[A/N]: Hey y'all, Sorry for the wait. I won't bore you with excuses.
This is a collaborative story with Goodalwayswins98, he writes the Canadian perspective, I write the American perspectives.
If you like the story, or if you don't, feel free to leave a review! All feedback is welcome.
Jack Schumer
1721 hours
Deck of the HMCS Rainbow
Status: pissed off
"So is there any reason in particular y'all looked up my file?" I ask, scowling at the Canadians. "Last I checked, the best way to get to know someone was to talk to them."
"Holy shit man." Kinh mutters, looking at me with a weird look in his eyes. "You're a hero, and you never said anything about what you did."
He then stood up straight, saluting me with a solemn air on his face.
"Hero my ass. They were in trouble, so I helped them." I snap back, stuffing my hands in my jacket pockets and glaring at his salute.
"You put yourself into danger to save others. Is that not what a hero does?" The strawberry-haired girlfriend of one of the Canucks asks.
"News flash, that's what we're supposed to do as Blue Mermaids." I respond, leaning against the conning tower. "I wasn't about to watch those people drown. So I did what was necessary to get them home."
"... How did things go down? I mean, how did things unfold?" The girl asks, scrolling through my file with her tablet.
"You got internet on that thing?"
"Of course."
"Let me see it." I order, holding out my hand. She hands it to me, and I type in my account name, locating the video I'd uploaded from that miserable day in the Atlantic. I pause it on the intro and hand it back, watching them as they gather around to watch it.
August 21st, 20XX
Near the Falkland Islands, Participating in exercises with the Argentine Blue Mermaid Cadet Program.
0948, 5 minutes before the accidental sinking of the ARA General Belgrano.
As the video starts to fade in, a familiar pair of eyes look into a camera, behind a pair of aviators goggles. The dull rumbling of the Hellcat's engine can be heard before a younger Jack Schumer looks over his shoulder and turns on a second camera, which then becomes the primary footage being displayed, with the first camera becoming a small window in the top right corner. Then the rumbling of the engine dims as his voice is heard, followed by the replies of his flight.
{Vikings, check in.}
{Viking two, on your wing.}
{Viking three, behind two.}
{Viking four, on three's wing.}
Jack nods in satisfaction as he pulls the camera in front of him off its mounting and fastens it to the side of his flight cap, giving a first-person view to the flight.
{Alright. Here's the plan. We're gonna make a lowside run on the General Belgrano after the Sculpin makes a torpedo attack. No rockets, we're just raking the deck.}
{Three, what about the drop tanks?}
{Seal 'em and drop 'em. Don't need the DEQ* getting on our asses about leaving a fuel slick.} Jack replies to Marco, flipping to internal stores before sealing his drop tanks and dropping them. Once they detach he does a quick aileron roll to make sure they're both away before nodding in satisfaction and beginning a left hand bank.
{Viking, this is Sculpin. Fish in the water. With any luck we'll get a cheeky immobilization. How copy?}
{Good copy Sculpin. Are we clear to start our attack?}
{That's affirmative. Have fun up there.}
{Many thanks Sculpin. Viking out.}
Tightening the turn Jack flips a red switch simply labelled 'Master Arm' and descends, dropping below the dense cloud layer into the torrent of rain below. As he pivots in his seat to look over his shoulders the camera on his head gets a good view of the three F6F-5 hellcats in formation with him, and he quickly locates the ship sailing on the choppy ocean below, just as the Anti-Aircraft opens up on his flight.
{Spread out.} He orders, angling in for the attack. As he lines the ship up in his sights a column of water erupts from the stern, followed by an explosion that buckles the ship's stern, shearing off a third of the Brooklyn-class cruiser.
{Jesus christ! Wave off! Wave off!} He yells into his oxygen mask, pulling up and right, until he's just below the cloud layer. Then he circles the stricken ship, looking down at it as the stern floats away from the rest of the ship.
{Sculpin, this is Viking! Your torpedo has caused critical damage to the Belgrano! Surface at once!}
The return is only silence, and he gets lower to watch the ship begin to sink quickly, people detaching a couple life rafts and jumping off the side into the water.
{Jack, there's stragglers in the water. They don't have enough rafts!} Alice cries out, flying low over the ship to survey the situation.
{I can see that! I'm trying to think… Marco, keep trying to raise the Sculpin!}
{Got it, but what are we going to do? In swells like that they'll be swamped in no time!}
{Do we have any life rafts?!}
{The small one-person ones, yeah.}
{That's not gonna do it! There's at least a dozen stragglers, and all the rafts are full!}
Jack looks frantically between the sinking ship and the rafts bobbing in the waves, trying to think of a plan, then he flips a switch on his instrument panel, and there's a 'clunk' as the six HVAR's fall from his plane.
{We get any lower on fuel and we'll be in the same situation. You guys head on back to the Monterey.}
{What 'bout you?} Alice asks, her plane pulling up on Jack's left wing.
