This is a side story, regular chapters will resume shortly
The submarine girl Tang was having second thoughts about her situation right now. She was standing outside the door of the base commander's office, steeling herself up to walk inside and report aboard. She had been dreading this moment all day, and had spent at least an hour making sure that the khaki uniform that she had been issued was exactly the way it was supposed to be. She was desperately trying to recall that she had read in the Bluejackets Manual about how to properly report aboard.
She decided that she had been standing out in the hallway for long enough, better report in before someone spotted her and asked her what she was doing out here. With one last deep breath, she rapped twice on the door marked, "Captain James Smith U.S.N., commanding." A second later she was rewarded by a muffled, "Come in," coming from inside the room.
Tang marched into the office and came to a stop in front of the captain's desk at a ramrod stiff attention, eyes staring at the requisite point six inches above the captain's head. She barked, "USS Tang, SS-306, reporting to the commanding officer as ordered sir."
She breathed a visible sigh of relief when captain Smith replied, "As you were Tang." She dropped her gaze to look over the man sitting behind the desk. Even though she had been on the base for close to a week now, she had yet to meet the man who ran the base. He was an imposing man, with a tall, lanky frame that towered above the desk in front of him, and the black eyepatch over his left eye only served to increase his physical presence. He looked like she thought a naval captain should look, and immediately reminded her of Commander O'Kane, even if he didn't wear dolphins. It was clear that while she had been looking Smith over, he had been looking her over, taking in her frame and bearing. She hoped that she measured up to his expectations.
"So you're Tang?" he asked after a minute.
"Yes sir," was the only way she could think to reply.
"I have to say Tang, you look exactly like a member of the naval service should," he complimented.
"Thank you sir," she replied.
"Discipline around here is a bit lax at times. I can't maintain it as strictly as I would like to, it just doesn't work with the type of personnel stationed here, but that being said, I think we go to far sometimes. I'm assigning you to our submarine commander, USS Wahoo, and I want you to continue to display the level of discipline and bearing that you did in here. Hopefully it might rub off on some of the other submarines. You think you can do that?" he asked. She was stunned, the captain was putting that much faith in her abilities? "I'm gonna assign you as the executive officer of submarine forces Midway. Do a good job and their might just be a gold bar in it for you."
"Yes sir," she said after a minute, "I think I can do that." Then she had a thought, "Sir, where will I find Wahoo?"
"She and her girls are in a compound across the lagoon, just go down to the pier and ask one of the coxswains to take you over to Eastern island," Smith explained.
"Yes sir, I'll go right away sir," Tang said, then stood waiting.
Smith looked at her for a second before saying, "Oh, yes, dismissed Tang." Tang walked out of the office feeling much better than when she had walked in.
Things were peaceful on submarine island today. After returning from a major training exercise, Wahoo had decided to give her girls the rest of the day off. Most of them were pulled up to a card table set up in the center of the compound playing hand after hand of poker. All of them were having a good time, except Harder. "Geez, the last time I had this much bad luck was in the Sea of Japan," she complained as she threw yet another bad hand onto the table.
"Cheer up, I'm sure pretty soon ole Hit 'em again Harder will be back in the game," Dace said, "But until then, keep putting your money on the table, and I'll keep taking it." She laid out a full house, eliciting groans from the girls at the table.
Harder turned and yelled, "Hey skipper, I think Dace is cheating again." Behind the table was stung up a canvas hammock, currently containing the commander of US submarine girls, the USS Wahoo.
Wahoo grunted then said, "Good for her, now lemme sleep." She turned over in the hammock and went back to sleep.
"Ah skipper knows nothing about poker anyway," commented Sealion with a wave of her hand, "I took $50 off her last time we played."
This elicited a low whistle from Harder, "Really, that bad. Remind me to make sure she's at this table next time we do this, okay."
"Well, would you look at that," Darter commented staring at something behind the table.
"What, what is it?" Dace asked, quickly turning around.
"Hey skipper, looks like the Navy's here," Harder yelled to Wahoo.
"Wha-what is it," Wahoo said sitting up in her hammock. Harder simply pointed to the boat slowly approaching the island, and the girl standing in the bow. She was wearing the nattiest pair of khakis that Wahoo had ever seen, a lot more professional looking than the Hawaiian print shirt that Wahoo was wearing.
The girl cupped a hand around her mouth and yelled, "Ahoy there, I'm submarine Tang and I'm the new executive officer. I'm sure that..." the rest of her sentence was cut short when the boat she was riding on jerked to a stop, pitching her into the water.
