Chapter 6-The Philippine Sea I
As the Mason limped into the moonlit open Pacific to rejoin its mauled carrier group, the ensign and his eight very tired comrades bunked in separate rooms. Yuudai tossed alone in his bunk and had vivid nightmares about long dead sailors, Captain Abe, and Argent's sadistic actions that had forever contaminated his flesh with her unholy alien power. Just outside his door, draped in a USN blanket, Suzutsuki made good on her pledge to guard her Admiral by keeping watch.
The next room over, Mogami was snoring loudly on the top bunk as a sleepless Fusou sat up and started to get up, but Yamashiro took her hand possessively. "Fusou-neesama, don't go."
"He's in pain. I can feel it."
Yamishiro nodded curtly, "I feel it too. But you can't stop it. He has his burdens as we have ours."
"I can help him, if only slightly."
"Neesan…he was cursed by Princess Argent of the Typhoon! Nothing we can do will alter his fate! Besides, I don't want our pitiful luck to rub off on him."
Fusou knew full well that her sister's true motivation was to steer her twin clear of the admiral entirely. Still, she couldn't let her sibling's clinginess stop her devotion to her duty. Even if she was hopelessly outdated compared to her sister IJN battleships, she would fight what she held dear at any cost! She sighed audibly, "I wouldn't wish our misfortune on him either. Still he's seen worth in us that no one has before." Fusou smiled sadly at her sister, "Whenever he calls on me, I will be at his side. I owe him that much."
Her twin looked wounded, "Is that why you kissed him?"
"No, I know he won't ever return my affections. I just did it to convey my deepest gratitude for restoring us both to life, as any words I had to say were pathetically inadequate. But there is no one else I would rather bestow my first kiss on. It has always been my dream to experience just a single moment of bliss. If it is my karma to be sent to the bottom of the ocean again, at least I can die content. Good night Yamashiro." She got back into her bunk in her PJs and lay unhappily in the darkness.
Her sister spoke in a brittle tone, "Good night Fusou-neesama."
Fusou could tell her sister was restlessly tossing in the bunk above, but what else could she do?
In the third room over the Mason's first officer finished showing the radar and night vision camera replay of the regrouped Nishimura force versus the Abyssals from the Mason's perspective. Four very wide eyed girls watched the monochrome green action with open mouths. Yamagumo giddily bounced up and down on her bunk in excitement. Nakahara closed the video file and closed up the laptop. "A most impressive sortie, ladies!"
"Wow, Fusou-senpai looked so fearsome with her main battery barrage! She was so magnificent!" Shigure blushed, "Still the bulk of the credit goes to Admi-Ensign Mizushima! He gave all the orders."
"We all pulled our weight Shigure-san! Don't sell yourself short," Asagumo chided. "We were awesome!"
Michishio muttered, "I'm surrounded by idiots."
Shigure smiled sadly, "It didn't work out so well the last time we fought together."
Asagumo patted Shigure on the back, "Man, you still hung up on that? We have a new lease on life, and I'm not screwing it up! Isn't that right Yamagumo-san?"
Yamagumo was already sprawled out the Lieutenant's lap, fast asleep.
Lieutenant Nakahara smiled and helped tuck the fleet girl into her bed. "I think its time to rest. We will all be up at 0530. Goodnight ladies."
Shigure waved, "'Night!"
Asagumo bowed, "See you."
Michishio sighed softly as she looked away, "T-thanks."
…
Promptly at 0600 hours Captain Hollis fumed to himself that he wasn't getting paid enough to put up with this crap! Standing in front of him were eight so called "fleet maidens" and most of them looked like little kids! The older twins looked like they were about to perform a Shinto ritual and the rest looked like they belonged in a Japanese grade school! He cleared his throat and saluted in return from the smart salute from his oddball allies. "So, Ensign Mizushima, you're in charge of this cosplay club?"
Yuudai nodded stiffly, "Yes sir! We are all pleased to render assistance to the US carrier fleet, Captain!"
"We are about an hour away from the rendezvous point." The tall Captain leaned against a table in frustration, "So, where did Nishimura's armada teleport off to?"
The ensign sighed softly, but had no viable alternative than to tell the truth. "The Nishimura Seven are standing right in front of you, sir. These young ladies are simultaneously both human and steel warships."
"I'd have you thrown in the brig if I hadn't seen your battle first hand last night!" He narrowed his eyes at Fusou, "So let me see if I got this. You are the spirit of an IJN battleship sunk in 1944, correct?" He waited impatiently as Nakahara translated for him.
Fusou nodded sternly, "Yes Captain! All of us except Shigure-chan and Suzutsuki-chan were sunk in the battle of Surigao strait by Admiral Oldendorf's overwhelming armada. The Americans crossed our "T" most commendably, sir."
Hollis looked at his XO, who smiled back at him after conveying Fusou's response. He looked back at Mizushima. "I'd like to see how it works first hand."
"Yes sir. I feel we are about to pass over another destroyer wreck sir. A Shiratsyu class about 60 kilometers out of Yokosuka. He looked at the first officer. The Yamakaze if I'm not mistaken?"
Lieutenant Nakahara consulted a computer monitor and looked troubled as she reported her findings in English and Japanese. "Captain, the Ensign is right! We are nearly directly above the wreck of the Yamakaze. She's a Shiratsyu class destroyer torpedoed and sunk on 6/25/42 by the USS Nautilus."
Shigure's eyes widened. That was her luckless little sister! She fidgeted but stayed quiet.
Yuudai saluted sharply. "If I have your leave sir, please inform your crew that the Yamakaze is going to materialize momentarily. I don't want them to fire on her as an enemy."
After clearing the insane plan with Commodore White on the USS George Washington, Hollis gave his reluctant consent. However he had to admit that a mere 48 hours ago alien sea monsters were merely a myth too!
Yuudai strode up to the starboard bridge wing and closed his eyes, Yamakaze, can you hear me?
Who's there? Admiral? What? Please, leave me be!
He frowned at the panic stricken destroyer's reaction, Please excuse my intrusion. Do you want to stay asleep in the bottom of the Pacific?
Shigure cut in, Yamakaze! It's your sister Shigure!
Yamakaze sounded even more surprised, Shigure-neechan? How can you be alive after all these years? Is the war over?
Ensign Mizushima sighed, One war is over, a new one has begun against an implacable alien foe from another dimension! Shigure and seven other fleet warriors have agreed to fight together. I'm not trying to pressure you, but you can join us if you like.
Ah! I can't fight…I can't do it! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!
Shigure pleaded, Yamakaze! You have friends who will be there for you! You will never be left behind again!
Leave her be, Shigure-san. He couldn't blame her reluctance to participate in another horrible war. Sleep peacefully, brave warrior, he signed off regretfully.
Her voice was urgent and pitiful, N-no! I can't bear it! Don't leave me alone! It's so cold and dark down here!
Come back into the light my lady of steel! He grinned as his power activated. He inevitably saw the imprinted final moments of her doomed crew, as he had with all the other resurrections. He was willing to accept haunted and sleepless nights if his fleet warriors could defeat the Abyssals! The badly mauled destroyer quickly repaired its gaping torpedo holes as she rose up to the sunlight surface. Seconds later a sleek destroyer pushed aside the sea and fell into formation to the port beam of the Mason. On its bridge, a frail pale girl the same age as Shigure materialized, her blue eyes filled with tears and her unruly blue green hair billowed in the seabreeze. She was dressed in a black and white dress with a blue lines and neck scarf. Detached black sleeves with white cuffed accented with blue stripes swallowed up her slender arms. Black socks and brown shoes covered her legs and feet. Her long hair was clipped back and tied off with a black bow in a long ponytail.
Hollis swore in disbelief, "Holy crap! How the hell did you do that?"
The newest Fleet girl looked at the USS Mason with massive confusion as the angular ship was completely unfamiliar to her. However a flustered panic set in as soon as she spied its unmistakable American flag fluttering high up on her foremast, Oh God no! It's the Americans! They'll sink me again! Help me!
