Part two –Past Glories.
The next day, I got behind my desk and started to look into what had gone down with Glorious, Ardent, and Acasta, about thirty seconds into my search I ran into a wall, that wall had access above top secret, so that was a touch alarming, whatever went down was something someone much higher up didn't want getting around. Ending that search, I pulled up Glorious' file and started looking into it, looking at her service record, it sure doesn't look that 'glorious'. Her time as a battlecruiser was cut short, but even during that time, she had one engagement, that came to an end when one of her own shells detonated inside the barrel. After I read that, I tilted my head to the side and mumbled, "Why the hell would she want her guns back, if they blew up on her?"
I didn't get an answer as I heard a knock on my door, just before Javelin slipped inside and asked with her Scottish accent, "Do you have a moment, Commander? Glorious is outside and would like to talk to you."
This should be fun.
Closing the window I had open and locking my screen, I nod and tell Javelin, "Let's have her then."
Javelin nodded and slipped back out of the room, a moment after my door opened again and in walked a woman with long blond hair, in a tight blue and white dress that barely went to mid-thigh, in her hair were these two decorations that almost looked like the bow of a ship, if they were to be blue and white at least. She smiled at me and placed a gloved hand on a hip as she used the other one to close the door behind her. At it clicked shut she spoke with her Irish accent, "About last night, Commander, I'm sorry for any trouble I caused you."
I waved a hand dismissively as I try and reassure her, "It wasn't any trouble, Glorious, I was just glad you got home safe and sound." I pause and smirk as I add, "Without getting yourself into any more scrapes."
Her cheeks went a little red and she took a seat across from me, crossing her knees and resting her hands in her lap as she said, "About that, Wales seems to be under the impression that something happened last night."
I roll my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose as I recall the events before sliding my hand down my face and saying to her, "I told Wales that nothing happened." Again I pause before smirking and teasing her just a little more, "Well, I didn't tell Wales that you made me spoon you for a good hour."
The color drained from Glorious' face at that, her blue eyes started darting around the room just before she almost jumped out of her chair, knocking it over as she squeaked out, "I didn't dream that?!"
I was about to say something when she moved backward, into the chair and it went over, with her in it. Leaning over my desk I got quite the eyeful of Glorious and I cleared my throat while trying to look away as I pointed down and said, "Glorious?"
"I'm alright." She groans out.
"That's good, but, you might want to change your position." I say as I sit back down in my chair and look up at my bookshelf that was on the far wall.
"Oh no." she says slowly moments before I hear some shifting on the ground and see the chair being stood upright, turning my attention to her I see that she's bright red, made all the more obvious by the white on her dress. She took a moment to tug down the hem of her dress before adjusting her hair and asking, "If that we will be all, Commander?"
With a nod and a gesture, I let her know, "Aye, you're dismissed, Glorious."
She nodded and saluted me before turning to leave my office, I'll admit it, I watched her go as more memories of last night returned. I mean it had felt nice to be cuddled against her. But now I wanted to know why she seemed a little forgetful and a little bit of a klutz.
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When lunch rolled around I had left the office to take a sandwich to the hills near the base to try and get away and enjoy a bit of the sun for a while. Naturally, Belfast had insisted I take more than just a sandwich, I had a blanket to sit on, and a basket full of tea and food. I guess she didn't get the memo about me liking coffee more than tea. After taking a bite of the sausage butty that had been packed for me I wiped the corners of my mouth and put it back down on the wax paper before leaning back and putting my arms out to keep myself up. Even after Glorious had left my office hours ago, I still kept thinking about her and what is going on with her. Closing my eyes and looking skyward I let out a sigh as I tried to focus on what I needed to so that I could keep this port running. I was thankful I wasn't in command of the girls at sea, just tasked with keeping the lights on for them.
After a few moments, I sat upright again and picked up my butty to take another bite before putting it back down and reaching into the basket to see my data slate, there was something I needed to check out. With a few quick taps, I was over on the repair and refit tab or R.N.R. tab, scrolling through the list I saw that Glorious was all set for sea trials again and a few of the girls were-
I didn't finish that thought, as I felt something glomp onto me from behind, I felt them nuzzle my neck, and sniffing me before she said with a Scottish accent, "Commander smells nice, for once." She paused and licked my cheek making me jump as she added, "There was something on your face."
"Foxhound, why, why did you lick me?" I call out in surprise as I turned around.
What I saw made my mouth drop open, she was on her knees and had somehow gotten… bigger, during her refit. She looked up at me through her red hair, the new black with red tips accessories on her head looking like a pair of horns. Foxhound leaned forward to put a black-gloved hand on the blanket and I suddenly felt very, very awkward at the sight as she said to me with a shrug, "Why did I lick you? Well, my body moved on its own and…"
"And nothing, Foxhound!" I say, stepping backward before adding, "Please, please don't lick me again."
