War is a terrible thing, and too frequently are people changed by it. Some have difficulty coping with everyday life, let alone violent events. That's why modern militaries strive to care for their soldiers' mental needs, as well as the physical ones. I am the senior officer on a large island naval base. This base is actually the result of a joint effort between multiple nations against a common enemy, and it's operation is entrusted to me. While in neutral territory, ships of many different nations cooperate under my orders as task forces. The diplomatic situation is fickle, and I'm certainly feeling the stress of many eyes upon me. That being said, I take pride in their trust and do my best.

While I spend a large portion of my time as a standard naval officer, there was an unspoken responsibility that came with the position. I also serve as a ship counselor. I don't mean the kind that works on a ship. I've ended up being an unwitting therapist for the ships themselves.

I won't bore you with exposition, but I'd like to point out that I am the only human on this island. I've never really forgotten that. The ships are representations of human consciousness, so it could be argued they are *of* humanity. Still, most people don't skim across the surface of the water and have guns strapped to their ass. At the request of some countries, I've begun a program involving the ships to help stabilize some, as they put it, "unpredictable variables". I may have previously said they weren't human, but they were definitely people. I resented the politicians' view of them as mere assets. Speaking of, the doorknob turned as my morning appointment walked in; all six foot three of her.

I had a few personal nicknames for her. A few had stuck: Big E and Ents. Some of the bitter hearts in the Sakura and Iron Blood regimes had come up with Eaglebitch, but poor sportsmanship is frowned upon here. Either way, she was the coalition's unofficial poster girl. She removed her captain's hat and asked if she could enter. I asked her to please come in.

She almost always was found in her white uniform and black jacket. Of course, the bird was with her. They were rarely separated. I've only been by myself in a room with him once, and he just eyed me like he was evaluating my skin in case he needed it. The person he was perched on was far more pleasant.

She sat down in the padded chair in front of my desk and said, "Good morning, commander."

The nameplate, underlined twice in highlighter, clearly said, "Admiral" (because I am in command of a fleet). However, I've given up at this point. I think they're all doing it just to bug me. Enterprise wouldn't do that, but she probably genuinely believed that's what I was supposed to be called. She was somewhat of a latecomer. I responded back, "Morning. Would you like some coffee?" I got up and reached for the pot.

"Thank you. I prefer black."

I poured two mugs and gave her one. I began the conversation, "So, how have you been?"

She looked briefly confused, "What do you mean? I don't think we are here for casual conversation."

I sniffed into the mug. "On the contrary, that's exactly what this is. I'm assuming you received the memo on our new program we're rolling out. Not the destroyer modernization, the other one."

She was confused, "Yes, I did read it. However, we are instruments of war. We do not need 'therapeutic consultation' or however they wish to word it. In fact, I believe it is a waste of time when we could be doing exercises."

I sat back in the chair and casually pointed at her, "You know, if you were just a boat, that would be true. However, you are a lot more than that. Do you remember when we recently installed fire control computers in Warspite's main guns?"

Enterprise sipped on her coffee. "Yes, I remember."

"Pitched a fit, didn't she? Said that she didn't need any of that newfangled stuff and the refit was unnecessary."

"Yes. I believe only the combined effort of Sirius and Belfast could console her. Even then, you had to personally oversee their installation. What's your point?"

"My point is: a ship itself normally doesn't care. It's an inanimate object. A ship does not care if I take a piss on the main deck, because it's merely a complex collection of metal and wood. However…" I gestured toward Enterprise.

She continued, "I believe half of the ships docked here would 'merely' tear your throat out."

"Exactly. That being said, I think some like Roon or Akagi would probably do it just for giggles."

In a clear showing of effort, Enterprise attempted to continue. "I wonder where they are now."

I waved my hand, "I don't know. Probably either stalking me or just wandering around HQ, being creepy."

Enterprise's face lightened up when she realized she had a point to make. "Maybe this program isn't worth much after all. Some of us are inconsolable."

However, I had a counterpoint. "Do you remember that one particularly bad sortie a few months back; The one with Indianapolis, Cooper, and Cleveland? You were near Maui at the time."

She chuckled, "Yes. I heard they didn't have sufficient AA firepower and got roughed up badly."

I put down the mug and leaned forward. "I'm about to give you a previously-unreleased piece of information. During combat, Indianapolis was torpedoed in her rudder and ran aground on a sandbar. Since we lacked air superiority, enemy dive bombers basically had their way with her and she could do nothing about it."

Enterprise was silent.

"Now, this was a great lesson to everyone, because they had broken formation and didn't have overlapping fields of fire for their flak. Unfortunately, Cleveland couldn't come because she was busy with an enemy destroyer. Cooper managed to intervene, but Indianapolis was a sitting duck for a long while. Now, you know how Cleveland takes things personally, but the poor girl started blaming herself and nobody was there to tell her otherwise."

"Don't even get me started with her sister's gigantic obsession. We had to take extra precautions towing her back. She ended up being repaired in a more secluded dockyard. That's why I was having so many of those private meetings with Akashi. If Portland knew the state her sister was in at the time, we'd have no idea what would come next. She might go after the people involved, she might go after me, hell, she might just lose it and suddenly start firing into the base. That would've certainly ruined our reputation."

