Chapter 1; Arrival to Remnant.
"thoughts"
"Talking"
"Radio"
"*Noise*"
Date: 25/10/1944
Location: Philippine Sea, east of the coast of Samar
Time: 09:00
POV: Third Person Limited (Task Group 77.4, Taffy 3)
USS Fanshaw Bay, leader of Taffy 3, was furious. The Japanese center fleet had attacked them, sank Samuel B. Roberts, Hoel, & Gambier Bay, severely damaged Johnston, and now they dared to leave? She was furious at their audacity, HOW DARE THEY SINK THREE OF HER SISTER'S IN ARMS! THEY. MUST. PAY!
"GET BACK HERE YOU BASTARDS!" She exclaimed in rage toward the retreating Japanese. "GET BACK HERE FIGHT LIKE HONORABLE WARRIORS YOU THINK YOU ARE!"
Fanshaw didn't think she would get a response, but she did. The flagship of the center fleet, IJN Yamato, sent a wireless transmission, saying, "You fought well, but we were on a time limit. You took up all the time we had available, you win this round, Americans."
"Dammit, all ships, pursue the enemy aggressively, don't let them get away! Taffy 1, Taffy 2, assist by commencing Search and Rescue. Someone get me a line with Kinkaid, tell him we are pursuing the Center fleet & we need any available assistance!" Fanshaw ordered. They weren't going to let the Japanese get away unpunished.
"This is Kalinin Bay, I'm damaged and full of holes, going to commence Search and Rescue instead."
"*cough cough* this is Johnston, I'm hit, bad. staying with Kalinin, gonna need repairs to my engine. Search radar's out of action, number 3 turret is stuck in manual traverse."
"This is Heerman, I copy, moving to pursue."
"Dennis here, affirm, pursuing the Tone."
"Raymond copies, Pursuing Tone's sister."
"John C. Butler copies your transmission, I'm Winchester on ammo though, so I'm going to commence S&R."
"This is White Plains, understood, commencing S&R."
"Kitkun Bay copies, no damage was sustained, I'm going on the attack."
"This is St. Lo, Roger Wilco, no damage sustained, I'm forming up with Kitkun."
"This is Admiral Kinkaid, Taffy 3, do not pursue the center fleet! I repeat, do not pursue the center fleet!" Kinkaid said as he got on the line, wanting to save as many people as possible.
"Admiral Kinkaid, this is Fanshaw Bay. Respectfully, sir, we aren't letting them get away. We're going in." Fanshaw said, vengeance on her mind. "They must pay for Hoel, Samuel B. Roberts, and Gambier."
"Dammit, there's no changing your mind is there? Fine, Taffy 3, pursue the center fleet with caution. We wouldn't want this to be a suicide charge now, would we?"
"Affirmative, Admiral, pursuing the center fleet with caution."
Fanshaw Bay, now satisfied, cut the line with Kinkaid. Knowing that Johnston was severely damaged, their next concern was getting Johnston back into fighting shape.
"Johnston, form up with me, let's get you back into fighting shape."
"I copy you Fanshaw. Johnston, moving into a tight line abreast with Fanshaw Bay."
"Uhhh that's weird. Fanshaw, this is Heerman, I'm getting radar interference from a storm overhead," Heerman said, "Which was already strange since there were no storms predicted to happen soon. It'll be on top of us in ten minutes if we stay our course."
"That's definitely weird and strange." Fanshaw said, "All ships, change course to avoid the storm. We need to be fast if we hope to catch the center fleet, and rough waves from a storm are gonna slow us down."
"Okay, what's with this, the storm's changing direction to match our course," Heerman said, confused and upset. "Fanshaw, we- okay, what the hell is up with this storm, it just sped up, and the radar interference is getting worse."
This concerned and confused Fanshaw, "Okay, I don't know much about how the weather works, but that definitely isn't natural." She said, "Screw it, all ships, into the storm, if we can't avoid it, then we might as well go through it and save fuel."
"Affirm Fanshaw, Dennis, going in."
"Raymond, engaging."
"John C. Butler, Moving towards the storm."
"This is Kitkun, I'm right beside you, Fanshaw."
"Johnston here, I'm stuck with you, Fanshaw, no choice but to follow you."
