It occurred to me as I was starting this chapter that I had forgotten the customary disclaimers on my previous chapters. So here we go:
I do not hold copyright or trademark on either Kantai Collection or Star Trek. I am just playing around with their worlds for the sake of my amusement and yours, and in no way intend to obtain any form of profit, monetary or otherwise from this work.
With that out of the way, I once again thank all those who took the time to review last chapter and am glad I am continuing to produce something you think is worth investing your time in. Enjoy!
Chapter 3
It was with great trepidation that Enterprise entered the office of Ryuujou's commanding officer. To state that there was much riding on the outcome of this meeting was an immense understatement. The entire course of humanity's evolution as a species hinged on it.
Within, five figures were seated. The first, sitting at the desk, was a somewhat handsome, if nondescript man in the uniform of a Japanese officer, his rank insignia identifying him as a Rear Admiral. The name plate on his desk identified him as Goto Kensei. To his left, also in a Japanese officer's uniform, instead wearing the markings of Vice Admiral, was the man her image searches identified as Murakawa Yutaka, Chief of Maritime Staff. On his right, dressed in the officer's uniform of the United States Navy, with the rank insignia also of Vice Admiral, was the man her image database identified as Phillip G Sawyer, commanding officer of US Fleet Activities Yokosuka.
On the far left of the office, and slightly behind the others, stood a woman with black hair and red eyes, who stood only a few centimeters shorter than Enterprise, and held a commanding presence despite the less than regulation clothing she wore. On the other side was a woman with light red-brown hair and blue eyes, and was slightly taller than Enterprise.
All five pairs of eyes fixed their gaze upon Enterprise the moment she entered behind Ryuujou.
"Light Carrier Ryuujou reporting as ordered, Admirals. I have brought the individual I noted in my field report." Ryuujou stated, snapping off a crisp salute. There was a sudden start from the American Admiral, his eyes snapping to the light carrier as his eyebrows rose. He then turned to the Rear Admiral next to him.
"I was unaware you had any kanmusu other than Nagato that spoke fluent English, Goto." he said.
"I do not, Admiral Sawyer. I did not hear Ryuujou speak anything other than Japanese, myself." was the response. At Enterprise's dawning expression of realization, Goto continued, "But I do believe our guest has an explanation for us."
Enterprise nodded. "I believe that despite my rigging not being present, I am still affecting those around me with my Universal Translation software. It allows those within it to hear any language in my database spoken by any person within range as though it were spoken in their own as if spoken by a native speaker. It is one of Starfleet's more potent and valuable diplomatic tools. Nothing makes a good impression like being able to properly communicate, after all."
Sawyer nodded at the explanation. "Ah, that makes sense. Be pretty hard to make peaceful first contact with a species that doesn't understand you." With speed that showed why he was placed in command, Sawyer switched gears. "Forgive me for my rudeness, I haven't properly introduced myself. Vice Admiral Phillip Sawyer, I'm in command of the base and all US forces here at Yokosuka. Pleasure to meet you, Enterprise." He held out his hand in greeting. Enterprise accepted the handshake, careful to measure the force of her grip.
"I am Vice Admiral Murakawa, Chief of Maritime Staff, Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force. I coordinate all of Japan's surface forces. You honor us with your presence, Enterprise-san." the only Admiral yet to speak added, giving a short bow, which Enterprise returned.
"And I'm Rear Admiral Goto, though I suspect you already knew who we were. The kanmusu on my left is the battleship JS Nagato, and the one on the right is the carrier USS Saratoga." Goto finished, the two reborn ships on either end nodding when introduced. "Nagato is my second-in-command, and Saratoga is the same for Admiral Sawyer."
Introductions finished, Admiral Sawyer spoke up.
"I'm going to cut to the chase, Enterprise. Your appearance, while welcome, has stirred up a shit storm. Nobody in any of the allied command structures can figure out how to handle this situation, and everybody is worried about stepping on everyone else's toes, seeing as we have enough trouble coordinating actions against the Abyssals as it is.
