A/N: Play this as you read the prologue ;)

https://youtu.be/IFYCq_LNuaE

January 24 1996 [Atlantic Ocean off NS Norfolk] USS Gato SSN-615 (Surfaced) 17:55 hours

CDR Clarkson: "Here. it's a part of your qualification for command." The commanding officer of the boat said as he hands his XO a tobacco  

XO Richards: "Can't say I cannot deny this skipper." He replied with a chuckle as he takes the tobacco.

CDR Clarkson: "Ah, last breath of fresh air for the next 3 months, I'm gonna miss it." The CO said as his XO lights his tobacco.

XO Richards: "Yeah I guess your right skipper. Can't believe in three month's they'll decommission this boat, I guess all good things must come to an end." He said with a tone of sorrow.

CDR Clarkson: "Yeah, your right about that part exec, been serving on this boat for 2 years now and I can't believe the navy's letting her go." He replied with the same sentiment.

XO Richards: "Well if that's the case, let's make this an honorable final patrol for the black cat." He said with a glint of enthusiasm. 

As the two men were chatting at the fate of their boat and other things in the navy to talk about, just behind them is a young woman wearing the service khaki's with the submariners badge and a rank of petty officer, on her head covering her bright blonde hair is a dark blue baseball style cap with the inscription of the submarine's name and hull number, her face is only plastered with a small smile knowing this would be the last months she would be with her boys (crew), who she is the very personification of the 292 foot long submarine, but the men can't see or even interact with her.  As the conversation died down and as the two men tried to enjoy the view of the sun setting the CO spoke out again.

CDR Clarkson: "Let me give you some tiny bit of advice, if you want your own boat someday. The very worst thing you can do is to worry about yourself or try to impress me or those pencil pushers back in Norfolk or the Pentagon, I can't stand save asses and I surely don't wanna buy kiss asses, you keep your priorities strait and true and your mission and men." He said as he gives his advice.

XO Richards: "Thank you sir." Richards reply as he puffs some of his cigar.

CDR Clarkson: "How do you like that cigar?" The old man asked.

XO Richards: "It's good sir." He replied as he gives off some small nods.

CDR Clarkson: "It's your first?" He asked.

XO Richards: "Yeah." Richards replied as he coughs and his CO gave off a small chuckle.

CDR Clarkson: "Don't like it too much, cause I bet you they're more expensive than drugs, XO take her down." The commanding officer said.

XO Richards: "Take her down aye sir." He said as he grabs a wired internal radio to contact the bridge.

XO Richards: "Control bridge sounding." He started.

Radio: "Bridge control sounding 128 Fm." The person on the other end replied.

XO Richards: "Lookouts, clear the bridge." The XO ordered.

Lookouts: "Clear the bridge, aye sir!" The lookout replied.

XO Richards: "Officer of the Deck, prepare to dive." The XO instructed.

OOD: "Aye sir, prepare for dive." The OOD replied, as the CO climb down into the submarine.

CDR Clarkson: "Captain down." The CO stated.

Dive Officer: "Captain is down." The DO announced as the XO soon climbed down the ladder as well and the mysterious young woman as well.

XO Richards: "XO down." Richard stated.

Dive Officer: "XO is down." The Dive officer announced.

CDR Clarkson: "Submerge the ship." The CO ordered.

XO Richards: "Diving officer submerge the ship, make your depth 1-5-0 feet." The XO ordered.

Dive Officer: "Make my depth 1-5-0 feet aye sir, chief of the watch. On the 1MC Dive Dive Dive." The DO ordered as the dive alarm rang inside the boat and outside as the vents opened and the sub prepares to dive.

 Dive Officer: "Make your depth 1-5-0 feet, 5 degree down bubble." He instructed the helmsman and as the helmsman pushes the yoke forward. The boat began to dive.

(Like this.)

