A Matter of Honor

by MetusR

A story that developed from a Reddit challenge 'A Mother Like No Other' (I go by MetusR there), this one follows a Commander as he discovers his past and builds a future for himself.

19. Chapter 19

Part Nineteen – In the Dark

I sat on my bridge approximately thirty-five kilometers away from the harbor at Taranto, close enough that I could strike any of the hulls in there, but far enough away that I should remain undetected, even if I started shelling them back into the stone ages. I look to the west just as the sun slips below the horizon and I sigh, three days we'd been out here, three days the Sardegna Empire has kept themselves' bottled up in their harbor. If I'm honest about it, I'm itching to start firing on them…

I sigh and lean forward, my task force was holding here Ionian sea with our Atlantic fleet counterparts holding in the Adriatic ready to strike them from behind if needed. If I were them, I'd sit tight too… then again the only reason I'd do that, is because I know what I can do. I run a hand through my hair and sigh again, this was so frustrating.'

My train of thought is interrupted when I felt some hands on my shoulders, starting to rub them before a soft voice said, "I've taken a special liking towards surprise night attacks…"

I twist in my chair to look at Illustrious, and I raise an eyebrow at her. That was when she clued into one of the contexts of what she just said, by blushing and tripping over her own tongue, "S…s… seriously, I didn't mean it like that! But are you into things like that?"

"Why, are you offering?" I tease her and she turns a deeper red.

After a moment she mumbles, "I've never done that with anyone before…"

I'm quiet for a moment as I recall the fact that she may have never been with anyone before, it was entirely possible… she likely hasn't been around a lot of men since being made kansen. That was something I hadn't really considered before… I clear my throat before I say to her, "That's something we can shelve for now. It's not really something to just jump into, as that can really complicate things."

She lets go of my shoulders and walks over to the windows, bending at her hips to lean over the console as she says, "It's been years since I was last here… The last time I was here we were at war with the Sardegna and the Iron Blood."

I blink a few times, that was a long time ago before I was born… I get out of my chair and move to stand beside her, leaning over the console as well and I ask, "Anything I should know?"

That was when my radio crackled to life and an energetic sounding Italian woman spoke over it, "Buonasera Atlantic fleet! Tell me, did you bring your swimsuits this time?"

I raise an eyebrow at it and Illustrious hurries over to the radio and says, "Littorio…"

"Is that Illustrious I hear? Tell me, have you finally come around to my side of things?" the voice of the radio says.

Illustrious sighs and says, "I've told you before Littorio…"

"Si si, you say that you are straight… but you know, so is spaghetti before it gets wet."

That breaks me; I double over laughing as Illustrious goes bright red before she uses the radio again to say, "Littorio, my answer is still the same, I am not interested."

"Ah, but with a bit of dance of my fingers, I but you could be!" the voice shoots back causing me to laugh even harder.

I could swear that her dress was starting to look pink from how red Illustrious was turning, to her credit though; she waited to respond till I had stifled some of my laughter, "Littorio… I'm sorry but you don't have the correct… armaments to pierce my hull, it needs a real AP shell."

As she said that last part, Illustrious winked at me and I started to laugh, hard, again. The other voice spoke up, I could hear the frustration in her voice as she called back, "My shells are real AP shells, they are just as good as the Eagle Union's… mine are better than anything you have in the Royal Navy! Why do you try to wound me?"

"I think yours are kind of small. Why don't you come out and see a real battleship's guns." Illustrious taunts back.

"If I do, then I am going to bring you to Taranto and I'll show you… just how nice it can be." The voice said back before the line went dead.

I managed to get myself under control and I asked, "Did you just manipulate her?"

Illustrious looked down, blushing a little as she nodded and said, "It's been three days, we need to at least talk to them… I don't like the idea of fighting for no reason."

I sigh and rub my forehead and ask, "Do you think we can talk our way out of this?"

She nods before saying to me, "Littorio is both arrogant and conceited… in the Med, she is the apex predator, normally…"

I nod slowly, I understood… this Littorio is convinced she is the best battleship that ever was or will be, but her knowledge is likely limited in what is outside of the Med, but I find I want to ask a different question… well a couple of questions… but I'll go with the safer one first, "So, could you actually bounce her AP shells?"

"If I was angled correctly, sure off of my belt, but she'd shoot right through anywhere else." Illustrious says before returning to lean over the console as she added, "Her AP shells are heavy at almost nine hundred kay-gee's…"

I nod and mimic her stance right beside her as I say, "So about half the weight of mine then…"

Illustrious nodded and added, "Her main batteries have similar performance to the Eagle Union's four-oh-sixes."