"We also don't have any ideas on how to deploy you in the event we figure out who's command structure you fall in in the first place. It would really be helpful if you had some insight to help in that regard. But first, we would like to hear your report concerning the fleet you fought."
With a nod, Enterprise began her report. "Of course, Admiral. I had begun my descent through the atmosphere at 14:37 local time and was approaching an altitude of one thousand nine hundred meters when I first received the convoy's distress call. I had listened in to see if they would be able to gain assistance, and after determining that I was in the best position to help, I elected to provide aid, despite the non-interference policy normally practiced due to the Prime Directive. I made contact to inform the convoy that I would be providing aid and vectored to intercept.
"It took six minutes at Mach 10 to reach the convoy's position, and upon arrival I found that no ships in the convoy had been sunk before my arrival, but that one ship was dropping back. I turned to assess the enemy forces, counting twenty vessels: two battleships, three heavy cruisers, five light cruisers, nine destroyers and a submerged vessel. At 14:46, I targeted and destroyed a Ru-class battleship with a single phaser burst at minimal power. As I retargeted for a full barrage, I came under massed anti-aircraft fire, all of which was absorbed or deflected by my navigational deflector shields. At 14:47, I fired and destroyed the remaining nineteen vessels over a span of ten seconds. Following confirmation of the fleet's destruction, I approached the trailing vessel and confirmed with the convoy's commanding officer that no damage or injuries had been sustained.
"Following these actions, I provided escort until Task Force AL arrived and took over escort operations, upon which I complied with requests to power down my weapons and accompany the task force to Yokosuka."
Following her conclusion, Ryuujou stepped forward.
"I can confirm the timeline of events, though I can't confirm enemy force composition. There were no other incidents during the final days of the convoy's journey, and Enterprise did not interact with anyone other than the captain of the ship she talked to before we arrived and myself."
"Thank you, Ryuujou. I'll get the full details of your patrol in your written report. You are dismissed." Goto replied.
Sawyer waited until Ryuujou exited before addressing Enterprise once more.
"Now that that is out of the way, what do you intend to do from here?" he asked.
"If I may speak freely?" At Sawyer's nod, Enterprise continued. "On my journey here, I deliberated quite intensely on how to proceed now that my presence has been revealed. As I am sure you are aware, the Prime Directive is very, very clear on avoiding all contact with, and contamination of, pre-warp civilizations. Indeed, if it had not been brought to my attention that much of my career is public knowledge on this Earth, we would not be having this conversation, as I would have departed shortly after verification that the convoy had been taken into the task force's protection.
"Much of my deliberations focused on the state of the world on a whole. I am of the opinion that, following the conclusion of this war, a war of even greater severity will likely occur within the decade."
"Now hold on!" Sawyer interjected. "The only reason we're pushing back against the Abyssals at all is because of international cooperation! You mean to tell me that - "
His tirade was cut off by a hand on his shoulder from Murakawa.
"What has lead you to this conclusion, Enterprise-san?"
With a heavy sigh, Enterprise continued. "Many countries are on the edge, if they collapse, vacuums will form, plunging the world into further chaos. Yes, international cooperation is at an all-time high, but, in the war's immediate aftermath, it is most likely that all countries will turn to focus on their own interests once again. Vital aid will disappear; countries will descend into anarchy as support disappears. While many kanmusu have pledged to serve humanity as a whole in the aftermath, can any of you honestly tell me that your superior officers, your governments will willingly allow what they see as invaluable weapons just walk away? That they can put aside petty self-interest and/or greed to work towards the better whole?"
The uncomfortable looks she received spoke volumes.
Enterprise shook her head. "You must remember, the humanity I left was a post-scarcity society. There was no struggle for basic survival, as anyone could easily push a button and have any luxury or necessity they wanted. Money meant nothing, as there was nothing to buy, and political power was practically useless due to the fact that the Federation was an amalgam of cultures and belief systems spanning dozens of species, all working towards common goals. A war would have vastly different effects on a culture like ours, as any we found ourselves in were defensive in nature, for we had no need to conquer for resources. You do not possess those resources, the security knowing that your livelihood is safe from the volatility of your economic systems.
