Disciplinarian Disease, a haifuri fanfic

Disciplinarian Disease

Disclaimer: I do not own High School Fleet.

Minami Kaburagi rode in the car back to the Yokosuka Girls' Marine High School. She was happy for the chance to finish out her final year on the new ship, the Harekaze II and could not wait to tell everyone about what they had discovered about the Totalitarian Disease that had caused so much trouble. She had been at a special press conference held by several researchers that had talked extensively about treatments and therapies, even if the simplest therapy was to just throw seawater on the victim. Once the researchers discovered her presence, they made their way to her to congratulate her on her successful efforts to develop an antibody for the disease.

With the antibody, vaccines could be, and were made to stop the spread of the disease. It was bad enough that any human that contracted it started acting like a wild animal, eventually anyone who caught the disease from others started acting as part of a hivemind with no individuality. However, the disease itself was not completely cured, as it was discovered that the virus itself had mutated into two more variants.

One variant proved to be as severe in affecting humans, but was much less contagious. The other variant of the Totalitarian Disease was still being researched, with the researchers present speaking about it as it was their project to work on. They had left the labs for the seminar to 'relax a little' as they had stated. They had sheepishly admitted the research was hard going. But, they also admitted that while they did not know what the virus did, they had discovered this virus was less inclined to interfere with electronics than the original strain.

No one had realized it was an indicator of not only how difficult it would make detecting an outbreak, it also signified this viral strain was several times as contagious as the original virus. It spread easily and infected quickly, affecting victims in much less time. Victims could begin to show signs of mental and physical fatigue extremely quickly, with most showing signs in under a quarter hour, with confusion and suggestibility happening shortly afterwards.

The press conference had been just up the street from the Academy, so the car drive required little time. In minutes, she was stepping outside of the car only to be hugged by a familiar figure.

"Welcome aboard," Akeno Misaki said as she let go of the diminutive medical expert.

"Thank you," Minami bowed to the Captain, then turned to bow to the executive officer.

"Don't do that. We are not on the new ship yet. Wait until we get there first," Mashiro Munetani said before turning to Akeno and saying, "And you should not be hugging everyone. You are our superior officer."

Akeno nodded before hugging Mashiro to annoy her, "Yes, but right now I am not at my command post, that means I can relax."

"The Captain is in charge at all times," countered Mashiro, carefully pushing Akeno off her..

"If that is the case, then can I order you to escort Minami aboard?" Akeno asked Mashiro, giving her a wink that went unseen by Minami.

Mashiro nodded, "If that means you'll double-check to see if the supplies have arrived, then I can do that."

Akeno nodded eagerly, "Yep. That's what I am going to run and do." Before Mashiro could protest, Akeno scampered off towards the docks.

Mashiro sighed, "She is too eager to get underway."

Minami smiled faintly, "Can you blame her?" She paused for a moment before saying, "'Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.' She is eager to be back on board and out at sea learning again. I suspect everyone is tired of being on land, especially after all this time."

Mashiro nodded, "I admit, I have been home too long. It is a little annoying when your mother is the Principal of the school. You cannot believe how much effort she put in to make sure our new ship was ready."

Minami kept her smile as she said, "Not to mention your sisters. I'm sure you were teased about being stuck at home."

Mashiro sighed, "Both offered to take me with them. I politely turned them down."

"Oh? You could have gotten some experience in working with either of your sisters," Minami said, glancing up at Mashiro's face in confusion.

Mashiro chuckled then, "Yes, but I got to help sort out paperwork. My time home was filled with learning the levers of bureaucracy and how to carefully manipulate them."

"Good. I approve," Minami said, nodding.

"Ready to go to our new ship?" Mashiro asked.

"Ready and eager. Lead the way," Minami said.

"Gladly," Mashiro said, before doing exactly that.

As she followed behind Mashiro, Minami began to feel tired. She shrugged it off to the excitement of the press conference wearing off. It had been a busy press conference after all.

XXXXX

Akeno ran as fast as she could, taking a shortcut to the docks where the Harekaze II awaited, as well as everyone else. Two in particular were eagerly awaiting Akeno's arrival.