{I'm not letting those people drown.} He grumbles, using his rudder to cut below her and drop in altitude.
{What?! Jack they'll be fine! Let's head back to the Mont'rey and bring back a flight of Avengers with life rafts!}
{They won't get here in time. Those cadets need help now. Get goin'. Viking One out.} Jack snips, pulling off his oxygen mask and pressing a button on his radio. He tightens his harness and pulls back on the throttle, dropping his flaps as he slows down for a water landing.
Down in the water ahead orange life jackets can be seen bobbing amongst the waves. Before he touches down he pulls his canopy back, and bottoms out the throttle, feathering the prop before he skips off the crest of a wave. His second attempt is more successful, and he skims to a stop on the surface of the water before the leading edges of his wings open up, inflating to keep the plane afloat.
All along the length of the plane the flotation system inflates, keeping the Hellcat mostly above water as Jack unfastens his harness and pulls out a flare gun, firing a green flare high into the sky. Then he stands up on his seat and starts waving at the cadets bobbing in the water. "HEY! Over here! Come here!"
Sure enough, the figures start swimming towards the downed plane, disappearing behind every wave, then reappearing for a few seconds. After a minute three hellcats fly low overhead, throwing yellow rubber bundles out of their cockpits to land in the water around the plane. The people swimming collect the bundles, and as they reach the plane they begin inflating the single-person rafts. Jack quickly pulls his parachute apart and cuts the risers, using the strands of parachute cord to keep people tied to the plane as more and more show up. The small amount of rafts that were released eventually manage to hand-paddle their way through the towering waves, and they're secured to the plane wherever possible, with people keeping the wounded on the rafts while they get tied together, forming an oddly-shaped box around the plane.
"How many wounded?" Jack asks a cadet with an officer's uniform.
"Six, all belonging to the engine room. We still have two more unaccounted for." He replies with a heavy Argentine accent, breathing heavy from the exertion of swimming in the high swells.
"Who's missing?"
"Damage control people. I ordered them aft when I saw the torpedo was going to hit us."
"Think they could've gotten caught in the blast?"
"It is a possibility, yes."
"I'll send up another flare, but other than that there's nothing we can do but wait." Jack sighs, firing a second green flare into the sky before looking at one of the rafts tied to the fuselage, where the ship's doctor is frantically wrapping a shrapnel wound on the leg of a female cadet.
"Do you need extra medical supplies? I've got a bag full."
"Yes please! I'm running out of bandages!" She huffs back, not looking up from her task.
He turns around in his seat and pulls out a large waterproof red bag from behind his seat, pulling a tether out of it and fastening it to the belt loop of the doctor before passing her the bag.
Then, as he sits back down in his seat, he takes off the camera and secures it to the side of the gunsight before saluting it and turning it and its partner over his shoulder off, ending the video.
The final thing displayed in the video is a picture from the deck of a ship, people and lifeboats tied to the airplane by long pieces of parachute cord, with Jack straddling the engine cowling like a bull, and the Argentine captain sitting in the pilot's seat, both saluting the camera with big grins on their faces as the other cadets hold their arms up, forever cheering in the photo.
Back to the present
"If you want to know why I looked you up," Kinh explains nervously, "I didn't really ask for it but some of your comments at the ceremony just made me wonder. Like don't do anything foolish like you? Made me wonder."
Al shakes his head with a somber expression. "If anything, I'm the one who asked Savannah here if she knew anything about you so you're gonna back the fuck off from Kinh alright." he says with a serious tone.
"Alright. I wasn't asking Kinh specifically. Just… keep that info on the down-low. I don't want any rumors flying around that I'm a fucking hero." I reply, adjusting my jacket. "Now you boys gonna stand around with a good lookin' lady wearing grunge clothes, or are you gonna get in your dress uniforms for the feast?"
The Canadians nod in understanding.
"Grunge clothes?" Kinh asks, "We were relaxing before the feast eh?"
I nod in response. "Yeah, but you do realize the feast is in half an hour… right?"
"Don't you worry about us," the Canadian boasts, "We're gonna be alright."
Next to him, Oliver straightens himself out with a worried look.
"Dammit! I got get ready!" he exclaims as he runs towards the conning tower's ladder.
Remi looks at the running first mate in annoyance before yelling at him.
"You know that if you run, you'll start sweating and you'll waste time because you'll need to shower right!?"
Oliver doesn't seem to hear him as he disappeared inside the conning tower.
"Whatever." grunts Remi as he shrugs his shoulders, "I suppose we should go get ready man?"
Kinh and Al nod at this.
"Have fun with that. I'm gonna get goin' to the feast. See you later seamen." I chuckle, walking down the gangplank.
"See you later man." Kinh shouts, "We'll have a nice surprise for everyone at the feast!"
Jack Schumer
1813
Yokosuka Girl's High School Gymnasium.
Status: R & R
"Alice, Marco's on your six!"
"I know! How're things with Saige?"
"Splash one! On my way to help."