"That being said, the decision I came to, despite going against every tenet of Starfleet training, is to provide assistance. I am not going to share warp technology or impulse propulsion, as I'm sure that eventually you will discover them, given the opportunity, but in the interest of continued stability post-war, I am willing to divulge fusion power and replicator technology, as long as you fulfill some of the stipulations I have in regards to their dissemination. Also, should a situation arise that calls for it, I am willing to act as a neutral intermediary for diplomatic discussions."
Following her speech, the admirals were silent, pondering what she had laid out before them. The silence was broken first by Nagato.
"What are these stipulations of yours? I am curious as to why you have conditions on providing technology that can save lives and, as you have stated you believe, prevent a war."
"I will not permit my gifts to be hoarded and abused by any one nation or group of nations. The conditions call for these technologies to be made available to all nations, and not just those with the stockpiled resources to construct them. If you are not willing to accept these conditions, you will accept the consequences of not doing so. I serve a united Earth, not any single group upon it, and my technology will be made available to all upon its surface, or none will be given it."
Sawyer cleared his throat, gaining their attention. "I can't speak for anyone outside this room, but I'm pretty sure all of us agree that your terms are more than agreeable. A single replicator per base could make the entire kanmusu force completely self-sufficient. Viable fusion power would be a godsend. Continuing cooperation with other nations isn't really a price in my eyes. I'll send your response up the pipeline, if you are willing to wait for the goddamn red tape machine to reach a decision."
"I am in agreement with my esteemed American colleague." Murakawa input. "I too will pass on your terms to my government, and ensure that they understand in no uncertain terms that cooperation is paramount to this arrangement."
Enterprise nodded before responding. "That is acceptable. If it is agreeable, I would like to remain here until such time as a response arrives."
"That's fine." Goto cut in. "We'll put you up in the diplomatic suites."
He turned to Nagato. "Take our guest her to the diplomat's quarters, maybe to the mess for some food, as well."
With a nod, Nagato stepped forwards.
"You go with them, Saratoga. The three of us need to discuss where to go from here." Sawyer added.
With that dismissal, the three kanmusu left the room in silence.
As the three left, Nagato gave Ooyodo a nod, before sticking her arm out in a manner that seemed designed to clothesline someone. Not one second later, the sound of running feet and a cry growing louder was heard.
"TEI~~~TO~~~KU~~~!"
The door burst open, followed almost immediately by a brown-and-white blur entering, which impacted Nagato's outstretched arm and resolved into a woman in garb Enterprise identified as being loosely based off of traditional miko clothing. As the woman came to a halt, Nagato wrapped her arm around the intruder's neck before dragging her bodily from the room, motioning with her head for Enterprise and Saratoga to follow.
After they exited Ooyodo's workspace and closed the door behind them, Nagato released the woman, who stood and fixed her with a glare as she dusted off her clothing.
"Nagato! Why have you obstructed me in my quest to win Teitoku's undying affections by showing him the power of my BURNING LOVE!?" she cried in indignation.
"Now is not the time for your antics, Kongou. Rear Admiral Goto is in a meeting of great importance concerning our guest here. Vice Admirals Sawyer and Murakawa are in attendance, and it is imperative they remain uninterrupted. You can molest him later."
Kongou blinked at the blunt explanation, seeming to realize there was someone else in the hallway with them. She gave an enthusiastic nod of greeting to Saratoga, clearly recognising her, before turning to the person they were escorting.
"OH! I didn't see you there! Who do I have the honour of meeting?"
"USS Enterprise, NCC-1701-D. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Enterprise introduced with a short bow. "I am to be staying on the base until further notice."
"It's great to meet you, Enterprise! Please allow me to properly introduce myself!" Kongou started. Suddenly, the hallway faded out, causing Enterprise to look around in bemusement, as what she was seeing was incongruent with what her other sensors were telling her about her environment. "I'm the name ship of the Kongou class! Born in England and raised in Japan! I'm Kongou!"
An image quickly identified as the pre-nuclear Armageddon British Parliament building, complete with clock tower, appeared, followed by silhouette of a battleship on a calm sea, firing its guns as Kongou posed. Suddenly, there were three additional people in the hallway, all in similar outfits to Kongou, and with no indication of how they arrived in her sensor logs.