Homare and Akane Kinesaki were standing at the bottom of the gangplank when Akeno rounded a corner. She ran to them and caught both in her arms in an oversized hug. Both started to protest, but Akeno cut them off, saying "Minami is on her way here. Mashiro is leading her slowly, so go finish up the cake and food. We are having a celebration tonight, and I don't want anything to go wrong." She paused long enough to turn her head to the other person nearby, "Mimi-chan? Is everything ready?"

Mimi Toumatsu smiled from her position halfway up the gangplank and replied, "Almost Captain. The only things remaining to be done are just minor details. Mostly decorations that need to be hanged, and those are being worked on now."

Akeno turned both cooks loose before saying to the ship's Treasurer, "Go and make sure. Are all of the posters still in place?"

Mimi nodded, "They are. I have no idea why they are plastered all over the ship, but no one has dared to take any of them down."

Akeno sighed, "Blame the board, and those above them. I think those posters are to inspire us."

Mimi nodded again before running up the gangplank to carry out Akeno's orders, with Homare and Akane following close behind. Akeno herself waited until the gangplank was clear before she made her way up.

XXXXX

As Akeno raced around the ship, double and triple-checking that everything was ready, Mashiro slow-marched Minami around the docks, pointing out some new construction before slowly pointing out the refurbished Harekaze II as they boarded the ship. When they boarded, it seemed everyone from the engine room and lower decks had come up to either shake Minami's hand or give her a hug, in the tradition of Captain Akeno. Truth be known, it was equal parts a delay tactic and genuine admiration for the girl who had helped in finding a cure for a disease they were lucky to have not suffered from directly. The stories of indirect suffering were still being told around the Academy as well as various media outlets.

After being welcomed to her new home, Minami leaned on a handrail for support.

"Are you alright?" Mashiro asked.

Minami nodded, "I'm fine. Perhaps the press conference was more tiring than I first believed."

Mashiro nodded, "Well, I will lead you to the cafeteria then. That means you get to look at all of the new posters someone decided we needed."

"Oh?" asked Minami.

Mashiro smiled, "You'll see."

See she did. Minami marveled at all of the posters as they went through the ship.

"Honor. Courage. Commitment."

"Integrity First. Service Before Self. Excellence In All We Do."

"You will learn to walk with honor. You will gain the wisdom to command with decisive resolve. You will take your place among the most elite warriors on Earth." Too bad someone tore the bottom of the poster off. Mashiro was sure it would have made the poster much more interesting.

"Do not give in to Evil."

"It's Not Just a Job, It's an Adventure."

"No Mission Too Difficult, No Sacrifice Too Great, Duty First."

"Do Right. Fear No One."

"Not Self, but Country."

"This We'll Defend."

"Ready to Lead, Ready to Follow, Never Quit."

"The safety, honor, and welfare of your country come first, always and every time. The honor, welfare, and comfort of those under your command come next. Your own ease, comfort, and safety come last, always and every time."

Mashira tried to maintain a light conversation with Minami, but gave up after watching Minami's expression change after seeing the first dozen or so posters. She waited until just before they entered the cafeteria to try to regain Minami's attention. "Minami?" she said.

Minami slowly turned to Mashiro with a confused expression on her face. Before she could say anything, Mashiro said, "Yes, I know. There are entirely too many of those posters. We'll have to tell you later about them. But right now, let's go inside." She gestured for Minami to lead the way in.

Minami nodded and went inside the cafeteria. As she did, everyone inside that was not standing stood up and saluted her.

XXXXX

Akeno smiled at the surprised look on Minami's face. She took a little pride at having surprised the diminutive doctor-in-training and wandered to her side. Her pride only increased as she watched the extreme confusion on Minami's face. It had been worth all of the efforts she and the others had put in, especially as she was beginning to feel her efforts catch up with her. She could feel fatigue trying to settle in as she led Minami to the officer's table, obviously decorated in streamers and with a large sheet cake in the middle. Once Minami was seated at the table did she step back and salute her as well.

"That was an excellent job Minami," Akeno said.

Minami stood slowly and bowed to the captain before saying, "Thank you Captain."

"I mean that Minami. I'm sure you were told that many times during our break, but it is important for more of the crew to hear that. It's just as important for a sailor to execute any orders quickly and perfectly. Someone as excellent as you understands that," Akeno said. "All of us had a rough voyage because of everything that occurred. I'm sure all of us were talked to by a teacher or counselor?" she asked.

