It was surreal.
JS Taiho thought she was used to the modern world. The young carrier had adapted to 2020's technology better than most, she thought, and she'd like to think she'd mostly recovered from the culture shock. The world's new geopolitics still didn't entirely sit right with her, but the fact that the joint Japanese-American Yokota AFB sat just west of Tokyo wasn't what she had trouble with.
It was the idea that the Kido Butai, The Emperor's bow and Japan's most prestigious fighting force, could be crammed aboard a single aircraft and flown across the pacific.
Calling the C-5 Galaxy a mere 'aircraft' felt… insufficient. The thing taxing towards the passenger terminal dwarfed anything she could field, shadowing even the infamous superfortress. On top of that, the massive Galaxy didn't even register with the largest aircraft in the world, which was… difficult to visualise.
The fact that dozens of warships were tucked into its hold- a complete impossibility if it wasn't for their dual nature- added immensely to the strange nature of the scene in front of her.
As the C-5 decelerated, the carrier glanced to her left, giving the other occupants of the passenger terminal a quick inspection. The gaggle of officers, shipgirls, and press assembled to meet the returning fleet were a good representation of the JMSDF itself, with members from the Fleet Escort Force and each District waiting to receive their ships. The Kido Butai (officially named the Kaijo Ensei-gun by more politically-minded officers) was a temporary unit, formed with elite elements from each district, and with the fleet's return everyone was eager to restore their own commands back to full strength.
Minus the Kido Butai's steel hulls, of course, but unless they figured how to summon more anti ship missiles, Japan's defense wasn't very reliant on those.
Tiaho's attention shifted from the larger group to the two women closest to her.
If Admiral Hirano Ayame was a shipgirl, Taiho had a hard time picturing her as anything other than a battleship. The Admiral spent almost all her time off-duty in the gym, and it showed. Even if she hadn't been the highest-ranking officer there (most commanders were too busy to meet their returning ships in-person), she had an air of authority about her that dominated any room she entered, which was perhaps how she'd managed to save The JS Kaga as her executive officer during blood week.
After being assigned to the admiral, Taiho had dove into her record. After the Abyssals had proved they weren't just some polar anomaly, she'd done well leading the remnants of her escort flotilla back to their home port. Between the JMSDF's expansion to meet the abyssal threat and several casualties among flag officers in abyssal raids, Hirano skyrocketed through the ranks at a rate many people thought to be ridiculous. Now, she was the commander of Fleet Activities Maizuru, in charge of an impressive eight of Japan's aircraft carriers.
Much like Taiho herself, however, Hirano's fleet was only impressive on paper. Most were veterans of the Pacific War's twilight, when fighting had drained the IJN's carrier arm of the experienced pilots and sailors that had made it famous. Many, like Taiho herself, had been sent into the fight before they were ready, and had met their end without fully fulfilling their duty. Two of their fleet hadn't even been finished, returning with nothing but a collection of dock workers to run their machinery and fly their aircraft. Taiho couldn't fault their spirit, returning to defend the homeland they never were able to, but as they were, they were nothing but a drain on Japan's resources.
Like I am.
Like her, most of the fleet looked impressive on paper, sporting more modern aircraft, defenses, and propulsion systems then their earlywar counterparts, but without the proper knowledge to use it, they were leagues behind their elders. So, Japan was forced to rely on their smaller cadre of older carriers, while their most modern carrier fleet sat on their hands in the Sea of Japan, with nothing to do but try teaching themselves. The skilled carriers were far too busy defending Japan to assist in training, while The Nation was reluctant to let the fleet deploy for training overseas, just in case an emergency serious enough to warrant their desperate deployment appeared.
It wouldn't be the first time.
Taiho could tell Her Admiral's command grated on her. Admiral Hirano reminded Taiho of an infantryman or boxer, instead of a flag officer. Eager to hit the abyssals who'd attacked Japan and killed many of her comrades, Hirano had been forced to content herself with a handful of escorts she'd been given to patrol the Sea of Japan and keep an eye on the DPRK. In a way, Taiho and her fellow carriers were a subtle sign that, despite her achievements and promotions, many in the JMSDF still considered her underqualified for her rank. They'd given her an impressive fleet on paper, but anyone who knew the JMSDF knew she'd been given a dead-end assignment.
