large, specially designed cars- or more accurately, trucks- with furnishings specifically designed for housing Kumo. Each one could comfortably fit two in the backseat, with room for one in the passenger seat and two spaces for humanoids- one driver and one passenger.

[Sophie]

Yamakawa frowned and glared daggers at the crown human. She had told her superior, Secretary Kure, that she had informed the Elenrian of the additions to the entourage when in fact she had not. She simply assumed transportation would be handled in full by the Elenrians immediately. "You blubbering buffoo-!" she raised her hand to strike the Elenrian when Secretary Kure grasped her wrist.

"Now now, Yamakawa-kas. We mustn't show anything but the highest of decorum to our subordinates." Kure was smiling, and by all accounts had a warm expression, but mixed with her tone made her exude a foreboding energy. "We are to set the highest standards of Kumo culture."

Yamakawa's eyes darted between each of Kure's deep crimson irises in fear before calming down. "Yes of course Madam Secretary. I deeply apologize."

"Good." Kure closed her eyes and turned back to the Crown Human. "Commander Sawada and her subordinates will ride on trollies. Yamakawa-kas will ride with me. Will that work?"

[StaolDerg]

The Elenrian winced sharply, but to her surprise, no blow landed. Quickly regaining composure though her heart seemed to beat against her ribs, Olika bowed before Kure. "That will do fine, Kure-kama. Please, make yourselves comfortable aboard the vehicles while transport is arranged for the Commander and her subordinates. I will join you presently." She excused herself, allowing a subordinate officer to show them onto the vehicles.

"Lieutenant Avs, go to the square and requisition three trolleys for the delegation at once. Take four personnel to secure and personally take command of the vehicles- drive them down Paska Avenue and to this berth's passenger lane. I want our superiors aboard and en route to the Naval Station as soon as possible." 

The officer she spoke to gave her a hurried salute as they barked orders at some soldiers and took off in the direction of the main street from the port. Olika then made her way to the Commander, apologizing profusely and explaining where to find their transport before turning and quickly heading back to the cars, which had by now begun to stir, ready to go with the rusty wisps of exhaust curling up from their smokestacks. 

The Elenrian Superintendent hopped aboard the lead vehicle, bowing apologetically to her passengers. "The trip will only take about seven minutes, ma'ams. If the interior is too hot, the windows can be opened. It's a cool eighteen Celsius outside with the autumn season moving in."

[Sophie]

Secretary Kure smiled at the woman. "Thank you very much, Oliika-kas." She placed her hand on the nape of Yamakawa's neck and squeezed just tightly enough to be uncomfortable and led her to the car. Both of them now sitting in the back of the car, Kure squeezed the nape of her neck with all her strength and began whisper yelling. "You will never! Lose your temper like that again. Do you fucking hear me? When you act on your basest emotions like that without even a second's thought you dishonor me, and worst of all you dishonor the Empress. This outburst will be going on my report and your record will be forever blemished unless you act fucking perfectly for the rest of the visit." Throughout her beration she kept her eyes shut, and a warm welcoming smile on her face. "Do you understand me?"

Yamakawa's face had become completely flush red. "Y- yes ma'am. I understand. I cannot apologize enough for my behavior."

"You've got that right." Kure sniped back

The two of them sat in silence the rest of the way to the station, with Kure's hand still firmly on her subordinate's neck. Even when they arrived, instead of letting Yamakawa exit out of her door she dragged her through hers.

[StaolDerg]

Though the ride was brief, Olika found herself incredibly anxious with the Secretary speaking to the Superintendent behind her. The driver was too- though they managed to remain a firm and steady driver, she could well see the sweat on the man's hands as he carefully navigated the paced streets to the naval station. Neither spoke a word throughout the drive, but the Superintendent occasionally glanced at the mirrors to check on the other vehicles of the convoy.

