Chapter 2~ Rising Sun
Nathan's entrance into Shanghai made for some real head turns. Liaoning met him at the foreign docks, her massive bulk easily outsizing him. Though used to being outclassed in that way, the Chinese flagship held none of the warmth that her Nimitz-class counterparts had. Her gaze was like ice under a false sun and everything about her just screamed enemy to Nathan. The destroyer had to work hard to keep his weapons down. "USS Nathan James," She greeted, her tone sharp. "Welcome to China." "Yeah in your dreams." He thought but said outloud "Many thanks, PLNS Liaoning. Under different circumstances I would say your new designation suits you." Briefly he saw a flare of that old Soviet temper and a part of him half-hoped to see it come out before she relaxed. "The Red Flu has wreaked havoc on many fleets. China is fortunate to have ships strong enough to withstand its force."
He docked at his assigned berth near Customs or what used to be customs. A few Japanese destroyers kept giving him dirty looks though whatever for he could only guess at. The cure was being sent in ever increasing quantities to their homeland courtesy of several of his fleetmates. "Brats." was all Nathan said before turning his attention back to the task at hand. In the dock a few berths down was a young looking cruise liner and she looked surprisingly familiar to Nathan. He blinked and did a double take. That bridge, the sleek hull with the British flag on the bow. Those blue eyes. No, it couldn't be! And yet, undeniably, it was. Still in slight disbelief, Nathan half-whispered "Britannia?!" She looked over at him, tilting her head to the side in curiosity until the confusion in her eyes faded. "Nathan?" She moved closer to him. "Nathan James?" Nathan nuzzled her. "Who else would I be?" He purred. She leaned into it. "Nathan James, the handsome destroyer with a heart of gold." She said. "And you Britannia, a woman with as much daring and nerve as she has beauty. Able to seduce even the hardiest sailor away from the sea just with her charms." He replied, quickly becoming entranced by her blue eyes. He laughed at her blush. "You haven't changed." She said. "It's good to see you haven't either." He purred, rubbing his cheek against hers. She laughed. "Flatterer." She accused. "I'm 40 tons heavier and all the more lazier." "More to love baby, more to love." He nibbled her ear. She gave him a light swat. "Now, now behave." He backed off only slightly, his eyes twinkling. "Aye ma'am."
Settling in beside him, the two swapped tails. Nathan didn't need to tell much of his exploits, the stories had arrived here long before he did. But he had some burning questions of his own. "How does a high class girl like you, end up in China on some diplomatic assignment?" He asked. "Just because I'm a cruise ship now doesn't mean the British government had forgotten about my exploits under their jurisdiction. I was sent as the UK's representative to observe and enforce NATO policies in Asia. When the plague broke out and decimated the fleet's heirchary, Liaoning knew of my skills in the diplomatic arena and took me on as her Commander of Customs and Foreign Affairs." "Well you must've had an impressive resume. Liaoning doesn't strike me as the type to welcome foreigners, much less hire them." Nathan said. "She's a carrier born in the Soviet Union in the waning days of the Cold War and China hasn't been known for its chummy relationships with the United States." Britannia shrugged. "It's in her nature to dislike Americans." "Dislike's an understatement. You'd think I'd come in the middle of the night and raped her and took her daughter by the way she acts around me." "If you'd done that, you'd be dead." Britannia said.
The pair spent the rest of the afternoon catching up before Liaoning returned. "As an extension of China's hospitality, we'd like to welcome you to a special dinner in your honor later tonight." "Where you can flaunt your superiority?" Nathan thought but again kept his thoughts hidden. "Aye, I'd be delighted to attend. Thank you."