"The point is, I have to be careful with information. That's why Portland is always complaining that Indy smells different. It's because eighty percent of her hull isn't original now. It's also why I had to threaten everyone in the task force to never breathe a word of this or I would personally see to their retirement. I'm dancing over a metaphorical minefield, and it'd be a lot easier if I didn't have to, but here we are. That's the purpose of this program, and it's why I support it, at least a little."

Enterprise sat back in her chair for a bit. She stared out in thought for a bit and took a sip on her coffee. Eventually, she asked, "So, why am I here? Is there something wrong with me?"

I waved my hand reassuringly, "Oh no, I wouldn't put it like that. You're one of our most dependable members! If we lost you or if the Union suddenly decided they needed you back, we'd have to entirely reorganize our entire deployment strategy. Make no mistake, you're a cornerstone in our operations and a valuable asset. You certainly have my respect."

I noticed a hint of pride from her. She shifted to a more confident posture and let slip a grin. I continued, "Because of that, we…no, I want to make sure you're in top shape and taking care of yourself. Tell me, what did you eat for dinner yesterday?"

She thought for a second, aware this was a rhetorical question. However, she answered honestly, "I had a pinto bean stew with ham."

I probed, "All right, but where did that stew come from?"

She continued, "From the canteen."

I was getting a little annoyed at this point. I didn't think she was trying to dodge the question. "I don't mean that. What was the stew contained in?"

She looked at me, trying to figure out what I was getting at. "From a no-prep and self-heating package. Why?"

There it was. "Ah, that's what I was looking for."

She was incredulous. "What do you mean?"

"You girls seem to forget sometimes that, while you have the protection, armament, and fuel consumption of ships, you also have to deal with eating food as well. I guess this takes the place of feeding the crew, or maybe it's because you're half-human or something. I don't know. Point is, you need proper nutrition, and MRE's aren't going to cut it over long periods of time."

She responded, "I see no problem with this. They are more than sufficient to keep me going. If I am hungry, I eat them, and then I'm not hungry anymore. What more do they need to be?"

I leaned back and pointed at her. "You know, from a practical perspective, I can't argue with that. Look, training the mind is just as important as training the body. Meals are a critical part of humanity, and I think you could gain some if you took more consideration in what you put into your body. Don't get me wrong, there are some humans who would kill to have your physique."

Her head suddenly jerked toward me. Her voice took on a surprised tone. "Really? You… think I look good?"

I said, "Absolutely, and you should take pride in it. Meanwhile, you should also take care of it. Just experiment a little. You look good outside of a uniform as well."

She replied, "Literally or figuratively?"

I said, "Both. The t-shirt, hat, and sunglasses Cleveland gave you back from her visit to the states looked great on you. It was to the point where I was a little disappointed when you never used them again during downtime. Oh, and that black ball gown you got for the party last year? Absolutely killed it; Blew me away. Even Akagi was jealous, and I would've bet money she'd just show up with nothing but a smile. All I'm saying is: If this is you without even trying, then… well I don't know, but I'm sure it'd be something."

She clasped her hands and her eyes darted around for a bit, eventually settling on the carpet. "Really?"

"Yeah, and this is getting to the point. Let's say, hypothetically, the war ends. What's your plan afterwards?"

She stammered, "I… I don't know. I don't have a plan. I guess I'd follow you."

"I'm flattered, but do you have any idea what you will do after the war?"

"If I'm not decommissioned, then I don't know."

"You know what, me neither. However, I don't think they can simply decommission you guys. Can you really wrap your head around ceasing to exist?"

"I can't. I'm a warship, so I don't know what needs to be done after the war is over."

I placed my hands on the table. "I disagree. Therefore, let's start something. It's not healthy to focus on only war, so the both of us will think of a non-war thing we're interested in. In two weeks, we'll return and start trying to make them realities. Sounds good?"

"I will… think about it."

"Great. Don't be afraid to ask others for advice. Returning back to the food topic, I've received confirmation that the royal maids will be adding you to their list of persons to be cared for. Belfast herself actually requested to serve you. That's quite an honor; even I'm not on their list."

Enterprise suddenly leaned forward and her eyes widened, as if she'd suddenly been betrayed. "What?"

"Did I misspeak?"

"I do not require the services of the maids! I'm perfectly fine on my own!"

"While I'm in command of their naval operations, their services aren't my jurisdiction. If you feel there's been a mistake, you'll need to file your request with them. However…" I winced, but unable to stop myself from grinning. "Royal Navy bureaucracy can be a headache."

She stood up and said, "Then I have some paperwork to process."

I responded, "I think Belfast is in the Royal Navy dorms right now. Look, I don't want to make what we discussed into an order, but I'd appreciate it if you'd put some time and thought into it."

She finished up the conversation and began walking toward the door. "I will, commander. To be honest, I thought I had disobeyed orders and you were here to take something from me."

I said, "Nope, nothing I can touch."