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After convincing the people in San Francisco that the Royal Navy did not plan to conquer them, The Squadron enjoyed a weekend of baseball, hot dogs and camping on the cove.

They continued south for a few days, admiring the tropical waters and beaches along the southern part of the continent.

At last, the Squadron reached the point where they would turn for home, but upon witnessing the Panama Canal, many of them had second thoughts.

'That's… gonna be a tight fit it is,' said Adelaide as she measured the canal with her whip length.

The Maids would have little trouble passing through the locks, but the Battlecruisers would be another story. No ship as long as they had attempted to pass through before, and it would take a great deal of effort to ensure they weren't damaged.

There was also the matter of the toll. Each vessel had to pay a fee in order to pass through the Canal. Dauntless had gone forward to negotiate the price, but she returned as though she were deeply saddened.

Dauntless bowed before the Battlecruisers, 'I have secured the final cost of our transit through the Canal, Lady Repulse and Lady Hood. The Maids will each cross at a fee of £1000 as we planned, however…'

'Oh out with it! We can't really be that much more expensive,' Repulse said, impatient at getting to cross.

Dauntless took a deep breath before speaking, 'The Manjuu's in charge of the locks are, quite frankly, aghast at each of my ladies' sizes. They will allow you to cross, at a fee of £23 000…'

'Good lord!' Repulse shouted before Dauntless cut her off.

'Each…' Dauntless finished, praying she wouldn't be sunk for what was extortion by any other word.

Even Hood, the picture of elegance and grace in the Royal Navy, lost her temper.

'Ack! Robbery that is! Sheer bloody robbery! I oughta blast me way trew these bloody locks! I dinnae think they'd try to fleece us shoulda I blow they lil' locks up with me guns I will!' Hood shouted, evoking home in her anger.

Repulse grabbed her by the shoulders, 'Calm down cousin! Please, don't be shouting or threatening gunfire! That will surely get us both scrapped into training barges!'

Hood took a few calming breaths and remembered her place, 'Yes…yes. You are quite correct, my lovely little cousin. Forgive me, it is not the place of a lady to lose her temper.'

Hood instead reached for her purse, and handed it over to Dauntless, 'Maid Dauntless, please gladly pay the fee to the Manjuus with my compliments. But be sure you get a receipt… I suspect her Majesty will be having a word with the Eagle Union treasury about this matter.'

Dauntless sailed forward and paid the toll while getting two copies of each of the receipts.

An hour later, the Squadron lined up and began crossing the canal, one at a time. Adelaide went first, earning the honour of being the first Australian ship girl to cross the Panama Canal. Danae and Dragon crossed together, as did Delhi and Dunedin, each easily navigating the narrow locks.

Dauntless was the last of the Maids to cross, taking a careful measurement of each lock for future study. After three hours, it was now time for the Battlecruisers to cross.

'Right, I'll go over first. I'm a little narrower than you, so just try to follow my wake' Repulse said, as she shimmied her way win and tip-toed over each lock, careful to keep her rigging away from the walls.

Hood slowly approached and truly dreaded passing through the narrow channel.

This will take careful steps. Remember your elegance, she said to herself.

With pinched fingers, Hood lifted her skirt and gently tip-toed as her cousin had. However, because her rigging was arrayed differently, she had to instead twist and turn through the locks. At one point, she stepped too far to the left and water splashed her stockings.

'Oh for God's sake!' she shouted, trying to work her way through. The water was cold, but she continued through, gently easing her way through.

After a long few hours, she, at last, reached the end and rejoined the Squadron as they prepared to continue to Kingston. Hood looked back at the controllers and gave a brief thought to loading her guns in anger.

Instead, she took her cousin by the hand and smiled, 'Just a few more stops. Have you ever been to Newfoundland, Repulse? Let me tell you about screech…'

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