The deer in Minneapolis' sights was nervous. As if it could sense the hunters about. Well that was normal for prey she supposed. Still it was annoying waiting for the skittish animal to hold still. The water was right there. And it had to drink at some point.
The air was humid today. The area was supposed to be a forest, but it felt more like a swamp. It made Minneapolis' choice to wear her usual abbreviated garb more reasonable. Her dark skin would blend with the shadows just as well. Lesser hunters might worry about thorns or poison ivy, but her ability to scan the area was super human.
One of the few things she'd kept thankfully.
Finally the deer lowered its head and began to drink. Mni took her chance. She aimed just above the beast's heart, letting the sights line up perfectly before pulling the trigger.
Her prey bounded away as the crack of the rifle rang out. It made it three steps before keeling over, dead from the massive blood loss.
"Well done," Indianapolis said behind her. Minneapolis grinned at the other shipgirl. Her fellow wasn't much for the kill, but she was fine on the hunt. A quiet backup. Something Mni could appreciate.
"Thanks," she replied as she shouldered her rifle. It still felt unnatural. But then everything did compared to her rigging.
No use worrying over that though. She walked over to the deer pulling out her knife. Indianapolis followed suit. Dressing their kill was much easier with two people working it. Especially since she didn't want to miss a scrap.
This deer would fulfil its purpose, even in death.
As they let it drain Indianapolis started up a fire and began cooking the sweetmeats and other organs that wouldn't keep as well. Mni cleaned off a few rocks to sit and dine on, and broke out two beers from their supplies. She looked up at the sky. Still early morning, so no need to camp here. "Guess we'll make it back in time for dinner."
Indy nodded. "We can share," the girl replied quietly as she began finishing off the seasoning. The sizzle of meat was heavenly to Mni's ears. She was glad she was upwind, otherwise she'd be dying of anticipation.
A few minutes' worth of eternity later Indy slipped the meats onto some plates and walked over to join Mni. She accepted the beer in exchange for the meal and nodded as Mni clacked the necks together.
Her duty to the cook complete, Mni dug in while it was still hot. It was lightly seasoned, but you could really taste the quality of the meat like this. Any true hunter would be proud of this meal.
It helped that Indy cooked it. The other cruiser girl was mediocre at shooting, but had learned how to cook a lot better than Mni. You'd think tossing herbs, salt, and meat into a pan would be easy. But it never turned out as good when she tried it.
She finished off the meal and licked the plate clean. Indy gave her a look for that, the shipgirl's single golden eye glimmering, but she shrugged. "It's bad to waste food," she replied before drinking some of her beer. It didn't look like Indy agreed, but the other shipgirl's annoyance faded.
After all Indy understood better than most what it meant to be thrown away.
The temperature began to rise as Mni finished off her beer. It was good they'd caught their prey before it could start getting really hot. The sweltering weather was a minor inconvenience on the hunt, but it always dragged at her on the return. She stood. "Well you gotta return from the hunt sometime."
"Yeah." Indy's reply was unexpected, but heartening. The two had little in common other than being heavy cruisers with dark skin. But they worked together well.
Mni grinned and decided to turn enthusiasm into action. "Alright. I'll start packing the deer. Let's get everything together and head back.
The next hour was spent carving the deer, placing it into their cooler, and smothering the fire so it couldn't spread. The rest of the beers were drained along with that work, though Minneapolis was careful to keep all the bottles.
That handled they grabbed their much heavier packs and began the long walk back to the road. Insects buzzed about as the two slipped through the forest, following game trails and streams. Indy didn't say anything, but the quiet steps gave Mni the calming feeling of companionship as they continued back.
Still she was tired and sweaty when they got back to the truck Minneapolis had requisitioned. Technically without permission, but the base wasn't well kept. She'd just put in a form after.
As she slipped the cooler into the back Indy hopped into the driver's seat. Mni gave her friend a glare, but the other ship was unmoved. "You drive too fast."
Mni rolled her eyes. "I drive fine." Still she hopped into the passenger side.
"Sudden stops and acceleration aren't fine," Indy replied.
"Not my fault I'm used to being more responsive," Mni muttered.
Indy's expression shifted and the other girl nodded before starting back towards the naval base.
Mni looked out the window as the forests rolled by. With the air conditioning on it was actually pleasant. A nice view, and great hunting. But it still felt wrong. The ocean was nowhere near. Hell they barely had a lake to work with.
"I wonder..."
She looked up in surprise at Indy's words. The cruiser rarely started a conversation. Mni kept quiet to try to encourage the other woman to finish her thought.
"I wonder why they kept us in the military." Indy looked over at her. "We can't fight without our rigging. And there's no need for infantry against the Sirens." Indy continued along the road. "We're just taking up resources."
That was a good question. One that a lot of the shipgirls at the base had asked themselves. "Maybe they feel sorry for us. They got all those fancy shrinks here pretending they understand us after all. Need to keep us poor shipgirls from losing our minds." She didn't think highly of it, but it was better than ripping her rigging off and just letting her out on the street she supposed.
Indy shook her head slowly. "Shouldn't they be treating us like normal girls? Not letting us live in a military base with guns and trucks we can steal?"
"I dunno." Mni stretched. "I mean don't we get twitchy when we're away from a commander for too long? Thought that was something they said about the destroyer girls they let loose."
"We also have problems where there's too many of us in one place," Indy pointed out. "It has to cost a lot to have so many bases. Even if they let a lot of the more common girls leave."