The cruiser next to her had helped with the situation, somewhat. Katori had done her best trying to whip Admiral Hirano's fleet into something combat capable. Thankfully, there'd been some success on that front. Over the year she'd had them, the Training Cruiser had drilled the fleet in gunnery, both of their secondary battery and of their anti-aircraft defenses. She'd walked them through modern anti-submarine doctrine, something other members of Hirano's fleet could assist with. She'd experimented with a new school of damage control she'd been developing, a mix of several nation's techniques to try and find the best way to keep Japan's fleet afloat.
Yet, they'd hit a wall. No matter how much seakeeping they practiced or target drones they shot down, Katori hadn't known enough to make them proper warships: Carriers posed unique damage control problems she hadn't anticipated. When reviewing After-Action Reports from other carriers, the Training Cruiser often got lost or unable to explain a point. They could launch and receive aircraft well enough, but questions like how to do so in extreme circumstances or when it was prudent to launch or receive aircraft were left unanswered. She hadn't grasped air-to-air combat tactics at all, leaving the fleet to mostly fend for themselves.
Hopefully, their new arrival could help with that.
The C-5 had taxied to a stop, its engines slowly fading to a distant whine as American Airmen scampered around the massive aircraft. A pair of doors opened on either side of the Galaxy, revealing a set of airstairs that drew the attention of everyone in the terminal. Tahio's rangefinders focused as the first figure emerged from the aircraft's hull, eager to see either her new fleetmate or a returning hero from the Kido Butai.
Instead, the first one to disembark was another uniformed airman. If he'd had important business with the ground crew, of course one he would exit first, but she was sure the press would have liked to see someone more… glamorous exiting the Galaxy first.
Taiho didn't have to wait long. Zuikaku quickly followed the airman down, her eyes scanning the terminal. Apparently, carriers like her didn't have a problem with flying, but Taiho had a hard time imagining how a ship of her tonnage could ever get used to being airborne. After Zuikaku cleared the doorway, the green-clad carrier Souryuu disembarked, followed closely by her brightly-colored sister. After that, Taiho caught a shock of red hair, as a carrier she didn't immediately recognize disembarked from the ship.
Well, she didn't personally recognize her. Training from the Pacific War and Katori's refresher courses had honed Taiho's ability to spot a ship, but as far as carriers went, identifying a lexington class in these conditions was trivially simple. No one else had a funnel like that, after all.
There wasn't much mystery when it came to her identity. Taiho didn't know what kind of strings Admiral Hirano had pulled to get the JMSDF to launch this operation, but either the American or her must have been persuasive, and had managed to convince the Admiralty to assemble the Kido Butai and purify her. Ships had sunk, people had died, and the islands of Japan had been left exposed for several nerve-grinding weeks, just so Taiho and the rest of Admiral Hirano's fleet could have a new teacher.
She… still wasn't sure what to make of that.
On one hand, it was one of the most earnest acknowledgements of her abilities she'd ever gotten. Taiho knew, without any misplaced pride, that as a carrier she had few equals in the Pacific. Sure, the Essexes could carry more aircraft, but they couldn't take as nearly many hits as she could…
In theory.
Those words, perhaps, were why the feeling of anxiety crept up her keel when she'd first heard of the operation. Why she'd felt somewhat bitter bidding goodbye to the members of Fleet Activities Maizuru who were joining the Kido Butai. Why reading casualty reports from The Battle of Bikini had been so painful, and why, now, with the rewards of two nation's labor following Hiryuu towards the terminal, Taiho couldn't stop fidgeting.
It wasn't entirely fair, she knew. Seven other carriers, eight when Ibuki returned, were also going to be relying on Saratoga's training. For carriers who'd never even been completed, like Kasagi and the Akagi-class Amagi, she was their ticket to finally start serving their country. Eight japanese fleet carriers would,without a doubt, be a massive boon for humanity in the north pacific, something even traditional enemies like China and Russia were eager to see.
However, last time the hopes of the nation had been placed on her, she'd failed. Badly. After returning and gaining access to historical material from both sides of the Pacific War, she couldn't move past comparing her own story to that of Franklin. One had continued fighting, confronting the worst of odds and stubbornly refusing to yield to fate until both herself and her crew had returned to safety, while the other had turned into a fuel-air bomb after only one torpedo strike.