"Kalinin Bay, reporting in. I'm with you Johston, me and Fanshaw will get back up to at least 75 percent."
"White Plains here, I'm forming up with Butler."
"This is St. Lo, may god have mercy on us."
"Heerman reporting in, I don't like this plan. It feels like we're walking into a trap, but it's our only chance at catching the center fleet. If only Hoel were here. God, I miss her."
"Butler here, on the subject of those we lost, I'll admit it, Sammy was a great sister to me, Dennis, and Raymond. She was always looking on the bright side. She never stopped swearing in combat. heh, blame the Aussies for that. Still, I'm gonna miss her. At least she can rest easy, knowing we'll avenge her."
"This is Fanshaw to all elements of Taffy 3, we're approaching the storm, don't be surprised if we lose radio contact. Dammit, if Gambier were here, she'd probably make an inspiring speech to calm our nerves. *sigh* To borrow a word from our German foes, Gottverdamnt, why'd the Japanese have to go after her? Why did she have to be the unlucky carrier to be the first sunk by gunfire in this war?"
"Hey, Fanshaw, don't worry about the past. Focus on the present and the future. We're all in the same boat with you. Still, I'm kind of wondering why Hoel thought she could see the civilian sector of the future, talking about a weird kind of novel called manga, always ending every rant about it with 'Keep it classy Japan' while shaking her head. Some of those things were just, morally questionable. I really didn't like those types of rants. Eugh, makes me sick just thinking about it. Sorry for going on a tangent, just needed to get it out of my system."
"It's alright Heerman, I understand," Fanshaw said, understanding that Heerman was not in the best state of mind.
"Well, while you were going on that rant, Heerman, the storm is now one minute away from us," Kalinin commented, "Damage report everyone."
"Heerman here, any and all holes have been patched and water has been pumped out."
"This is White Plains, all damage has been repaired, I'm fully operational."
"Kalinin Bay here, all holes on the Flight deck have been patched. any and all flooded rooms have been pumped of water, and all holes have been patched."
"Kitkun Bay reporting in, all sustained damage is cosmetic. Fanshaw, what's your condition?"
"Fanshaw Bay here, no true damage has been sustained, it's only cosmetic."
"This is Raymond, I've suffered no damage, Dennis, Butler, what about you?"
"Dennis here, the only damage sustained is three 6-inch holes that have been patched."
"Butler, reporting dents and paint scratches, I'm fine for the most part."
"Johnston, reporting damage repaired, engines are back up to 100 percent, electrical systems are fine now. Radar's getting interference, but working, somehow, radar range is at about 50 percent."
Fanshaw satisfied that everyone's status was near 100 percent, said, "Everyone, get ready for the storm,"
As they entered the storm things got weird like, really weird. Something was… off about it. The sea was a darker blue, the sky was dark with red lights slightly penetrating through the thick cloud cover, and to Taffy 3's rear, there were more thick dark clouds.
"What the hell is this?" Johnston asked rhetorically, "It's like we're in a thick fog."
"I know right?" said a voice that no one in Taffy 3 expected to hear again.
"Hoel?!" exclaimed Johnston, "Wha-We all saw you sink! How are you alive?!"
"I don't know. Samuel B. Roberts is here, Gambier Bay also."
"G'day everyone."
"Dobry dzień, good to see that everyone's here."
"This must be some kind of purgatory, or limbo, then." St. Lo stated, "What in the name of all that is holy is going on?"
"Hey," Hoel said, "does anyone else feel a little tire-" she promptly passed out in the middle of her sentence, along with everyone else.
Date: 25/10/1944 (presumably)
Location: unknown forest
Time: 07:30
POV: Third Person Limited (Johnston DD-557)
Johnston groaned as she regained consciousness.
"Ugh, what happened back there?" She said as she moved into a sitting position, clutching her head with her right hand as she slowly opened her light, sky-blue eyes.
Removing her hand from her head, she looked around, noticing that her environment was a forest of presumably oak trees. To her right, was an unconscious Hoel, her light fair-skinned body in a… compromising pose. Thankfully, Hoel's clothes were still on. Heerman was to Johnston's left, on her side, hugging Dennis in a cute, sibling way. Johnston smiled at this sight.
"Ugh, crikey, what was that?" Samuel B. Roberts said, "I feel like utter crap, yet rejuvenated."
"Good to see that you're also up Sam," Johnston said, " you feel good enough to wake the others?"
"Give me ten minutes, should be ready by then."
"Alright then," Johnston said, slowly getting to her feet, "I'll go check the perimeter, make sure there's no hostiles."
Johnston proceeded to get into a patrol pattern, scanning the area for any possible hostiles. Along her patrol, she found the rest of Taffy 3, all unconscious. Butler and Raymond were lying against a tree side-by-side, leaning against each other. St. Lo was near a tree that, at a glance, looked like a Christian cross, 5 meters from Butler and Raymond. Kitkun was about 10 meters near Dennis, Heerman, & Hoel. Kalinin was about 25 meters from both groups. A tree propped up Fanshaw with her hat covering her eyes, 2 meters away from Butler and Raymond. White Plains was with the second group, surrounded by rocks, giving her protection. Finally, Gambier was up and about, on the limb of a tree providing overwatch.
"Hey Gambier, good to see you up and about," Johnston said to Gambier.
"Tak, yes, someone needs to act as an overwatch, I'm not gonna risk getting caught with my pants down again. Last time I did that, well, you know what happened."
"Yeah, the Damned IJN happened. Also, what is it with you and sometimes speaking Polish? Or Czech or Slovak?"
"It's their resilience in the face of insurmountable odds, Johnston. Tady, let me tell you the story of the Czechoslovak Legion of Russia. It's a long one, so grab a seat, môj priateľ."
Johnston, curious, sat by Gambier, her legs dangling off the tree limb. "So," She said, "Who were, or what was the Czech-Slovak Legion?"
Gambier then began to retell their actions, saying, "They were a group of Czechs and Slovaks who were stranded in Russia during its civil war. They had been fighting for the Russians up until the Communists took power, where they then borrowed equipment, and went east towards Vladivostok, to continue fighting for their country's freedom. When the Reds forced them to either fight for them or against them, the Czechs and Slovaks resisted, fighting back. They took control of the trans-Siberian railway and were able to hold it for almost all of their temporary stay in Russia. Near the end of it all, those brave Czechs and Slovaks were able to win their landlocked country its first and only naval battle. That is why I honor them by partially speaking their language."
"Wow, that's… that's an impressive accomplishment," Johnston said in slight awe, "but what about the poles? Why do you also know Polish?"
Gambier chuckled slightly, "Well, it's mainly because they just never know when to quit. Their country has gained and lost its independence numerous times over and over again, yet they never stop fighting for it. Right now, they have a resistance movement in their occupied country. The Brits gave a group of Polish navy men a ship to continue their fight in 1940, the ORP Piorun. She participated in the hunt for Bismarck in 1941 and went toe-to-toe with her a few days before Bismarck sank. Piorun is probably still escorting convoys, keeping them safe from U-boot attacks. Heh, never change Piorun, if only I could meet you in person. Chwała Polsce, Sister-In-Arms, Chwała Polsce."
"I don't know Polish, but I presume it means something positive," Johnston said, confused, yet understanding.
"The phrase 'Chwała Polsce', means 'Glory to Poland'," Gambier said, providing some foreign language Knowledge to Johnston.
"Ah, got it," Johnston said, "Either way, we should probably wake the others, and get Taffy 3 back up to 100% readiness."
"That you're right Johnston, that you're right."
AN: Okay, that was the first chapter of Taffy 3 in Remnant. 2,192 words, not including the author's notes. Hope all you readers enjoyed the story so far, 'cause that's all you'll get until I get more ideas for this story. Then I'll put ink on the virtual paper and get another one out.
Wanna know what my idea for Johnston's semblance is? Oh, wait, yeah, I forgot, you can't respond to me, f#ck. Welp, I'm tellin' ya whether you like it or not. Johnston's semblance will have a slight Ace Combat reference when it's active/activates. Specifically, her sky-blue eyes will turn heterochromatic, her left eye will turn dark blue, and her right will turn a bright red. This is a reference to Cipher and Pixy from Ace Combat Zero.