Disclaimer: Indy best girl
Can I just say, I am so proud of this chapter name. I feel like an absolute genius.
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That's the only time I'll feel like one this week.
Reviews:
John: Yeah, Homework sucks. I'm more lucky than you, as I only get around two hours per day, but I feel you.
The One: All of San Diego's songs are cancer, but at least she is ~Numba wan~ (Ahhh, kill me now)
Astoria's POV:
"All ships, you are to report to the town square for a debriefing" San Francisco squeaked on the intercom. "You have ten minutes."
"Portland, that's us." I called out to her. "We better start leaving now."
"Just a second." Portland shouted out from the bedroom. "Let me finish this up."
"Finish what up?" I asked, modeling my hair into a ponytail.
"Just give me a sec." Portland responded.
"Allright." I sighed, packing my bags. "I'll give you a minute."
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"Portland, are you done yet?" I asked.
"Almost." She responded.
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"What is taking you so long?" I went into the bedroom. Portland was having a tea party with a dressed up Indy doll. The plastic table was lined with decorative plates and metal cutlery, and my marinated steak, which I was preparing to reverse sear for dinner, was microwaved and served in front of the doll.
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"Portland, we have to go." I groaned, grabbing her arm and dragging her to the exit.
"Nooooooooo" Portland reached for the doll as I pulled her out of the room.
Portland's POV:
"Everybody, gather up!" San Francisco yelled through a megaphone. "This is an important announcement! We will be reshuffling Task Forces. Task Force 19 shall be merged under Task Force 11. Task Force 17 shall be disbanded."
Alaska? Task force 11 is going to Alaska? That's where Indy is! Am I finally going to be able to see her again?!
"We're being disbanded?" Astoria muttered. "Portland, what do you think is going to happen to us?"
"Shh." I put my hand over her lips. "Wait, wait..."
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"CA-34 will be reinforcing Task Force 11, which is to sail to the Aleutian Islands. CA-33 is to join up with Task Force 62 should reinforce the Outback Confederation. We welcome the addition of the Mahan Class destroyers and the North Carolina class Battleships to our fleet, as well as Carriers Long Island and Wasp."
"Astoria, let's change plate numbers." I handed her one of my weapon mounts.
"I think that's illegal." Astoria attached it back to my superstructure.
"Come on, Astoria." I put my arm around her. "We all commit crimes some time or another. Prison is just a room, after all."
"Portland, you know better than this." Astoria pushed my hand away.
"Other news, we are introducing the new officer corps." Enterprise took the phone from San Francisco. "These ships will be trained for longer and will bear responsibility for a strikeforce. We expect those who sign up to be prepared to serve their life in support of the military until the remainder of this war. Benefits include priority reservicing, increased pay, this wonderful emerald badge, and the luxury to choose where you serve."
"You see Portland?" Astoria nudged me. "There's a completely legal method to get assigned with Indy."
"However, We require that you have not committed a major felony in the past three months." Enterprise read off the list.
"Oi! That's dicrima-" I shouted before getting muffed by Astoria. (1)
"Keep going." Astoria shouted back to a confused Enterprise.
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"Otherwise, we will accept all ships of all classes. Sign up deadline is next week." The secretary coughed awkwardly. "All ships are dismissed."
"Astoria, I'm going to ne-"
"No."
"Allright, you may be wondering why you are being called here." I got out my pointer stick as Astoria walked under the doorway. "We are here to brainstorm ideas."
"Astoria, what is this about?" Atlanta asked as Astoria led them into the classroom.
"Knowing Portland, it's most likely about Indy." Cleveland shrugged, turning her seat backwards before sitting down.
"That's her little sister, right?" Saratoga doodled on a piece of cardboard, outlining a new outfit.
"Absolutely correct!" I took a piece of chalk and sketched a rough map of the pacific. I drew a star near the Bering strait, and an arrow from Hawaii. "Indy is here. And I am here. So, how do I get to Indy?"
"Is this what the meeting is about?" Cleveland raised her eyebrows, taking a bite of an energy bar.
"This is really important!" I pointed her finger in the air.
"Shouldn't you just ask Enterprise to get reassigned?" Saratoga got out some markers and began to color in the poster. "I am her senior, after all." (2)
"Well, it's a bit more complicated than that." I explained. "We need a less orthodox method of shipping me to Alaska. Saratoga, how do you feel about bringing a cruiser sized suitcase with you?"
"So you want me to smuggle you to Indy?" Saratoga tapped her pen against the cardboard. "If I get caught, my Idol business could get suspended."
"So that's a no go?" I sighed.
"Sorry, Portland." Saratoga capped her markers and began to place them into her purse. "I'll let you come with us if Enterprise says so."
"What about you, Cleveland?" I asked. "Do you think you would be able to do anything?"
"I'm actually planning to join the officer corps." Cleveland scratched her head before standing up. "I can't say that I can commit to much right now."
"Atlanta?" I turned to the last cruiser as Cleveland walked out.
"I mean, I remember that you did tell me that you had a restraining order." Atlanta got up and tucked her chair under the desk. "But maybe this is an opportunity for you?"
"What do you mean?" I narrowed my eyes as Atlanta walked up to me.
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"I mean, we are fighting in an incredibly dangerous war." Atlanta put her hand on my shoulder. "From what I heard from your stories, you have seemed to have matured ever since you two were separated. Without Indy, you have created your own group of friends, obeyed the law better, and even become one of the most experienced and powerful ships in the Eagle Union. It might be a bit insensitive for me to say this, but Indy might have been holding you back."
