Not Allowed Home…
"In the merry, merry month of May… Where children and buffalo play…" Kouko sang lightly.
"Captain? Request permission to throw the Ship's Secretary over the side" Mashiro groaned.
"Denied" Akeno giggled at her friend before having a look at the ocean around them. This was going to be there final cruise as a class together and she did not want it to end – they knew there wasn't a chance of them staying together after graduation as they were too young to be handed over a new ship.
"Radio Room"
"Go ahead, Tsugme" Akeno spoke into the voice pipe.
"Private message from the Principal on the RT emergency circuit"
"Something is wrong – she never does that without a reason" Mashiro said, frowning as she checked the course.
"And even if it was a private message, why the emergency circuit?" Kouko was being serious for once.
"I'll find out" Akeno replied with a sigh. "Shiro, you have the Bridge"
"I have the Bridge" Mashiro watched as Akeno left, glanced down at the compass and then told Rin to adjust her course by three degrees to port.
"D-D-Do you think we're in trouble?" the girl stuttered.
"I doubt that my mother has heard about you getting drunk and stealing that British policeman's hat" Mashiro rolled her eyes.
"I thought the Policeman was still in it" Mei chimed in from where she was adjusting the torpedo computer.
"I'm on the ship of the damned… I'm so unlucky"
#
"Ma'am, what is the problem?" Akeno had waited for Tsugme to leave before talking.
"Captain, have you heard about the virus that has been spreading through Asia?"
"A little bit. My Doctor has been keeping tabs on it whenever we have an internet signal, when we can get it, and she's worried about it spreading through the ship"
"It is worse than what has been publically said" Mashiro's mother sounded overworked and tired. "It has already caused a large number of deaths around the world and our country has decided to isolate itself apart from sea trade that is essential to try and contain the virus. To that end, you are ordered to remain at sea until a cure has been discovered"
"We're low on fuel and supplies" Akeno remarked.
"I understand that, but you are the only Marine High School ship still at sea and the Blue Mermaids need your help. Their ranks have been badly depleted by this attack and many of their ships are undercrewed or tied up in port. I am authorised to send our supply ships to store you at sea, but they are not allowed to help you and nobody must cross decks"
"Aye, Ma'am" there was no other response. "There is one problem though – one of the crew has to return for treatment to a damaged nerve"
"Can this not be done at sea?"
"Minami would prefer it happen in a surgical facility that doesn't pitch up and down"
"I shall take advice on that. Strictly speaking, I should not be sending anybody out but. given the circumstances, I have no choice but to send the supply ship out. However, they will be unable to help you and all activities must be carried out by yourselves. You have chemical protection equipment?"
"Some"
"Then your crew will have to wear that when you RAS"
"Understood, Ma'am. Do… Do you know how long this might take?"
"I hope not long, but my guess is that it will take a long time"
#
"We can't stay on the ship for months at a time – its unhealthy!" Mei said.
"I know, but those are our orders. I'm sorry, everybody, but we're going to have to stay out here a little longer" Akeno was really sorry for her friends as some of them had new brothers or sisters to meet for the first time. "For what it is worth, we're getting a number of extra items in our supply run and phone calls will be free to all"
"What about Maron?" asked Minami. "Whilst the operation is simple enough to carry out and heal, I would prefer to do it in a safer and more controlled environment"
"I argued with the Health Ministry and the Office of Public Safety, but they will not let you take her off for risk of infection"
"Do they fully realise the situation?"
"They do. I have, however, been allowed to bring the Harekaze into shallow waters close to home so that if something goes wrong, Maron can be evacuated"
"It is not ideal"
"None of this is, but we'll make the best of it" Mashiro said. "Let your girls know that they can send requests home for anything they might want. We have permission to forego the uniforms given the circumstances"
"Doughnuts… Fresh doughnuts" Macchi spoke quietly. It was a bit of an open secret with the class that loved them and would seek them out whenever they docked for shore leave.