"Second ship of the Kongou class! I won't lose in love or war! I'm Hiei!"
"I'm the third ship of the Kongou class! Haruna here, I'll give it my best!"
"Fourth ship of the Kongou class! I'm Kirishima, the brains of the fleet!"
As each individual introduced themselves in a clearly choreographed display, the background images shifted through various scenes, each introduction punctuated by a silhouette of their hulls and a report from their main guns.
"We are the four Kongou sisters!" the three newcomers concluded before shifting into a group pose, topped off by Kongou adopting her previous pose and shouting "DESU!" This was accompanied by a quartet of guns firing to produce clouds of coloured smoke.
As the hallway faded back in, Enterprise could only stare at the astonishing display, mouth agape and eye twitching slightly. Beside her, Nagato pinched the bridge of her nose, grumbling something along the lines of having just said not to do something like that, and Saratoga was fighting a smile. There was an uneasy, almost dumbstruck silence for a number of minutes, before Enterprise finally managed to regain her composure.
"A pleasure to meet all of you. However, I must ask how you managed the visual aspect of that display without holographic technology."
Kongou cocked her head to the side, confusion on her face. "Visual aspect of what?" she asked, looking back towards her sisters, who sported similarly confused looks. "All we did was say hello…"
Eye beginning to twitch once more, Enterprise opened her mouth to elaborate, only to stop as Nagato placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It's best not to question it. We tend to just chalk it up to Kongou being Kongou. It tends to be safer for your psyche that way." the dreadnought said in a soothing voice. "Come. We need to give you a tour of the facilities and get you settled into your quarters."
She turned to the Kongou sisters, fixing them with a stern gaze. "You may accompany us, as long as you have completed your normal duties and curb your usual exuberance."
"Of course we would like to get to know our guest! That way, we can be proper hosts during her stay, desu!" Kongou almost cried out, before she seemed to undergo an almost palpable change, the manic energy seeming to vanish in an instant, a somewhat gentle smile taking the place of her wide grin. "I apologize for my earlier actions. My sisters and I are somewhat excitable, and are generally overenthusiastic when greeting newcomers." she said, giving a small bow, her voice quieter and somewhat subdued.
This change drew a nod from Nagato, who had seen this behaviour before, and a double take from Saratoga, who had not. Enterprise, who had experience with sudden character shifts after all the insanity that had befallen her crew during her journeys, just took it in stride, turning to her escort.
"Right, then. Where to first, Nagato-san?" she asked. Nagato opened her mouth to speak, only to be cut off by the sound of several stomachs growling loudly. Her cheeks coloured as she answered.
"It seems that the best idea would to begin our tour in the mess hall. It is about time for lunch, and this would be a good way to introduce you to the other base personnel and to ensure that you are given proper respect. I'm sure food would not be amiss, either." At Enterprise's nod, Nagato lead them out of the Administration building.
As they moved away from the entrance, Nagato indicated a building to the left.
"That is the officer and diplomat's dormitory, where you will be lodging during the duration of your visit. After our tour, I will guide you to your quarters." she stated, before leading them on towards another, larger building. "The building we are approaching is where the kitchens and mess hall are located. The mess hall is open during the hours posted on the door, however, if you are feeling hungry during the hours the mess is closed, there is a restaurant run by the supply ship Mamiya. The building to our right is the dormitory for destroyers and light cruisers, on our left is the lodgings of the heavy cruisers, battleships and carriers."
As they approached their destination, the smell of cooking foods reached them. Unexpectedly, Enterprise began to salivate at the stimulus. As she chalked it up to an autonomic response from her new human body, she looked over to see that Saratoga was visibly drooling as they reached the door.
"Hmm," started Nagato, "seems like they're serving beef today. Must be due to the arrival of this week's shipment." She pushed open the door, revealing the interior.