"Oh what now," said Harder as she ran over to where Tang had gone into the drink. She grabbed a boat hook off of the side of the pier, and used it to fish Tang out of the water by the back of the uniform. The rest of the submarines were crowding around in order to help Tang to her feet.
Once she was standing up, she said, "I'm submarine Tang, and I'm the new executive officer."
"Hey, we got ourselves a live one here skipper, what you think she weighs? I say at least 120," Harder remarked, gaining a round of laughter from the assembled submarines. Wahoo groaned, knowing exactly where this conversation was going to end up. She jumped out of her hammock and picked up her hat. The hat was one of Wahoo's identifying features, not only where there no other khaki combo covers on the base, the brim had been crushed and the sides folded down, giving it a very distinctive shape. Wahoo quickly put it on as she walked to the pier.
"Alright you," Tang barked, "I'm warning you, one more crack like that and you're going on report."
"Well make sure that it's a report about this record catch," Harder shot back.
Tang was about to shout something else when Wahoo walked up saying, "Alright hold it, hold it." She walked over to Tang and offered the other submarine her hand. "Howdy," she greeted, "I'm Wahoo."
Tang gave Wahoo's colorful outfit a quick look over then said disbelievingly, "You're Wahoo?
"Just call me skipper," Wahoo replied.
Tang spent another second looking at Wahoo, before she remembered the proper custom, and snapped a salute, "Submarine Tang reporting aboard sir." Wahoo returned it with a vague gesture towards her forehead that could only be loosely considered a salute.
Wahoo took Tang by the shoulder and began to lead her away from the pier, saying quietly, "Now I'm sure the captain told you that things operate a bit differently around here. You don't need to salute me or anyone else while you're on this island, and go a bit easier on the girls will ya, they just got back from a long day of training."
"I have been personally asked by the captain to help fix the shameful display of discipline around here. Now I know that you have let things fall into the state they are now, but I intend to do everything in my power to get this outfit back up to Navy standards," Tang announced.
"Oh," Wahoo said with a nod, "Well, lemme know how you make out mister." Wahoo turned and gave a gesture with her hand to indicate that the rest of the girls were to leave Tang alone. Tang was left standing on the pier in her soaking wet uniform as the rest of the submarines shuffled off towards their barracks.
The next morning Tang was determined to make up for her shameful display the other day. She had decided that she would do Wahoo a favor, by leading today's calisthenic exercises. According to the manual, calisthenics were best conducted in the morning before breakfast. When the temperature was comfortable, and the body was rested from sleep. She held up the wristwatch that she had been issued, waiting for it to show 0600. The minute it did, she blew the whistle she was holding and shouted, "Alright then, let's go, let's go. Roll call, everyone out of the sack. Come on time for a good brisk workout, let's go." When there were no signs of acknowledgment from the barracks, she increased her volume a little and continued, "Come on let's go, roll call. Harder, Sealion, Darter, and Dace come on." With still no signs of life from the barracks, she began to climb the stairs shouting as she went, "Now I'm warning you guys, I'm gonna count three, and then I'm coming in there to get ya. One... Two... Three..." She was cut off by the sound of a rifle being fired from inside the barracks.
Tang did the only thing she could think of to do, she ran for cover. As she was ducking behind a large wooden crate, she saw Wahoo come stomping out of the building where she slept for the night. "What in blue blazes is going..." the other submarine trailed off when she saw Tang lying on the ground. "Tang, what's all this racket?" she yelled, running over to Tang.
Tang cleared her throat and replied, "Uh, well sir, it's the girls. I tried to call reveille, and, they fired upon me."
"I don't blame 'em, it's only," Wahoo looked at her own watch and exclaimed, "6'o'clock!"
"0600 is the official time for reveille on this base," Tang responded.
"Look, as long as my girls do their duty while they're on duty, whatever they do for the rest of the time is completely up to them," Wahoo said, "And that includes shooting execs." Wahoo ignored Tang's shocked expression and continued, "Now I'm goin back to sleep, and if I hear one peep out of you before 10'o'clock, I'll take a few shots at you myself." Wahoo turned back her voice deadly serious and finished, "And I won't miss," then walked back up to her quarters muttering, "6'o'clock in the morning." Tang was left standing there completely dumbfounded.
Wahoo was enjoying her breakfast a few hours later listening as Tang shouted outside, "Let's clean up this compound. I want it looking shipshape." Wahoo was simply shaking her head at the girls persistence, that kind of direct order just didn't work on the submarines.
