A small kindness

I had mixed feelings about this next forty-eight hours, I mean two whole days might be a bit of a stretch, I wasn't officially on duty for the next forty-eight hours, but we were getting in a new set of carriers within that time. Don't get me wrong, bidding farewell to Argus, Ark, Glorious, Chaser, and Implacable had been hard, but they were needed elsewhere. While at the same time, I knew I'd have fewer issues thanks to Ark no longer being here and both my hips and stomach would be safe from Implacable.

Either way, not my current problem, right now, I had enough time to get in a bit of sun on the beach. Getting comfy on my towel, resting my hands behind my head, and letting out a relaxed sigh, this felt nice.

However, it seems that peace was short-lived, as I hear hooting and cheers, quickly approaching from behind, the distinctive voices of Juno, Jervis, and my right-hand girl Javelin. Propping myself up on my arms to look behind me, I see the three of them running down the beach, dressed in swimwear, with Juno packing some shovels and buckets. Javelin has a beach umbrella that she's got tucked under an arm like a lance or, well, a javelin. And Jervis is just kind of following along with a first aid kit and picnic basket, just something about the sight of these three sisters made everything about them click.

Shaking my head and lying back down I can't help but chuckle about this place, the girls here seem to range from almost childlike to grown adults, it was amazing when you think about the fact that these are warships, it was also interesting to see how they'd chose different non-combat roles for themselves, or how they'd build friendships and maintain family bonds to each other. So it was kind of a shame, that we kept them away from people for the most part after the war, I mean I got it, they are still capable of destroying entire cities with ease, but well, they are so much more than weapons.

Stretching and yawning, I shut my eyes for a while; I know I'll get an alert when the carriers arrive.

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After a while, no idea how long, as I think I fell asleep, I notice that the back of my eyelids seems darker, so I guess the sun's gone down. Opening my eyes, I can see something dark above me, but blue sky around it. Trying to sit up, I clue into the fact that I've been buried in the sand!

Taking a deep breath, I holler, "Javelin!"

"Hello?" I hear a soft feminine voice in that classic posh English accent to it "Is someone near me?"

With a defeated tone, I ask for assistance, "I'm buried in the sand, can you help?"

Whatever was blocking out the sun moves back and then I see a woman bending forward, she brushes back some long white pigtails, her blue eyes full of kindness for a split second, then panic sets in and she tumbles forward. Her face landed in the sand, and my face was pressed into the softest set of boobs I have ever felt.

Rolling my head side to side, to try and get the tip of my nose between the soft globes so I could breathe, the smell of lilies filled my nose. While doing that, this woman gasped in surprise and then pushed herself up and off of me to sit, placing her hands on either side of my head. She bent over again to look at me, her cheeks bright red but she winks as she laughs, "I would be upset normally, but, well, that was partially my fault."

Looking off to the side as I ask again, "Right, sorry about being buried in sand and unable to do anything about that. Anyway, could you get me out, please?"

"Right, hang on." She sighs before moving and starting to dig me out of the.

While she's working to dig me out, her outfit has this almost see-through skirt, just enough to obscure her legs, but not enough to hide the high double strings of the white bikini bottoms. Once a hand was free, I started to help dig myself out as, "I'm Captain Fox, thanks for helping to dig me out."

This mystery woman smiled at me with a wink and a giggle as she stated, "Greetings, Captain. I am the armored aircraft carrier Illustrious, pennate number 87, and the lead ship of my class. I may have an armored flight deck, but as you know, I can be a bit soft."

My cheeks got hot.

Clearing my throat as I was now free enough to sit up, "I'm good, I got it from here, thanks for your help." With a pause to push sand off of my legs, I hang my head and groan, "You're one of the new Carriers, right?"

"I am, along with my sisters and Unicorn, yes." She smiles at me again, sitting back, resting on her rear while folding her hands in her lap; she just seemed to give off an air of calm.

Now fully free, I twist and grab my mobile out of my bag, hanging my head again and wailing out, "It's this late already!"

Illustrious tilts her head to the side, brushing some hair behind an ear as she asks, "Is there something wrong, Captain?"

I run a hand over my head as I shake it from side to side while faltering with my words, "No… yes… sort of? I need to go and report that you arrived safely, something I should've done when you docked." Putting my phone back, grabbing my towel, and kit, I add, "It was a pleasure to meet you and I look forward to working with you and your sisters, Illustrious."

The smile she gave back seemed to radiate with the power of the sun as she said, "Fare thee well, Captain, and may the light guide you."

Right.

Nodding and hurrying up the beach, I didn't have time to waste; I need to report the arrival of the carriers so that High Command doesn't worry about them.