Foxhound presses her lips together and sits back on her rear before flicking the silver bell that was hanging from her neck and giggling out, "Listen to my new bell, Commander, doesn't it sound pretty?"
I raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why didn't it make any noise as you got behind me?"
Foxhound gripped the white ribbed top she had on and lifted up her… enhanced displacement a couple of times as she shrugged and said, "For some reason, these stop it from making the same amount of noise it used to."
Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes, letting it out slowly I say to her, "Please don't do that."
Foxhound sighed and mumbled; "Now I can't cuddle the Commander too? Isn't bad enough I can't jump around like I used to?"
Hanging my head and sighing I reach over and rub the top of her head as I say, "You've gotten a lot bigger, Foxhound, things are going to be different now."
I see her features fall as she asks, "No more head pats?"
I laugh and rub her head as I reassure her, "Just as many, but you can't just throw yourself against me anymore, okay?"
She takes hold of my hand with both of hers, keeping it on her head as she pouts out; "It might be hard to quit my old habits, despite my growth."
"We'll figure it out, now, do I need to call down to Wales to find you something to do?" I ask, hoping to get back to my lunch.
Foxhound lets go of my hand and stood up, before turning and starting to skip away as she said, "Nope, I can go and dig something up."
Once she was gone, I reached over for my butty and popped the last of it in my mouth before saying, "These refits the girls can undergo are really amazing, and especially awkward in some cases."
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On my way back to the command center, I saw some of the bushes rustle a little, tilting my head to the side I went over towards it, quietly, I was about ten feet from it when a blur of white, red, and yellow dashed out of it, shoving something into my hand before running off. Blinking a couple of times I looked in my hand and saw balled-up fabric, moments before I heard a Geordie call out, "Get back here you dodgy little git!"
Turning in that direction I saw a tall blond with her hair in two really long tails stomping in my direction, she had her hands holding the hem of her rather short skirt, it also wasn't lost on me that her hair looked rather damp. Gulping to myself I checked the balled-up fabric in my hand, noting that it felt very lacy. Closing my fist and slipping that hand into my pocket as the blond fixed me her red eyes and demanded, "Have you seen that dodgy little git, Abercrombie?"
Why Abercrombie, why did you have to nick Nelson's nickers?
Doing my best to keep a straight face, I clear my throat and ask, "What did she do this time, Nelson?"
Nelson went red in the cheeks before flicking one of her long ponytails then folded her arms under her bust as she said, "You don't need to know, I just need to know if you've seen her."
Using my hand with the basket, I point off in the direction that Abercrombie had sprinted off in and said, "I think she went that way."
Nelson makes a noise that made it clear she was just mad, like normal before she started to head off; I took note that she wasn't running and had moved her hands to keep her hem tugged down. With a sigh to myself I now needed to find a way to get these back to Nelson, without becoming the target of her ire, again, once had been enough.
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When I enter Javelin's office, I see her with her back to the door, swinging her hips from side to side as her head is bopping about. Her gloved hands point up into the air and I just know she's listening to some kind of pop music and she's in her own little world. Clearing my throat, loudly, I get her to spin around, her face bright red and she asks with her Scottish accent, "Yes, Commander Wilks?"
Looking off to the side and rubbing the back of my head I ask, "Say I got my hands on something that I really shouldn't have, do you have any idea on who I could enlist on getting said item where it belongs?"
Her purple-haired head titles to the side and she says, "It depends on where it needs to go. Normally I'd say one of the maids."
I feel my insides get tight, that would be one way, but I have a feeling that would raise more questions, which I don't want to answer as it is, with a shake of my head I say to her, "No, that wouldn't be that helpful, the item in question belongs to Nelson."
Javelin shrugs and suggests, "What about Rodney?"
That's still problematic, but slightly less so.
Pinching the bridge of my nose I sigh out, "Where can I find her?"
"I think she was headed down to the north beach today." Javelin informs me before going over to her desk to check something, and adding, "Yeah, that's where she is."
Tilting my head to the side I ask, "H… how do you know that?"
Javelin turns her screen so I can see it and she points to one of the lines on the screen as she says, "It's the sign-out sheet for the floaties."
"Floaties?" I ask the confusion all over my face.
"Yes, sir." She says before taking a closer look at the list and saying, "It looks like she signed out the large dolphin."
"Why?" I ask, trying to form a thought, before expanding on it, "She can float on the water, why would she need a floaty?"