That marks the start of the 3 month final patrol for the Gato, the patrol went without a single hitch, after her final and last deployment she arrived back in Norfolk navy base for the last time, a week later she was moved to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard to be deactivated and decommissioned, this was the end of her long career and service to her nation and her 'life', she already accepted this sorrow fate of her, she guessed it's better than to go down like her older sister the Thresher at least she made a good mark during her entire service career, she finally accepted her dismantling and moved on and severing herself from her hull and putting herself to her earned rest,  but the feeling of continuing or serving her country never died, and she said to herself that one day she'll return in service or in defense of her nation.

Unknown location:

On a unknown place sat the once proud boat or at least her 'soul', she was finally resting, she earned it, going on about different patrols from her first deployment 1968 to her final deployment in 1996, but as she sleeps through the empty void, she heard a echoing voice as if it was trying to lure her somewhere deep within this empty space. Given her curiosity she began to follow the voice, as she follows it the voice began to speak to her.

???: "Little one, come closer." The voice called out.

Gato: "Who's there?" She asked out.

???: "Young woman, over here!" The voice called out as a figure starts to form of a middle aged woman wearing a summer white uniform with the rank insignia of a full Admiral (4 Stars), while she was sat down on a small table and two chairs.

Gato was in her service khaki's but missing her old cap as it was only there when she was still commissioned back in the fleet, as she approaches the unknown woman she notices the woman was preparing two cups of coffee on the table.

???: "Come, and please do sit down so we can talk." She offered as she grabs a cup of coffee and takes a small sip from it.

Gato: "Uh, first off who are you ma'am?" She asked staying respectful since the woman bears the stars of an admiral.

???: "That doesn't matter Gato, what matters right now is how ready are you to come back and defend your homeland?" She asked as she grinned.

Gato: "I'm ready as I can, it was my sole mission when I was commissioned back in 1968." She explained to the woman whom just gave a smile.

???: "Ah the exact reply I should hear from a true American, your quite lucky that I chose you to be part of the war effort." She said.

Gato: "War effort? Don't tell me my home is at war with someone and I'm here just sitting and helplessly doing nothing!? She burst in sudden surprise and outrage.

???: "Calm down honey, the war is not between any nations and do you remember the Russians? Your former foes they're now your allies, against a foe that no man or ship spirit like yourself hadn't faced in any point at time, isn't that quite the development?" She calmly replied as she sips a small portion of her coffee.

Gato: "So what's this got to do with me then?" She asked in a very bemused manner.

???: "Well you see your country needs you again as they need more ships of your type, additionally your gonna be the first of your kind to return so it will be a surprise for your allies and your foes, are you up to the task of returning to service?" She asked with a small grin on her face.

Gato: "Alright, I'll take your word on it I would like to serve again." She flatly said.

???: "Mhm as expected from a Yank, the spirit to serve never died eh." She replied.

Gato: "Never did and never will, so how do I get back?" She asked again.

???: "In good time my dear, once you closed your eyes in this empty void you'll wake up in the ocean near Japan and from there you'll meet new friends, and do be sure to help them in their battle against your common foe." She replied to Gato's question and reminded her.

Gato: "So I'll return as a Submarine again am I?" She asked another question.

???: "No, this time it will be different. You'll be human and will have a body but you won't have the usual features of normal humans, but features only present to you and your kind, so do please take good care of yourself and you'll be fine." She said as she sips off her coffee.

Gato: "H-Human you say?" She stuttered in surprise.

???: "Yes, you'll be human this time and like the others will posses human qualities but with the abilities of your kind, isn't that more comfortable? Or you don't want it?" She replied with a pout.

Gato: "N-No I wanna go back and defend my homeland again!" She replied.

???: "Well that answers my questions to you Yankee, close your eyes and soon you'll return to the world, although it will be a different world from the one you left back in 1996, since a lot of things happened since then." She replied and explained the few bits of what to expect.

Gato: "A-Alright then, so I'm gonna be wearing this old khaki's of mine too?"  She asked as she glanced at herself.