"What?! Aw that is such horse shit! Why do I always get shot down first?!" Saige yells in frustration, stepping out of one of the four flight simulator seats set up.
"Head-on, then you do a low yoyo and I'll go high." I talk to Alice through the flimsy headset.
"Got it. Bringing him your way."
I wing the digital plane over to set up in a head-on pass with Alice and Marco, the latter being my target, and watch her digital Dehavilland Mosquito fly over my canopy before pulling the trigger.
A cry of frustration from Marco is all I need to hear to know I got him, and there's people laughing and clapping all around us, having enjoyed a flight go head-to-head on a flight simulator.
"Jesus christ Marco, you're dumber than I thought!" I laugh, hanging the headset on the joystick and climbing out of the seat.
"I had you dead to rights!"
"Bruh, you tried to head-on a Black Widow in an Oscar. What did you think was going to happen?"
"I was in the one with the twenty millimeters!"
"No, you were in the one with the fifty calibers." Saige corrects with a sigh. "At least I had the brains to take the George."
"Still though, good fight guys." I chuckle.
"Kickin' your asses made me hungry. Come on y'all, let's grab some food." Alice says as she links her arm with mine, pulling me towards the line of tables heaped with food.
As we work our way through the crowd I unconsciously listen in on some of the conversations. Nothing very interesting can be heard, and as we get our plates I look at one of the dishes, sporting a small Canadian flag on a card in front of it, labelled 'Poutine'.
"What the hell is that?"
I hear a long sigh of satisfaction and look at it's source.
"Alrighty comme à Montréal!" exclaims Kinh with a grin. Next to him, Remi looks completely dumbstruck while letting a guttural sound. Meanwhile, Al is standing with Savannah and rolls his eyes at their friends' lack of manners.
"This looks like something the chow hall on an auxiliary would whip up in a storm, the fuck did you make?" I ask.
Kinh looks particularly offended. It looks like I've insulted something dear to him.
"That is a poutine. It's a delicious meal made from thick fries, cheese curds and gravy." he explains, "This is the proper recipe… not that garbage that the other provinces make."
". . . Fuck it. I'm gonna give it a try." I grumble, putting some on my plate.
"Hey it doesn't look too bad, at least it looks edible." Marco chuckles, putting some on his plate. "Yo lead, who are these guys?"
"These are the bridge chumps from the HCMS Rainbow. You know that sub we buzzed at the beginning of the year?"
"Yeah… we still remember it eh?" Kinh cuts in between bites of food, "That and the other time as well at Yokosuka."
"Him and Saige there weren't present for that one. Though, I'm pretty sure he was the one you talked to when you were first coming into port."
"Oh shit, that was you? Nice to meet you." says Marco, holding out a hand. Kinh shakes his hand, and then the pilot stabs some poutine with his fork, taking a bite with an intrigued expression. "Ho-lee shit. This actually ain't that bad."
"There's no way. This looks like something you'd see in the head." I grumble, taking a cautious bite. "... Oh my god, that is actually really good…"
It's rather quite salty, fatty and gooey as a meal. Something that would probably stop my heart if I wasn't a pilot.
"See? I told you it's delicious!" Kinh insists proudly, getting a little too loud for my liking, "Trying with corn dogs in it!" A few heads turn towards him after his little outburst.
"Yeah, I got that. Bring your voice down." I snip, taking another bite before looking around. "Y'all seen my sister anywhere?"
Kinh, Al and Remi shake their heads but Savannah speaks up.
"She's over by the dance floor being hit on repeatedly. You might want to go play big brother before a guy gets too daring."
"I agree with you," Kinh adds seriously, "Doesn't look like she likes the attention," he says as he peers towards the crowd.
I sigh and wolf down my food, easily locating my sister and the half-dozen guys talking to her, one of which being a short, mousy-haired submariner. His uniform's insignia shows that he's from the Rainbow' watch crew.
"Kinh, if I whoop the ass of one of your boys, I'm sorry in advance." I grumble, passing my now-empty plate to Alice for safekeeping before I start across the gym, headed straight for my sister. She looks out of place, nervous at the sheer amount of people trying to get her out on the dance floor. Of course, the guys here don't know she doesn't swing their way, which is only going to make this more awkward for her. I feel someone's hand on my shoulder.
"Mind if I give you a hand man?" Kinh asks still holding his poutine.
"That'd be smart. Tell yer boy to stand down." I grumble.
"Alrighty! No worries." he answers as he walks over to his crewmember. He slaps the boy's back with enough strength to make him jump a bit. The Canadian starts talking with him and dragging him away with conversation. Kinh quickly turns and winks at me. I follow up and clap Danielle on the shoulder. "Hey Sis', these fellas annoying you?"
She looks up at me and nods slightly. "Y-yeah… a little."
I turn to the other guys and straighten up, putting my hand in my right jacket pocket where I keep a collapsible baton. "You heard her, get lost."
Most of them scatter with dejected looks while some glare daggers at me.
