7643. Do not leave newly summoned shipgirls unattended on the base. We're lucky Ranger showed up before Renaissance wandered off.

San Diego.

"Ladies, welcome to Naval Station San Diego." said the Marine driver as the Humvee rolled past the gate.

Her first impression of the naval base was one of awe. Even during the war with China, she'd never seen a yard with so much activity, not even the fabled Washington Yard. For the first time since her summoning by a pair of "weeded-out gamers" as the police officers had called them, she felt excited.

"Yo, where's the girls and booze?"

And now she was back to nervous. Her companion, Luxington, had spent the entire flight from St. Paul complaining about everything under the Sun. And Moon. Heck, probably the stars too at some point.

"Alright girls, here's your stop." their driver said suddenly, pulling over to the curb.

A young woman on the walked up to the Marine's window. "These the FNGs?"

"Yes, ma'am." replied the Marine. "You're their guide?"

"Unfortunately." groaned Hancock. She watched as the two newbies got out of the Humvee and faced here. "Alright, I'm Hancock, and here's where we stand. Ishould be off duty and getting wasted right now, but thanks to Wasp getting called away, I'm here babysitting you two. However, that means it's your lucky day."

"How so?" asked Luxington.

"I just got back from a trans-Pacific convoy, finished the paperwork that Lexy's been yelling at me to do since I got back, and I'm out of booze. So, I'm going to the bar. Either of you want to come with?"

Luxington and her companion's eyes widened, though for different reasons .

"Finally, someone speaking my language!" said Luxington. "Let's hit it!"

'Shouldn't we get to our quarters and meet our CO first?" her companion asked.

"Where's the fun in that?" replied Hancock. "C'mon."

'I think we should go to our CO's first."

Hancock was about to say something when Luxington cut her off. "She's wants to be like that, let her. It's her loss."

"You know what, you're right newbie." said Hancock. 'Alright, you're supposed to report to Carrier Strike Group 17. Just head to the main office building."

With that, she and Luxington left, leaving the other girl alone.

"Um, where's the main office building?"

Ten minutes later...

She was lost, no two ways about it. There were no signs anywhere on the base, and none of the personnel she'd tried to ask directions for had given her the time of day. She was just about to give up when she heard someone call out to her.

"You lost?" a female voice said. She turned to see a young woman standing behind her, arms resting against a cart of mail.

"Uh, yes. Very lost." she stuttered. "Do you know where I could find Carrier Strike Group 17's office? Or maybe even just the main office building?"

"CSG 17," said the stranger. "Oh, you're one of Midway's new girls. The ones from those old computer games, right?"

"Um, yes. I just got here, and I'm supposed to report to Strike Group 17's office."

"Shouldn't there be two of you?" asked the stranger. "And isn't Hancock supposed to be your guide?"

"I believe that Hancock and Luxington, my companion, are as they say, "hitting the bar" at the moment."

"Nice to see Hancock's has her priorities straight." said the stranger dryly. "Anyways, I'm Ranger, and since you said your friend's name was Luxington, I assume you're the one from Fallout?"

"Yes, I'm-wait a minute. How do you know that?" she asked.

"Medusa gossips, especially when she gets new patients." said Ranger. "Believe me, from the moment the police back in Minnesota notified the Navy of you two, pretty much every girl on the base knew who the two of you are."

"Well, that's comforting."

"Ah, cheer up kid." said Ranger. "Look, I got mail duty today, and Midway's actually my next stop, so just follow me and we'll get you squared away."

As the two carriers walked towards the building, Ranger occupied the time filling in the new girl about her future comrades.

"So, to clarify." she asked. "Midway goes from being super hardcore battlecarrier to fangirling weab instantaneously."

"Yep."

"Forrestal knows everything there is to know about aircraft and weapons, but gets stumped by a computer game called Pong."

"Yeah, not quite sure how that one happened."

"Independence's way of solving problems is to drop bombs on it till it dies."

"Or beat it to death with her catapult." said Ranger, wincing. "I didn't even know someone could dothat with a catapult."

"Constellation is gonna take one look at me and then declare I need a fashion intervention."

"Or worse, a intensive spa-day."

"And finally, United States is going to hug me. A lot."

"That's it." said Ranger, smiling. "Don't worry, they're gonna love you. Oh, there's one more thing. I feel really stupid that I haven't asked you this yet."

"What?"

"What's your name?"

She thought about it for a minute. She'd never known any name other than Rivet City, but she couldn't use that, so she'd spent the entire flight trying to think of a name. Luckily, she remembered something from her past life as a warship, a speech, presumably at her launching.

Citizens, today is the start of a new renaissance of American naval superiority.

"Call me Renaissance."