As they pulled to a stop at the Naval Station's grounds, Olika hopped out of the car to oversee the Kumo officers' comfortable disembarkation. With more military personnel saluting the Kumo as they passed by, they eventually reached Ouska's workshop, the plaque emblazoned aside the steel doors, reading SPECIAL PROJECT SECTION. 

"The project is just beyond this door," Olika informed as she opened the door for her superiors. "We have a working prototype rigged up for a demonstration just outside, on the docks of the workshop."

The workshop had thankfully been thoroughly tidied, with the presentation model displayed on a stand at the center of the room. Most of the team responsible for the torpedo's development were stood around it, still wearing their working smocks, but with their dress uniforms on at the very least. At their head was Ouska, his hands by his sides as he and his team bowed deeply before the Kumo.

"This is the team responsible for the development of the project thus far," Olika presented, motioning to the group. "They are headed by Petty Officer Ouska, who was responsible for the concept in the first place." 

The comparatively short man remained bowed, hoping they would not see the cold sweat on his brow.

"If you would like," the Superintendent continued, "We can wait for the Commander and her entourage to arrive- they shouldn't be more than a few minutes. There is tea available, should you want it."

[Sophie]

"There's no need to wait," Yawakama answered. "The commander and her crew were invited to review the ability of standard torpedo crew to operate this new technology. They need not know all the technical specs of it." She did move to take a cup of tea. She outstretched her hand to Ouska, "It's a pleasure to meet you petty officer. How did you ever come up with such an ingenious idea?" She asked taking a sip of the tea. It was much more bitter than the tea she was used to. Her face stiffened and twitched, but she felt the pressure on her neck increase ever so slightly. She smiled, "This tea is quite nice."

[StaolDerg]

The Superintendent quietly bowed as Ouska's panicky eyes darted to her and back to the Kumo.

He accepted her outstretched hand and shook it. "I was a student at the technical college in Pelven," he explained. "I had an interest in electrical mechanics and originally intended to be an electrical or mechanical engineer for the Takpoe rail system, but while I was a student, I had the opportunity to work on a train signaling system as a school project. I thought that using a network cross-braided silk with pressure plates would serve as a more automated system for trains to be guided into their needed areas by the station master. A friend of mine who serves in the Territorial Navy commented on the difficulties of aiming torpedoes, and I started wondering if a similar string system could be designed for it- my instructor took notice of the technical drawings in my notes and had me transferred to the Naval Department upon my graduation to work on it in greater detail."

He glanced down at the open torpedo before him nervously but determined not to make a fool of himself, continued. "But I digress, Yamakawa-kama. If you would like, I can guide you through the internals of the torpedo thus far. It is the same wet-heater and pure oxygen-powered Type 97 Torpedo currently in service, but with some changes- mainly with a battery, adjusting fins, and a apparatus that dictates the movement of the torpedo by strength pulled on the respective guidance strands."

[Sophie]

"The Empress will be thrilled to hear that the collegiate system we've implemented here has managed to hone such fine talent." Secretary Kure remarked, smiling warmly on Ouska with her pervasive aura.

"Damned impressive is what it is." Admiral Kaneko finally spoke up.

"How did our own people not come up with something like this? It's so simple, and at the same time so elegant. This idea could revolutionize submarine warfare. Honestly, all torpedo warfare. Maybe even all naval combat as we know it." Admiral Kawasaki gushed.

Yawakama began to look nervous at the Submarine admiral's words. She turned to Secretary Kure, "Kure-kama, could I have a word with you in private?" The secretary turned, smiled, and nodded with closed eyes.

The two quietly walked off, letting the admirals carry the conversation to distract from their absence. "Kure-kama, what Admiral Kawasaki just said has me concerned. This project could have ramifications for naval warfare of all time. I think we should co-op this project, classify absolutely everything involved, and silence these Elenrians. We can't trust them to keep this from our enemies." There was genuine worry in her voice. It shook with every sentence. She meant every word.