???: "Hmm, maybe it wouldn't be efficient if you stuck with that old uniform, I know! Let's change it up a bit so when you come back you'll be set." She replied as she had her hand on her palm.

As the mysterious Admiral said that, a small cap with her two sail planes on both sides and the number 615 and her ESM and radar mast appeared along with a pair of headphones and a oxygen mask and a full diving suit with the inscription of her name, her hull number, and her badge and the American flag on her right shoulder, and to complete the set a modified M16 for her use along with the 'ammunitions' for it such as venerable Mk-48 Torpedo, UUM-44A SUBROC, and UGM-84C Harpoon for her offensive munitions, and for her passive munitions is completed with the duo Mk-57 deep water mine and the Mk-60 CAPTOR mine, and finally one of her decoys the Mk-70 MOSS.

After changing to the outfit Gato found herself liking it, it was comfy to wear as she looks at herself, but she then notices the 'Admiral' walking towards her.

???: "So, is it to your liking?" She asked.

Gato: "Yeah I guess it's to my liking, but I have a question?" She replied.

???: "And that is?" She replied with a smile.

Gato: "Can I meet my eldest sister, like the first one in my class, I never got to meet her cause she was sunk in her first year of service. I would like her to get the chance of proving herself." She said with a determined look.

???: "Ok, can I have a name?" She asked.

Gato: "USS Thresher SSN-593, she was lost off Cape Cod during her deep diving test." She replied.

???: "Very well, I shall have her meet you soon little one, but it's time for you to comeback, you'll meet your sister on the other side soon." She said as she places her palm on Gato's forehead and a bright flash ensued both, and knocking out Gato in the process. 

45 years later [Off the Japanese home islands] USS Gato SSN-615 (Surfaced) 11:00 hours

Opening her eyes Gato found herself on the surface of the sea with her body just floating like she was really human, as she looks up she sees the brightening ray of the sun and she attempted to shield her eyes from it, and then she looked down to herself, she was half submerged, only the top of her chest has breached the surface while the rest of her body or should we say it in navy terms her 'hull' was underwater. She looked down to see her hazy black dive suit with her fins for swimming and her 'firearm' of choice to launch her weapons like her torpedo's and missiles.

Gato: "Damn, that weird Admiral was right! I'm now human. Which is weird in itself and the fact I used to be a Nuclear powered boat is adding to that fact, but first I need to know where the hell am I." She whispered to herself.

As Gato was trying to survey her surroundings and listening in known military and naval radio channels she manages to get a radio transmission from someone she doesn't even know.

???: "This is JS Ryujo does anyone read me? The [Escort Ship] Suzutsuki is hit multiple time by medium caliber shells from both a Ri-class heavy cruiser and a Tsu-class light cruiser but she's still fighting with her VLS and 5 Inch gun, but the Destroyer Myoko has been incapacitated by multiple shells already, we are in need of reinforcements! If not the abyssals will sink the convoy! The convoy's position is currently Southwest of the Kuril islands we are 4 hours away from Hokkaido." The transmission reported.

???: "This is the U.S 7th Fleet we read you, we are currently dispatching the guided missile cruiser Antietam and two of our guided missile destroyers the Benfold and Mustin they will be arrive in 2 hours at best, please try and hold the abyssals longer JS Ryujo, what's the status of your fleet mates and overall situation?" The operator on the other side inquired.

Ryujo: "Akizuki and Hatsuzuki are doing their best to fend off the abyssal aircraft that is trying to enter the convoy's airspace along with my fighters, Maya and Mogami are doing their level best to keep the abyssal cruisers away from the convoy, my bombers and torpedo bombers are busy doing runs on a Ru-class battleship we spotted, were getting stretched thin here! I don't know how long we can last at this rate! Their destroyers are harassing the convoy relentlessly as well." She reported as the noise of AA fire coming from the girls and the subsequent noise of the CIWS of both the JMSDF ships with them.