Everyone there nodded in addition to more nods from those that could not be present. Those interviews had been drawn-out affairs as everyone wanted to know what had happened during the Totalitarian Disease epidemic. As one of the few ships that had managed to go unaffected by the virus, it was deemed important by those in authority that all of the facts be gathered. Each of the girls on the Harekaze had been interviewed more than once. Akeno and Mashiro had been interviewed several times, each one asked more questions than the previous interview.

Akeno took her captain's hat off to rub her head briefly before wearing it again. She resumed, "I think I was reminded over fifty times that 'a superior's orders are absolute,' as well as 'it is important for the crew to execute all orders quickly and perfectly,' and 'discipline and order must be maintained at all times. There is plenty of work to do, and it needs to be done quickly and perfectly.'" Why they felt they needed to remind me I still do not know."

It was obvious as to why. In the teachers' minds, Akeno had made quick decisions under duress. But she had also admitted to consulting the crew for some of the more dangerous decisions she had made. Even if the Principle, Mashiro's mother, had instructed her to do so before engaging the Hiei. Unfortunately, people much older, and thus believed to be wiser, not to mention higher in bureaucratic authority, had sent the word down the line that 'superiors must be obeyed.' An old belief for an old time which had held up during wartime, but was generally relaxed during times of peace. Emotions were still running hot among the upper echelons, and as such, no one was considering the potential effects.

The phrases 'a superior's orders are absolute' and 'important for a sailor to execute any orders quickly and perfectly' started to bounce around inside everyone's heads as those not present in the room were still able to listen in over the ship's speakers. Everyone was already beginning to feel the effects of the virus that Minami unknowingly carried and Akeno helped spread, with many of the crew feeling fatigued that was explained away by the tremendous efforts put in for a surprise party for Minami.

Minami suddenly stood up again. "A superior's orders are absolute, Captain," she said.

"Bweh?" Akeno replied, obviously stunned by her medical officer's sudden statement.

Minami stared at Akeno as she stated in a firm voice, "The safety, honor, and welfare of our home come first, always and every time. The honor, welfare, and comfort of those under your command come next. Your own ease, comfort, and safety come last, always and every time."

Akeno's confusion was shared by most every crewmember, but the words were beginning to have an effect on them.

"Integrity First. Service Before Self. Excellence In All We Do. A superior's orders are absolute," Minami stated with conviction in her voice.

That conviction was beginning to influence the crew. Minami's words bounced around inside their heads becoming more and more important to everyone.

"It is important to execute all orders quickly and perfectly. We will learn to walk with honor. We will gain the wisdom to command with decisive resolve. We will take our place among the most elite warriors on Earth."

If the virus that was ravaging them was not present, then everyone would have chuckled at Minami's tone while she was reciting the old military propaganda slogans of History.

"Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong, and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task, whatever it may be, one hundred percent and then some. Discipline and order must be maintained at all times. There is plenty of work to do, and it needs to be done quickly and perfectly."

Because of the virus however, those same propaganda slogans were now helping to forge a crew of strict discipline, and a firm belief in that discipline. As well as an eagerness to encourage that discipline to be in the minds of others.

XXXXX

Mayuki Munetani approached the gangplank of the Harekaze II with a mixture of happiness and caution. Happy at seeing her daughter and her friends being able to go out to sea again just after dawn tomorrow, but cautious about how rowdy the party she knew they were throwing would be. She had been told that the party was for their medical officer who discovered the cure for the disease that afflicted so many ships. She also knew that Mashiro would perhaps tell her that as a way to get the school to pay for party supplies, especially since it was really Captain Akeno that had been with her daughter to ask about those supplies.

The school principal had arrived to make sure the party did not get too rowdy, and to offer her own congratulations, as she had seen the press conference on the news. However, Mayuki was more concerned over the quiet of the ship. Especially since there did not appear to be a party happening. Moreover, there seemed to be a proper watch being set up. She could see just enough that it was her daughter giving orders to someone else about setting up a watch.

"Mashiro," she called.

Both girls turned to her. Both maintained an air of ignorance, as if they did not know who she was.