"Yo, what's your problem man!" asks one of the boys. He's dressed with a Canadian uniform though he isn't from the Rainbow.
"She obviously isn't interested, and you're still trying. That's my problem. Now get outta here."
Another voice cuts in.
"Don't make me call in security." Kinh warns. Flanking him are the bulky figures of Al and Remi. The torpedo officer cracks his knuckles while a scowl graces his face. "You're from the Grilse aren't you?" the captain asks with a very serious tone.
The other Canadian glares at him.
"I'm just trying to have a good time here." he answers defiantly, "Are you jealous?"
"And by 'trying to have a good time' you're ruining someone else's time, now beat it before I beat you." I insist, grabbing the baton in my pocket.
Remi growls lightly in anticipation while a predatory grin starts appearing on his face while Al looks at the offending crewmember with a scowl and death stare, his fists clenched. The next things happen in blur. The other Canadian decides to push me. I barely register what's going on that I hear French swearing next. Remi decides to push back and he doesn't hold back at all.
His target falls to the ground and lands on his ass, just as I pull out my baton and give it a flick, extending it and giving him a good look at it. "Are you fuckin' done now?"
"Calm the fuck down alright!?" he yells as he gets up, showing his empty hands. Next to him, the crew from the Rainbow are all glaring at him. Meanwhile I collapse my baton, placing it back in my pocket. Kinh scrutinizes the troublemaker's uniform, squinting at his nameplate.
"Listen Patrick Turner… If you don't get the fuck out of here, mon tabarnak, I'm making a nice little report to my instructor," he explains with an extremely cold tone.
"Fucking French faggot! Go back to your shithole in Quebec!" Turner growls as he turns away, followed by some of his friends, "That bitch ain't that good looking anyways."
I clench my fists hard enough to make my knuckles pop. "I'm sorry, repeat that one more time, moose-fucker."
I hear some snickering from Kinh, but Turner doesn't turn back and walks away.
"Hey! I'm talking to you motherfucker!" I yell after him, following him towards the doors. I hear brisk footsteps behind me, and turn my head, seeing the Rainbow trio following me. Somehow, Kinh is still holding his poutine.
"Enjoy the party fellas, this is my gig, and mine alone." I snip, continuing my pursuit. "Hey cocksucker, get back here! You're gonna apologize to my sister for that!"
Danielle Schumer,
1839
Yokosuka Girl's High School Gymnasium.
Status: R & R
Several minutes after Jack persues the Canadian submariner the two come back, the latter sporting a lip that's starting to swell.
"I'm sorry for calling you a bitch, ma'am." He apologizes, standing at parade rest in front of me.
"Apology accepted. Have a good night." I respond, dismissing him as Kinh and his friends walk over, with Savannah holding Al's hand. Turner quickly beats feet in the opposite direction, and my brother sits down beside me, discreetly rubbing his knuckles.
"Want some ice for that?" Kinh asks warmly.
"No thanks. Thanks for the offer though." Jack replies, working the hand a little.
"When did you two kiss and make up?" I ask, looking at them, yet glancing at a cute girl from the USS Alaska.
"Urgh… what is it with the gay jokes?" Kinh groans while his friends appear unamused.
"They all went through my file thanks to your Bosun. It's chill though." My brother responds, following my nervous glances at the girl, then grinning. "See something you like?"
"Maybe… I mean, she's got the looks… but…"
"Wait a minute… Dani… are you…?" Savannah starts to ask, and I answer her question before she fully formulates it.
"Lesbian? Yes."
"The more you learn," Al comments while Remi has his usual uninterested look. Kinh merely nods.
"So?" he asks, "Doesn't change much for me eh?"
Remi scoffs as he grabs some food.
"Of course, it doesn't change anything for you… you never hook up anyways."
The Canadian submariner glares at his torpedo officer.
"That explains so much…" Savannah muses.
"Like what?" Kinh says with a raised eyebrow.
"Like her checking us all out during showers…"
"Oh shit, you noticed that?" I ask as I feel my face heating up in a blush. Kinh and his boys start to snicker.
"And the fact that you were always kinda flirty with Allison…."
"Sounds like someone's out to get laid." Jack snarks.
"Shut up!"
Kinh looks around awkwardly.
"Eh, I'm gonna grab something to drink," he says as he gets up. As he's walking away, he doesn't pay attention and bumps into someone. His poutine flips over and spills all over the white uniform of a Yokosuka academy student, staining it with brown gravy and melted cheese.
"I'm so unlucky," groans Shiro. Standing next to her is Akeno. Both carrying trays with various foods on them.
"Oh… ah… I'm sorry about that Mashiro," Kinh apologizes before trying to change the conversation, "Did you get a new phone thought?"
"Christ, could you get any more clumsy!?" Allison yells from nearby, stalking over.
"I ain't that bad!" Kinh defends as he tries to find napkins, "Besides, she's lucky… it could have been scorching hot!"
"If it were hot at least it'd be easier to clean off!"