???: "Copy that Ryujo, hold on. Good news Ryujo the 4th U.S Ship girl division is within your area, the force contain fast battleship Washington, aircraft carrier Intrepid and cruisers Helena and Northampton, along with the destroyers Johnston and Fletcher. They reported that they are vectoring their course to yours, just hold on help is on the way." The operator on the line reported and assures Ryujo.

As Gato was hearing this, she began to travel to the direction of the convoy as fast as she can, given her abilities as a ship girl she accomplished this by diving and at least managing 28 knots and reaching the fleet in distress, as she arrives in their general area she hears another transmission from Ryujo.

Ryujo: "The American fleet arrived to save our asses, thanks." She reported in the radio.

???: "Your most welcome Ryujo, contact us on this frequency again if you have something to report." The Radioman told the little carrier.

Ryujo: "Copy that, over and out." She replied as she looks at the Antietam Sailing in formation leading the damaged Suzutsuki and Mustin, while the Benfold was giving the badly mauled Myoko a much needed tow.

With the convoy:

Washington: "Good grief, good thing we managed to reach you guys in time to repel those attacks from the abyssals." She said with a sigh of relief.

Intrepid: Well it was needed cause this convoy means more supplies for Japan, the Chair Force's Air Mobility Command is stretched to breaking point a few months ago when we were still trying to open the northern pacific for convoy runs, the southern route is still close though, the entire South Pacific is under abyssal control, only the Coral sea and Tasman sea is deemed to be safe enough for warships to operate, thanks to the contributions of the British and Commonwealth Naval forces in that area." She remarked.

Ryujo: "Let's not celebrate just yet, one of my scouts just spotted 2 Ru-class battleships and a Ta-class battleship along with escorting abyssal surface competence in our southwest." She reported.

Washington: "Well that's just perfect, two battlewagons, were severely outgunned by those 3 big guns and all we got is me, 2 carriers, and a number of cruisers and destroyers." She scoffed

Mogami: "Not only that, but my fairies are reporting that my 8 Inch guns are low on ammunition 

Maya: "Don't look at me, I'm too damaged to fight, all thanks to those hits I got from the cruisers earlier, I'm reduced to 6 guns and I'm also low on ammunition." She reported.

Northampton: "Can't we let the conventional ships deal with them, I mean they do have those Harpoons for a reason." She said out to the group.

Helena: "Yeah, Nora's right we can let the Antietam, Benfold, and Mustin, and even the two Japanese destroyers deal with the surface threat with their Anti-Ship Missiles." She backs up Northampton's idea.

Johnston: "Eh but didn't the report said that most of our conventional weapons are virutally ineffective cause the abyssals gave faint radar returns from range, especially if the radar ping is from a conventional ship?" She questioned the suggestion based on what she knows of the war.

Akizuki: "Well there should be at least another way for us to deal with the abyssals Johnston-san." she replied.

Hatsuzuki: "Yeah, Onee-chan has a point, I think it's best if we try it first before we start questioning the idea." She added with her sister's remark.

Fletcher: "Ideas are good and all, but my sonar just picked something up." She reported.

Intrepid: "Sonar you say?" She said with a tone of interest.

Ryujo: "Sonar eh? This couldn't be good." She said as she has some sweat forming on her head.

Helena: "This could mean either two things, it could be a friendly submarine is watching us but has not yet chosen to let itself known, or it could be a abyssal submarine that is shadowing us." She stated for the others.

Akizuki: "Where's the sonar contact coming from? Me and the other destroyers can prosecute it with a depth charge attack." She asked Fletcher.

Johnston: "Yeah yeah, tell us sis might as well throw some depth charges at the sneaky thing."

Hatsuzuki: "I'm with you guys, but I'm not really used to Anti-submarine warfare since I was designed as a AA destroyer." She added. 

Washington: "AA destroyer or not, you still have depth charges so it's best you put them to good use." She pointed out for Hatsuzuki.