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The downside about this post is even when I in theory get forty-eight hours off; I don't actually get forty-eight hours off. Adjusting my tropical whites, thank god high command let me wear this uniform here; I mean seriously, we're in the bloody tropics after all!

While walking to the office, I lean forward, using one hand to push my tie back while the other lifts the mug of tea so I can avoid spilling on my whites. Swallowing that mouthful, I check my mobile and see that I'm running a little late for this meeting for the new carriers, as mandated by the high command.

Slipping my mobile back into my pocket I see a smaller girl with purple hair in a white dress from behind, she's looking around and I can tell from behind she's clutching something.

I guess she's one of the new girls.

Taking one last sip of tea, I move to the right and approach from her side so that she'll see me coming in her peripheral vision, getting closer I hear her whisper, "Oh I'm late, I was supposed to meet big sister here."

Okay, she sounds young and nervous, slowing my pace a little and asking in a calm manner, "Hey there, I'm Captain Fox, are you lost?"

She spins around to face me, hiding her face behind what looks like a plush unicorn, the nervousness clear in her voice along with the stammering, " I... I am... Unicorn. Ca… can y…you help me…f…find my big sister?"

Stopping within arms reach, and extending my hand to her, "Gladly, can you tell me about your big sister?"

Her purple eyes blink at me while she's looking at my open hand; she shifts her stuffed unicorn to one hand, her right hand reaching slowly toward my open hand. When her hand was almost touching mine, she pulled it back, squeezed her stuffed unicorn tightly with her left hand, then grasped my hand like it was a lifeline, after a moment she hid her face behind the unicorn again as she whispered, almost like she was having the stuffy do the talking, "She's tall, pretty, very lady like, she's got long white hair and beautiful blue eyes. I want to be like big sister Illustrious when I'm bigger."

Squeezing her hand in a welcoming manner I smile at her as I say, "Then you're in luck, we're both late for the same meeting."

Unicorn's cheeks turn pink and she looks away but still holds my hand as we walk to the office to avoid making the girls in my office wait too much longer, anyway.

This was the other part about this posting, I know I lament how sometimes it's like trying to babysit a bunch of horny teenagers, but then there are those that just need someone to look to, to help guide them and show them kindness.

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Crossing into my office, I see Javelin close my office door, leaning against it and sighing as she takes out her mobile and starts to type away furiously. Just as her thumbs stop moving, I get a ping from mine and she looks up, her green eyes going wide right along with her cheeks turning pink as she puts away her mobile and begs me, "Dunna read it! An' is this a missing one?"

Nodding, and guiding Unicorn to my office door before I turn and kneel to look Unicorn in the eyes, "You go on ahead, I'll be in momentarily."

She lifted the stuffed unicorn to hide her face but nodded and moved to slip inside my office, as the door clicked shut, I turned my attention to Javelin, standing and pinching the bridge of my nose I sigh, "About the other day,"

She puts her hands up, "I told Jervis, that covering you in sand may not have been the best idea! But she said you didn't have sunscreen on and it'd protect you."

Okay, fair point, but I did have sunscreen on, just not a lot.

Sliding my hand down my face, bobbing my head up and down, "Alright, that was fair and thoughtful, but maybe next time, make sure I'm awake to consent, first?"

Javelin looks down, tapping her index fingers together as she mumbles, "You never seemed to mind when Implacable would do things to you in your sleep."

My jaw dropped. I mean I know my relationship with Implacable had been… complicated, and not exactly a secret, but well… I never went around being public about anything to do with that!

Blinking to regain my focus and clearing my throat as I redirect things, "That… that's over with, so, please, in the future, can you just make sure I'm awake first?"

"Aye, Captain." She mumbles before adding, "An' Hermione left tea an' cakes in your office for you and the new carriers."

Crossing the floor to place a hand on Javelin's shoulder I smile at the girl, "Thanks, Javelin; I don't know how I'd manage this place half the time without you."

She beams at me, "Poorly, I'd imagine, Captain."

"You're being a little cheeky, there, Javelin." I laugh as I turn to deal with the collection of girls in my office.

Taking a deep breath, I open the door and step through, sitting in my little seating area; I see four women and a young woman. The young woman, Unicorn is getting her cheek wiped by a woman in white, with long white pigtails as she lightly scolds the girl, "Hold still, you got some cream on your cheeks."

Sitting with knees together in one chair is a woman with long gray hair, in this black and white frilly dress, rolling her red eyes as she pokes at a slice of strawberry shortcake.

In another chair, I see a woman with golden blond hair in an outfit that invoked a Greek Goddess, her bare feet tucked up beside her in the chair while she sipped tea.