"Morning skip, it sure is getting rough out there," remarked Harder as she walked in.
"Yeah well, Tang's a nice girl, she just needs to be introduced to the way we do things around here," Wahoo replied.
"Well we got until Saturday to do it," Harder announced.
"What did you hear?" Wahoo asked, tone changing instantly.
"This comes directly from the scuttlebutt hisself," Harder said, pulling out a notebook, "Apparently there's gonna be an inspection Saturday, where the captain's gonna see if Tang has managed any progress on the lofty goal of getting us to behave, and if she hasn't, then we get a new minder, one who the captain knows will keep us in line."
"What'll happen to Tang if the captain thinks she's not doing a good enough job?" Wahoo asked.
"She get shipped back mainside to go through basic again," Harder paused, "With the destroyers."
"Ooh, now that is rough," Wahoo said, "You think she knew about any of this?"
"According to my source, who shall remain nameless, she knows nothing about the retraining, but was told about the inspection," Harder replied, "And if the captain thinks that Tang has done a good enough job, then we get to keep her as the exec and Smith'll throw her a gold bar for good measure."
"Well how about that," Wahoo remarked approvingly, "She didn't breath one word of this to me."
"Oh no skipper you've got that look in your eyes again," Harder said, "Am I gonna like this plan, or should I start running now?"
"That girl could have come crawling to me for help Harder, but she didn't. She tried to shape you lot up alone, and that takes guts just by itself," Wahoo said, "From now on Harder, anything that miss Tang tells you to do is to be treated as if it was an order from myself."
"But skipper," Harder protested.
"No but skipper, that girl is sticking her neck out, and I think she deserves our help for at least trying," Wahoo said, "Plus if we don't help her, the captain'll probably stick us with a destroyer as a new minder, and I don't need to outline how that'll go."
"Received and recorded skipper," Harder said throwing a mock salute, "I'll go let the girls know."
"Oh and Harder," Wahoo said as Harder stood up, "Don't breath a word of this to Tang, not yet at least."
"You got it skipper, my lips are zipped," Harder said, making a zipping motion across her face.
After the reveille debacle, Tang knew that this would probably be her last shot. Wahoo had come to her after lunch and said that none of the subs had received the briefing on the new Mk 14 torpedoes, and as executive officer, it was Tang's job to train the girls. So here she was, standing in the middle of the compound, the rest of the submarines sitting in a semi-circle around her, and a miniature Mk 14 in her hand. "Now this is the Mark 14 submarine launched torpedo," she began, "It is the most advanced submarine torpedo currently in our arsenal. It is powered by a methanol fired wet heater, and has a range of 4,500 yards. It is fired by an internal magnetic influence detonator, or this contact plunger here," she explained, and tapped on the contact plate at the front of the torpedo. The girls around her suddenly went wide eyed.
Dace quickly asked, "Is that a war shot?"
"Huh, oh yeah," Tang replied, "Yes it is, got it from the arsenal myself."
"There's a safety timer built in, if the contact pistol is fired and the warhead doesn't go off, it starts a detonation timer," Dace said quickly.
"Now who would put a stupid thing like that in a torpedo?" Tang asked.
"We did," Harder exclaimed, "To prevent dud contact pistols from leaving live warheads on the bottom. Is it ticking?" Tang held the fish up to her ear and went wide eyed when she heard the steady ticking of a mechanical clock. She did the only thing she could think of in a situation like this, she hurled the torpedo a hard as she could, and dove for the deck. Where she was quickly joined by the rest of the submarines. About twenty seconds later a loud explosion ripped through the silence of Submarine Island.
"Is everyone alright?" Tang asked quickly.
"Yeah we're fine," replied Darter, "But where did that fish go off?"
"Oh no, I think I know where," replied Harder, who was staring at something in the distance.
"Jumpin torpedoes, what the hell is going on out here, I swear I leave you eight-balls alone for five minutes, and you try to sink the island," yelled Wahoo as she angrily stomped over.
"I'm sorry sir, it was an accident sir," Tang said, her voice close to breaking.
"Oh, now I'm sire it was," Wahoo comforted, "Anybody get hit?"
"No skipper, we're fine," replied Sealion.
"But that isn't skipper," Harder said, pointing to something, "Miss Tang's stupid torpedo blew up the booze." Everyone looked over to where Harder was pointing and, sure enough, the supply shed that stored the island's rations, and liquor, was nothing more than splinters. "Lemme at 'er skipper, I'll kill her," Harder screamed as she tried to lunge at Tang.
