Sakura Wars: The 21st Century

By Steve Edward

The Return

Chapter 30

Sunday, March 7th, 2010 – USS Wisconsin BB-64 – 1500 hours –

Thumping to a landing on the flight deck of the USS Wisconsin, the Russian KA-32 Helix its dual rotor system coming to a stop its two passengers disembarked, Rear Admiral Sergio Seradov and his aide. Stepping forward to meet them Captain Frank Orkney and Lieutenant Commander Maria Tachibana. Maria who welcomed them aboard in their native language apologized for Admiral Long's absence guided them to his Flag Cabin.

John beginning to stand was waved down by Admiral Seradov; Sergio approaching his old friend accepted his hand shake then took a seat. Sergio looking around the Flag Cabin took in the tone generator and then the oscilloscope which was apparently attached to an electronic keyboard, "John, I see you still dabble in electronics. What brings you here to the Kuril's?"

John picking up a folder handed it to Sergio, "That Sergio is why I am here. Something similar to that formation of rocks which have been found further to the south in Japanese territorial waters and on Okinawa," Admiral Long opened his own folder, "We had been investigating the Sea Wraith outbreaks. I was at a Japanese shrine on Okinawa looking into what appeared to be an ancient demonic seal, which of course was when I got shot by a sniper. In a one in a million chance the research ship Oceanic Plain made an underwater discovery of the same type of formation. The writings on the granite seals are believed to be an early form an Asian language and a music score. The stones which all are granite are not native to the region. Carbon dating places their age at 9,000 years. The origin of the granite is from an area located in eastern Australia. That same formation seen in the photograph that you are holding Sergio is on the Northeastern shore line at Volcano Brat Chirpoyev."

Rear Admiral Seradov reflected back to an earlier time when he first met Admiral Long who was then commanding a Spruance class destroyer in the Atlantic. Commander John Long according to his intelligence was a recent widower having lost his wife and young child in a senseless automobile accident in Virginia. Sergio then commanding a submarine had tried to penetrate the escort screen of an aircraft carrier battlegroup only to run up against Commander Long.

For eighteen hours he had tried every trick in the book to shake the Spruance class destroyer that was hounding him turn for turn. The commander taking to dropping percussion grenades as he passed overhead, the grenades expertly wrapped in toilet paper would explode after the paper holding the activation levers dissolved. Sergio deciding it was time to meet his adversary after being bracketed by four grenades at once sent a signal flare aloft and surfaced his Akula class attack submarine. Initially by flashing light then by radio, Sergio and John conversed. It would be the beginning of a long friendship.

Coming back to the present Sergio spoke in Russian accented English, "John I accept the explanation and reasoning why you want to go to Brat Chirpoyev. The outcropping has been examined in the past by our scientists but not to the degree that you want to do. Are you sure that it is necessary?"

Nodding yes John replied, "Sergio it is likely that due to previous volcanic activity that the markings have been obscured. I am not going there to prove who owns the island. I am going there to see if what we have found previously will solve the puzzle that I am trying to solve. The Sea Wraiths are appearing in areas that are tectonically unstable. We need to work together as we have done before. It will benefit both the United States, Russia and Japan."

Satisfied, Sergio stood and bid his friend farewell, "Very well John, but please allow me to accompany you. The closest we can get is 3 miles due to shallow waters surrounding Brat Chirpoyev. I am too interested in this so called musical score. It has promise."

Monday, March 8th, 2010 – Brat Chirpoyev – 0830 hours –

The Russian KA-32 Helix closely followed by the American SH-60-B Seahawk designated Charlie One touched down on Brat Chirpoyev. Rear Admiral Seradov disembarking waited for Admiral John Long to join him. In the distance the combined American and Russian fleet had slowly come about, the escort destroyers careful not to mask the main batteries of the Wisconsin as a precaution the massive 16 inch turrets had been trained at Brat Chirpoyev.

Only two men could give the order to fire, and both were now standing together on a black sandy and very cold beach.

Doctor Seagram had been adamantly opposed to the Admiral Long's excursion to Brat Chirpoyev but had been assured by John that if he even felt a twig of pain he would return. The Admiral's choice of the landing party was odd in the view of Captain Orkney. Besides Doctor Long his sister, he had chosen Iris and Sakura with Maria and Staff Sergeant Bloomberg to provide armed security though Rear Admiral Seradov had assured Captain Orkney by radio that Chirpoyev was uninhabited. Except for a small scientific outpost containing monitoring systems there were no other structures on the island.

