She really didn't know why she had been sent for, but the CO had sent for her. When the CO sends for you, you don't ask why, you just go. The submarine girl USS Dallas stood outside the door of the commander of all US sub girls, waiting to be told to come in. Dallas knocked three times on the door, and waited. A few seconds later she heard, "Come in," from the other side. She walked in and stood at attention.

"The captain sent for me?" she said.

"At ease Dallas," replied the senior US submarine girl, Captain Wahoo, "A matter has come up that I think you can help us resolve."

"What kind of matter?" Dallas asked, skeptically.

"I read in your file that back in the cold war you were involved in an incident with a particular Soviet missile submarine."

It took Dallas a moment to figure out what Wahoo was talking about, "But, ma'am, that was a long time ago, and no one is supposed to know about that."

"Nothing's secret if you know where to look," Wahoo replied, cryptically.

"What's this about?" Dallas asked.

"A sticky matter with the Russians, and as you are probably acutely aware, our relations with them as of late haven't been as, cordial, as they used to be," Wahoo said. Dallas nodded understanding.

"Captain, what does this have to do with me?" Dallas asked again.

Wahoo didn't answer, but instead leaned down and pressed a button on her desk, "Yeoman, you have her come in. Thank you." Dallas raised a questioning eyebrow, and turned as the door to Wahoo's office was thrown open.

A tall girl walked in and said, "Tovarisch Wahoo." Dallas instantly knew that she was Russian, the sharp, Slavic features, and the long, blonde hair made that painfully obvious.

"May I present the Russian missile submarine, Krasny Oktyabr," Wahoo announced.

"Call me, Red October, or just Red," she replied. Dallas just stood there, looking at Red October, speechless.

"Red October, please meet Dallas, former Los Angeles class fast attack submarine," Wahoo said. It took all of three seconds before Red bounded across the room and scooped Dallas up into a tight embrace.

"It is you," she said, "You are the one. You saved the captain."

"Can't breathe," Dallas wheezed. Wahoo stood up and tapped Red on the shoulder, causing her to drop Dallas, who immediately began to gasp for air.

"You are responsible for my success," Red continued, "I thank you."

"Ma'am," Dallas said once she had regained her breath, "Why am I here?"

"Why don't you explain yourself Red, and let Dallas here your story," Wahoo said.

Red looked down at the floor for a second before saying, "For Russian submarine, I did not spend much time in Russian navy. My captain's mission happened right after my launching, and I decided that I would continue his dream with my new life."

"Tell her the rest of it," Wahoo said.

"To come to America, I sneaked away from my navy," Red said, shuffling her feet, "It was not hard, my comrades are good at fighting, not security."

"And the Russians haven't asked for her return?" Dallas asked.

"Oh they have, the first two time she ran across the Atlantic," Wahoo replied, "They finally gave up and gave her to us to deal with."

"You sailed across the Atlantic twice?" Dallas asked, a note of approval in her voice.

"No, I sail across Atlantic first time," Red replied, "Second time I book Aeroflot flight out of Murmansk to Washington, and no one stopped me."

"I'm assuming I'm here for some reason?" Dallas asked.

"Seeing how Red October is now officially assigned to our outfit as a special observer, she needs a handler. Someone to watch her and keep her out of trouble, and seeing as you two have a history with each other, your name came up," Wahoo said, "She'll bunk with you, and it'll be up to you to familiarize her with our procedures." Dallas gave Wahoo a wide eyed look, and stood stiff in shock.

"It will be so nice to be with you again tovarisch, you will teach me about your country" Red said, moving to embrace Dallas again, but the smaller girl managed to slip out of her grasp.

"Ma'am, do I really have to do this?" Dallas asked.

"Yes, yes you do lieutenant," Wahoo replied, "Now get out of here, go show her around, and try not to let everyone on the base know that she is a Russian. I wouldn't want your fast attack sisters to get the wrong ideas."

"Aye, aye, ma'am," Dallas said, begrudgingly, "Come on, Red. Let's go get some food."

"Can we get hamburgers? I like hamburgers, they are such an American food," Red said, following behind Dallas as she left Wahoo's office.

Dallas practically dragged Red through the base. The Russian girl wanted to stop and look at everything. "First step," Dallas said, "Lose the coat."

"But my coat is warm, and it is cold here," Red protested.

"We'll get you a new one, but nothing says Russian like a big fur coat. You might as well be wearing a red star," Dallas explained.