"I doubt we can manage that, but we'll give it a try" Akeno promised. "I do have one bit of good news, however… The school and the Blue Mermaids have agreed that because of the difficult situation we're in, we will all be one rank higher than normal when we graduate" and there was a little bit of cheering at that.
"Maybe if we do really well, we'll get to serve on the same ship" Rin said.
"Or buy the Harekaze and start our own maritime security firm" Kouko added.
"Or sail a hospital and cargo ship" Kaede suggested as she read from a book of poetry.
"Or steal the ship and scuttle it in deep water so nobody else can use her" Sora grinned.
"Let's just get our lists together" Akeno paused for a moment. "Kuro, if we have to stay out here then Engineering is going to need a lot more in terms of spares"
"We could do with extra spare parts for the boilers and furnaces – they always keep breaking down" Kuro replied.
"Do we have to do anything with the water?" asked Mashiro.
"Water is not a problem – it's the rubbish. Normally, its sorted into recyclable or non-recyclable and stored in the rubbish room until we dock and its offloaded to waste management sites. Because we can't dock at home, we're not going to have room for much more… We might need permission to dump it overboard"
#
Three months later, and the crew were still out at sea going to the aid of those few ships bringing in vital supplies from abroad. The supply runs from the school allowed them some comfort, but nothing could make up for the inability to hug their parents, family and friends. Maron, returned to light duties after her accident, had embarked upon a refitting of the ship at sea and done what she could to improve fuel oil consumption. Occasionally, they put on musical performances on the aft deck, but Akeno drew the line at Tama using the main batteries to take part in the 1812 overture on point of principle.
"Report" Akeno yawned as she arrived to take over the watch.
"Steaming half ahead – same course as yesterday" Shiro replied.
"Okay" the Captain replied she eased herself into one of the chairs that had been put up on the Bridge for the watch to sit in – a type of stool being made for the Helmsman. "Do you think we could order pizza for dinner?"
"Maybe… Rin, set course for the nearest Pizza Hut"
"Aye" came the reply.
"I heard the latest number of deaths this morning" Akeno lowered her voice so only Mashiro could hear. "They think it could be up to several million now"
"In the country?"
"Over the world. Right now, the only ones not at risk of being infected are isolated communities like those on ship, onboard a submarine or one of the numerous floating shopping malls. I've asked permission to come in again, but it got denied again on safety grounds – I ended up asking for my request to be made directly to the Emperor himself, so there is still some hope"
"You think he will order it?"
"I hope so, but he knows more about this then we do…" Akeno shrugged and sipped her tea. "We can't stay on the ship for that much longer before we start going insane from seeing the same four walls"
"I was thinking about that last night" Mashiro admitted. "Remember the island we were supposed to go to on our very first day as students?"
"Vaguely"
"Well, I was thinking that we could ask for camping equipment to be brought on the next supply run and we go there – I'm sure Minami would agree it would be healthier"
"I'll make a note of it. In other news, have you heard that the new Yamato movie is coming out next week?"
"They are releasing it during this crisis?" Mashiro blinked.
"The movie company decided that collective good was better than their profits. I had a large TV placed in the next order so we can all watch it like a giant sleep over"
"What about a watch?"
"I think we're going to be alright if we heave to for the night – I mean, Shiro, Rin has been starboard five for the past few hours" Akeno smiled at the joke which Mashiro smiled at too.
"As much as I love this ship, I miss the thought of home" Mei said from where she was polishing the torpedo sights. Akeno looked at Mashiro, then at the Bridge as a whole and came to a decision.
"Radio Room, this is Akeno. Signal the school that we want some communications gear on the next shipment. Inform them that when we get the next supplies, we are moving off to the remote fuelling island for overhaul. If they object and say no, reply that I am acting on the advice of the Ship's Surgeon"
"Aye"
"Did Minami really tell you that?"
"Well, she said that she'd like to feel the beach under her feet – not my fault I misunderstood"
"Always good to follow medical advice" Mashiro replied, "And at least we can have some sort of normal life off ship"
"What is normal these days?" asked Tama simply.