Kure opened her eyes and glared deep into Yamakawa's eyes. Her pervasive aura upgraded to completely domineering. Her continued grip became even tighter, the skin on Yamakawa's neck stretched back intensely, revealing her veins and trachea. "Yamakawa-kal," She flinched at the downgrade of her honorific, "I will overlook suggesting bringing harm to a fellow citizen of Kumosenkan. You would do well to remember that the Empress considers Elenria to be as much Kumosenkan as Kumosenkan proper. The Empress will be thrilled with the skill of this Elenrian, and will surely use it to brag to the world the good we do here."

Yamakawa bit her bottom lip. She worried for the future. She never wanted anyone in the world to have this technology but Kumosenkan. She believed in Admiral Kawasaki's words to the depths of her soul. "Please, Kure-kama. At the very minimum we need to classify this project and involve our oversight heavily."

"Do you have no faith in your superior, Yamakawa-kas?" She posited and turned back to return to the group. "Please forgive our rudeness. Is there anything else we should know about the prototype before continuing?"

[StaolDerg]

Ouska bowed deeply before the admirals, quietly ecstatic that they had reacted so positively. "Your praise humbles me, ma'ams. But yes, there are some things you should know. It Is still a prototype and needs refinement- the torpedo must be manually aimed for the entirety from tube to target. There is the risk that it may be swimming deeper or higher than wanted, either producing too much cavitation or excessively disturbing the home strand guiding it, or risking slipping underneath targets instead. Because of this, we've adjusted the functioning prototype's fins to a preset angle to keep it from going any deeper than needed for the demonstration and made two aiming apparatuses- one for Kumo, and therefore relatively untested, and one for humanoids, which we have some amount of experience testing with, with the torpedo to be guided in a turn to hit a target in a roughly 45 degree arc turn. If that's all well with you, I can show you outsides to the docks."

Oliika noticed the commotion with the Secretary and her own superior Superintendent, but remained silent and fixated herself with the admirals instead. She had no part in this and had no desire to spark any more trouble.

[Sophie]

Yamakawa's eyes were much more nervous than before, constantly darting to Kure and back to the petty officer. "Yes, let's head out to the dock. You've, made sure no civilians will be in the area right?"

The pressure once again increased on her neck. "Of course they have, have faith in your subordinates."

Immediately the admirals felt the tension that had begun to burden the room and attempted very hard to not let it show. "Yes, let's get going, assuming the Commander and her sailors have arrived."

[StaolDerg]

Ouska nodded. "Of course."

He led them to the workshop's exterior door just at the other side of the room and led them out onto a fairly spacious dock. A single fixed torpedo tube was rigged up at the end of one berth, and the rest of Ouska's team were conducting final inspections of it, saluting as they saw the officers approaching. The whole area was covered by a large, enveloping tarp that more or less blocked out the sun, leaving the cool breeze fluttering the tarp in cool shade. 

"Civilians are not permitted near the Naval Station," Oliika assured the Kumo officers. "The Naval Station is completely quartered off from the rest of the port in this inlet, and the entrance is guarded by the 11th Torpedo Boat Squadron. We have soldiers ensuring that no unauthorized personnel are allowed within Naval Station grounds."

Ouska presented the officers with a strange metal box that was linked to the torpedo tube by a relatively dense-appearing thread of interwoven kumo silk. Opening it, it appears to be a strange eight-key array of buttons with metal switches- a close inspection showed they were linked to other threads that connected to a large spool of similar interwoven threads mounted to the side of the torpedo tube. As the project engineers set up, the Lieutenant from earlier entered from a different building, followed by the remainder of the Kumo submarine commander and her crewmembers.

Pointing out to the inlet's waters, Oliika offered each officer a pair of binoculars as she began to explain the course of the presentation. "The target is a decommissioned corvette, C-132. We've anchored it 17,000 yards away from us, the port facing us at about 45 degrees. The torpedo will be fired and guided to hit the port side at around 34 knots, which Petty Officer Ouska has recommended as the most reliable speed. Please tell me if you have any questions. We can start the demonstration at your discretion, Yamakawa-kama."