9614: Victorian-era Cunarders, for the love of all that is sane please quit hassling the American shipgirls over Queen Mary's time in Long Beach.
9614a: "You Americans and your 'free-spirited' ways, you've enticed our successor into some mighty scandalous habits during her time there!" -RMS Lucania
9614b: "As for you, Mary - America has not been good for your morals, young lady!" -RMS Campania
It started off as a normal day at Naval Station San Diego. And by normal I mean there had been three drunk and disorderly charges on Iowa, another complaint from the brass about Carter speaking to the press, and with New Jersey recently transferred from the east coast to help deal with an Abyssal threat off Hawaii, her famous charges were well, being themselves. It was a wonder Admiral Richardson hadn't lost his cool yet. The again, the man had put up with Erebus and Terror so...
There was a knock on his door. "Enter." Richardson said without thinking as he faced the window.
In came Iowa. The battleship looked disheveled and was stumbling about still drunk. This in of itself was not surprising. She made it a habit to hit up the nearest dozen bars whenever she was ashore. Her companion however...
Queen Mary looked did not appear as off kilter as Iowa did but no doubt she had imbibed just as much. Richardson could smell the alcohol on her. Scottish heritage really helped sometimes.
"Dare I ask what's happened?" Richardson asked. Iowa going on a bender was bad enough but bring Mary into the mix and the ocean liner added a layer of instability into the mix. She had a tendency to live up to her moniker of "Rolling Mary" when at a bar.
"The old guard cornered her in Long Beach." Iowa scowled.
"Said a'm needin' tae be mair proper." Mary added. Her Scottish brogue became very thick when she was drunk but Richardson understood her just fine.
"Which ones?" He asked, almost dreading the answer.
"Atlantic, and the twins." Iowa answered.
If Richardson was sitting at his desk he would've faceplanted his forehead into it. Clearly someone in the universe had it out for him today. Getting any of the Cunard-White Star Liners here often met with difficulties. While the typical 'your World War enemy is now an ally' speech didn't need apply to them, their Victorian era sensibilities posed their own problems. Admiral Holloway constantly complained about the constant influx of requests for proper work attire for kanmusu among other things. It was a position that made the old liners very unpopular among the other classes so the old crones often came to the states where the respect for ones personal opinions ran deeper. That didn't mean it was better to have them here. The stereotype of Americans as crass and uncouth exists for a reason and combining that with set in their ways 19th century ocean liners rarely went over well.
"What happened?" He sighed, looking at Mary who winced.
"Well..."
...
12 hours earlier, Long Beach, California
Mary frowned at seeing Iowa stalking towards her. Any time the battleship came to visit it was often a doozy that drove her to hit up the nearest bars right alongside her. Apparently this time was no different because following in her wake about a mile or so distant were three very distinct forms. The famous twins, Campania and Lucania steamed alongside one another. In fact the pair had rarely left the other's side since their summoning a year ago. The third, more distant figure with all canvas set trying to keep pace was Atlantic. Mary hated the old liner. It wasn't that she was prejudiced. She'd served Cunard-White Star thank you very much. But Atlantic's old fashioned ways would put even the old racer Columbia to heel.
"Brace yourself. they all gave me an earful already." Iowa said as she walked up to Mary with only the barest of glances.
"As soon as a'm dane 'ere ah will jyne ye." Mary replied, knowing she'd be needing a drink just as badly as Iowa did at the moment.
Lucania went first as she practically rammed her bow against Iowa's, craning her head back to look at the much larger ship. "You Americans and your free-spirited ways, you've enticed our successor into some mighty scandalous habits during her time here!" She snarled.
"And how is that my fault? Mary's an adult, she can make her own choices." Iowa hissed back.
"Oh like that dress you have one?" Lucania asked.
Mary looked down at the half skirt she was wearing. "It's hot and I like it." She said.
"As my sister said, Mary America has not been good for your morals young lady!" Campania growled.
When Atlantic finally arrived, Mary was already fuming enough to do what she swore she'd never do in front of her elders. "Noo whit th' bugger else dae ye hae tae complain aboot?" She growled.
Things went supernova from there.
...
"Anyone get hurt?" Richardson asked.
"Na, weel thair innocence micht hae. Ah tore mah dress in that rammy." Mary smirked. She looked very pleased with herself.
Iowa did too for that matter. "She gave them the best verbal beat down I'd ever seen from an ocean liner, then left to let them pick their jaws off the ground." She explained.
Richardson sighed. "Alright, Mary you're confined to base. Your ancestors are only permitted in the civilian sections so you don't need to deal with them if you don't want to. I'll be sending a strongly worded message to Admiral Holloway about this. Harassment of American shipgirls and civilians is not okay."
Mary dipped her head and turned on heal to leave followed by Iowa. "And girls?" Richardson called them back briefly. Mary expertly caught the coins he threw to her. "First round's on me." He explained.