Britannia noticed the glint in his eye after Liaoning left. "You've got some scheme cooking in that hollow shell you call a brain." She said. He nudged her playfully before his face turned serious as he said "We've sent enough cure over to heal half of China's population by now and there should be no more sick ships either. Something tells me Liaoning isn't being entirely truthful about the amount of the cure that's being spread." "You think she's deliberately withholding the cure from people?" Britannia asked. "She rose to her position on the dead bodies of her predecessors and I think she fears the same fate from people below her. All she needs to do is bide her time." Nathan said. "It's a stout theory but you're going to have to prove it." Britannia told him. "I have a plan for that." "What are you going to do?" She asked. "I'm going to poke the elephant." He replied.
As the ships gathered for dinner, Nathan looked around the table seeing all the various nations represented. There was of course Laioning with her second in command the destroyer Zining. "He's a brute, killed three of his siblings after they contracted the Red Flu." Britannia whispered to him. His gaze slipped to a small destroyer sized carrier and a medium sized diesel submarine. "Hyuga and Soryu, the first submarine deputy in Japan's history. Hyuga caused quite a stir with her selection." Britannia said. Nathan's gaze fell on a particular submarine, her sail adorned with all the medals and honors of a flagship. "Ha Noi, Vietnamese flagship." Britannia explained to his shocked silence. "She has no escort." He murmured. "Claims she doesn't need one, at least that's her public statement. In reality she's quite shy and doesn't do well around others." Britannia replied. "Traits of a submarine." She nodded. "Mmm. Word is that the Red Flu decimated the surface fleet, leaving her the only high ranking officer in charge. She's not immune and survived by staying underwater." Her gaze moved to the British delegation. Both were submarines and one met her gaze. Britannia's jaw clenched and she gritted her teeth. "Britannia?" Nathan questioned. "The one one the left in HMS Conqueror. The sub next to her is Astute." Conqueror seemed just fine amongst all the other delegates, even attempting to make conversation to cheer up the nervous Ha Noi. Astute however remained tense barely touching her food. She looked strikingly familiar to Nathan and as the American destroyer struggled to recall why, she looked over once at him. Nathan was not afraid of a little black sausage and held her gaze. Green eyes bore into amber before the darker pair looked away and Astute turned her attention back to her flagship. "Not the friendly sort is she." Nathan mused. "She's actually quite the sweetheart, to those she likes anyways. Unfortunately you don't seem to be in that category."
Laioning interrupted their private conversation. "A toast, to USS Nathan James." She began, nodding to the American destroyer who politely dipped his head in return. "The ship who overcame the odds and saved us all, in the finest traditions of our navies." The other delegations murmured their agreement, all raising their glasses to Nathan who responded with an equal salute of his own. "It has been my privilege to spread the cure throughout the world." He began. "But I can't help but wonder, if I'm doing enough." His gaze was solely on Laioning. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean." She said. Nathan had to give her credit. She had a cool head. "In the last two months, two of my brothers delivered full loads of the cure to Shanghai and Hong Kong. Enough to cure half of China. Now the cure is only contagious for a short amount of time, after which its affects are neutralized. Have you heard of the Scott Effect, Laioning?" He asked. She shook her head. "No. "The Scott Effect states that the contagious cure must affect a certain number of the population in order for it to spread. If this number is not achieved, it will wither and die leaving whole communities to be wiped out." He replied. "What are you suggesting?" She asked as Zining grew increasingly tense. "You're withholding the cure, selecting the communities you know will support you as you let others die out. You're using it to your political advantage." He growled. "How dare you!" She cried, rising. Zining leaned over and whispered something in his flagship's ear. Nathan didn't know what but he certainly didn't like the sly dark look on the destroyer's face. The two delegates left shortly there after leaving the rest in awkward silence. "Well, the elephant has been poked." Britannia murmured beside him.
Most ships looked at Nathan with impressed respect while a few others, like Japanese deputy Soryu, were left with a look that said how stupid he was, crossed with a shocked expression of mild doubt. Nathan shifted in his seat slightly, wondering what kind of repercussions he would be feeling from this.
