8394. Do we even want to know why Pearl Harbor's new drydock and the pier next to it look like a wedding reception?
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
There was something wrong with USS Fitzgerald, and Commander Daniel Harper had no clue what it was. Ever since the air raid on the last convoy, the old Fitz' had lost something. Her turbines were only meeting standards, despite a recent overhaul, and she seemed to reluctant to answer her helm, especially when she was pulled from station-keeping next to her division mate, JDS Chokai. He briefly wondered if his ship was depressed. A few years ago, such an idea would have been absurd, but with the arrival of the shipgirls, it wasn't totally implausible. Which was why he was in the admiral's office, hoping to pry a shipgirl away for tomorrow. If the rumors surrounding the incident with the USS Kitty Hawk were true, a shipgirl might just be the key to solving whatever problem his ship had.
The next day...
"Hello Fitzgerald." said Missouri gently. "Your captain's really worried about you, so he asked if I could come and have a chat with you. Is that alright?"
The signal lamp Missouri was talking to suddenly blinked out a YES in Morse code, followed by several sentences that passed by too quickly for Harper to translate.
"Whoa, slow down Fitz." said Missouri. The lamp blinked again, and Missouri turned to face Harper. "She wants to talk to you, sir."
Harper nodded, and walked up to face the lamp. "Hello, Fitz."
Hi, Captain.
'Fitzgerald, I want you to know that whatever it is that's troubling you, you can talk to me about it. Okay?"
Yes, sir.
"Good.' said Harper. "Now Fitz, what's wrong? Ever since we went through that last air raid, you haven't been yourself."
The lamp was silent for a few minutes before it flashed its response. I was worried.
"Worried about who?" asked Harper. "The crew? Fitz, no one was hurt, We came through that attack without even getting a papercut."
I
Not worried about my crew. I'm worried about HER.
The lamp suddenly moved on its own, tracking across the harbor until it pointed at the drydock containing JDS Chokai.
"Ah," said Harper. "you're worried about your friend."
She's more than a friend, Captain.
While Harper stood there confused, Missouri walked back up to the lamp with a knowing smile. "How long has it been for you two?"
About two years now. We've been division mates since the war began, and somehow, it sorta just happened.
"May I ask how serious it is?"
I have Kongou's, Kirishima's, and Myoko's blessings. And I got Arleigh to do the engraving before she transferred back to the Atlantic Fleet.
"When were you planning on asking her?" asked Missouri.
I was using the convoy run to build up the courage, but now, I don't think I can do it.
"Why not?"
I've lost people I was close to before. I wasn't able to keep them safe, and now i just almost lost Chokai. What if it happens again?
"Take it from me, kid." said Missouri. "You can't be afraid to ask her. You'll just keep pushing it back further and further until one day when you'll be too late."
But, how? Chokai's going to be in drydock till the end of the week, and I leave with the next convoy in two days. It's not like I can ask her over the radio.
"No, you can't, Fitzgerald." said Harper. "But, the pier next to the drydock is available, and the dockmaster owes me a favor."
You'd do that for me, Captain?
"Of course, Fitzgerald. It would be an honor."
The next day...
JDS Chokai loved sunrises. She loved how the sun's bright pink and orange melded effortlessly with the ocean's blue, how they formed a portrait no artist or photograph could do justice to. So, while she hated being stuck in drydock, it did at least offer her a great view of the Hawaiian sunrise, which made her separation from the water, and Fitzgerald, slightly more bearable. Until her spirit awoke to find not the sunrise meeting her, but the shadow of another ship. Annoyed, she was about ask the newcomer what the big idea was when she noticed a very familiar 62 on her side.
Fitz?
Surprise!
How? I thought you were on the other side of the harbor.
The harbormaster owed my captain a favor, so he let me change places last night. And, I brought you something.
Oh, Fitz. You shouldn't have.
Actually, Chokai, this is something I should have done a long time ago. Do you remember back before we left Yokosuka, how I wasn't able to talk to you for a couple hours?
Because you were resetting all of your radars? Yes, why?
I wasn't resetting my radars. I was talking with your sisters. I needed their permission before I asked you this.
Suddenly, Fitzgerald's horns sounded, and about a dozen or so sailors pulled down a tarp on Fitzgerald's side that Chokai hadn't noticed before. The banner it covered came into view, and Chokai's generators stopped cold as she read what was written on it.
私と結婚しませんか (Would you like to marry me?)
Tense seconds passed by as Fitzgerald and her crew waited for Chokai's signal lamp to answer. Just as Fitzgerald began to worry, the silence of the morning was shattered by the sound of Chokai's foghorns as all of her port running light blinked a resounding YES.
Immediately, one of the drydock's cranes lifted an object over to Chokai, where three of her crew secured it. It had been one of the wheels of an Humvee that had been destroyed by a science experiment back in Japan. After it landed on her deck, she'd managed to keep two wheels hidden while her crew removed the rest of the wreckage, and thanks to a combination of bribed destroyers and Arleigh's LWS, both were now polished and engraved with the couples' hull numbers.
Oh my God, Fitz. The Morse lamp signaled. I don't know what to say.
Then I guess the plan worked. Now we just have to pick a date.
Fitzgerald's fiance was silent for a few minutes, before her lamp replied. How about tomorrow?
Tomorrow? Why so soon?
I'm going to be cooped up in the dock till the end of the week, and you leave on the return convoy Friday. Who knows how long it will be until our schedules realign. I'd rather marry you tomorrow and spend the next day with my wife all to myself than wait for weeks or months before another opportunity comes along.
This time, it was Fitzgerald's turn to be silent. After what seemed like an eternity, her lamp signaled Missouri and Commander Harper over.
Could we ask for one more favor?
The next day, the crews of both ships bustled with purpose as they readied there ships for their big day. While some were still a little bit skeptic about the timing, most of the crew for both destroyers had realized a long time ago that their ships were alive, if not summoned. And since many Kanmusu in both services had either married or were engaged, a marriage between two conventional warships really didn't seem that far fetched by comparison.
Soon, everything was in order, and after the Fitzgerald's chaplain had said pronounced them married, welders secured the rings to their funnels while horns sounded from practically every warship in the harbor.
Well, the evil deed is done. joked Fitzgerald.
Seriously, that's what you call marrying your beautiful wife? retorted Chokai playfully.
So, now what?
Well, we have all of tomorrow before you leave, and while neither of us are able to do what I really want to do, I think we can come up with a substitute.
Oh, tell me more.
Missouri watched the two newlyweds talked to each other on the Morse for a little while before bowing out and heading to her quarters in the main base. Checking to make sure she was alone, she pulled a faded patch out of her hold. The words Proud Heritage, Proud Purpose went through her mind for the thousanth time as she thought about the one who had claimed her heart back when she was steel, and still held on to it now.
One day, she thought.
