Two days later Thorson woke to find himself on edge. The prior 48 hours had seen limited but notable progress for the four of them. Laffey no longer needed to sit at the ready on her own bridge, thanks to the efforts of Akashi in getting the base powered. Shiranui had finished a full accounting of the base's resources and had taken to cleaning major areas, just as she had Thorson's office. The pair of rooms was decidedly spartan, but they served their purpose. Thorson was able to monitor radio and radar, as well as review Shiranui's reports in relative peace. The water situation had also been partially resolved thanks to the discovery of a well a short ways west of the edge of the base. As near as Thorson could figure the volcanic bedrock of the island was serving as a sort of natural filter for rain and seawater, providing them with a clean, if limited, water table. Akashi had gotten the pump leading to the base's water tower working, but none of them had found the time to clean out the rusted tank. Instead Thorson had flushed it and left it to dry, another project for another day.
A light rain could be heard outside the main office as Thorson drummed his fingers across his plain metal desk, working through the notes he'd taken since meeting Laffey and trying to ignore the nagging feeling in his gut. There's no way we aren't officially at war by now. But I haven't heard anything. No friendly patrols or attack groups, no enemy fleets. Hell, there haven't even been any supply convoys. It's like this place is invisible, he thought. He was just about to ask Akashi and Laffey if they needed any help demolishing the building they'd designated as the Sakura dormitories when the crackling static of a general distress signal sounded from the radio. Thorson donned the headset and immediately began adjusting the frequency, trying to better resolve the transmission, thoughts of Akashi's pet project long behind him.
"Mayday, mayday! This is Eagle Union transport ship USS Demeter requesting immediate assistance! Our convoy has come under attack by Sakura forces and we are suffering losses. The enemy consists of what appear to be three unmanned Kamikaze-class destroyers and one Furutaka-class cruiser. I've got no idea what in the hell is going on here but we're outgunned and in deep shit! Any Eagle Union ships within range please respond!"
Thorson began broadcasting, his heart beating rapidly against his ribs. Unmanned ships? Could it be those clones Akashi mentioned? "Demeter this is Commander Andrew Thorson, I read you. I have only one destroyer under my command but we stand ready to assist. If possible, alter your course towards the following coordinates." Thorson began relaying the location of his base. A harried response came through when he was finished.
"Only one destroyer you said?! Well I guess at this point we'll take all the help we can get. Adjusting course for your location, Commander Thorson. Our coordinates and heading are as follows…"
Laffey was enjoying herself immensely in the rain, indulging in the cool drops against her skin as she and Akashi placed dynamite in various structurally critical locations around the dormitory building that Akashi had claimed for the Sakura. Laffey had promptly thereafter claimed the building next door for the Union. The four of them had moved into the Union dorm, but as with all the others they were filled with unremarkable and dingy rooms fit only for sleeping, constructed without any regard to comfort or aesthetics. Akashi had requested permission to build her own and Thorson had agreed, though he'd made sure to impress upon her that any material taken from the base would have to be run by him first.
"Akashi is so excited, nyaa!" She exclaimed as she rigged the last charge, returning to Laffey who stood by with a detonator.
"Laffey cannot wait to see the explosions," she agreed. Akashi looked askance at her.
"Explosion is just the beginning; fun part comes later, nyaa! Akashi will teach Laffey all about Sakura architecture and style. Laffey hasn't lived until she's slept in a futon on soft tatami mats, nyaa." Akashi closed her eyes and hugged her arms to her chest, indulging in imaginations of comfortable, warm beds. The two girls looked up from their conversation at the sound of heavy footfalls on the concrete walkway behind them. Thorson was sprinting at them from the command building. "What's wrong Shikikan, nyaa?"
"Laffey, get to the docks and prepare for combat now! Akashi, you and Shiranui have the base. Sakura ships are active in the area. Sounds like it might be those unmanned ships you mentioned, Kamizake class and Furutaka class." The two girls looked at one another as Laffey's expression turned sleepy and serious.
"Big boom will come later, Laffey must go." Laffey hugged Akashi and took off past Thorson, leaving the Commander to ask a parting question.
"Any advice?" He asked the suddenly nervous and sorrowful looking repair ship. She worried her hands together under the too-long sleeves of her dress.
"Akashi could not run from war, nyaa," she sighed remorsefully.
"No. So help me fight!"
She nodded, her wet tail whipping behind her. "If ships are clones, they will be obeying final orders of the master ship. They will act together no matter what."
"Thank you, Akashi. Get into my office and man the radar. If there are other hostile contacts do what you can to keep them at bay with Shiranui and the shore guns. We'll be on radio." With that, Thorson turned and ran for the stairs, hoping he and Laffey would make it in time.
"Gods protect you, Shikikan," Akashi whispered at his retreating back.
Though Laffey was running as fast as she could, the reality of her girlish frame and shorter legs meant that Thorson caught up with her about a third of the way from the docks. With a shout of warning, the Commander picked her up and kept charging down the stairs, his thighs burning with his haste to get the their only warship. Laffey shrieked and giggled as she was thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, holding onto his damp uniform tightly.
"Commander makes war fun!" She exclaimed.
"War is not fun, Laffey!" Thorson yelled as he charged up the gangway, panting heavily.
"Just wait, you will see!" Laffey replied, closing her eyes and sending out her activation pulse. Her ears waved as she received some strange feedback. Thorson had gone rigid beneath her.