"Now now now," Wahoo admonished, as she caught Harder, "It was an honest mistake. I'm sure Tang didn't know about the safety timer. It was the safety timer that caused this?"
"Yeah, it was close too, she almost didn't drop it in time," Sealion confirmed.
"Come on, let's go get you cleaned up," Wahoo said, putting an arm around Tang's shoulders, "We can leave the girls to deal with this mess, right girls?"
"But skipper," Darter moaned.
"Right girls," Wahoo said, a little more forcefully.
"Right skipper," Dace acknowledged. Wahoo lead Tang away and up into the mess hall.
Tang knew good and well that she was through. Her foul ups had finally landed her in deep water, and she couldn't get out of it this time. It was only a matter of time before Wahoo called her in and told her to pack her things to return mainside. So the next morning when Wahoo walked into the little room that she had moved into, she was already on her feet. "Sir, I'm ready to accept any punishment for my actions."
"What make's you think I'm gonna punish you?" Wahoo asked.
"The thing with the rifle and the torpedo and falling in the water..." Tang listed.
"Were honest mistakes that anyone in you situation could have made," Wahoo said, cutting her off, "Hey, I know what'll cheer you up, let's go call roll."
"I don't think that's a good idea skipper, I don't want to look down the barrel of that rifle again," Tang replied.
"Oh don't worry about that, I confiscated it," Wahoo said, "Let's go, I'll even let you blow your whistle."
"If you say so skipper," Tang said, then walked out of her quarters and over to the main barracks. She took a deep breath and blew her whistle, immediately cringing for the return fire, but was pleasantly surprised when all four subs came running down the stairs, in full uniform.
They lined up in front of her and Harder stepped forward to say, "The detail is ready sir."
Tang turned to where Wahoo was standing behind her and said, "You hear that, the detail is ready," she then quickly snapped back to Harder and said, "As you were sailor."
They were interrupted by the sound of a new voice, the captain's voice, "So what's going on over here?"
"Just morning roll call sir," Wahoo replied, "I thought that I would let my new exec lead it today." Tang was absolutely stunned to hear that, Wahoo was accepting her as the exec?
"So then you think that Tang would make a good executive officer?" Smith asked.
"Yes sir, I do," Wahoo replied, completely seriously.
"Well what do you think about it Tang, do you want the billet?" Smith asked Tang.
"Exec, really," Tang said, still stunned, then snapped back and said, "Yes sir, I would sir."
"Good, then you can keep the job," Smith turned to leave, but said quickly before he went, "Try to keep them in formation at least until I'm out of sight Wahoo, I think that this is a sight that I will never see again."
Wahoo waited until Smith was out of earshot, then slapped Tang on the back and said, "Welcome to the family Tang." Tang was quickly surrounded by the rest of the submarines as they each congratulated her on her new posting.
"Now then, this means that we will have to hold morning exercises every day at 0600, and hold a formation every few days," Tang tried to order.
"I said you were in the family," Wahoo cut her off, "Not that you were running the family." This caused a new round of laughter, one that Tang quickly joined in.
In probably what was one of the greatest feats of scrounging in US naval history, Harder was able to replace ever single supply that had been lost when Tang torpedoed the shed. Now with the threat of inspection past, the submarine girls of Midway Atoll were having a party, as indicated by the bright lights and loud music coming from the mess hall. When Tang walked into the mess hall she was immediately greeted by Wahoo, "There's our exec. Pull up a chair, pour yourself a drink."
"Skipper I don't mean to alarm you, but it's five minutes to ten," Tang said, seriously.
"Is that right," Wahoo replied, not understanding.
"Skipper, lights out is at ten," Tang explained.
"Well then that means we all have five minutes to live," Wahoo said, "Come on Tang, you're among friends here, have a drink."
"Oh no skipper, I couldn't," Tang said.
"Don't tell me you're on duty?" Wahoo asked.
"No that's not it, it's just that I just brushed my teeth," Tang replied. The room was silent for several seconds, before everyone broke out into laughter.
Wahoo slapped Tang on the back and said, "I think you're gonna fit in just fine around here Tang, just fine." Tang knew that Wahoo was telling the truth, she was going to fit in just fine.
Author's note: Bit of a side story that I wrote up, and managed to loose for awhile. Thought it might be to someone's enjoyment if I put it up here. Will also be updating the SpaceBattle's thread with this sometime later today.