The North PacificBoard

May 31, 2020

A line of tugboats assemble on the Grande Verde Reserve Fleet Base, tugging out the static and well-preserved Kiril class carriers Gnevny and Varyag. These carriers have been disarmed, their Sekvoyya (SS-N-4 Trident) missiles put into reserve, their radar systems taken off as well, and propulsion systems shut completely. The nation of Mavella has saw intent of claiming such carriers, and the Kingdom has been also urging for their disposal, and on the same day, a deal was secured- the republic has bought the carriers.

But it was then time to tow the two carriers. Having had their propulsion systems shut completely, they were practically dead ships. Towing crews boarded the carriers as a skeleton crew and to make sure that the transfer were to be flawless. The tug company had the support of the Navy, as the fast battleship Pamiat Merkuria had been commissioned under the orders of Admiral Ivchenko Vonel, to aid the carriers, as they were still a vital Vioamian asset.

Along with that, the light cruiser Chysisynau was also commissioned, along with four Vympel class destroyers acting as the escort, due to the high priority of the carriers, and the fact they may cause unwanted attention from the nations. A pre-planned route was set as per orders of the Mavellan government and the Royal Vioamian Navy, that being crossing the Osean Canal and into Notun ahom.

Although the Ministry of the Navy found the idea of having such a small flotilla being sent along two dead ships much useless, Vonel insisted that the naval ships follow. At noon of the same day, the transfer fleet began their journey, entering open sea. On the lead was Pamiat Merkuria under the command of Captain Bennington Kychnev, who has been captain of the vessel since her commissioning in the '90s.

"All tugs, full speed! Navy escorts, be on normal fleet speed." he ordered.

The legion of tugs did their best to go full speed. The naval escort remained still slow, in order to not be too ahead of the tugs. The massive weight of the carriers immensely made the tugs slow, despite a lot of them tugging such, and that most fittings were taken off. The fleet was still botched at 11 to 12 knots. It was abysmally slow, but they were trying their best.

"Keep 'er pushing!" one of the tug captains said.

"We're trying, cap'n. We're trying!"