Kinh rolls his eyes and groans.
"Yeah but it would've burned her. Clothes are replaceable… not your skin." he replies dryly before turning back to Mashiro, "Sorry about that again, I'll go get some napkins and help you out."
He dashes off, weaving through the crowd to get some napkins, luckily finding some at a nearby table. Making his way back with an awkward smile, he looks at Mashiro who is getting help from Allison.
"Got some napkins here!" he exclaims, "Want a hand wiping off that poutine?"
Mashiro nods but as Kinh moves to clean it off, he accidentally cops a feel at her left breast.
"Uh oh…"
The sound of a slap resonates and is quickly followed by a series of apologies. Along with some laughs from Al and Remi.
"That's why you have no girlfriend!" Al exclaims.
"You know what?" I mutter, getting up while still looking at the girl from the Alaska. "I'm gonna try."
"Good luck." Jack says as I walk over to her, extending my hand in greeting.
"Hi, I saw you on your own, and I was wondering if you wanted to have a dance?"
She sort of jumps in her seat, but looks at me and smiles, nodding.
"I'd love to."
Jack Schumer
2013 hours
Leaving Yokosuka School gym
Status: heading to the Monterey Ferry with Alice & Co. Temporarily accompanied by the Rainbow trio.
"God damn I'm stuffed!" I groan.
"Did you try that Jambalaya the Alaska's galley made? Hot damn that was good!" Saige yawns.
"Them deep-fried chicken gizzards were pretty good." Alice hums contentedly from her spot on my back, where I'm giving her a rather unprofessional piggyback ride.
We walk along the docks under the streetlights, towards the moorings of the three PBY Catalina flying boats, whose job is to ferry anyone out to the QRF force anchored outside of Yokosuka harbor.
"Say, where's your sister?" Saige asks.
"Beats me, probably got tired and went to the Black." I yawn, starting to feel sleepy from the amount of good food I've had.
"Actually, I saw her leaving with that chick from the Alaska." Marco chuckles. "I think your sister's off getting a piece of ass."
"If she is, good for her." I mutter.
"I never would've thought your sister's a lesbian." Marco laughs. "Do you always have to beat guys off with a stick like that?"
"Oh God, you have no idea. She just can't seem to give them a straight up 'no'."
"It was a fun evening eh?" Kinh remarks with a smile. He's carrying a bottle of lemonade and takes a sip from it, "Enjoyed our food too?"
"It was pretty damn good. I definitely ate my fill of it." Marco yawns, rubbing his belly.
"I might have to get the recipe from you. My parents are missing out." I confirm.
"It was really fun… especially when you got slapped bro!" Al remarks before breaking into laughter with Remi joining in. Kinh blushes furiously at this.
"That was accidental!"
"Like accidentally dropping your poutine on her?" Al snickers.
"Shut up!"
"Calm down y'all." I chuckle before getting more serious. "I reckon this'll be the last time we'll see each other in person for a while. Monterey and all Seattle warships set sail before dawn. Here's the radio frequency we're on. If you need help, or just want to chat, hit us up."
Kinh nods in agreement and takes the piece of paper with our radio frequency on it, tipping his hat in appreciation.
"Indeed, shit's getting real soon," Remi says, "Heard that more ships were being sent in soon."
"Yeah. There's a bunch of Aussie frigates coming up with some cruisers. I got a call from a friend today that Ark Royal is a day out." I hum back before my neck has a pair of slender, yet muscular arms wrapped around it.
"How close were you to this 'friend'?" Alice asks.
"Umm… friends with benefits?"
The arms being moved into a chokehold is enough evidence to prove that telling the truth was probably not the best choice in the current situation.
"Not anymore! We're just friends now!" I squeak quietly as she tightens her grip, sending the Canadians a look that says 'help!'.
Kinh looks on awkwardly while Remi just rolls his eyes and crosses his arms.
"You kind of dug your own hole there bro." Al remarks flatly , "Not all girls like that type of jokes."
I desperately tap against Alice's leg as I feel everything start to go foggy, and she releases me right before I pass out. I take a few deep breaths while leaning on her, then straighten up. "I wasn't joking. That's how it was. Not anymore though."
"... erm ok", Kinh stammers, "Can't really help you there."
Next to him, Remi sighs in indifference while Al rolls his eyes.
"Should have said that then man."
"Kinda hard to talk when you've got someone choking you out." I mutter, sending a sideways glance at Alice before noticing a figure jogging down the pier towards us. "Hmm?"
The Canadians quickly recognize the person.
"Yo Danielle!" Kinh calls out with a caring smile, "How did the evening end?"
Al and Remi crack their knuckles.
"Did anyone else give you trouble?" Al asks seriously while taking on a serious look.
"N-no… it was actually really nice!" She huffs as she slows down, walking over to me and hugging me. "I wanted to see you guys off."
"Thanks Sis'. How'd things go with the girl?" I ask, giving her a kiss on the head.