And lastly, there was one stretching out on my couch, at least her shoes were off, her long stocking-covered legs were bent at the knees, she was using her bust as a plate it seems to hold her slice of shortcake, her long dark hair was hanging over the side of the couch.

When the door clicked shut, the one with the golden blond hair, stuck out a foot to nudge the woman in white with her back to me as the blond said, "Illustrious, the base commander's here."

Illustrious stopped tending to Unicorn and stood up and as she turned to face me, she folded her hands in front of her, while Unicorn tucked in behind her, to peer around her hips at me. The smile Illustrious had on her face was so calm and inviting, her slender arms squeezed the sides of her bust as she spoke, "It is good to see you again, Captain Fox. Allow me to introduce my sisters," she paused to point at each in turn, "Formidable, Victorious, and Indomitable." With a slight sidestep to expose Unicorn, Illustrious placed a hand behind Unicorn and added, "And you already met, Unicorn this morning."

Smiling at Unicorn, I go and take a chair from this side of my desk and bring it over to the seating area. It wasn't lost on me as I watch Illustrious take a seat on the couch, forcing Indomitable to move her feet, just as she sat down, Unicorn squeezed herself in between Illustrious and the arm of the couch. To me, this seemed like odd behavior, as I'd never really seen kansen act like this before, this seemed more like a mother-and-daughter relationship than a sisterly one that I was used to seeing.

Putting my chair down and taking my seat, I cross my knees and rest my hands on them as I say, "Well, welcome to what was once Fiji, for now, it is our Pacific fleet HQ, you are free to spend your off time however you wish, I only ask that you don't set fire to the port, the paperwork I have to do after that is a lot."

The four older-looking kansen looked at one another, then Illustrious spoke, "You seem rather lenient in your approach to this base, Captain Fox."

"To be fair, Illustrious, I recognize that you ladies are often asked to do very difficult things and need to blow off steam and I have found in the past that a relaxed approach seems to work best with this base. That is not to say that I do not encourage taking up hobbies or figuring out a role to fill outside of patrols, but neither is mandatory." I smile warmly as I reach for some tea.

"So if we want to lazy around and daydream, you are fine with that?" Indomitable asked while slowly sliding the fork out between her lips.

Nodding and slipping my tea, "As I said, so long as you don't set fire to the port or make life difficult for someone else, then if that is how you wish to spend your off time, I'm in no place to judge, I myself like to go down to the beach."

"What about personal items?" Formidable piped up, "Our last base commander would only let us keep them on our hulls."

Between sips of my tea, I let her know, "Since this base tends to house sister ships together, so long as your sisters are fine with it, I don't see anything against decorating your personal room or your shared dormitory with personal effects."

For a split second, I see a slip of the lady-like demeanor Formidable has as she curls her middle and ring finger down on her right hand, leaving her pinky and index finger extended as her thumb touches the curdled fingers. Illustrious sighed and shook her head as she scolded Formidable, "Really, Formidable, that gesture is what got you in so much trouble in the Mediterranean."

Victorious started to giggle, while Formidable rolled her eyes and then slipped back behind the mask of a lady as she said in a defeated tone, "Yes, Illustrious."

Looking around at the five of them, I ask, "If there is nothing else, I'll leave you all to get acquainted with your dorm space, Javelin will have your apartment number."

While starting to stand, Illustrious put up a hand and asked, "Actually, there is one more thing, I would request that Unicorn be allowed to stay with us."

Interesting, it's rare for kansen to ask for a non-sister ship to share dorm space with them, the few times I've seen it, it usually has to do with the subclasses.

With a nod and moving to put my chair back as I tell her, "That should be fine, though the dorms usually have four private rooms and a common area. We can see about having some construction done to accommodate one with five private rooms."

The five of them got up and curtsied in unison before filing out of the room, Illustrious hung back and waited for the lot of them to be out of my office before she shut the door and gave a second curtsy as she stated, "Thank you, Captain, for allowing Unicorn to stay with us, I understand that things may seem strange, but Unicorn is special, her hull is a smaller version of my own so I considered her a sister as well."

Putting the chair down, I turn and smile at Illustrious, it wasn't lost on me how much cleavage she was showing in this position, it kind of made me miss Implacable, but well, that ship has literally sailed. With a shake of my head, I tell her, "It is a minor thing within my power to grant, and I wish for you ladies to enjoy your time here."

She stands upright again; folding her hands in front of her and smiles warmly, while turning to leave my office, "A simple act of kindness can go a long way, Captain."

When the door clicks shut, I sigh, "It sure can, and it can get you into all kinds of trouble."

With them gone, I turn to look at my desk, then go back and grab more tea before tucking into the building required reports and paperwork for the day.

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