Chapter 9: The heart of the matter

I sat on the floor of my office, straightening up the paperwork that was once again scattered across the room. This time however, the papers weren't just lightly crumpled. Some had…fluids…on them, and most of them had creases that were impossible to flatten out. I made a mental note to have the soiled ones photostatted and try to pass the copies off as the originals in the next audit. I paused as something was being draped over my shoulders.

"Thanks for getting a new shirt, love. I could have gotten it myself though," I turned my head to let our eyes meet, and she reciprocated with the same soft smile that had me smitten hook, line, and sinker way back then.

"That's the least Haruna could do, after she tore your off shirt earlier," she responded, "and besides, is this not how lovers work with each other?"

"Well, if these papers are anything to go by when we work together things just get more messed up."

"Yeah, but at least we had fun messing up," her smile widening into a smirk. I chuckled and stood up to set the arranged papers onto my desk and don my shirt correctly. As I was doing up my collar buttons Haruna grabbed me by my wrists and pulled herself in close. Again, our lips locked, and we stood there, enjoying the moment.

In the end, Haruna was the one to pull back first. With a soft, teasing tone, she asked, "Well, since Haruna got your shirt for you, among…other…things," that statement being accompanied by a sultry stroking of my lips, "can Haruna share what she learned today with Akagi-san and Kaga-san? You know they have been…thirsty…for information of this sort for a long time," again emphasizing her desire with what she knew would excite mine.

"Well, you certainly learned more than one thing today, and I am okay with them being privy to the first, but as for the second, well, that stays between the two of us for now," I respond with a widening lecherous smirk. "Also, I didn't realize how long we have been at it. I think we should hurry up and get to the cafeteria for dinner before they stop serving. I heard today's dinner makes breakfast look bad."

I finished straightening up my uniform just as Haruna finished her text message. She took me by the arm as we left the office and began on a leisurely stroll to the cafeteria. On the way we met the Nishimura 7, of which the Fuso sisters were in unexpectedly high spirits, as well as some of our guests from other bases who were going to push off with the fleet the next morning. Kongo was especially ecstatic that her baby sister found her own "burning love", while Nagato gave some sagely love advice supposedly originating from small-talk Yamamoto Isoroku engaged in while on her bridge.

Indeed the only person who greeted us at the cafeteria entrance was Hosho, and in her usual motherly demeanor she greeted us with warmth. I was about to apologize for our tardiness when she cut me off.

"Kaga told me to expect you two late, but that's a good thing because I was able to prepare something special for the two of you. Come, follow me."

We entered the cafeteria to find the lights dimmed and the tables mostly cleared out, leaving one alone in the center, with candles lit and a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket.

"Haruna, w…w…what did you tell the First Carrier Division?" I stammered out, trying to take in the transformation the cafeteria went through, and the lengths Hosho went to to give us the perfect evening.

"Haruna told Kaga all that was necessary. Kaga's imagination filled up the rest."

"Well then, I think we need to do something about the rumours after all. But first, I think I will have to formally invite you to have dinner with me," I regained my cool with a wink. Haruna blushed as she followed me to the table. I sat her down before I took my seat and waited for dinner to be served while loosing myself gazing into Haruna's hazel-brown eyes.

I learnt later that dinner that night was originally a buffet, but through means only mother Hosho knew she was able to prepare us our favourite dishes tuned to our preferences. I got a sashimi platter with extra salmon belly, and Haruna got cold cha-soba with assorted tempura. She offered to open the champagne but we declined for we both needed to keep a level head for the operation tomorrow. We suspected Hosho knew we would refuse, but still went through the trouble of finding this particularly special pre-war vintage to present us with the image of perfection.

Savouring a meal with a beautiful girl was definitely not in the navy recruitment advertisement, and the relative opulence was reminiscent of those days of peace, or at least as shown in movies from that era. A part of me wondered if we were indeed at war. I must have entered a state of deep thought, because is was Haruna who broke the silence.

"Admiral, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I guess. It just occurred to me how surreal this is. We are at war, with you heading off to the front tomorrow and me following behind on the command ship. Thousands of refugees are still homeless from the invasions and yet we still enjoy this decadence. It just does not feel…"

Haruna broke off my ramble with a gentle stroke of my cheek. I brought my hand to hers, letting her silky-smooth fingers soothe my concerns.

"Haruna believes there will always be war. Back in Haruna's previous life, she has had sailors live on her, serve on her, and die on her. They always carried regret in their hearts as they drew their final breaths, and Haruna felt their pain. The pain of leaving behind families, wives, girlfriends, fiancées," she put emphasis on that word in particular, "without saying a proper goodbye, without saying "take care, I love you" before they parted." A pregnant pause followed as she collected her thoughts. "So Haruna thinks, we can have this evening for ourselves. We have given so much to this world, so why can't we take some back for ourselves. Haruna thought you in particular understood this, with the care and love you have shown us, especially Haruna, so please, for Haruna, be more honest with yourself."

She was right. Haruna reminded me once again why I fell for her. I was born in a military family, where "duty, honour, country" were the morals I grew up with. Always thinking for others, never for oneself. My appointment to this base allowed me to take a step back from the bigger picture to see how all of us were individuals with our own needs and desires, and it was Haruna in particular who showed me that I am myself an individual who also deserves the same comforts as others. She showed me how to love myself, as much as I suspect I did the same for her.

We finished our dinner in peace and left the cafeteria after thanking Hosho. I brought Haruna back to her room in the shipgirl bunks.

"Take care of yourself darling," I said, my right hand bringing up a lock of her hair for a sniff.

"And don't worry about Haruna too much my love. Don't forget about the others too. We will be together again soon." was Haruna's response.

"Indeed, no matter which world we are in, we will live for each other," came my soft answer as we drew each other in for a final embrace. It became clear to us, as we held back our tears, that not even death will do us part.

-0-

Haruna lay in bed in deep thought, thinking about war and a peace often teased, but in reality, far away. Her hands unconsciously moved to her belly. She had known barely a week ago, but chose not to say a word for fear of jeopardizing the operation.

"We both have to be more honest with ourselves," she muttered with a slight chuckle. To her knowledge this has never been done before, a union of man and machine, a fusion of sea and shore.

In her head danced thoughts of a future, a future of peace, where shipgirls would lead normal lives, where they would play a part in rebuilding, where they would keep the peace. Haruna wanted none of that. She wanted to live with her darling on their own terms. Both have sacrificed so much; and both deserved as much in the new world.

As she drifted off to sleep, a final thought entered her head. The peace from which she and her Admiral will carve their own reality from must be attained in 8 months.