The prospect she might make such a mistake again was paralyzing. Shipgirls, no strangers to dark humor, had no problem teasing each other about their demise in their previous life, but no one had ever joked about her sinking more than once or twice. Maybe it was because, no matter how uncaring they acted, they knew how much Taiho had replayed those events in her head, cataloging every mistake she'd been too inexperienced to avoid then. No matter how much she dwelled on it, analysed her final moments, or thought about the catastrophic consequences of her demise, she'd never fully convinced herself she'd be able to avoid it again. Now, her comrades had put themselves in mortal danger, several taking serious damage or even sinking in the process, just so she could have another chance to let them down a second time.
"The Fightline is clear." An airman announced, as the C-5's engine noise died entirely. "You can help your comrades out, now." As the American spoke, the front of the C-5 split open, interrupting Taiho's fretting. The group in the terminal burst into motion, the handful of press members darting forwards, only to be shoved aside by the more eager of the shipgirls. The reporters may have been intrigued by the sight of the new american carrier, but they didn't have friends aboard the aircraft, or the memories to really sympathize with the airsick shipgirls.
"Well." Admiral Hirano started, glancing at her two subordinates. Taiho hadn't known anyone in the Kido Butai that well, and the last thing she wanted to do was make a scene in front of her new teacher, so she'd stayed with her Admiral. Of course, Katori had remained at Hirano's side, her exemplary discipline showing as she waited on her Commander. "Shall we introduce ourselves to the fresh meat?"
Referring to the veteran that would be responsible for making Japan's reserve carriers combat-ready as 'fresh meat' didn't inspire much confidence, but unlike some shipgirls Taiho wasn't going to disrespect her superior by giving an unprofessional retort. A simple 'Hai' from both her and Katori were all the Admiral got as they followed her out of the building.
Taiho wasn't sure if she'd expected something more casual.
They found Saratoga at the base of the galaxy's ramp, offering Nagato a comforting arm as she sat at the ramp's base. The flight had clearly gotten to the battleship, her face hidden as she focused on the tarmac below. Saratoga would occasionally glance up, giving Airmen, Officers, and shipgirls passing her a quick inspection before returning to her charge. As the trio approached, Saratoga's eyes met with Taiho's for a split second, before resting on Admiral Hirano. The Carrier said something Taiho couldn't quite hear to the distressed battleship, and Nagato nodded. The pair stood, Nagato swaying uneasily and walking away as the American Carrier set a course for her new Admiral.
"Saratoga?"
At the Admiral's query, Saratoga straightened, her hand almost touching her funnel as she gave the Admiral a sharp royal navy style salute.
"Reporting, Admiral." She started. After Hirano returned her salute, The Carrier relaxed slightly, giving Hirano a small smile as she continued in halting Japanese "Apologies, if I'd known you were here, Admiral, I wouldn't have waited here."
Taiho wasn't entirely sure, but the American's smile didn't seem to quite reach her eyes. It didn't seem like malaise or that she'd forced herself to be pleasant, just that she seemed… distracted.
"I appreciate your hustle, but I've got other girls on this airplane." Admiral Hirano replied. "I'll need to see to them before we can head out." The Admiral motioned to the two ships beside her. "Let me introduce my comrades here."
"I'm the training cruiser Katori." Taiho's fleetmate bowed. "I'm sure we have much to learn from each other."
Suddenly remembering her manners, Taiho hurriedly bowed. "Armored Carrier, Taiho. Please take good care of me, Saratoga-Sensei!"
Looking back up, she saw the American's distant expression was gone, her eyes widening for a moment before she bowed awkwardly in response.
"Ah, thank you." She replied. "You can just call me Sara, if you want."
If I want? Was that an order, wrapped in politeness, or did she truely want to be on informal terms with Taiho?
She didn't really know how to deal with Americans. Taiho didn't really blame them for her death, only one of Albicore's torpedoes had actually hit, after all, but to Taiho they'd killed her seniors and threatened the Japanese mainland just over a year ago. Assuming the best of them didn't come naturally to her. On the other hand, she also was aware of how close the nations had seemed to have grown, and given seventy years had passed she couldn't be surprised things had changed so much.
Because of that, Taiho had no clue if Saratoga was trying to snubTaiho by rejecting the respect meant in the honorific, or as The Casual American stereotype went, she was just shying away from the formality as a manner of instinct.
"I need to check up on the girls." Admiral Hirano grunted. "I'll pick you three up once they've recovered." With that, she left the three ships, setting course for a pack of destroyers nibbling on brown cookies an airman was handing out to them. The fact they were taking their time with the treats underlined just how poor of a condition they were in.