The blush that crosses over my sister's face is enough for me to know what transpired, and I give her a pat on the back while the rest of my flight roars with laughter.
"I knew it!" Alice giggles, pushing me out of the way and patting my sister on the shoulder. "Congratulations. There's no shame in a little fun."
"Good job girl!" Kinh exclaims before raising his hand for a high five.
"Congrats…" Al says before taking on a scolding tone, "Remi, don't get too excited. . .you fucking pig!"
Remi's face has a lecherous look on it.
"Oh come on… I can't have fun every now and then?" he groans sarcastically, turning to Danielle.
"Good job, I guess," he says flaty before turning to Kinh, "At least I know you don't think I'm gay. Unlike Kinh here."
"I am not gay! Just not lucky with the ladies!"
Al snickers briefly before muttering "Mashiro."
The blush on her face turns to a bright red instead of a pink, and I laugh again, messing up her hair. "Just don't let it distract you from your duties."
She nods, and Saige slaps her on the back before pushing Marco and I down the pier. "The boat's waiting for us people. Congratulations Dani."
"Thanks everyone. Good luck!" She chirps as the four of us start walking towards the PBY-5. I wave over my shoulder and walk backwards for a moment.
"Be safe! Don't hesitate to call for us if you need help!" I yell at them all, earning a thumbs up before we climb into the waist blister and sit down on the bunks.
"Y'all good back here?" The flight engineer asks, coming back from the cockpit.
"Yeah. Take us back to the Monty." I respond with a nod. "We've got preparations to make."
"Yessir, right away."
Huynh, Kinh-Luyên,
October 8th, 1000,
HMCS Rainbow, Command Room
Status: Preparing to leave Yokosuka
The sound of diesel engines rumbling to life was mixing the bustling crew of the Rainbow. Every student on board was at their station. After the feast, the crews of the various ships had returned to their bunks for one last night of peaceful sleep before heading out. For most of the crews, they were awake for two hours already, doing final inspections and quick tune-ups to their ships or boats.
"Alrighty gents! All's good over here?" Kinh asked to his crew as he stood next to the ladder leading to the top of the conning tower. Oliver was standing by the navigator's station, looking over maps with the navigator.
"Aye sir!"
The intercom phone suddenly rang and Oliver picked it up.
"Archer here! What's going on?"
He nodded before turning to his captain.
"Just got a new message from the higher ups." the second answers seriously, "High priority."
"Right," Kinh nods as he makes his way to the radio room through the cramped compartments of the Rainbow.
As he arrives in the radio room, Saïd, the brown skinned radio operator of the Rainbow, hands him a sheet of paper from a pile of papers and books neatly stacked on his station.
"Here you go. Looks damn important," he reports.
"Mind handing me the intercom?" Kinh asks as he picks up the sheet, "I'll call Olson."
The radio operator smiles
"No problems sir." he says happily as he hands over the intercom phone. The captain quickly calls the instructor. Within a few moments, they can hear him coming over.
"You got our orders Kinh?" he calmly asks.
"Yup, haven't read them yet though." Kinh reports, "Wanted your opinion on them. Especially with what you told me the other day about the emergency command being established."
Olson nods briefly.
"Smart idea kid."
"Alrighty, here we go."
Kinh raises the paper and begins reading his orders. His face quickly starts displaying indifference.
"We're getting patrol orders. Essentially we're going back to Iwo Jima again. They want to see if the rogue ships are still around or if they left the area. Seems pretty mundane to me eh Olson?"
The older man leans against one of the walls.
"Indeed, though I have a feeling we won't find anything there," he sighs, "Something just tells me that's there's something more going on. Mind if I tell you while we get back to the command post?"
The veteran instructor has a serious look on his face. Saïd shrugs before putting on his headsets again. Their conversation was above his role as radio operator.
"No problems Olson," Kinh replies as he starts walking in the hall leading to the front of the Rainbow. As they walk forward, they make their way through the empty crew quarters.
"Remember when we were on the Meredith Kinh?" Olson asks wearily.
"Yeah, we were talking about everything that was going on around the RATt virus," he answers before stopping with a realization, "Wait! You think that it evolved or something?"
Olson nods in agreement.
"That or it's been weaponized," he answers, "There could some messed up dictator or scientist out there that saw the crisis and thought that the virus could be used to gain power."
Kinh shuddered at the thought of weaponizing such a virus.
"It created some kind of hivemind," he realized as he started walking again, "Anyone controlling that hivemind… Shit that's messed up," he paused again, "If it evolved… that means it's probably 'smarter' than the first time too! So it makes perfect sense that those ships aren't going to be around Iwo Jima!"
"Exactly."
"FUCK!"
By now, they had reached the command post of the Rainbow and Kinh's outburst had gotten the attention of the rest of the crew who had turned their heads in surprise.
"Sorry about that guys." Kinh apologized sheepishly.
A shout came from the conning tower.
"Kinh, da fuck is going on!?" Al shouted from the top of the conning tower.