Sergio not leaving anything to chance had brought his own security as well. A Spentz Commando team had flown with him and at his orders were enroute to check the monitoring station. An over flight by both helicopters of the island had been conducted and there was no ground movement detected. Sergio and John separately conducted radio checks with the Wisconsin and satisfied that their respective radios were working the combined landing party set out for the outcropping.

Just as it had happened in his bizarre dreams, Maria to the front with Teresa; both heavily armed. Nearly the same height and in their combat dress both women carrying locked and loaded P-90's it would be hard to tell them apart at a distance. To his right Sakura was dressed more conservatively minus any firearms the Arataka Spirit Sword tucked within easy reach the hilt peeking out from under the parka she was wearing. Iris to his left bundled in cold weather gear her facial features partially hidden by the hood of the parka that was two sizes too big for her.

His sister to the rear with Rear Admiral Seradov in conversation with him, carrying a small but light weight equipment case, the only thing missing was the running. Admiral Long did not feel like running. Pausing momentarily he knelt down and took a handful of sand and let it run through his hand. The texture felt rougher, the sands surface somewhat firmer than Iwo Jima. Looking at the outcropping in the distance there was no doubt that it was a demonic seal. To his seaman's eye, the outer ring of boulders were placed too perfectly to be natural phenomenon. They had been put into place by man, but who?

Admiral Long was warily circling the outcropping. Asking that everyone stay back he was alone. Sergio had learned long ago that Admiral John Long when he went about something he did it for a reason. The air temperature with the wind chill factor was calculated at minus 10 and when John took his parka off it even surprised Sergio, "John what the hell do you think you are doing?" as he quickly walked towards John who was now standing within the inner ring of boulders minus his parka and trying to take off the remaining artic gear.

Sergio passing the inner ring felt he had suddenly stepped into an oven, a very hot oven. Staff Sergeant Bloomberg standing with her Russian counterpart watched as the Russian Admiral also hurriedly removed his artic gear. John looking at Sergio, "Well Sergio just how much of an examination did your scientists do of this outcropping?" Sergio, speechless could only shrug his shoulders.

The remainder of the landing party soon joined both admirals. Cynthia leaving the equipment case outside the ring of boulders briefly retrieved a thermometer. Within the ring of boulders the air temperature read nearly 120 degrees, the ground readings were even higher at 130 degrees. Admiral Long having the landing party take cover, fired 5 .45 caliber rounds from Herbert Long's former .45 caliber 1911A1 Colt into one of the boulders, knocking huge chunks of volcanic ash from the surface with no indication that the last round had even scarred the granite. Cynthia took another reading on the boulder itself, read 250 degrees.

Directing that everyone dress back into the artic gear, Admiral Long stepped back into the cold. Turning to Sakura and Iris he explained what he wanted done. At first unsure, Sakura was assured by the Admiral Long that what he wanted her to do would work fine. Sakura and Iris walked off together and waited for the signal.

The bright light in the distance followed by a thunderous crack echoing across the sea nearly caused Captain Hollister to fall out of the Bridge Wing Chair, "Charlie One this is Wisconsin what the hell is going on?" as Sammy took in a rising cloud of dust from the northern end of the island.

Lieutenant Hess had been about to radio the Wisconsin of the Admiral Long's plan when he and his Russian Counterparts were blown off their feet by the concussion. In the distance the only two still standing were Iris and Sakura, Admiral Long shaking his head and helping Sergio up off the ground waved that they were ok.

Cynthia standing shakily turned to look at her brother, "John what the hell were you thinking you idiot! We could have been killed!" Admiral Long looking at his sister, "I am very doubtful that would have happened it's a side effect of Sakura's power."

Circling the outer ring of granite boulders cleansed of the volcanic ash layer, the grey granite reflected the sun. On the individual surfaces of each a symbol. The symbols roughly translated correlated to a musical note or tone.

Sergio stopped next to John, "So this is what you came to find. The granite surfaces appear almost like glass. It is surprising that these stones are likely 9,000 years old, the craftsmanship that it took to complete these individually must have taken many years."

Turning to Sakura and Iris who had walked up next to him, "Well done both of you," John had watched as Sakura unleashed the power within the Arataka; at the moment of release the blade had turned blood red from the hilt to the tip. Another part of his dreams had come true.