Inside was a relatively common cafeteria setup, tables arranged in rows, and a counter along the far wall, which had a long window through which the kitchens were visible. Most of the tables had at least one occupant, and many were filled by individuals that Enterprise quickly realized were kanmusu. And invariably, a tray filled with food was placed before each one, at least a quarter possessing what could be charitably described as a mountain of food.
Following Nagato as she beckoned her, Enterprise walked towards the counter, their trek causing the chatter to begin dying away as many realized that their Executive Officer was followed by an unfamiliar face. As they reached the other end of the room, Nagato turned to address the gathered kanmusu.
"May I have your attention please?" she called, waiting for the last of the conversation to die down before continuing. "As you all may have noticed; we have a guest among us. This is USS Enterprise, and she will be staying with us for an indeterminate amount of time. I expect you all to treat her with the same courtesy you would any other diplomat, am I clear?"
At the collective nods, she turned to Enterprise. "Is there anything you wish to say in introduction?"
Stepping forwards and straightening her uniform, Enterprise nodded. "As stated, I am USS Enterprise, NCC-1701-D, Galaxy-class. I am staying here until such time as what my contribution to this war will be is decided upon. I hope to get to know you all eventually in the meantime. Please do not hesitate to ask questions in the future, just respect that I may not answer those that I am not comfortable discussing. Thank you."
A storm of whispers kicked up as she turned back to Nagato, who gave a nod before asking, "What is your displacement? I need to know so we can properly resupply you."
Blinking, Enterprise responded, "Dry, I displace between four million, five hundred thousand and five million metric tons." At seeing Nagato's stricken expression, she continued. "However, I do not require refuelling or rearming, and the only things that require regular replacement are the dilithium crystals that stabilize my warp core and generate my warp plasma, and my photon torpedo compliment, though if cut off from resupply, I am able to use my onboard replicators to slowly replenish my torpedoes. My crew can be fed nearly indefinitely by the replicators alone, and I usually only return to starbases to offload or pick up mission-specific equipment and personnel. I was designed with long-range exploration missions in mind."
Giving a relieved sigh, Nagato turned to the kitchen personnel.
"I need five battleship, one carrier, and a heavy cruiser ration, please." At Enterprise's raised eyebrow, Nagato clarified. "I am getting you that just in case. We don't know how the transition to kanmusu has affected you, so I will err on the side of caution."
Enterprise's food was ready first, and she thanked the kitchen staff before taking her food over to an empty table. Deciding to at least try the food, Enterprise carefully cut a piece off of the first of the two steaks on her plate, carefully chewing as she savoured the taste. The experience was definitely the most enjoyable of her short time with a human body, and she could see herself partaking in its consumption on occasion, but something was missing. Forgetting for a moment that replicators did not yet exist on this Earth, she called out.
"Tea, Earl Grey. Hot." This was almost followed by an immediate face palm, before her attention was grabbed by a familiar two-tone chip, and a cup of the requested beverage appeared in a shower of sparkles and a very welcome, high-pitched, hum-hiss sound. Picking up the newly replicated cup and saucer, Enterprise took an appreciative sip, relishing the hot drink before setting it down to continue with her meal.
"At least I seem to have access to my replicators for small comforts."
"WOW! That was amazing!" The exuberant voice of Kongou sounded from her immediate right, causing her to start. Once again, the hyper active battleship had somehow evaded her incredibly advanced sensor suite, having approached without her notice. "I'm also glad to see someone else who also appreciates a proper British tea! Could I try some?"
Having got her erratic warp core function back under control, Enterprise nodded, intoning her previous command and passing the cup over to Kongou. The battleship graciously accepted, taking a sip with a thoughtful expression before placing it on the table.
"It's not bad…" she evaluated, "but it's not quite as good as properly brewed tea."
"Not surprising," Enterprise allowed, "most don't notice the subtle differences between replicated and 'real' food and drink, but those who fancy themselves connoisseurs swear up and down that there is a noticeable difference in quality. However, when light years from a proper brewing set up, replicated will do. Perhaps I may join you for tea someday."