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"Atlanta," I pointed to the door. "Get out of this room."
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"Just keep that in mind." Atlanta patted my back.
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I crumpled on the floor, looking at the empty chairs in front of me.
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I sighed, and felt my eyes watering.
Am I crying? Why? What is so sad about this?
I just don't understand!
I should be angry! It's not my fault nobody will help me!
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I put my hands around my knees and leaned against the wall.
Enterprise's POV:
That row has a seven, meaning that these two are either four or nine. But nine is already in this column, so this is four and the other is nine.
"Secretary Enterprise, I've come to see you." Astoria entered my office. She glanced at the new board on the wall, filled with little pictures of several ships. "The Officer Corps seems to be doing well."
"It is." I put my newspaper down, sipping on a cup of black coffee. "How may I help you, Astoria?"
"I've come to bargain." Astoria responded. "As you know, Portland has been assigned to your taskforce."
"So it seems." I sat upright, criss-crossing my fingers. "And how should this concern me?"
"I would like to switch my place in Task Force 11 with hers." Astoria handed me a piece of paper. "We've gotten Saratoga to sign off on the offer. All we need is you."
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I was hoping this wasn't going to happen.
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"Do you know why I assigned Portland to our fleet?" I skimmed the document. It seems like Saratoga suggests sending Portland to her. Huh.
Astoria remained silent.
"Let's say, in a hypothetical case, Indy gets sunk or damaged." I placed the petition down. "If Portland was fighting with her, she would likely blame herself. You see, Portland has a natural gift to fight under pressure. She takes command of the situation, and has the experience to lead them to victory. If she holds herself accountable for Indy's loss, it is quite possible that this valuable talent could be diminished or lost. We need all the advantages we can get in this war, and unfortunately, Portland must be separated from Indy."
That was a lie. I hid the script underneath my sleeve. I must keep an eye on Portland. She has shown several times that she is willing to commit crimes in order to be with her. It could be possible that Portland will work with the Sakura in order to keep her sister safe, and I must not let that happen.
"Secretary." Astoria sat down in the chair in front of me. "This talent could possibly be refined better when Portland works with Indy. Perhaps the threat of losing Indy will encourage Portland to better fight the Sakura Empire. I have seen it first hand, Portland will do absolutely anything to stay with her sister. She loves her sister more than anybody else, and keeping Portland away from her might dishearten her. In the end, I believe that Portland will work ten times as hard if she knows that Indy is waiting for her to return."
I looked to the ceiling.
Should I let Portland out of my sight? If I send her to Alaska, who knows what she might do.
"Secretary, would you like it if you were separated from Hornet or Yorktown just because you work hard?" Astoria asked.
"Astoria. I've sent the more older cruisers to the Aleutian Islands, where there will be less chances of being sunk." I gave her one last test. "I really want everybody to survive, honestly. Guadalcanal will be one of the most dangerous theaters in the war. Intelligence says that the Sakura Empire plans to send the best of their best to meet us in the battlefield. Are you willing to sacrifice your own safety?"
"Portland deserves it." Astoria did not hesitate.
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I have a feeling that I will regret this.
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I closed my eyes.
"Very well." I leaned by in my chair.
Saratoga's POV:
"Indy~ Indy~ I~n~dy~" Portland bounced around as we sailed to Alaska.
"You sure are energetic today." I responded. "You know it will take us a few days to get there, right?"
"A few days are temporary, but the Glory of Indy is eternal!" Portland chirped.
"Who is this, Indy?" Minneapolis asked.
"Well, Indy is heaven's messenger to Earth. She has the delicacy of a while lily flower in a botanical garden. You see Indy is …"
I tuned out of Portland's sermon and looked at the waves rise and fall. Perhaps this could be a new song. Tides of lust? That's not idol friendly. What other name..
My radio ringed.
"Hello, Saratoga, Idol of the Seven Seas!" I picked up. "How may I help you?"
"Well, It seems like the bases in Alaska do not have enough capacity to house your task force." Enterprise laughed nervously. "I'm going to need you to turn back to Pearl Harbor."
"Wait, But Portland was going to see I-"
"Are you saying something? The radio's cutting out, Ha ha!" Enterprise's cadence sped up. "Anyways, I really enjoyed your performance, I really really do. Ireallygottagonow,Seeya!"
"Enterprise?" I shouted as the radio cut off. "Enterprise, you coward!" (3)
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"Hmm?" Portland turned to me. "Did anything happen?"
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Enterprise, I'm going to hang you.
Footnotes:
(1): Portland was not the Imposter. One Imposter remains.
(2): This is, and will be, the only time Saratoga will admit she is old. (Fun fact, Portland is actually older than Enterprise by 4 years!)
(3): Portland and Saratoga were actually going to go to Alaska, but they were recalled 2 days in so that they could help at Guadalcanal.
I am capable of creating happy endings, right?
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Looking back, this is not that happy of an ending, but Portland is not going to see Indy until Guadalcanal, so bear with me.
I wanna write happy Portdy? Inland? Incest? I should know this ship name. (Ayyyyy. Accidental pun!) Point being, I can't wait to get past these battles so that I can actually write characters that wont die in the next month.
And also because I can't write action at all. Oh well.
Anyways, see you next week!