Dallas rubbed her chin in thought for a second then said, "The Navy Exchange is on the other side of the base, and they also have a food court there. It might be better to head over there for food rather than the mess hall." Dallas put a finger up to Red's face, "Let me do the talking. There are a lot of ship girls on this base who do not remember the Russians in the best light, try not to provoke them."

"I will do this tovarisch Dallas," Red replied, "You have my word."

"Good," Dallas said, "Stay close to me." The headquarters of US Submarine Auxiliary Personnel was located on the campus of Naval Submarine Base New London, in Groton Connecticut. The base is also home to the Naval Submarine School, the place where all enlisted sailors in the submarine service come to learn their rates. It took Dallas about fifteen minutes to walk Red over to the Nex building, and another thirty for them to pick out a new set of clothes for Red.

Then they set off to get some food. There was a common myth running through civilian circles that nuclear powered ship girls eat uranium. This isn't' true, their rigging operates off of nuclear fuel, but the girls themselves do not eat it. They do, however, have very large appetites, especially the missile submarines. Dallas brought Red to the food court in the hopes that with the wide variety of food offered, they would find something to satisfy the Russian's appetite. She had to admit that she wasn't surprised in the slightest when Red made a beeline for the McDonalds. They found a table in the back of the restaurant and sat down.

Dallas was surprised a few minutes later when she heard someone say, "Hey, big D, why you still here? I thought you had that Special Forces thing with the North Dakota?"

She looked up to see who it was and said, "No, Pogy, that's next week. I had to run to the Nex, and thought I might as well eat here. What are you doing here anyway?"

"Didn't like the slop the mess was serving today, so I decided to head over here." The girl, former submarine USS Pogy, pulled out a chair and sat down next to Dallas. "Who's tall dark and Russian sitting next to you?"

"That obvious is it?" Dallas asked.

"Just a tad," Pogy replied.

"USS Pogy, meet the Krasny Oktyabr, or as you probably remember her, Red October," Dallas said.

"It is nice to meet friend of Dallas'," Red said, offering the other submarine girl her hand, "Please, call me Red."

Pogy took the hand and shook it cordially, then asked, "Red October, Red October, where do I know that name from?"

"Remember that thing back in the 80's, around Christmas time? The whole Soviet Navy was chasing a sub across the Atlantic?" Dallas replied.

"Oh right, that thing with the rogue boomer with the secret squirrel quiet drive. The one who turned out to be defecting," Pogy replied, snapping her fingers, "Wait a minute that was you?"

"This is correct," Red replied, "My captain defected to your country and brought me here."

"I remember now, we hid you in that river than ran into that Alfa on the way to Norfolk," Pogy recalled, "Then you sunk the bastard by ramming him. You've got more guts than me kid. So what's she doing here?"

"Apparently the same thing she was doing back then, coming over to our side," Dallas remarked.

"And the Russians are going for this?"

"She came over to the US three times, and the Russians got sick of her running away, so they assigned her as a liaison," Dallas explained.

"I'm surprised they'd be willing to part with one of their boomers, especially one with a quiet drive like yours," Pogy commented.

"Ballistic Missile submarine girls are less, potent, than they used to be," Red explained, "We are not allowed to carry nuclear weapons due to arms treaties, so we carry cruise missiles."

"So, she going to be working with us now?" Pogy asked, "Enjoying the joys of endless patrols, and following behind the big Navy boomers?"

"I don't know, Pogy. All I know is that I'm now her handler, and she's my responsibility," Dallas replied, "And for goodness sake, don't go spreading around that she's here. You know what the hardliners in the barracks would do if they learned we had a Russian liaison on base. It would be like the old days with the Japanese all over again."

"We didn't have any problems relating with the Japanese if I remember right," Pogy pointed out."

"Still, there are some pretty crazy girls back in the barracks," Dallas commented.

"I will not cause problems," Red announced, "I want to be in America, I would not do anything to make them ship me back."

"I'm all for this," Pogy announced, "Anyone who could evade the entirety of their navy, then unflinchingly ram another submarine is alright in my book."

"Good, then you've just been appointed my assistant," Dallas replied.

"Now hold on a minute, I didn't volunteer for anything."

"You just did, now help me show Red around the base. Let's show off what we Americans are capable of," Dallas said. She pushed back from the table, and stood up. As they were walking out, Dallas said, "I think the submarine museum would be a good place to start."

Damn these plot bunnies, makes it so hard to work on my main fic with all of them popping up. This is the result of a conversation over on SB about ship girls in the Clanvyverse. Expect this to be a collection of one-shots and snips updated sporadically.

Working title I may change it if I get a better suggestion.

Note: I don't own Kantai or Hunt for Red October, I'm just playing with their universes.