"It's alright if you're formal with me," Saratoga cut in, sharing a quick glance with Katori, "but I want to get to know everyone I'm teaching as soon as possible. I need to know what kind of tactics your specifications are best suited for."
"So, Langley and Midway should operate differently?" Katori asked, her arms crossed.
"Yes." Saratoga nodded. "Midway would have much better anti-aircraft defenses, so she could afford to take more risks with her combat air patrol. Langley doesn't have the AA or enough of an air wing to rely on it for defense, so assuming she had effective aircraft she'd have to act more aggressively against any force of carriers."
It was an obvious question, but from experience Taiho knew the Training Cruiser was more interested in how it was answered than what the answer was.
"Of course," Saratoga continued, a look of fondness crossing her face, "like Houshou, I know Langley sticks to anti submarine operations, as she doesn't have the strike aircraft to fight like that. If ships more advanced than the Midways were ever summoned, we'd have to move to the same niche."
A followup question creeped into Taiho's conscious, based on the research she'd been doing both on her future teacher and over the past year.
"You're longer than Charles De Gual, right? Couldn't you equip jets to keep up with them?"
Saratoga's eyes widened. As Saratoga remained quiet, tension developed in the Armored Carrier's keel. Had Taiho stepped out of line?
Then, finally, a giggle escaped Saratoga's lips, Taiho's teacher politely covering her mouth as she laughed.
"De Gual is one of France's modern carriers, I assume?"
"Yes." Taiho replied, still unsure if she was being laughed with or at.
"Me, launching super hornets…" She chuckled again, shaking her head. "While I love the mental image, I don't have a deck that could handle the heat of Jet Engines. I don't know the specifics about what materials they use, but if I was converted into an armored carrier I'd lose a lot of hangar space. Considering how massive modern carrier aircraft are, I don't think I could carry much of an air wing." She turned, scanning the tarmac for other aircraft. "I love my fighters and bombers, but it might be better to use me as a helicopter destroyer, like what your Navy-uh, Self Defense Force has."
"While that's interesting," Katori cut in, "it's not entirely relevant. What kind of air wing do you have now?"
"Prewar Aircraft, I'm afraid." Saratoga replied. "From what I've been told about how us shipgirls work, I'll need this training as much as you do. I'd want to fight the Abyssals with monoplanes, at least."
Taiho wasn't sure what had distracted her when she'd first left the aircraft and greeted them, but now her focus seemed to have returned to the present. Was the operation Admiral Hirano had helped organize to rescue her worth it? Taiho still wasn't sure, but now that she was here, some of the uneasiness she had about Saratoga started to fade. She didn't seem that bad.
So… I wrote my Author's notes while throwing this chapter together, instead of afterwards so it'll probably be even more rambly than normal.
I'm not a huge fan of ginger snaps, but they do help with car sickness. Protip, always bring some with you if you're going on a long bus trip though mountains or something. I imagine it helps with airsickness, too, but I haven't really had a problem with that so I wouldn't know. If this seems irrelevant to the chapter you just read, sorry? I don't want to draw too much attention to a throwaway line but my mind does wonder when I'm writing late.
On a more important note, writing as if I was translating everyone speaking in Japanese is an… interesting experience. I know just enough about the language to make even worse mistakes than I would if I knew nothing, so I tried to stick to as much English as possible. Of course, where the fact they were speaking Japanese would actually influence the trajectory of the conversation, I tried to leave it in. An example of that is the honorific Taiho gave Saratoga initially, which I felt I had to leave in because it wouldn't be normal outside of the circumstances they're in (I think?). A future example would be giving the Akagi-class Amagi and the Unryu-class Amagi different honorifics to distinguish them, but it won't be relevant for a while so I haven't put much thought into figuring that out.
Anyways, I really don't know much about the language, so if I got the rare Japanese I used wrong please let me know. Come to think of it, this whole virus situation means I don't have any excuses to not do my duolingo exercises… damn. I should get on that.
On another topic, focusing on canon characters that don't get used much has also been… interesting. The issue with relying on their quotes from the game is that you're only really getting a snapshot of them at a specific time, and I wanted to make sure Taiho had some room to grow as a character (and literally, as well. They make her look young because of her inexperience but she probably wouldn't stay that way).
Hope you enjoyed this interlude! Like I said, it felt kinda natural to fit one in here, as it makes for a good cover for the timeskip I've planned. Expect to see these characters more in the future, although only sparingly until Trinitite's story has progressed a lot.