Cynthia took another set of readings, the temperatures had remained unchanged. At less than a meter out from the circle of boulders, the ground temperature nearly matched the air. Within the ground temperature was 130 degrees. What ever was occurring was defying the laws of physics, with the 10 knot wind blowing it should have been coming through unimpeded yet no cold wind blew inside the boulders. Hot and cold extremes, the possibility that it was a sealed demonic entry point was worrisome.

Picturing what it must have been like 9,000 years earlier with no ocean but rolling plains maybe a river nearby, its waters gradually carving away at the earth. What was once a simple river gorge had now turned into a deep oceanic trench, after conferring with each other; both admirals directed that photographs be taken. Quick measurements were taken and they matched both Site A and Site B. Walking back to their respective aircraft, John and Sergio conferred privately. Making an agreement for a multi-country scientific study which would include Japan, Sergio and John shook hands.

Monday, March 8th, 2010 – USS Wisconsin BB-64 – 1900 hours –

More relaxed than he had been in sometime, Admiral John Long examined the photographs taken at Brat Chirpoyev. Laying them across his desk top he shuffled them about. Satisfied that he had them in the proper order, he carefully noted on the attached yellow sticky notes the tones or musical notes that each granite boulder represented.

Taking the photographs of Site A and Site B, the Admiral arraigned them in a similar fashion.

Picking up the phone he had Orihime Soletta, Kohran Ri, Sumire Kanzaki and Leni Milchstrase come to his cabin. He asked Leni to bring her violin. Commander Kayama and Commander Fujieda arrived as well. At first when played the tones or notes made little sense. Looking at the center stones, Admiral Long directed Sumire to voice a simple but steady C sharp, followed by Leni playing repeatedly an alternate scale on her violin then Orihime doing the same on the electronic keyboard.

Watching the oscilloscope then engaging the laptop which captured the tones; Kohran making minor adjustments made a match, "Admiral the central harmonizing tone, matches measurements taken from the freighters radio communications equipment."

Asking everyone to stop, John leaned back in his chair "Bingo, the demonic seals are doubling as records of the harmonizing chants utilized by mystics over 9,000 years ago. The inner boulder is the seal itself. The outer boulders contain the incantations uttered by the long dead mystics."

Commander Kayama interrupted, "But then why the demonic outbreaks now? It appears that there are systematic attacks being conducted to destroy the seals." The Admiral nodded, "Systematic yes, focused no. What ever happened 9,000 years ago occurred during the period that earth did not have the vast oceans we have today. The seals are breaking down naturally. Granite is a long wearing and lasting mineral. However every rock mineral has its limitations. As the earth changed so did the positions of the seals. I suspect that the demonic outbreaks experienced from 1915 to early 1927 were the result of some seals being destroyed."

John gathering the photographs and placing them in separate folders, "Mystics in order to capture the demons lured them through chants to the seal points. Then utilizing their sealing chants, each one slightly different they sealed the demons within the boundaries. Unlike the Dream Division mystics which utilize harmonization to focus the spiritual energy of the Rose Combat Division, the mystics used their powers to lure, ensnare and trap."

John reflected back to the Rose Barrier Defense of Task Force 77, "When I had Kohran rig the tone emitter to the main transmitter it was a crap shoot. The Sea Wraith came all right but when the Dream Division began their chants it was counter to the attraction tone hence the violent attack against the Wisconsin. The Sea Wraiths or demons what ever you want to call them did not want to go back to the world that they had been trapped in."

Dismissing everyone, Admiral Long contemplated the next course of action. With the demonic seals breaking down, there would likely be more appearances of the demons. Finding the misplaced seals underwater would be a challenge, he pondered the seals still in place on dry land. How much longer would those last?

Sunday, March 14th, 2010 – USS Wisconsin BB-64 – 0500 hours –

It had been nearly a week since the visit to Brat Chirpoyev, there had been scattered reports of Sea Wraiths, and none close enough for the Wisconsin or the Rose Combat Division to engage. Other military units had taken care of them individually. The analyses of the attack by the JDS Yubari the week before which the small vessel had used Harpoon Missiles against the Sea Wraith, the recommendations not to attack with the weapon system had been made.