"Sorry bro! I'll be topside in a minute." he said again before addressing his crew, "Orders just came through and we're heading back to Iwo Jima!"
Various grumblings and murmurs of understanding was heard.
"Thomas, Oliver… set course for 25.16876, 141.0524," he ordered, "Best time possible!"
Both nodded and quickly answered "Yes!" before beginning to plan their course.
"As we were saying Olson," Kinh said as he turned his attention to his instructor and their conversation, "About the virus and the ships not being there… it'll be like looking for a needle in a fucking big haystack."
"That'll be the case, but that's why we have the Americans flying recon all over the place."
Danielle Schumer
USS Black DD-666
0530, October 8th
Status: Leaving Yokosuka
"Samuel, you have the helm. Don't run into anything." I order before sipping at the mug of coffee in my hand, looking through the front windows of the bridge.
"Aye Captain."
"If I'm needed, I'll be on deck at the bow." I yawn before turning and walking down the stairway in the rear of the bridge. On my way down I stick my head into the radio room. "How's everything in here?"
"Looking good Captain. HMCS U-190 just reported that they've spotted a Victory Ship adrift. They're going to observe it and await the Blumers." Mark replies, no longer sporting the mohawk he had on the voyage over.
"Have they identified which one it is?"
"No Ma'am. I can ask them if you'd like."
I nod and stand in the doorway. "Please do."
He nods and puts his headphones on, tapping out morse code for a minute before waiting for a reply. After a brief moment he presses the headphones to his ears and listens before looking up at me.
"Lane Victory. It's one of ours."
I nod and smile, clapping him on the shoulder. "Awesome. Thanks."
"Erm, Captain there's one other thing."
I stop on my way out the door. "Yeah?"
"The USS Alaska and USS Sims will be joining us. Alaska has command of the task force until Wisconsin finishes her trek across the Pacific."
"Good. Let me know if any other ships are discovered." I order before walking out onto the deck, up to the bow, where I sit down on a bollard and sip my coffee, letting my mind wander.
I don't know how long I sit there, but when I finally come back to reality, I look around to find the Monterey off our starboard side. In front of us towers the giant USS Alaska with her 12-inch guns elevated slightly, the covers on the muzzles preventing seawater from getting in the barrels.
While I'm marveling at the large cruiser, Emma, one of the radio operators, walks over to me.
"I got a VHF radio set up in your cabin just like you asked."
I stand up and take a sip at my coffee, then scowl and spit the now cold liquid over the railing before looking at her. "Thanks Em. I owe you one."
"Don't mention it. If anyone asks, the radio scanner installed on it was there when you got it." She giggles before acting more official. "Also, we received a message from the instructor ship USS Doyle FFG-39. Apparently your mother found out about your injury."
She pulls out two folded papers from her back pocket and holds them out to me. I gently take them and unfold both to find them covered in text from top to bottom. Groaning, I start slowly walking my way back to my cabin. "Thanks Emma."
"Not a problem. We've got a Sat-Phone in the comms shack if she wants you to call her."
"We do?"
"Yeah. Came with the ship!" She yells after me while I slowly walk along the starboard gangway, so engrossed in reading the excessively lengthy message from my mother that I almost walk into a 20mm Oerlikon. As I switch to reading the second page only one thought runs through my mind.
'I pity the poor sailor who had to send this via straight-key.'
Jack Schumer
USS Monterey
1055, October 8th
Location: 32.2610, 140.6577
Status: R&R, Monterey pilot quarters, B deck.
"Okay okay, how about this one. Scharnhorst vs Alaska? Open seas, north Atlantic." One of the dive bomber pilots asks from his bunk across from mine.
"You kidding?" I scoff, "Scharnhorst, hands down. Those fifteen-inch guns would tear Alaska apart."
"Then how about in the Pacific, somewhere like the Philippines?"
"Pretty fair fight at close range. Next."
"Hellcat versus George?"
I open my mouth to respond, but quickly shut it again when the bosun's whistle rings out over the intercom.
{Flight leader India-One, Jack Schumer, please report to the A deck radio room.}
I sit up and listen to the PA system shut off, then check to make sure my landing zone is clear before jumping off my bunk. "We'll continue this when I get back."
"Sir."
I slap Marco on the back of his head as I walk past, getting quickly cussed out in Spanish before I duck through the bulkhead and ascend the staircase, my moccasins lightly tapping on the floor with each step. I duck through a second bulkhead and immediately hang a right, pushing the curtain for the radio room aside and sticking my head in. "Y'all called for me?"
The broad-shouldered radio operator holds up a finger, motioning for me to wait for a moment while he listens. A few moments later he picks up the satellite phone beside his computer and holds it out for me with a sticky note attached to it, the note having a phone number on it. "You got a phone call. Asked for you by tail number."
I take the phone and sigh. "Thanks. I'll be out here in the hall." I withdraw my head from the curtain and lean against the wall, dialing up the number that I already know by heart before putting it to my ear and listening to it ring. Once, twice, and on the third ring it's answered.