Again I nod before I say, "Even those are a bit of a far cry from my four-fifty-sevens."

She smiled at me and bumped her hip against mine as she said, "Hence why I teased her about seeing a real battleship's guns."

I bump her hip back and look at her sideways before asking, "So you and this Littorio have a history?"

She went bright red again and tried to avoid my eyes before saying to me, "It's complicated…"

I smirk and tease, "Oh I gathered that much, so did you ever?"

"No." she says with a slight edge to her voice.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to…" I start to say and she shakes her head before saying to me, "No, it's a fair question. But no, I've never done anything like that with Littorio…"

Now I was curious.

"You don't have to talk to me about it if you don't want to." I say to her, trying to give her an out.

She sighs and shakes her head, before saying, "I was honest before, I've explored, but never explored with anyone."

Ah.

I move from my spot to be behind her and I start to rub her shoulders and she starts to make sounds like she's enjoying the contact and she asks me flat out, "Does it feel good?"

I sigh; I really didn't have the answer for her from what would be her side of things… "I don't really have an answer from a girl's point of view, but from mine, yes. Based on personal experience, I think it feels good for girls too."

I watch as she nods her head as another sound of pleasure escapes her lips before she asks me, "Then maybe on the way back home, we can explore?"

I worked my hands lower down her back and she let out a louder noise while I worked a knot up from her waist, while I stepped a little closer and whispered in her ear, "We could."

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Nearly two hours had gone by since Illustrious had baited Littorio out, in that time we had moved to her hull, to a room that she had set up to somewhat extravagant in its decoration, clearly it was meant to impress those that met in it the refinement of the Royal Navy… a stark contrast to the brutal efficiency that my own hull conveyed by comparison with how utilitarian I kept it so far. It made me wonder if she was right, that perhaps I should decorate some parts of my hull… I didn't need to leave it as a hard and cold environment.

I paced around the room, Illustrious had left me in this room shortly after we got here, and she said that she needed to change into something elegant for this. I had asked her before we left if I should change into the uniform of the Royal Knights, but she had said that my new outfit was fine, for she could tell that this was how I see myself.

I walked around the room taking it in, the soft blue light filtering through the thin white drapes, soft-looking white chairs, and tables with white table cloths… I heard a noise that sounded like something rattling, turning my attention in that direction I see a pair of Meowficers carrying a silver tray with a teapot and cups on it over to a table and getting it on top before they scurried off and out of the room. A moment later they returned pushing a cart with tea cakes, sandwiches, and other finger foods, my head tilted sideways, it was like a tea party was being set up.

"How do I look?" asked a voice behind me, causing me to spin around, my jaw hung open at the sight.

What I saw was Illustrious, she had changed into a dark blue dress that seemed to hug her in all the correct places and yet I still wondered how it managed to stay up with only two strings that crossed over each other just below her neck. When I didn't say anything she smiled softly and with a little blush to her cheeks before she folded her hands in front of her as she said, "I'll take your reaction in a positive light."

"You look… I… I don't have the words for this." I say, tripping over my own tongue.

She smiles more at me and steps into the room, spinning a little to give me full look at what she had on. As she spun she came to a stop just before bumping into me, I was about to say something, when both of us snapped our attention out the window and Illustrious said, "She's here."

I sigh and nod before I ask, "Do you want me to wait in here, or save me as a surprise?"

Illustrious thinks for a moment, before resting her left hand on my chest as she says, "Stay, I'd like to keep her off balance."

I give a nod and she steps back just as I start to hear foot getting closer to the room we were in, I raised an eyebrow just as I heard a boisterous voice call out, "Ah, il mio seducente giglio mattutino! Tell me you are in that alluring blue dress to welcome me with…"

I looked to Illustrious and she blushed, a lot, I know she said she'd never done anything with anyone before, but based on this, well, it left me wondering about her history… I turn my attention back to the hatchway just as this slender woman walked in, her long green hair almost flowing into the green of the cape she wore over her white uniform that was hugging her curves. On one hip hung sword while in her hand she held a single red rose, her rust-colored eyes flicked to me for a second before they turned to Illustrious and a smile spread across her fine features.

I watch as she crosses into the room, spreading her arms out wide, putting sway into her hips as she says, "Mio Dio! You are such a fine feast for the eyes Illustrious, next time I see you, you must wear at most a swimsuit!"

I continue watching as Littorio stops just short of pressing herself against Illustrious before slipping her free hand to Illustrious' right hip while bringing up the rose to just under Illustrious's nose as she whispered, "A thing of beauty for a thing of beauty. I brought this from my garden; it took me forever to find one worthy of you."

