Archerfish Ch. 8

14:30 hours (UTC +11), 33°41'30.9"N 162°00'42.5"E

Day +4

I had just gotten word from Blue Ridge that Michele had come back with the Essex group when I pulled within a half-mile of their location. I rose to periscope depth to take a look, and then decided to be friendly. I rose fully out of the water and moved toward the circle. Bri had just gestured to me as I walked up, and with as pleasant of a smile as I could muster, I looked at the new people.

"Hi! I'm Archerfish. It's nice to meet you."

One of the girls screamed, and then I was looking down the business end of more guns than I could count.

"What the hell are you?!"

I raised my hands in a placating, non-threatening manner, and wondered if I was fast enough to sink and swim for it. As I did so, every one of my friends brought their own guns to bear, and there was a long pause as everyone faced off.

I looked at the woman who seemed to be their leader. She was tall, and had shoulder-length brown hair held back by a ribbon, and piercing blue eyes. Her face had a hard, pinched look. She wore a slate-grey suit jacket with a belted waist, two breast pockets, and large, expanding lower pockets. On her shoulder boards, in place of an insignia, was the designation "CV-9". She wore a matching deep-pleated skirt with low-heeled pumps. She was wearing a backpack with various antennae and old radar arrays, a small deck mounted on a front half-apron, and a full flight deck on her left side. She was holding a blue and slate camo-painted M1903 Springfield, which was pointed straight at my face.

I blinked. "So who talks first?" I said. "You talk first? I talk first?"

"Now is not the time, Oliver," growled Elizabeth, through gritted teeth. To the newcomers, she said, "Do you really think this is a good idea? You know who we are, and you saw what we can do. We are looking for allies, but if it ends up as us against the world, so be it. Bet on us."

"What is that abomination, and what it is doing with you?" one of the other women said. She was dressed similarly to the first woman, but was wearing trousers instead. Her backpack carried two grey silos which were lightly smoking. On either side of these were mounted miniature 5" guns, all five of which were quivering slightly as they were pointed at me. Her shoulder boards read "DD-472". It was rather gratifying to see Kaylee turn her launchers toward her.

"He is a Sturgeon-class Nuclear Attack Submarine, a valued member of our fleet, and my friend. If you have a problem with him, you have a problem with us!" growled Elizabeth.

From somewhere just this side of crazy, I heard my mouth talking again. "What? You don't have boys on your planet?"

"O-LIV-ER! SHUT IT!"

From the back came a new voice. "Ladies, ladies, I think we may have seriously misjudged the situation." The new speaker began moving up through the group, gently pushing the weapons barrels down and away from me as she did so. She spoke in a soothing tone. "I think this is an organic problem, and we can find a holistic solution." she continued. As she moved closer, I was able to see her. I had expected another woman in slate grey. Boy, was I wrong. She was about medium height, and had very long blonde hair and striking green eyes. She was wearing a high-necked white shirt with gold-tipped pussycat bow. Over that she wore a curve-hugging regal blue suit jacket with white trim whose front panels came to points, and a matching open-fronted skirt, which showed off her black leggings and thigh-holsters. She stood in front of me, conveniently blocking the shots of her fellows, put her hands together in a formal gesture, and bowed slightly at the waist. When she rose, she said "I am Cruiser Atago. It is very nice to meet you, Archerfish-san."

I bowed a little in return. "Um, it's nice to meet you, too, Atago, um, san?"

She smiled and nodded. She turned and looked pointedly at the first woman. "This is Carrier Essex," she said, and then indicated the second, "and this is Cruiser Guest."

Another woman in slate grey came forward and put her hand out to shake mine. Her rigging was wrapped around her hips, and on either side were miniature three-barreled 16" gun turrets, with a third one stacked up on her right. On her left, above the turret, was an array of smaller 40 mm guns. Her shoulder boards read "BB-61". She shook my hand, saying "Battleship Iowa. Nice ta meet ya, kid." She pulled me in closer and whispered, "Not all of us have sticks up our butts." As she pulled back, she grew louder. "Sorry about that, we were just startled, that's all." She released my hand and patted my shoulder. I resisted the urge to massage my palm where she'd gripped it. Ouch.

Essex turned to Elizabeth. "It seems we were a bit hasty. We are all on edge. I apologize for our lack of decorum. We will show no further hostility." She said.

Iowa leaned in toward me again. "And when she gets embarrassed or flat-footed, she gets real formal," she whispered conspiratorially.

"Good to know", I whispered back as I slowly inched away.

Elizabeth nodded at Essex. "Very well." By this time, everyone had lowered their guns, and started to re-mingle. I was introduced to Light Carrier Cowpens ("CVL-25"), a dark-skinned woman in slate grey, who had red highlights in her hair, and mini 40mm guns on her rigging; Heavy Cruiser Baltimore ("CA-68"), a slender woman with brown hair in an ever-so-slight beehive, wearing cat's eye glasses. She was also in slate gray, but with three mini triple 8" guns, arranged like Iowa's; and Destroyer Fubuki, an Asian woman with shoulder-length black hair tied back in a ponytail. She wore a white short-sleeved shirt trimmed in navy blue stripes, in the stereotypical "sailor" style, complete with neckerchief. She wore sensible boots with some sort of attached super-structure, and knee-high navy blue socks with white trim and a cute little anchor on the side. I could see them quite clearly, because she was also wearing a very short pleated matching navy blue skirt, which ended just above the torpedo tubes strapped to her thighs.

We had just settled into an awkward détente when Nicole came back with two more people; Taylor, and Balao. If they were shocked and horrified at seeing me, they gave no indication of it. They had likely been radioed by another ship's fairies.

I ended up in a conversation with Balao about comparative submarine tactics and whether or not side arms/deck guns were a good idea. I kept glancing over to where Essex, Iowa, Elizabeth and Bri were talking in a group. I couldn't quite hear them, but I could see Elizabeth gesticulating wildly, Bri nodding, Essex looking quite serious, and Iowa smirking slightly. Balao and I had just started talking about noise reduction when Essex addressed us all.

"Kantai! Fleet! We have come to a consensus." She turned to nod at Elizabeth. "We want the following ships in this formation: Iowa will take the lead, followed by Enterprise and me in vee formation. Behind us, I want Baltimore, Arkansas, and Atago. Behind that will be Fubuki, Blue Ridge, and Guest. Taylor and Cowpens will take up the rearguard. Balao, take charge of the sub force. I want you and Narwhal ranging off to starboard, Michigan and Archerfish, you can take port. Everyone got it?" as we nodded, she smiled. "Good. Ladies," she looked at me, "and Gentleman, it's time we went home."

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