{Captain Jeffrey Schumer speaking.}
"Hey pops. You called?"
{I did. One moment.}
I hear him talking to his First Mate in the background for a moment before his voice gets louder. {So, how's my boy doing?}
I roll my eyes and chuckle. "I'm doing alright. A bit pissed about being stuck here until this clusterfuck is taken care of, but otherwise no complaints. My flight and I even got moved to One-India."
{Congrats of the flight order change. Your old man is being redirected to help coordinate the search effort, so you're not alone there. How's your sister and the Meredith?}
I cringe inwardly, knowing Mom probably got the news, but didn't tell him. "Actually, she's commanding the USS Black now."
{What happened to the Meredith?}
"Sank on the 21st near Iwo Jima. The Myoko hit it with a live torpedo after they picked up survivors from the initial outbreak skirmish. You didn't get the call?"
{No. Is Danielle alright?}
"She's got some stitches and a metal plate in her side, but otherwise she's fine. The previous morning the Meredith came under air attack and she took a twenty-millimeter in the vest. Broke a rib and bruised a few more."
I hear him audibly sigh. {Why am I always the last to find out about these kind of things?}
"Because Mom's an airhead, I'm usually too busy flying CAP or sleeping, and Danielle doesn't want you to flip out?"
{Don't call your mother an airhead.} He scolds.
"Call a spade a spade…" I mutter before the four pilots of India Two sprint past in full flight kit. I take the phone from my ear and yell at 'em. "Hey! Where's the fire!?"
"Two-Bravo spotted a destroyer!" One yells back. "We got the order because you're busy! Sucks to be you!"
I flip them the bird before putting the phone back against my ear. "Anyway . . . This 'staying here until new years' business is horse shit."
{Welcome to the Navy son. I just put some funds in your account. Go down to the ship PX* and buy yourself a waterproof Sat-Phone so we can talk more often.}
'The Navy can kiss my ass. I'm missing hunting season right now!'
"Okay. Anything else?"
{Yeah. While you were in Yokosuka I had a package dropped off. It should be in the PX. Pick it up while you're getting the phone. I've gotta go. Take care of yourself, and don't bite off more than you can chew.}
"Sure thing. Thanks Dad. You be safe."
He hangs up, and I push off the wall, pulling the curtain aside and placing the Sat-Phone on the radio operator's desk before nodding respectfully and leaving them be. I walk down to B deck, sauntering amidships to the ship PX.
"Hey Jack! How can I help you today?" The young clerk asks, leaning on the counter behind the grated window.
"I need a Sat-Phone, and my old man told me there's a package in there for me."
He straightens up and slams his hand on the counter before disappearing into the back, coming out a minute later with a rather large cardboard box in hand. "You'll need to come around to the door. You said you also needed a Sat-Phone?"
"Yeah, a waterproof one."
He reaches under the counter and pulls out one of the Satellite phones with its thick case and foldable antenna, placing it on the counter before typing into his computer, removing the balance from my account before sliding the phone through the opening. "There you go. Come around the side and get your package."
I walk down the narrow corridor to the bulkhead in the rear of the PX, and he unlatches it before opening the heavy metal door and passing me the heavy box. Nodding in thanks I set about carrying the thing to the pilot's quarters, wondering what the hell the old coot put inside the thing that's so heavy.
When I walk in everyone's for the most part in the exact same spots they were, and with Alice's help I get the box up onto my bunk before climbing up, using the little boot knife I have to open it.
On top, a stack of Cookies 'n' Cream Hershey's bars, a couple new SD cards for my cameras, and a new camera case with an extended battery for my GoPro. Below that, are a new pair of Nomex gloves, a new Nomex flight suit, and an EPIRB*, which seems to be the primary source of all the weight. Last but definitely not least is a small black velvet-covered box which I requested during our time in Yokosuka.
I take a look around before pulling out the little box and opening it slightly, finding that there is indeed a diamond ring inside. I quickly shut the lid and look around to make sure nobody noticed, then I stuff the box in the pocket of my BDU's and set about breaking down the cardboard box.
"So what did you get?" Alice asks, sticking her head up above the edge of my bunk.
"Some chocolate, SD cards, a new case for my GoPro, and some Nomex clothes." I yawn, showing off my prizes. "Bought a Sat-Phone too."
"You bought a Sat-Phone? Why? I thought you hated it when people call you?"
"My old man chewed my ass for never getting in contact with him, so he sent me the money and made me get one."
"Well, it might come in han-"
Alice clams up when the two-toned squeal of the bosun's whistle rings out, followed by the voice of the stocky Native American kid from Umatilla.
{General Quarters, General Quarters! All hands, man your battlestations! All pilots to the ready room! Flight crew, prepare to launch aircraft!}
"Fuck! Move it people!"
Lingo/terms:
DEQ = Department (of) Environmental Quality
CAP = Combat Air Patrol
PX = Post Exchange
EPIRB = Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon
