Meanwhile

HMS Ark Royal

Yokohama City

"So, you're going through with this?"

Kay stood in front of the foggy mirror in Darjeeling's bathroom, wrapped in a towel, having finally gotten the last of the grime out of her hair. While smearing a glob of toothpaste onto her brush, she wiped away some of the condensation to get a better view of herself.

"Well, yeah." She said hesitantly. "I… think so." Kay quickly stuck the brush into her mouth and began brushing away.

Her beloved Darjeeling approached the doorway and leaned against it.

"You think so?" She repeated. "Having second thoughts?"

"No." Kay mumbled around her toothbrush and the mouthful of minty paste. "Noh hecond hougts. Jush… I donnoh."

"Whatever it is you're thinking about, I promise you're overthinking it." Darjeeling said.

"Ohay, hine!" The Saunders girl relented, toothpaste dribbling out of her mouth. "I am having hecond houghs." She continued brushing. "I… don know why, hough. This ish what Ihe been dead shet on for… hory shih, haf a year." Kay swished her toothpaste around before spitting it into the sink, looking up at her reflection again. In this light, she could make out nearly every scar on her face from the grenade explosion. "Ever since I saw Captain Chōno take Katyusha away, all I've wanted was to find her. For six whole months, I've been just… fueled by anger."

Darjeeling stepped into the bathroom and put her arm comfortingly around her girlfriend's waist. Kay rinsed her mouth out before continuing.

"I mean… babe, you have no idea how devastating it was. Seeing you on the beach, watching your helicopter go down, the commotion on the radio, then hearing how Kawanishi described…" Her voice started to catch, and she took a breath, her eyes misty. "Every day, I'm grateful that you're alive, and still here with me. Every day I think about how… crippling it would be to lose you. And how it almost happened that day. More than once."

The St. Gloriana Commander squeezed Kay softly, resting her head on her shoulder.

"Since that day, I've wanted nothing more than a shot at Katyusha. Now I have it. And I… don't know how to feel. I… had this moment planned out a dozen different ways. Now, the moment is here." Kay shrugged, wiping her eyes. "I don't know what to do."

"Well, Katyusha isn't going anywhere. You don't have to act right away." Darjeeling rubbed Kay's back. "She hasn't even been sentenced yet. Who knows? Maybe she'll get the gas chamber, and you won't have to do anything."

Kay shook her head. "No. If I do plan on doing something, I have to." She rested her hands against the counter top. "I just… don't know what. At the very least, I need to see her. I need to talk to her."

"Well, tell you what. How about you sleep on it, and we'll plan our next move in the morning."

"We?" Kay asked.

"Of course." Darjeeling said with a smile. "I'm with you, whatever you plan to do. I'll speak to Assam tomorrow and see what she's found. Just remember, darling. 'A goal without a plan is just a wish.' Do you know who said that?"

Kay ran her thumb across a scar on her girlfriend's cheek. "No, but Dahlia gave me a good one. She called it 'The Seven Ps'." Darjeeling tilted her head curiously as Kay counted on her fingers. "Proper Planning and Preparation Prevent Piss-Poor Performance."

Darjeeling giggled. "I'll have to add that to my encyclopedia. Now. You look exhausted. Let's get some sleep."

"Yeah." Kay said. "I'm… right behind you."

Darjeeling planted a kiss on her beloved's cheek and headed to the bedroom. Kay watched her leave, then continued to study the mirror. She rested her hands on the sink and sighed tiredly.

"Just what am I going to do? How will six months of pent up anger and resentment express itself?"

Ideas drifted through her head, one after the other. Weapons in general would be difficult, if not impossible, thanks to the heavy security presence.

Poisoning? That could work, but Kay didn't know the first thing about chemicals or toxic plants. Breaking Bad was just a TV show after all.

Could she testify? Maybe. She had suffered at the hands of Snowdrift and Blizzard first hand. But what if Katyusha brought up the fight and standoff in her office? That could reduce her punishment, or even get Kay and her friends in trouble.

Maybe they could just talk. The Saunders commander felt she could be intimidating when she needed to be. Maybe she could scare Katyusha somehow. Or get some kind of closure or explanation out of her. Then again, what is there to threaten her with? A death that is scheduled, or one she has to wait her whole life for. Not much to work with.

Make Katyusha angry? Bring up the fact that Nonna had been taken down by someone who had already turned traitor? It could start a fight, and security would have to intervene. Katyusha could be hurt or even killed.

The commander shook her head tiredly, pulling off her towel and hanging it up. This line of thinking would have to wait.