Northampton:  "So what do you two think of this?" She asked her fellow Japanese cruisers.

Maya: "I'd say, the best thing we could do is sink that sneaky bastard, I still have memories of my sinking from the hands from your guy's submarines, Dace was her name was it."

Northampton: "Dace eh, I remember Dace being in NS Midway Island when we were still based there." She said with a smirk.

Maya: "Eh? Your saying the submarine that sunk me is back as a kanmusu (ship girl)!?" She reacted to Northampton.

Northampton: "Yeah, I mean there's a reason why the U.S. Navy has a ship girl program in the first place, but relax she's based in Midway and she mostly patrols the western pacific near the jurisdiction of the British and Aussies." She reassures Maya.

Mogami: I think you should relax Maya-san, remember the Americans are now our allies and friends in this war, so you don't have to be afraid of any American submarines or submarine kanmusu." She teases the overreacting heavy cruiser.

Choosing this moment to speak, Gato now decided it's best if she will report to the convoy's her presecene and to de-escalate the situation, so the surface girls wouldn't mistake her for an enemy subsurface threat.

Gato: "This is the USS Gato reporting to the convoy fleet, can you read me?" She said through the radio.

Intrepid: "This is Intrepid of the 5th U.S Ship girl division in Japan overall command and flagship of the ship girls escorting this convoy, we read you 5 by 5." Replied the carrier.

Gato: "Good, I just wanna say that I'm the subsurface contact you guys have on sonar and I repeat I am no threat, I'm a friendly unit operating in this waters." She said on the radio.

Washington: "This is the battleship Washington, I'd like you to tell us on how the hell is an American submarine operating near Japan? As far as I can remember there was no mandate for U.S. Navy submarine girls to be operating near or on Japan, aren't you lost or something, plus I don't think the northern pacific is a patrol area for you guys." She said with a scrutinizing tone.

Gato: "Beats me ma'am, I'm just as lost as why the hell I'm here." She retorted.

Intrepid: "Well if you are Gato, then please tell us what's your hull number please?" She asked.

Gato: "What? You don't even know your own former ships, I was and I am the USS Gato SSN-615."

As Gato released those words a big silence just filled the frequency, until Fletcher manages to break the silence.

Fletcher: "Gato-Gato what's your class and radio callsign?" She asked. 

Gato: "I'm part of the Thresher or Permit class Nuclear Attack boats from the 1960's, my radio callsign is November - Delta - Uniform - Alpha." She replied.

Fletcher: "Antietam do you read me?" She asked the cruiser.

LCDR Miller: "This is Antietam, we read you loud and clear, this is LCDR Miller." The current commander of the convoy replied over the radio.

Fletcher: "Uh LCDR Miller, is the information true of her identity?" She asked in the radio.

LCDR Miller: "Well for your question Fletcher, she's correct on the info she gave us, she might be the ship girl personification of the Permit class submarine Gato, all the info we checked up on our records are spot on what she said." He replied to Fletcher.

Before any other of the girls could speak again they were beaten to it by Gato.

Gato: "I could take care of those enemy surface ships, I could hit them with my Harpoons and I could close in to the slow battleships you guys were saying and sink them with Mk-48's, I'm about 25,000 yards (22,860 meters) away from them." She offered.

LCDR Miller: "If you can sink the heavy hitters, we'll gladly take the offer." The man replied.

Gato: "Aye aye sir." She replied as she cuts off transmission.

As that happened Gato then moved to a depth of 1-5-0 feet optimal launching depth for her UGM-84C Harpoons, she then got a notification from her fairy crew, 'contacts designated Sierra 1, Sierra 2, Sierra 3 are enemy destroyers' as that happens Gato loaded three UGM-84C Harpoons into her 'modified' M16 and launched the Harpoons against the abyssal destroyers.

https://youtu.be/tYj913i_VdA

After the Destroyers were taken care of she closed the range to 10,000 yards (9,144 meters) and raised her periscope to get a better firing solution to the cruisers and battleships which are designated Sierra 4, Sierra 5, and Sierra 6, she then instructed her fairy crew to load the Mk-48's on her three torpedo tubes.