Mni ground her teeth. That was an issue. She knew she couldn't stand seeing another Mni around. Even before she'd been forced to give up her rigging to power the other woman up.
Finally Mni shrugged. "Damned if I know. Can't say I care really either. Just getting by. One day after another."
"Hm." Indy turned her eyes back to the road. Not much to say to that.
They continued along the two lane road, as the small base they called home slowly came into view.
Tirpitz slowly flipped through the book that had arrived with morning mail. It was a alternate history where the Sirens hadn't provided wisdom cube technology to the world. She wasn't hurt by the Axis being the villains, but the actions of the political leaders seemed almost cartoonishly barbaric. That is if any cartoon could show some of the horrors suggested.
Still the idea of massive ships crewed by hundreds of soldiers was interesting. She wondered how those warship crews would be as hurt by avoiding war as she was. If being a sailor on a weapon meant something different than being created as a weapon. If others would have known the disappointment of being held in reserve until the day they died.
It was, all in all, a pleasant way to spend an afternoon alone. She had plenty of time to sit and muse on such matters. Today as she had in that past life. At least she had more books and less nosy carriers bombing her.
The clack of sandals on the wooden pier reminded her that while there weren't as many bombs, there was still a nosy carrier. It was almost amusing, given how much the woman tried to keep up her no nonsense warrior persona.
Tirpitz carefully marked her place, closed the book, and looked up at Kaga. "Yes?"
"Indianapolis and Minneapolis returned from their little hunting trip with a deer." The foxgirl smoothed her many tails. "They're offering to share it with us. If you're willing to join us in the main mess hall."
"Why wouldn't I?" Tirpitz asked as she stood. "It's air conditioned. Which means it's the only room in the base that's tolerable." Technically the whole base had air conditioning, but the units were in such bad repair Akashi could only keep the mess hall and the dorm cooled.
Kaga folded her arms. "I wondered if that might destroy your 'Lonely Queen of the North' mystique. Like how you don't bother training with the rest of us."
The contempt in the carrier's words was hidden, but not well. Probably the Sakura Empire's equivalent of public cursing. Still Tirpitz couldn't help but smile. "The rest of us? I fear you're the only one who bothers training." Kaga's ears twitched as Tirpitz walked past. "I am used to never being called upon. It's a painful reality."
Kaga fell in behind her. "The weak are food for the strong. I intend to be strong again one day. You should consider that as well."
Tirpitz felt something akin to comradery at the words. However... "It's not the same. You were a battleship once yourself were you not? Those little pop guns they let us play with are nothing compared to the roar of our cannons. I'd probably learn more bad habits then good ones."
"So you haven't given up," Kaga said.
"I know better than to put faith in providence," Tirpitz replied.
For good or ill.
Indianapolis was restless.
She wasn't sure why. And she wasn't sure how to deal with it. Before, in an earlier life, when she felt like this Portland would inevitably do something stupid. And after the fight she'd feel relieved.
But she'd never had a Portland after she was revived. Mni had become a good friend. Perhaps even closer in some ways then she'd ever been to her sister ship. But where Portland was a bubbling font of brainless cheer, Mni's energy was razor sharp and always looking for something to do.
Which was why at times like this, when Indy's blood was sparkling and the eye that held her forbidden power throbbed, she could do nothing but nurse a bottle of alcohol and wait for it to pass.
Of course today she was in good company. Most of the base had shown up. It was a small group here, mostly 'rare' ships. But everyone was happy to try the fruits of Mni's hunting and her cooking. It was always nice to see their spirits lifted. Usually a cloud of despair and regret hung over everyone. A good meal couldn't remove the dark feelings from everyone's hearts, but it could bring some happiness and joy to calm them for just a little while. Even when they were surrounded by old surplus tables and plastic chairs instead of a proper base.
"Indianapolis." She looked up to see Tirpitz standing there. "Thank you for the fine meal. You've become an excellent cook."
Indy nodded politely. The Ironblood Battleship always seemed more like a Royal Navy boat. Both in attitude, and dress with that well tailored admiralty uniform. Then again she had looked more Ironblood than Eagle Union herself, before she'd lost her rigging. "Thank Minneapolis for the ingredients."
The battleship smiled. "I already did. She told me to thank you for cooking them."
That was nice of her friend. Indy turned back to her drink-
And then pain flared through her eye.
As she swayed in her seat Aoba burst through the door. "Everyone, turn on the news! Right now!"
Indy shook her head to clear it as the rest of the crowd began yelling back and forth about what was happening and where the remote was. The pain started to fade, just as the TV turned on with a hiss of static.
"We repeat, a major attack on the fifth fleet's naval base has caused significant damage. We're watching live as the battle continues-"
Her stomach dropped as she slowly turned to the TV. She saw distant flames on the screen, with the sharp flashes of anti aircraft fire. The video shuddered as a distant bomb hit. And then there was a bright flash and another shuddering boom as an oil stockpile blew.
"So," Kaga whispered in the silence, "this is what it's like being on the other side of a harbor attack."
Indy had known that second things were going to change.
What she wasn't expecting were the orders that arrived, along with a escort to the airport.
She, along with most of the base, were being recalled to active duty.
An apology to everyone following Void of the Sky. That's kinda hit a brick wall. Meanwhile this popped into my head and would not let go, so I followed the words. Wasn't sure it would finish, but I've gotten everything but the epilogue and editing done so I'm transferring it from AO3 to here.
For those unaware of Azur Lane, I encourage you to look up the ships on the AL wiki. For most there's good historical data as well, which I'll be pulling from. I'd link it myself but hates links.