"So, other than tea, is there anything else you can 'replicate?'" Kongou asked as Nagato and her sisters joined them at the table, Saratoga having elected to sit down at a table with several other carriers. Enterprise briefly marvelled at the amount of food piled on their plates, wondering how they were able to consume so many calories without experiencing any noticeable change in Body-Mass Index. It did, however, explain why food rationing was such a problem.
"I have not yet had the chance to explore the limits of my new ability to replicate things externally, but it is likely that I would not be able to replicate more than relatively simple objects. Replicators designed for individual use are not able to manufacture complex equipment like phasers or anything that requires an isolinear chip to function, and are programmed to not replicate substances with high levels of toxicity to any species that is likely to come on board."
"So you might be able to create ammunition or other supplies, like fuel?" Nagato cut in, a highly intent look on her face.
"Not without a pattern scan," Enterprise denied, shaking her head, "and such objects would be more likely to require an industrial grade replicator to produce. I do possess such facilities on board in order to increase my independence from a host station, but it is highly unlikely that I can access those externally. I will have to consult with my Engineering staff before delivering a more concrete response."
As Nagato gave a somewhat resigned nod, a girl wearing a Japanese "sailor"-style schoolgirl uniform with dark brown hair and eyes approached. She looked to be slightly younger than Ensign Wesley Crusher after he was assigned to Enterprise in 2364, fourteen or fifteen at oldest, and was carrying a tray with what would be described as a normal portion of food. For an adult. She seemed a little nervous as she sat down, shooting glances at Enterprise as Kongou enthusiastically addressed her.
"Ah, Buki-chan! Have you come to welcome Enterprise to Yokosuka?"
"O-oh, um, y-yes, at least partially. I was also curious about what a Galaxy-class is capable of. I've never heard of that class of ship before."
Enterprise blinked. She hadn't known of her class of ships? Despite the availability of reasonably accurate information on the internet?
"You haven't watched Star Trek before, have you, Fubuki?" asked Kirishima, with a gentle smile having picked up on Enterprise's confusion.
"N-no, should I have?"
"It isn't necessary, but is a good way to spend your time off. I would recommend starting out with The Next Generation first, though. The acting in that one is much better than the Original Series."
"Oh, I see. Could you please tell me about your abilities though, Enterprise-san?"
"I suppose I could give you a brief overview. But first, could I please know the name of my new acquaintance?"
"Oh! Please forgive my rudeness. I'm Fubuki, the first of the Special Type Destroyers. It is a pleasure to meet you."
"A pleasure, Fubuki. So what, precisely, did you wish to know?"
Thirty minutes later, Fubuki's mouth was agape.
"Y-you can really do all of that?" At Enterprise's nod, she continued. "But you are consuming so little! A vessel your size and power should consume more than the Yamato sisters, the Nagato sisters, and the Kongou sisters combined! And yet you've eaten less than a destroyer so far."
"I understand your confusion, Fubuki, but you must remember that I run on fusion power and a matter/antimatter annihilation reaction, and was designed for extended duration missions. I am currently not using several systems that would normally be part of standard operations, like my impulse engines or warp core, and my internal replicators take care of feeding my crew and supplying material for repairs when cut off from a Starfleet base. I don't require resupply, and my Engineering staff is some of the best Starfleet has to offer. This food is nice, but to me it is a luxury. You are welcome to it if you desire it."
Fubuki stared for several moments before shaking her head.
"No, though I thank you for your gracious offer. I do not require any further resupply. If you don't want to finish it, you could give it to Akagi-sempai. She burns almost as much supply as Yamato-san." she said, pointing to a woman with long dark brown hair who was dressed in traditional Japanese archery gear, who had a tray stacked with plates.
Looking up at the indicated person, Enterprise gave a calculating gaze. She looked briefly down at her barely touched food and came to a decision. She looked back to the aforementioned kanmusu, and as soon as Akagi's gaze was diverted, she decided to test her transporter systems.
She heard a gasp as her plate was surrounded by a shower of lights and faded out with a high-pitched hum. It materialized milliseconds later atop the stack of plates on Akagi's tray. The kanmusu in question looked down just after the transporter effect faded, eyes widening as she spotted the food that had not been there moments before. She looked around at her neighbors to determine if they had given her the food, only receiving blank stares. With a shrug, Akagi tore into the dish with gusto, somehow not losing a single scrap of food.