Illustrious took the rose with her left hand and used her right hand to take Littorio's hand off of her hip as she said, "Thank you for the rose, Littorio, you look as radiant as ever."

I saw it for a second, Littorio's smile faded for a moment as Illustrious removed her hand, but it returned quickly as she said, "Oh I know, but good for you to acknowledge it. So tell me, who is that ship with you, I believe she must be one of Conqueror's sisters, but the guns are wrong for her class… If I didn't know better, I'd say she must be compensating for something with guns that big."

I blink a couple of times, I wanted to retort to that, but I could sense that this was a time I should trust Illustrious to take care of this, she clearly had a way with Littorio. I move to take a seat at the table and pour some tea as the two of them continue speaking.

"Oh, how forgetful of me, Littorio, allow me to introduce you to…" started Illustrious as she turned to bring me into her view.

Littorio moved closer to Illustrious, brushing the small of her back as she said, "He is of no interest to me, you know that, he doesn't have anything I want… I want to know about that Conqueror class."

I almost choke on my tea.

Illustrious again uses a hand to remove Littorio's hand from her before pouring some tea for herself and Littorio as she says, "That would HMS Thunderer."

Littorio nodded and took on a wistful look as she turned to look at my hull out the window before she asked, "And her hair? Is she a redhead like her sisters? Is it long like Conqueror or short like Dominion?"

I watched as Littorio ran her hands down her belly and onto her thighs as she kept asking, "Is she tall? Is she slender?"

Illustrious was doing her best not to laugh as she looked at me and answered, "No, Thunderer has short blond hair… They are tall and powerfully built."

As she said that last part, I heard a noise escape the lips of Littorio as she said, "Mio Dio! I must meet her at once; perhaps she will appreciate my splendor."

If I didn't know better, I'd wager that Littorio was getting turned on at the idea of me being a she… Illustrious winked at me and said just before kissing me, "Littorio, I'm not sure you will be that impressed…"

"Why wouldn't I? Are you saying that this Thunderer…" I heard Littorio start to say before trailing off.

If she had said anything more, it was lost on me, during that short kiss, which lasted way too little time as far as I'm concerned before Illustrious said, "I'm sorry Thunderer, I couldn't wait till later."

From behind Illustrious, I heard a sound of surprise coming from Littorio before she tripped over her own tongue, "No… How can he be Thunderer? Are you trying to wound me my lovely morning lily?"

Illustrious stood upright and turned to face Littorio, folding her arms under her bust as she said, "I'm not. Facts are, he is the kansen of HMS Thunderer and Taranto is well within the range of his weapons."

"Is that a threat?" says the Italian warship.

I stand and put myself between Littorio and Illustrious; that was when I noticed that I dwarfed Littorio, she came up to just under my chin and was clearly much more slender than I was at the shoulders. I narrowed my red eyes at her as I say, "I could've sunk you in your harbor. I could've sunk you on your trip here. I haven't because I trust Illustrious, she thinks we can solve this without conflict… but I'm up for a fight if you are."

Littorio gives me a sideways glance like she is trying to figure out if I can back them up, after a moment she brushes my chest with her hands and says, "I generally don't care for roosters… but sometimes they can be fun."

She paused and took a step back from me, looking around me at Illustrious before she said, "Well if either of you gets bored with the other…"

I sit back down, folding my hands into an arch, resting my nose at the apex of the arch I watch her, hard look as she took takes a seat at the table and asks, "Well, what brings Azur Lane to the Med this time?"

Illustrious sits down next to me as she says, "To be direct about it, High Command has a worry about the Sardegna Empire trying to take advantage of the civil war in the Iris Dominion."

Littorio nodded, sipping her tea and crossing her knees before she said, "I can understand that, but we learned our lesson last time."

"Then why did your Empire move troops to the border?" Illustrious asked.

"To make sure it is secure. If we wanted to advance, do you not think the Regia Marina would've been deployed to assist in moving along the southern coast of the Dominion?" countered Littorio.

I had to admit, she had a point. So far all of our Intel suggested that the Empire's naval assets had remained in their ports. I see Illustrious relax in her shoulders before she sipped some tea and asked, "Do you know if the Empire has plans on moving in?"

Littorio shook her head as she said, "Not that I am aware of, and I don't think they are foolish enough to try. It's no secret that Azur Lane has more advanced kansen in the Atlantic fleet than we have. I know I am one of the mightiest battleships ever built, but I won't deny that…"

She paused to look me up at down, before she said, "this specimen would be a significant threat to me."

She leaned forwards and asked me, "Tell me, how is that you are male?"