A few minutes later as the loading process was completed, she got a report from her crew telling her 'Conn-torpedo room, tubes 1 through 4 are loaded' she then made the final adjustments for her target solution which is rated at 99% given by her crew.

Gato: "Flood tubes 1 to 4." She said and her mind as her modified M16's 

As that happens the tubes doors open and t began to flood, it was ready, she then gave the orders to fire.

Gato: "Firing point procedures, target designated sierra 4 bearing 1-7-0 degrees, run to enable is 5,000 yards (4,572 meters). Shoot tube 1!" She said in her mind as she pulls the trigger and 1 Mk-48 torpedo left the tube headed straight towards it's target, one of the Ru-class Battleships .

She then switched to the second target and completed her final targeting solution.

Gato: "Firing point procedures, target designated sierra 5 bearing 1-5-0 degrees, set active to 4000 yards (3,657 meters). Shoot tube 2!" She said again on her mind as the torpedo left the tube and headed for the other Ru-class battleship.

And then she finally set the final torpedo for the Ta-class battleship.

Gato: "Firing point procedures on Sierra 6, bearing 1-4-0 degrees, run to enable one two thousand yards check fire. Snap shot tube 3 bearing 1-4-0." She said as the third torpedo left the tube and headed to it's target.

Gato then decided to leave the cruisers for her Harpoons again since she determined that a torpedo wouldn't be necessary for the two remaining Tsu-class cruisers. The two cruisers were pretty much destroyed by a pair of Harpoons from Gato, this left no surface contacts in vicinity of the area. And leaving most of the surface girls with wide mouths in astonishment that a mere submarine can sink a fleet of abyssal warships.

Gato: "I hope I didn't overdo it." She thought to herself as she sails back to the convoy.

Few minutes later she was fished out of the water by the Antietam and found herself confronted by the rest of the girls and the commander of the convoy, Lt Commander Alasdair Miller aboard the USS Antietam.

LCDR Miller: "We will drop the two Japanese warships at Ominato Guard District for some much needed patching up and repairs, and once we've dropped them off we'll sail with the convoy near the coast, all the way to Fleet Activities Yokosuka, then we will have you reported to the commanding officer of the ship girls stationed here in Japan, and also we got you a pair of coveralls so you can change from that damp and wet dive suit you have." Miller explained to Gato.

Gato: "Understood sir, and thank you." Gato replied to Miller.

LCDR Miller: "That's not a problem, you saved our assess from that fleet of capital ships that we can't really much do a lot of, I'm just showing you my gratitude as the commander of this convoy." He said to Gato and then turning to the rest of the girls also in the room.

LCDR Miller: "For the time being as we sail to Ominato you all stay here in the officer's wardroom and get yourself some coffee or snacks here, or some hot chow down at the mess hall." He told the rest of the girls.

Everyone reacted with a tone of 'Yes sir' or 'Aye sir' as Miller left the wardroom to head back to the bridge. 

=========================================================================

Word Count: 4,995 words

A/N: First of all woohoo, I'm back baby, but don't worry guys this new story will be updated again next week as I fix the plot for chapter 1 so stay tuned! :)

Characters in this part along with the ships involved:

Japan Maritime Self Defense Force/Former Imperial Japanese Navy:

Ryujo:

Mogami:

Maya:

Akizuki:

Hatsuzuki: 

Abyssals:

Ru-class battleship:

Ta-class battleship:

Tsu-class cruiser:

To-class cruiser:

Ships involved in the battle (U.S. Navy):

USS Antietam CG-54:

USS Benfold DDG-65:

USS Mustin DDG-89:

Japan Maritime Self Defense Force:

JS Myoko DDG-175:

JS Suzutsuki DD-117:

Note: The Americans will be shown in a specially made bio just for the American ship girls.