Javelin shrugs and says, "I like to use the large yellow ring myself."
Putting up my hands and shaking my head I sigh out, "You know what; I don't even want to know."
Javelin laughs and turns her screen back around as she says, "Probably for the best, Sir. And I'll hold your calls till you get back."
"Thanks." I say, running a hand down my face before turning and heading off to the north beach.
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When I got to the north beach, it was easy enough to find Rodney, she was the only one there and she happened to be flailing around in the water. Getting myself into a run, I sprinted down the beach and tossed myself into the surf. It didn't take me long to get out to her, and I slipped an arm around her chest and started to swim us both back to shore. Once we were in shallow enough water I asked, "Rodney, are you okay?"
I watch as the silver-haired beauty bends at her hips and starts coughing out water as she says with her identical accent to her sister's, "I will be, Sir."
Looking around the beach, I both want to know and avoid knowing, yet I still ask, "Rodney, I got to know," I paused and she nodded and finished my sentence, "I can't swim."
How the hell is that even possible?!
"But, you're… well…" I trip over my own words.
Rodney stands upright and sticks out her bust as she says, "A kansen? Just because we can ride the waves, doesn't mean we can swim."
I look out to the surf then back to her and ask, "Then why?"
She gives me a sheepish grin and asks, "Since you can swim, Commander, want to teach me how to swim?"
Now I'm not sure if she's joking or not, I mean I did just see what looked like she was drowning and she did just say that she couldn't swim. Yet at the same time I cannot help but wonder if it had been a show to get me alone, I mean I've seen crazier things happen in the few months I'd been here. Sighing and stuffing a hand into a pocket I find the nickers and I close my eyes and groan while taking them out I say to Rodney, "Maybe later, for now, though I need your help with something discreet."
"Fine, later then. What you do need?" she says to me, becoming a little more serious.
Holding out my hand and she does the same, I drop the nickers in her hand as I say, "I need those to get back to their owner."
Rodney opens the ball of wet fabric and gives me a sly look before teasing out, "I guess you got Glory a might damp."
Damn it Wales!
Pressing my lips together and taking a moment to clear my head I say, "No, they belong to your sister."
"Huh, I didn't think you were Nelson's type." Rodney says with a touch of surprise.
"Oh for…" I start before stopping and taking a breath to correct her, "Abercrombie decided to play one of her pranks on Nelson and stuffed them in my hand as she ran from Nelson."
The silver-haired beauty gives me a sideways look before shrugging and stuffing them in her top as she says, "Whatever, Commander." She pauses and winks as she adds, "Commander, there is a bit of bet going, are you an arse man or a breast man?"
Blinking a couple of times as I process that question I holler out, "What does that have to do with you getting those back to Nelson without it being linked to me?"
She grins and leans a little forward, tugging at her white bikini top a little as she says, "Nothing, but there is some curiosity among a bunch of the girls here."
Turning and starting to walk away I snap out, "It'll take more than that to get the answer!"
"So you say, Commander! But anyway, I'll get those slipped into the laundry later, and thanks for pulling me out of the water!" she yells after me.
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During my return trip to the office, still soaking wet, I spotted something that actually left me smiling, I saw the blond that had been on my mind today walking handing in hand with a couple of destroyers, each of the destroyers had an ice cream cone, while the blond had a happy look on her face. When she noticed me, she let go of the hands of the destroyers and made a motion with her hands for the two of them to head along without her. Once they were gone, she came over to me and looked me up and down before asking with that Irish accent of hers, "You look a might damp, Commander."
Rubbing the back of my head I sigh out, "Just a bit, I thought an afternoon swim would be a good idea."
"While in your uniform?" She asks, her big blue eyes blinking in surprise.
I laugh and shrug as I say, "Sometimes things just happen."
"To me, mostly." Glorious says while tapping the ends of her fingers together.
As I'm looking off to the side for a moment before I say to her, "Well, I need to get back to the command center now."
"Of course, Commander." She says, sounding a little defeated, just as I'm steeping around her she asks me something that surprised me, "Are you going to be at the pub later?"
Stopping in my tracks I turn and look at her as I ask, "I was thinking about it, why?"
Her cheeks went bright red and she looked down at her shoes as she mumbled, "If you'd like, you'd be welcome to join me, Wales, Repulse, and Eagle."
I reach over and put a hand on her shoulder as I say, "I'll think about it, Glorious."
A small smile creeps onto her face as she nods and steps back saying to me, "Understood, Commander, have a good day then."
I watch as she turns and heads off, almost skipping with the amount of bounce she had in her step and now I needed to decide what I was going to do for dinner, well after I got changed at least.
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