Admiral Long having been cleared to go back to his favorite pastime of running around the deck of the Wisconsin, behind him Staff Sergeant Bloomberg and running next to her his sister Cynthia. Commander Kaede Fujieda stepping out onto the main deck waited for the runners to pass and joined in.

John noting the new running partner, tried to put away the vision he had previously of Cynthia and Kaede when they had both slugged in his dream. Unable to do so, he stopped. Turning and looking at both, "Cynthia, Kaede, please keep your fists to yourselves is that understood?" With that strange comment made the Admiral he sprinted off, the two women puzzled by his statement could only wonder what they had done.

Monday, March 15th, 2010 – Tokyo – 0900 hours –

The USS Wisconsin stood into the harbor of Tokyo, the shore line crowded with spectators. The Return of the former Imperial Flower Combat Troop onboard the Battleship had sent the citizens of Tokyo flocking to vantage points to witness the homecoming. Admiral Long had been correct that the former Imperial Flower Combat Division had not seen anything yet when it came to news coverage. A mandated no fly zone around the Battleship backed up by Japanese Self Defense Force Fighter Aircraft and Attack Helicopters was in place.

Ahead of the Battleship, the JDS Yubari escorting the USS Wisconsin into port, five other sister ships had taken up positions around the ship as well. Smaller escort vessels kept private water craft well away. The tugs gently pivoted the Battleship into its recently completed berth. Though not directly within the confines of Tokyo, the newly completed support base would allow the USS Wisconsin easy egress from Tokyo in times of emergency scrambles.

Like any steam powered equipment the engineering plant of the Wisconsin needed maintenance since the ship had been steaming none stop since January. Commander Matt Healey began preparations to shut the boilers down and put the ship on shore power. On the Flag Bridge, Admiral John Long took a last look from his vantage point. The crowds showed no sign of leaving, the pier itself clear except for a small group of people patiently waiting at the Security Check Point.

Admiral Long had been surprised at the reaction of the crowds in the distance when the first heaving line landed on the pier. The roar of the voices cheering, the sounds of sirens coupled with the sounds of horns being sounded on the tugs had been deafening.

Exiting the Flag Bridge he headed aft followed by Staff Sergeant Bloomberg and Commander Fujieda. Met partway to the Quarterdeck by Captain Orkney, the Admiral entering the main deck walked aft along the starboard side.

Nodding to the Officer of the Deck to have the Security Check Point allow entry of the welcoming party, Admiral Long waited as they approached the brow and came onboard. Greeting him in Japanese and then in English the young woman bowed. She then handed him a letter. Opening it, he had no need to read it, Admiral Long bowed in return and welcomed the current head of the Shinguji family onboard. John mused that it would be an interesting reunion.

Giving the go ahead to allow the dignitaries entry to the pier and the ship, Admiral Long braced himself for a very long day.

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 – Tokyo – 0030 hours –

Long indeed the previous day had been. Admiral Long relaxed in his shore living quarters which overlooked the massive pier which had been built to provide a secure mooring for the USS Wisconsin. The white friendship lights rigged fore and aft glowed brightly. The support base built to exacting specifications had been constructed on the former site of a passenger terminal and its assortment of warehouses which had become dilapidated. The location ironically had been where Admiral Long entered the year 1927 now 83 years in the past.

The Rose Combat Division had been assigned personal living quarters as well nearby. John's sister Cynthia had been asked if she would like to live on the base. At first uncomfortable with the idea, John suggested that Iris would enjoy her company and Cynthia would move from her apartment to the Iris's residence later in the day, Cynthia now Iris's legal guardian would live full time with Iris.

The Dream Division also had their living quarters on the base. What looked like a massive dormitory were in fact individual private apartments. John had watched the Dream Division disembark from their bus, which they then encircled the building. Uttering several chants, the Dream Division then disappeared into the building. The colorful kimonos followed by Kasumi Fujii.

Sakura Shinguji had asked for permission to leave for Sendai which was granted personally by the Admiral. She had a lot of catching up to do and there were likely certain things that had to be settled by her. Escorted by her family they had departed the base, the crowds lining the roadway to catch a glimpse as her car sped past with a Tokyo Police escort.

Getting up from his chair, Admiral Long stopped briefly in the modest kitchen. Setting his battered coffee cup in the sink and rinsing it, he walked out and turned the light off. Entering his sleeping quarters, he eyed the schedule for the morning which would start for him in less than four hours, he undressed and settled into bed for an untroubled sleep.

END