Running Home and Running To Love
"Chief Navigator, maintain this course and speed until we are out of range of the fleet's weapons" Akeno said. "Shiro?"
"I prefer Deputy Captain"
"That's too long" Akeno shrugged. "Anyway, I have a job for you. I want you to go round the ship and find every piece of electronic equipment that has a locator function and ensure it is turned off or disabled"
"Oh… You think we'll be found that way?"
"Its what I would do and is standard procedure. Kouko, what time is night fall?"
"Not for another two hours" she said, checking her datapad.
"Right" Akeno looked out the Bridge windows. "I know we should go to the next position and await instructions, but I'm taking us back to the school. Once it gets dark, we'll set a course for the school and go there at full speed – no lights to be shown"
"That's against the rules of the sea" Mashiro noted.
"I'll enter the objection into the log and you can sign it" Akeno said firmly. "It is my decision as Captain. If we can sneak back to school and tell them what has happened out here, we can put ourselves in the clear of any trouble that might follow us. Macchi, can you navigate by the stars?"
"I can try"
"Good enough. Rin, go and get some rest – you must be mentally tired. The rest of you, call your relief and do the same – I shall remain here until the Deputy Captain returns" and they all left to carry out their orders. "Maron, you still there?"
"Yep"
"Apart from full speed, I need you to burn the fuel as cleanly as possible so we don't leave a smoke trail behind us. I don't want anybody to know where we are until we're already tied up"
"I will try my best"
# # # # #
The constant high speed running had blown a turbine which was quickly replaced by Maron's girls but which meant they arrived close to the school at daylight.
"Channel is dead ahead" Macchi called from high above them at her normal station.
"Slow ahead both engines" Mashiro said. "Radio Room, break radio silence and send a message to the school giving our position and intentions". During their silent running, they had picked up a message stating they had mutinied against their instructor by firing upon them and sinking the Sarushima – thus proving Akeno's decision to cut off all contact and run back home as quickly as possible.
"Got some fast boats coming towards us"
"Chief Navigator, bring us to a dead stop. Captain Misaki to the Bridge… I'm so unlucky" she added with a mutter.
"Do you want us to aim at them?" asked Mei.
"No – Captain ordered us to do nothing except sit here and wait to be boarded"
"That's right, Shiro…" Akeno yawned as she sleepily walked onto the Bridge in uniform but wearing a jacket due to the cold morning. "Remind me to suggest putting doors on here"
"So noted" Mashiro said with just a touch of humour. "Captain, we're coming to a dead stop, Radio Room has sent our message and several fast boats are coming towards us" she reported.
"I see" Akeno looked almost sad. "Everybody, when we are boarded by the incoming ships, I want nobody to offer resistance. The only way we're going to be proved innocent is by showing our ship's logs and inventory lists. That is all"
"Do you really think this is going to work?" asked Mashiro as they watched the boats start to come alongside.
"I hope so… Otherwise, this is going to be the shortest Captaincy – but you did tell me to be a Captain of note"
"True" Mashiro replied as they heard footsteps running up ladders and along the upperdecks, "But this wasn't really what I had in mind"
#
A quick look of the Harekaze's weapons and logs showed that they told the truth and the ship was tied up alongside the pier and the crew given school dorm rooms. Ships from Yokosuka and other schools that were still in contact gathered together with the Blue Mermaids and White Dolphins to go after the other vessels. It took a few days, but a cure was found and administered to all as they were retaken. Only the Harekaze did not stage out again because of the damage she took and partly due to Mashiro's mother wanting to protect her. As a reward for raising the alarm and for giving them the truth about what happened, the class was given a short break and then allowed to take the repaired ship out for a week of testing and shakedown before they were sent as an escort to the Graf Spee which had been over for the now cancelled exercises. With its school having recalled them, it was decided that the games could be done there instead, so the crew settled down into the role of escort and that of a long cruise.
"Radio Room"
"Kouko here"
"Call from the Spee on a secured channel… I think your girlfriend is calling"
"Put her through" Kouko blushed furiously. She and the Spee's Deputy Captain had got close and then fallen in love – much to the amusement of both crews. Akeno had been especially giddy at the news and found ways for Kouko to go over to Spee on the pretence of delivering reports to her Captain.
"Coco, I just got off watch and thought I'd ask how you were"
"I'm fine, but worried all the same"
"Why?"
"It was announced on the radio that the bill to permit gay and lesbian people to serve in the Blue Mermaids and White Dolphins was voted down"
"I'm sorry" Mina said. "I know how badly you want to serve on the sea"
"I want to serve so badly, but I can't lie about what I am"
"What you are is a person of deep compassion and love"
"I was last night" Kouko chuckled weakly.
"You know, there is a way around this" Mina said.
"How?"
"The Blue Mermaids in Germany do not discriminate against people like ourselves by law. If you do your training with your class and graduate, you could ask to move to Germany and then you could be with me for as long as you want"
"I doubt my parents would let me" Kouko sighed. "They hate me after all for what I am and who I love. The only ones that don't hate me are on this boat"
"And on here – you know that Thea is fond of you. We're putting in to Gibraltar to refuel and to give ourselves a little time off, so maybe we could get leave together and… You know…"
"I'd like that a lot" said Kouko. "Mi… Do you think we can last two years? We can't see each other as much as we want"
"I know, but we can still call as much as possible and write as much as possible"
"And try to spend leave together?" Kouko felt a sudden fear as if not seeing her girlfriend every so often would make her vanish.
