Chapter Seven: Work, Work and More Work

"What are you doing, Admiral?"

"Writing."

"Writing more of your memories?"

"Not this time, Sara."

James couldn't help a smile crossing his face, at the confused tilt of Saratoga's head. Her blue hair fell in front of green eyes, as the girl clearly questioned what he was doing without actually saying anything. Not that he could blame her. He rarely wrote anything down that wasn't something he needed to remember. Memories of the war were getting foggier and foggier the longer he was in the past, with no access to materials that could refresh him. Considering the events those materials referenced had yet to even happen, and may not happen, after all. It hardly helped that, with new memories added on, he was trying to keep tactics in his head more than events now.

France falling on a different day had done one thing for him, in the end. It had shown the Admiral that just being in the past was changing things.
He couldn't rely on his list of dates, as anything more than an overall indicator. About the only thing he was confident in happening the same day, was Pearl Harbor itself. If only because the attack had occurred when it had, with good reason. Stuff like Barbarossa? While outside of his influence anyway, he couldn't assume it would happen the same day or go the same way. Say, Greece lasted longer. Then Germany would take even longer to prepare. The same logic would work for Coral Sea or Midway.

It was for that reason, and that reason alone, that he was focusing more on tactics.

Of course, that's not what I'm doing now though.

"What are you writing then, sir?"

The Admiral held up the paper, not concerned at all with his closest friend reading it, "Letter home. I had to look through old papers and such, but I found my family. Granted, dear old Granddad is still a kid these days. My own father won't be born for a good thirty years."

"Your family?" Sara blinked slowly as she spoke up, "Are you sure?"

"I would think I know my own family, Sara." James snorted softly, "But yeah, I understand your question there. It's hard to believe it's still my family. I got tossed into the past, and I know for a fact there was no James Thompson in the 1940s, at least not in my family. Apparently I'm Great-Granddad's brother now."

The carrier frowned slightly, "And that's why you're writing?"

"Exactly. I may be focused on work, but I do need to keep up with the family, or things will look odd. It's actually interesting getting to know him, I barely remember Granddad."

And wasn't that an understatement. James' great-grandfather had died when he was still young, so his memories of the man were iffy at best. Luckily he had at least some idea of his personality from old letters and his grandfather's stories. But it wasn't a whole lot to work off of. Just enough to play off knowing the man, at least, enough to play off in letters. If James had to meet Hank Thompson in person? He wouldn't have the slightest clue how to act.

Hence, the letters. Keep up correspondence with his 'brother' and learn how to act when the two did have to meet in person. At least he didn't have to do the same with old high school friends, or what have you. Just like in the future, he had drifted apart from friends he had at that time period. Fellow officers might be more of a problem, but, nothing to be done there. If he came across a friend, he could only hope that whatever stuck him in the past had stuck him in the past with his personality intact.

Otherwise...well, cross that bridge when it came and all that.

"I'm sure you enjoy getting to know him too." Sara's smile was soft as ever.

"That too. It's a bit nice honestly, getting to know my family from this time period. Even if they're a bit..." James trailed off, wincing at some of the letters his 'father'- Great-great Granddad -had sent.

"Admiral?" Sara was clearly confused by that.

James just sighed, "I knew it was going to happen, but damn if dear old 'dad' is not sexist. He's talking all about how I need to get a 'good girl to take care of my home' and nonsense like that. His letters read like I need a trophy wife or something."

The carrier tilted her head again, "But don't you...?"

"Need a woman to take care of my home? Of course not," James couldn't help but look aghast at the very suggestion of that. "I mean, I wasn't even married in the future. Never time for that, and I sure as hell don't have time now."

Hardly helps that the only women I was around to any extent were either subordinates or the ship girls. I don't know how Goto dealt with Kongou.

"Oh." Sara smiled slightly, turning her head to look out the porthole. And away from him, for some reason.

For his part, James just returned to working on his letter, aware that he needed to get it done before the exercises he had planned for the next day. It had taken more time than he would have otherwise liked- it was now September after all -to push through the exercise. But, with a lot of cajoling and work with Admiral Richardson, James had what he needed. An exercise to test cooperation between three carriers, in this case Sara, Lex and Yorktown. At least, that was what it was to the Navy. To Admiral Thompson, it was much more.

This was his chance to do two very important things. One, to demonstrate carrier tactics and hopefully avoid the issues that plagued American carriers in the early war years. And two, a chance to get the torpedo problem fixed. He could still remember complaints from submarine girls in the early days of the American ship girl program. So many complaints about the 'shitty Mark 14' that he thought he'd never hear the end of it.
Research on that had turned up the issues in question. From the magnetic detonator, to circular runs, and everything in between. That entire family of torps had been a problem and he didn't like thinking how many men and ships might have died because of it.

"Admiral?"

"Hmm?"

Putting finishing touches on his letter, James turned back to Sara. The carrier had a serious look on her face, as she looked him in the eyes.

"Do you love one of us?"

Wait...what?

"Sara..." James sputtered, "Where the hell did that come from?"

"You never married, and you don't have any interest in finding a wife now. Does that mean you can't because of..." Here, the girl pointed at her hull.

All that the Admiral could do was turn away, knowing his face had gone red, "I'm not having this conversation. I thought I got enough of that from York."

"So you have talked about this before?"

"Not talking about it."

Ignoring the soft laughter from the carrier, James sighed and got back to his bunk. Now that the letter was finished, he could afford to rest before moving towards the next task in his never ending work. He could only hope his work payed off, this time.


In that regard, one of his tasks already had worked. USS Arizona was looking at her crew, as they drilled to prepare for an air attack. She had no idea what Admiral Thompson had told her Admiral. But he had put more work into ensuring her crew could use her sadly limited anti-aircraft weaponry properly. It was quite interesting to watch actually. Ari had only really seen her main battery and the sponson guns put to use before. Anti-aircraft training and weaponry? She had little experience with that, just as her crew did. It was a new experience all around.

Not that she was going to complain, of course. Not only was this an interesting experience, it was an important one. Even if she didn't have much in the way of anti-air guns aboard at the moment, the training could help if she got a refit to add more. And it would certainly help a lot, come December 7th. Ari trusted Admiral Thompson's word implicitly. There was no doubt that he knew what he was talking about.

"I hope he can work around my Admiral." Ari mused, as she watched her crew rotate a gun mount. "But I'm sure he can!"

"I would hope so."

"Utah?"

Looking around, Ari smiled at the sight of the older girl sliding into harbor. Utah bore the marks of training, but she carried them well. The proud old dreadnought may not have been a fighter anymore, but she still had the grace of her lineage.

"Yes. My boilers require maintenance, or I would be out helping in his new training program." There was a hint of pain in Utah's voice.

Ari couldn't help but wince in sympathy, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Arizona. Just...old and tired."

More tired than she might let on, if what Ari heard in her older cousin's voice was real. Boiler problems translated to heart problems, in a ship spirit. Utah had to be hurting if her crew needed to bring her back into harbor to be maintained. And there was nothing she could do to help the older girl but be moral support either.

Times like this, I wish I could leave my hull. Admiral Thompson's stories about us in his time...

The battleship smiled at the memory of those talks, those stories. Hearing about being able to sail on the waves in her human body? It was so nice to imagine! But, Ari couldn't do that for now. She was stuck aboard her hull, and could only watch as Utah pulled into her berth.

"Well, let me know if you need anything!" Ari smiled at the other ship, well aware Utah couldn't see her.

"I will. Thank you." There was genuine appreciation in Utah's voice, before the older girl probably went to sleep to rest while she was repaired.

Turning away from Utah, Arizona instead looked back to her crew.

"Hey, Carl?" One of the gunners was saying as he leaned against a gun. "Why're we doin this again?"

"Cap'n says we need to be ready for air attack."

"Why though? Ain't that what those flyboys are for?"

"'Course, but they can't cover us all the time."

One of the other men snorted, "I'd kill for a posting on one of those carriers. You seen how big Sister Sara is? Probably a lot less cramped than being stuck on this old wagon."

"Jeez man, don't say that shit." The first gunner looked around warily. "What if Cap hears ya? Not to mention, haven't you heard those stories about Utah?"

"What, that she's haunted?"

"Exactly! Freaky stuff is happenin on that ship, and it's not just Utah! We're like, the only ship in the fleet it isn't happening on."

Ari winced at that, her ever present smile fading slightly. She was so focused on helping Admiral Thompson personally, that she had yet to do any work on talking with her own crew. It was...just so nice talking with the Admiral. She loved spending time with him. Working with him! And it had left her not spending any effort on her own crew. Not like Utah, who claimed she was close to a breakthrough. Or Cali, who seemed to enjoy messing with her crew more than actually working with them. And then there was Ari...who just didn't do anything.

She probably should change that.

"Utah?"

"Hmm?" the tired old battleship hummed.

"How...how do you talk to your crew?"

"Ah. I was wondering when you would want to try that, Arizona." There was a hint of amusement in Utah's voice now. "I would suggest you try talking with your Captain first. Or your Admiral. It is more likely to work than a random member of your crew."

"So I just...go up to him?"

"That is what I have done, yes. I have yet to manage an actual conversation however."

Ari bit her lip, worriedly clenching at her skirt, "What about talking to my whole crew?"

Utah was silent, before she hummed in thought again, "Intercom? We are able to use our radios, so logically..."

"Oh! I can try that!"

"I would suggest you try talking with your officers first, Arizona. That is why I have yet to try using my intercom myself."

The gentle chastising in Utah's tone was almost...motherly. Ari blushed slightly at that, as she recognized the logic in that request. She might do a bit more than scare her crew senseless, if they had a disembodied woman speaking through her speakers. Probably better to talk with her Captain first in that regard. She just wanted to help though!

But, pushing too hard or too fast...

'If I try to push too hard or too fast, all I'll do is make enemies.'

That was what Admiral Thompson had told her, the first time they had really talked about his plans. Maybe she lacked the 'making enemies' part of his statement, but she had taken his words to heart. Pushing too fast was going to cause problems if she...if they...weren't careful, wasn't it? Utah was right, just like the Admiral was right. Ari wanted to help, but she didn't want to make things worse for those she was trying to help. Especially for Admiral Thompson, who had enough to work on as it was. She would hate if she hurt him, by pushing too fast.

Especially since it may come back on him, somehow, if she talked with her crew like that.

"I want to help, but I don't want to mess up," Ari smiled softly, as she shook her head, "Right. Time to try talking with my Captain and Admiral!"
With that plan in mind, the battleship spun on her heel. She left her sailors behind, moving into her superstructure. She knew from long years of life, exactly where her Captain or Admiral were likely to be. So she just had to find them, and do her best! Because USS Arizona was not going to do anything but her best. It was the least she could do, to thank the man who had shown her what it was like to talk with people.

She could never repay Admiral Thompson for that, but every little thing helped.