Mayuki realized her mistake, especially if her daughter had been trying to educate the other girl about setting up a watch. She called out, "Ahoy, Harekaze! Permission to come aboard?"

"Permission granted,"replied Mashiro.

Mayuki walked up the gangplank with Mashiro and the other student watching. Both saluted the principal when she boarded. After Mayuki saluted back, Mashiro stepped to her. Before Mashiro could say anything, she was promptly hugged by her mother.

Mayuki became more concerned when her daughter did not hug her back. She stepped back from Mashiro and asked, "Are you feeling alright?"

Mashiro nodded and said, "I am feeling fine Principal."

Mayuki didn't know what to make of this. While her daughter could not be described as anything but diligent, this was entirely new to Mayuki. As she puzzled the situation over, Mashiro asked, "Would you like to see the Captain, Principal?"

Mayuki nodded, "I would indeed." Believing that Akeno would have answers, she followed her daughter to the bridge.

XXXXX

Arriving on the bridge of the Harekaze II Mayuki's head was spinning, in both senses of that word. She had not seen a more disciplined crew outside of her own school years, and even then that was pushing the limits of her memory. Which was saying more than she would admit, considering how her head was currently feeling. She felt as if she had somehow lost her sea legs on the way to talk to Captain Akeno as she almost tripped at the entrance. She managed to compose herself quickly enough as she stood behind her daughter and saluted Captain Akeno and the rest of the bridge crew present.

Another surprise was that the entirety of the bridge crew was indeed present. There were no signs of a party having been thrown or anything. Mayuki had checked on her way there. None of the posters had been taken down as well, although she had informed her daughter as to why they had been placed to begin with. School board members wanting to be seen as not sitting idle while the students were in serious danger tended to create results that were almost amusing as they were useless. The posters being placed on the ship was a new level of pointless, but she tolerated it as she had confided in Mashiro that it would probably be safe to take them down in about two months time.

Speaking of Mashiro, her daughter had just announced her presence to the room. She better focus on the issue at hand.

"Captain," she said.

"Principal," Akeno replied.

"Where is the party? Did I miss it?" Mayuki asked.

"Negative, Principal. It was decided to cancel the party," Akeno replied.

At that point, Mayuki could have been knocked over with a feather. Almost literally as she felt herself wobble, but her mind was spinning in confusion as well. After a few seconds she managed to ask, "Why was the party canceled?"

"Decorum must be maintained. Uniforms must be spotless when off duty. Appearances must be kept," Akeno replied, her voice as serious as Mashiro's when she was allowed to board the ship.

"Huh?" Mayuki asked.

"Discipline and order must be maintained at all times. There is plenty of work to do, and it needs to be done quickly and perfectly," Akeno said.

"Well, yes…" Mayuki's head began to ache as she heard the words. They sounded familiar.

"A superior's orders are absolute," Akeno said.

"Yes. But…" Mayuki started to say.

"It is important to execute all orders quickly and perfectly," Akeno said.

"Yes." Mayuki started to nod her head.

"Integrity First. Service Before Self. Excellence In All We Do."

:Yes." Mayuki nodded her head in agreement.

"A chain of command must be maintained. Everyone must know who reports to them and who they report to in turn."

"Yes." Of course Mayuki understood that. She was the Principal of the school after all.

"The safety, honor, and welfare of our country come first, always and every time. The honor, welfare, and comfort of those under my command come next. My own ease, comfort, and safety come last, always and every time," Akeno's voice pierced through whatever mental defenses the Principal had, her tone as serious as when she started this conversation.

"Yes." Discipline must be maintained, after all. It would be maintained when school started tomorrow morning. Mayuki would see to that.

Nimrod Notes

Disclaimer: I do not own High School Fleet. If I did, I'd have more time to write.

Two stories out in such a short time? Well, I am still in the hospital, so I still have time to write. Now if I could just work on the projects that I really want to work on….

Crossposted on DeviantArt under my UberNimrod account there. Make snarky remarks where you want. Just make them. I can't improve as a writer if I do not know what i need to improve.

The Seabees motto seems to be something like: "Cuss, Drink, Fight, and F*** Like Sailors. Except we are Seabees, and we do everything twice as good as sailors."