"And spend leave together" Mina assured her. "What?" Kouko could hear Mina talking to somebody in the background and, when she returned, she sounded mildly annoyed. "Sorry, Coco, but somebody had an accident in one of the magazines and Thea wants me to investigate. I'll try to talk to you again before you turn in or else I'll see you in two days when we put in to Gibraltar for fuel and a little time off" and, after exchanging goodbyes, they each hung up.
#
"Are you alright?" asked Mashiro as they took that night's watch together. A little way off in the distance, the Royal Navy's HMS Ceylon was steaming at the start of a patrol of the area and it had exchanged a number of signals with Spee and the Harekaze as well as sending some news on a data burst from Japan.
"Yes… No… Did you hear about the news from home?"
"I did" Mashiro looked uncomfortable. "I am sorry that things did not go the way you wanted"
"I thought that you would have been against such a thing, coming from a traditional family like you do" Kouko adjusted a setting on a control.
"Perhaps, but I feel that if someone can do the job… Everyone should be able to do what they want and not be persecuted for their love life"
"I think I have you all wrong, Deputy Captain"
"Oh?"
"I actually like you"
"Well, try not to spread it amongst the crew – it would ruin my reputation" Mashiro smiled at Kouko before turning to look out the windows. "Have you ever been to Gibraltar?" she asked.
"Never, though I know a good lot about it" Kouko replied, sipping her tea as she kept the Harekaze on course.
"You'd enjoy it… You and Mina that is. Have you decided where you will spend your leave together?"
"That is assuming that we spend it together" Kouko blushed.
"I think both Captains and crews would be upset if you didn't" Mashiro chuckled. "They say that the best place to stay on the island is the Coral Royal"
"That is way beyond anything that we can afford"
"Well, you don't have to" Mashiro withdrew a small packet from her skirt pocket and handed it over to Kouko. "A family friend owns the place so, when I knew we would have time to put in for shore leave, I radioed ahead and…"
"But why?"
"Because we're friends and, according to the Captain, also family and comrades. Besides, think of this as a thank you for finding space in our supply stores for all those packets of sherbet lemons". Mashiro had, when a girl, developed a fondness for the sweet and some room in the Harekaze's stores had been found for a few boxes of them after Kouko had discussed it with the Budgeting department.
"Ah, well in that case…" Kouko smiled. "Half an hour until watch change" she noted.
"Should be in just before breakfast time" Mashiro calculated the time in her mind.
"Should we slow down a little so we can eat and then come in?" asked Kouko, working out the time for herself.
"No – we'll do it as planned. I am sure the kitchen staff would be happy to do a meal that isn't being made on a choppy sea" Mashiro gestured at the sea that was causing Kouko a little difficulty in keeping station with Spee.
"Aye, Aye" Kouko replied out of formality. "Bridge to Lookout, Sonar and Radar. Give us a surface situation report, please"
"Lookout reporting: nothing visible"
"Sonar – nothing on my scope"
"Radar reporting in. All I have is the Spee to our port bow and some civilian vessels on the edge of range"
"Bridge, aye" Kouko replied. "Ma'am, the closest contact we have is the Spee on our port bow – all other contacts are well away and not a threat"
"Very well" Mashiro replied.
"Have you ever visited Gibraltar?"
"A long time ago" Mashiro sounded somewhat sad. "My father brought myself and my sisters to see mother as a surprise when I was young. Everything seemed so big and bright and noisy to me, but I saw the Royal Navy come steaming in with such perfect skill that it started my life ambition to be on the sea. Although, at first, I wanted it different to how it is now?"
"Oh?"
"I wanted to be a fish" Mashiro blushed heavily.
"So that's why you have all those stuffed toys" Kouko giggled.
"Not so loud" the Deputy Captain hissed. "Who knows who might be listening"
"Not me" said a voice that sounded faintly like Kaede's.
"I am so unlucky" Mashiro groaned. "Miss Nosa, please maintain course and speed"
"Maintain course and speed, aye"
"FIRE! FIRE ON THE SPEE" the lookout called out suddenly. Mashiro and Kouko looked out the Bridge's windows to see a small wisp of smoke with flames coming out of the aft turret.
"Radio Room, make to Spee by voice:- 'Have spotted fire coming from your aft battery – do you require assistance?' and send it in the clear and in English"
"Aye" came the simple reply.
"Shall we wake the Captain?" asked Kouko, gripping the wheel a little tighter as she worried about her lover.
"Not just yet" Mashiro replied, "But standby for course change"
"Aye"
"Message from Spee's Captain – there was a failure in one of the ammunition hoists and some grease and oil caught fire. They report their damage control teams are handling it and they don't need additional help" the night watch Radio Operator called through the voice pipe.
"Very good. Tell them that we shall standby for any help they might require"
"Will do. Ma'am, they report that it's not the magazine area that was reported as having problems earlier and that their Deputy Captain has the watch"
"Acknowledged"
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you…" Kouko chanted in an almost religious outpouring of thanks. An official message like that could not make room for love, but Mina had at least found a way to tell Kouko she was safe.
"Just be thankful I didn't send you over – I would have had to wake up Rin and she's grumpy if woken up too early. I still have the bump to prove it"
"What did she do?"
"Throw soup at me"
"Not too bad"
"It was still in the tin"
"Oh" Kouko covered her mouth in an unsuccessful attempt to stop giggling.
A/N:
Yes, it has been a long, long, long time since I last updated but that's the way life can throw things at you. I just that you all enjoy this chapter and keep an eye out for the next few ones that will have a mixture of sadness and joy.
The reference to HMS Ceylon is a nod to movindu2005's story "Hearts of Oak" which is a fine work and one that I would highly recommend and is a loving tribute and spin off from High School Fleet.
Regards,
Pixel and Stephanie Forever