"I was born male." I say to her, it was the truth.

She shakes her head, running a hand through her green hair as she says, "Kansen aren't born; we are made."

I shake my head and lean back, sipping my tea before I say, "I was born, my mother is HMS Prince of Wales; my father was a human."

"Mio Dio!" she says in a state of shock, continuing, "You were born naturally? You mean you came out of…?"

I nod.

Silence fell over the room and I could see gears turning in her mind as she looked at Illustrious she asked, "Are you some kind of consort for him now?"

Illustrious blushed, brightly and choked on her tea, after a few moments of coughing she patted her upper chest and found her voice enough to say, "Partner."

Littorio tilted her head to the side to appraise both of us with her rust-red eyes, while a hand played with some of her hair, again I could see the gears in her mind turning before she said, "Someone put you up to this, Illustrious, someone that wants to see if we can reproduce."

She stops playing with her hair and folds her arms under her bust while she adds, "But I doubt Azur Lane will let something like that happen."

Good to see I'm not the only one that is a little jaded with High Command, time to play my card it seems, "High Command is split on that. Some of them are interested, others aren't."

Littorio gives me a sideways glance as she said, "And they paired you, a mighty battleship with a carrier?"

"It wasn't high command, it was Elizabeth." I said.

I refuse to call her queen.

"Affascinante… You refuse to call the Royal Navy's former flagship by her proper name…" said Littorio, she leaned a little more forward and asked, "Care to share the story there?"

I opened my mouth to speak but Illustrious spoke first, "They have a difficult relationship…"

"I'm sure they do, she likely feels threatened… I mean she already lost out on being the pride of the Royal Navy to Conqueror." Littorio said with a slight smirk.

Huh… so the half-pint already lost the flagship position once and from the sounds of it she lost it to my elder sister… wait a second, from the way Conqueror was talking it sounded like they never exchanged shots, so how did the half-pint give it up?

Littorio looks at me, biting her lower lip a little before saying, "Illustrious, the offer still stands, whenever you want to come for me, I'll be happy to help. As for you, Thunderer, don't wait too long to visit me again, I'm sure it could be fun."

I look to Illustrious and see her cheeks flush and we just kind of blink at one another as Littorio pushes herself up from the table and she says to us, "I give you my word, we have no intention of taking advantage of the civil war in the Dominion. You can take that back to your High Command, so you can pull out of the Med."

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I and Illustrious stood on her flight deck, watching Littorio head off into the night and I ask, "Can we trust her?"

"I think so; Littorio hasn't lied to me in the past." Illustrious said as she folded her arms under her bust.

I rubbed the back of my head and asked a question that had been bugging me the entire meeting, "So, what's the story with you and Littorio?"

I watched as Illustrious fidgeted before she turned to face me with a smile, I tilted my head to the side and she patted my chest before she said to me as she started to head below, "We kissed, once, a long time ago."

I blinked a few times and said, "Wait, what?"

"Illustrious?" I call out, looking around for her.

When no answer came, I went below decks and started to look around for her, I could hear her voice humming down the halls. As I made my way around I went past the room we had the tea party in, I stuck my head in there, but I didn't see her so I kept going deeper into the hull. Eventually, I came to a room that had a light on and the door was slightly open. From inside I could hear her humming away; I was about to knock when she said to me, "Come in."

I opened the door to see a room that was clearly a stateroom, likely an admiral's room; the most dominating feature in the room was a massive canopy bed that looked so soft. The curtains were open around the bed and through them, I could see Illustrious with her back to me, I could see her looking back at me over a shoulder and she asked, "Could you help me with my dress?"

As I made my way over she continued to speak, "I like this dress, but it is easier to get on and off with a little help."

Just as I get the zipper pulled down, I can see the top of what looks like very lacy black underwear, but I lose sight of it when Illustrious backs into me and takes hold of my hands to slip them around her front to her belly. She then placed her hands over mine and asked, "Do you think it'd be possible?"

"That what could be possible?" I ask.

"That we could create life, a new kansen that would be the best of each of us?" she asks, looking to the mirror she had in front of us.

"I don't know, but the only way to know is to try." I say to her, taking a moment to kiss the top of her head.

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A/N: Chapter nineteen done! Wow! At the time of me putting these notes in, over 10.5k views! Thank you to everyone that checks this story out and for giving me any of your time, I greatly appreciate it and I know you have a choice in where and how you spend that time, so again, thank you for the support. That being said, a few more objects in motion now as well as some big forward movements for Thunderer and Illustrious. I also had a ton of fun with Littorio even if I found her a little tricky to write first and I hope you all enjoyed her as much as I did.