He found out soon enough. Ha Noi rushed up to him, babbling rapidly in Vietnamese. Nathan had never heard so many words uttered by a submarine in such a short amount of time. He glanced at Britannia for some translation help and didn't like what he saw. The cruise ship had a grim look on her face as she gently hushed the sub, pressing her muzzle to her sail. Ha Noi calmed enough to start explaining her story. Britannia translated. "She says five of your crew were taken from a nightclub they were invited to. She doesn't know who did it, only that it wasn't any of her ships. The two guards she assigned to protect them were found dead." Nathan uttered a not so quiet curse. "Those weren't just any crew ashore there Britannia, my CO, my XO, my Chief Engineer, my CMO, my Navigator, my Helmsman, and my TAO." "You know you should really start adhering to US Navy rules. No more than two command officers on shore at a time. If you'd followed that, then this wouldn't have happened." Britannia said. "Don't lecture me now Britannia, it's not going to do any good." Nathan growled back. She placed a soothing wire on his shoulder. "Hey, we'll get them back." She said. "Uh oh, I heard a "we" in there." He said. She grinned. "Oh like I'm gonna let you go off on some crazy rescue mission by yourself? Someone's got to keep you on the straight and narrow. Otherwise, you'll cross the line from stupid to crazy." "Too late for that babe." He replied and she rolled her eyes.
"She has a point." Conqueror said as she approached with Astute off her flank. Nathan shifted. "I was gonna ask how much of our private conversation you heard but I think I already know the answer." He replied, stifling a sigh. "If you want a conversation to be private, don't talk so loud and it's not like this wouldn't have hit the news anyways." Nathan conceded. She did have a point there. "Your missing crewmen are the latest in a string of incidents that make me wonder if Laioning's rise to power was coincidence." "You think she's behind this?" Nathan asked, turning to face her. "There's a good chance of it. Bloody hell, I'd bet my next few tots of rum on it. Laioning's got a reputation for being brutal and she's more dangerous now than ever, especially since she feels the US has her in a corner. You're right and she knows it, that's why she's gonna be pulling out all the stops to kill you. If she hasn't already. The capture of your senior crew might be the bait for a trap, Nathan." "I know. I don't care." He replied. Conqueror's eyes held a twinkle to them. "Oh I know, that's why Astute and I have decided to come with you. We'll be your escorts. Command of the operation belongs to you." "I-but I..." He stammered. "We want to find out what slimy dirty secrets are going on here just as much as you do and if your crewmen are one of the keys, then that's where we'll begin." She replied. "Yes I know that but flagship?" He asked. "Didn't Missouri appoint you as her XO for the US Fleet. Besides, you're American, you have to lead. Superpower's privilege." She grinned. "Oh alright but I'll admit I've never actually led a task force before." He said. "No worries." said Hyuga as she came alongside him. Soryu was at her side. "We all have some experience and asking for our advice won't be seen as a sign of weakness." Nathan sighed. "Are you sure you want to come along?" He asked. "Hey we're British. Chums are supposed to stick together." Conqueror laughed. Ha Noi simply nodded, saying what Nathan interpreted to be a yes from the Vietnamese submarine. "Though some in my fleet feel that the loss of nearly our entire population is due to poison being sent from America disguised as the cure, I'm more skeptical. I will not have 80 years of friendship destroyed over rumors that have no full proof fact. Labels and tales can only go so far. The black market is rampant in Japan and fake medicines were being sold on the street long before the Red Flu hit, I see no reason why the labels themselves couldn't be faked as well. I will join you. The truth matters more than anything else." Hyuga said. "Hyuga, if only we had 5 more ships with your wisdom." Britannia said as the Japanese cruiser grinned.
"Alright, so where too first Commander?" Conqueror asked Nathan. "We know that shortly after my crew were taken hostage, three fishing boats off the coast all disappeared. Our best place to start would be their last known position." He said. "Sounds good to me." Hyuga nodded her approval. "Lead the way Nathan." She ordered. Nathan nodded and with the Japanese cruiser on one side, Britannia on the other, and the submarines fanned out in a protective circle, the oddly assembled task force set out on an uncertain journey and an even more uncertain fate.