Enterprise nodded as system reports scrolled through her vision, informing her that the transporters, while functional, were severely limited in their range. The transporter operators estimated that the range transporter beams could reach before losing cohesion was less than twenty kilometers, a far cry from the ability to beam crew and cargo to the opposite side of a planet she had possessed as a ship.
While not ideal, it did open the possibility of being able to transport replicated items out of her cargo holds. She turned to Nagato, who was watching her with a contemplative gaze.
"As I have finished, shall we continue the tour?"
Snapping out of it, Nagato nodded. She stood and was about to lead Enterprise out when an ensign ran up and spoke to Nagato in hushed tones. Sighing explosively, she beckoned Kongou over. "I've been called back by the admirals; I need you to take over. Show Enterprise to her quarters, and then stick with her 'till I come to check in. If she wants, show her the Docks. She may not need repairs, but they're great for stress relief, too."
"You can count on me, desu!"
With a dismissive nod, Nagato handed over a slip of paper to Kongou and walked away. Enterprise was well aware that Nagato was being called away to be questioned about her observations thus far. She could only hope that the Admiralty could convince their respective governments to behave rationally.
Sorry this one took so long, folks. Most of the delay on this chapter came from trying to establish a decent pace, balancing world-building and plot in a manner I was happy with. I oddly find battles and missions easier to write, but during "down periods" I have a tendency to ramble and provide far too much information, and I have to actively fight to avoid "Wall of Text" explanations. The other part was attempting to introduce more characters without inundating the roster, and to do so in a relatively realistic manner. A second portion of the delay was caused by me writing over 7500 words on a story concerning a metastable version Metal Sonic and Karasuba from Sekirei for no real reason other than my screwed up muse.
I opted for a reasonable level of capability concerning Enterprise's onboard replicators and transporters. I don't want Enterprise riding in and fixing everything with a wave of her hand. The only reason she's willing to share the fusion power and replicator technologies is because she believes that they will be essential to prevent a societal collapse following the war. And even with her help, it will take several months just to build a working fusion reactor, and replicators are going to be even harder due to the lack of even quantum computing, let alone isolinear computing and trinary syntax programming, at this point in history.
To anyone wondering, the names of the US and JMSDF admirals are taken from the real life people who hold those positions as of 2017, and I just used the last name Goto because I couldn't find the name of the person in charge of the Japanese forces at Yokosuka, and decided to default to the commonly accepted fanon name. And yes, I did shamelessly rip the Kongou sister's introduction straight from the anime, as that sequence is pretty much quintessential to any Kongou introduction.
If anyone thought that the American was doing too much of the talking, it is important to remember that, prior to the Abyssal War and for more than 60 years, the US Navy's Seventh Fleet was effectively in command of all personnel on any naval base in Japan, and the JMSDF basically danced to their tune, though this was beginning to change in the beginning years of the 21st century. It is important to remember that there is currently a Nimitz-class supercarrier moored in Yokosuka IRL, and most don't want to argue with the guys who have a ship capable of leveling Tokyo on its own parked on their front step. This isn't taking into account the seven Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers stationed there, either. In this continuity, once it became clear normal ships weren't cutting it, the navies started playing defensive and kept their extremely expensive carriers and destroyers where it would be difficult for them to get sunk, meaning there is still a Nimitz somewhere in Yokosuka.
As for characterization, I intent to stick as closely to the source material, though I will be drawing some inspiration from works like "Things Involving Shipgirls That Are No Longer Allowed," "Belated Battleships," and some others, pending approval from the authors. I might also include the concept of "Natural Born" kanmusu as introduced in works like Harry Leferts' HP/KC snippets on SpaceBattles and Haibara-san's "The Great Shipgirl Swap," as the idea is a rather intriguing one due to it being able to provide a partial explanation to "found" kanmusu.
As always, constructive criticism is encouraged, and I sincerely hope this installment was up to par. Remember that there is a poll for other ST kanmusu on my profile page, and have a great rest of your day.