The ensign and Shigure ran down to the bow abeam of the newly restored ship. He waved over to the Yamakaze, "Shigure-san!"
"Yes sir!" Sporting a huge grin, she flung over a hauling line to her sister and tied it fast. After her commander shimmied across, Shigure followed and rolled onto her sister's deck with a clumsy thump on her sore rump. She fumed, "Oww!"
He laughed as he helped her to her feet and then cut the line. They quickly got up to the bridge.
Yamakaze was curled up in a ball beneath the helm looking traumatized. She looked up in surprise at the arrivals. "Admiral. Neechan."
Shigure wordlessly gave her a tight hug, and the siblings both cried softly. She knew her feelings of being absolutely alone all too well! She would never leave her to wallow in the darkness ever again!
Yuudai embraced them warmly and spoke with reassurance, "The Americans have been our allies for 70 years now. Everything is alright Yamakaze-san. You're with friends now. No one here will hurt you."
Yamakaze whimpered, "Admiral…I'll try…sir."
Approximately 2 kilometers ahead two Abyssal I-class monsters unexpectedly surfaced, and lobbed off volley fire that struck the Mason's bow!
Yuudai exclaimed in English, "Shit!"
Yamakaze looked up at her commander and softly noted, "You…sound like Kongou-neechan."
"Time to get into action! Yamakaze, forward battery fire and activate torpedo mounts one and two!" They heard the volleying fire from the Mason from its 12.7 cm cannon, but all the American's fire detonated meters from the Abyssals.
She shivered violently, "I c-c-can't do this! I'm sorry!"
He sighed, "It can't be helped. Shigure, we're up!"
"Yes sir!"
Yamakaze tearfully gripped her sister's arms, "Shigure-oneechan! You're already injured! Don't attack or you'll be sunk!"
Shigure's kind blue eyes looked into her little sister's as she wiped her tear-stained cheek dry. "I have to go. Unless you can fight, it's my duty to help Admiral Mizushima!"
Yamakaze curled up her small fists, "I'll f-fight! Main forward battery fire!" The 12.7 cm paired guns blazed and the high explosive shells sliced through the shielding and blasted out one of the monster's eyes!
"Great job! Left full rudder! Angle torpedo mounts one and two to the starboard!"
She obeyed as she took the wheel as her knees knocked together, "Left full rudder, aye!"
"Yamakaze, this is the Mason! Take those bastards out! We'll cover you!"
He toggled the radio switch, "Thanks Captain!" He heard Fusou's urgent telepathic link, Admiral, we can help!
No need! Yamakaze has this! I'll take a raincheck Fusou-san!
O-of course Admiral! She broke off the link.
The Mason sprayed the beasts with deadly accurate gatling gun and cannon fire, but the shells ricocheted off the faintly glowing shields. The distracted monsters attacked the Mason as Yamakaze turned away exposing her full broadside.
"Full torpedo spread, all batteries fire!"
"Aye sir!" Five 12.7 cm cannons roared in unison and eight torpedoes splashed in the water. Seconds later, there were a series of massive explosions as the sea creatures were turned to red sprays of debris! She looked completely stunned as she continued to veer away from the US destroyer.
Yuudai beamed and hailed his ally, "USS Mason, this is the Yamakaze. The Abyssals are dead! We will be at your port railing within five minutes."
"Roger that Yamakaze! Good work Ensign!"
He breathed a sigh of relief and nudged Shigure playfully.
She giggled and hugged her sister warmly from behind, "Great job sis!"
"Eeep!" She looked around in muddled confusion. "Admiral, where is the enemy?"
Yuudai laughed and gave her shoulder a firm squeeze. "Rendezvous with the Mason. Your family is on board waiting for you."
She looked at the edge of tears as her sister released her and ruffled up her ponytail. She steered her steel hull back towards the intimidating American destroyer, "Aye sir." She panted softly and looked around her in disbelief, "I…I did it. How?"
The handsome officer beamed, "Because of your strength. I knew you had it in you."
"Ad…Admiral. Thank…you."