"Laffey…what did…what am I…?" Thorson voiced incomplete thoughts, momentarily stunned into immobility as the USS Laffey made full speed in reverse out of port. The bundle in his arm felt heavier somehow, like she was pressing onto him or into him. His brain felt like it was short circuiting, like connections were being changed or overwritten. He managed to set Laffey down on the deck. The feeling didn't fade at all, even when he released her. He could still feel her. The ship shifted suddenly as Laffey threw the throttle forward and began turning them to head out of port. He didn't flinch. He'd almost expected it. His brain felt too small for his skull. "Laffey, what did you just do to me?" He whispered as they both stood on the narrow side deck.
"Laffey is happy. Commander looks at her like a woman," she replied dreamily, activating her rigging and easily ramping up to a speed greater than she'd even been able to achieve without it. Thorson could feel her elation spurring on the engines beneath them.
"Laffey, what are you-" Thorson was cut short as his eyes met hers and his mind was bombarded by visions of memories. There was darkness and a flash of light. He thought he could see the base, but with many more people walking around. Three female silhouettes materialized and vanished. He saw Pearl Harbor and then himself, felt warmth. "Gah! Damnit what the hell is happening to me?!" He yelled as vertigo and a migraine hit him all at once, driving him to his knees on the deck as he clutched his head desperately with his hands. Thorson crawled pathetically towards the side, hoisting himself up the railing so that he could heave his breakfast into the churning ocean below, the gray water sliced in two by Laffey's hull. The railing was cold relief against his cheek. He could feel the ocean, felt like he was floating.
"Please, do not fight Laffey," the shipgirl whispered, reaching around his waist from behind and laying her small body gently over his. "Laffey did not mean this accident, but Laffey wants it now. Laffey doesn't know why but she thinks this can work. Please try, Commander."
"What am I supposed to try?!" He cried out, feeling like his body was no longer his own, as though the place where his and Laffey's warmth met was some sort of blended unknown. "What the hell is going on?"
"Laffey and the Commander…will fight as one," she replied softly, airily, as though she wasn't all there either. Thorson tried to breathe, gulping down air as his stomach slowly settled. He was aware of Laffey's breathing against his back. He tried to match it. He found it easy. Something touched his mind, something gentle. He shut his eyes tightly, saw her tattoo.
"No, that's not…"
"Laffey is sorry. Laffey always liked Miss Arizona. She was very kind to everyone. The Commander did all he could," Laffey assured him as Thorson's eyes flew open.
"How? What are you?"
"Laffey is a shipgirl. Laffey serves the Commander, fights for the Commander." With that declaration Thorson suddenly found his footing again, felt the pressure of the deck hard on his knees. His mind cleared and he pushed himself onto his feet. He looked around at the steel gray sky, the waves, and the ship, his ship. Rain dripped from his hair. He nodded.
"To the bridge, now," he ordered. Laffey took him by the hand and led him there. All the while they were in contact he could feel her presence melding with his. There was no better word for it. He could feel the thrum of the boilers. He could sense their heading and speed. When they arrived he sat in the command chair and strapped in as Laffey stood beside him looking very much at ease for going someone heading into her first battle. "What's going on, Laffey?" He tried again.
"Laffey can feel the Commander."
"And what do you feel?"
"Fear, determination, protection."
"I don't understand."
"Laffey does not either, Commander. All Laffey wanted to do was to activate her ship. But suddenly Laffey could see herself, feel the Commander's thoughts as he looked at her. Laffey was so happy. Laffey always disliked when humans were aboard. It is different now." Thorson closed his eyes and tried to focus, he found it difficult.
"Laffey, can you try to narrow your thoughts? We're about to go in against four Sakura warships. Think only about what we need to do in the here and now," Thorson requested. Laffey closed her eyes and moved her rigging about.
"Yes, Commander. Heading is green, all weapon systems are green, propulsion green, navigation green…" As Laffey continued to check her systems Thorson swore he could 'feel' the effects on his own body. His breathing steadied and his stomach calmed. His head cleared and his thoughts returned to the coming battle. His muscles felt coiled and ready to spring to action, and any lingering tiredness had vanished from his mind. His vision felt sharp and his hearing clear. He looked at Laffey as she finished her systems check, feeling as though he might drown in her deep, red eyes.
"Are you ready?" He asked seriously, already knowing the answer.
"Yes, Commander."
"Then let's go save a convoy."
The captain of the USS Demeter was at his wits end. Their escort ship had been lost first, the primary target of the Sakura ships. They had been forced to abandon a supply ship that lost her rudder, then another sank. He was about to order all hands to lifeboats when the rippling sound of a 127mm gun volley reached his ears. A surprised cheer went up on deck around him as a tight cluster of four shells sailed over their formation and slammed into the deck of one of the Kamikaze-class destroyers that had been doggedly pursuing them. When the smoke cleared he could see through his binoculars that the attack had disabled one set of the ship's torpedo tubes and set a handful of small fires on the deck. A small spark of hope lit in his chest. He grabbed the radio. "All ships this is Captain Stephens, continue evasive maneuvers and remain at your posts. The cavalry has arrived."
"You're sure?" Thorson asked, surveying the battlefield from the bridge. He could practically feel Laffey's desire to get in close and begin knife fighting with four enemy ships. They'd scored a good hit on their first volley but now the enemy knew they were here and were responding in kind. He could see the turrets rotating to face them. "Laffey, bombardment incoming from the cruiser," he advised. Laffey took evasive maneuvers before he even finished his sentence as the Furutaka-class cruiser unleashed a volley of HE shells at them. She turned so hard to port that the red painted portion of her hull saw the light of day, the sudden change of the ship's profile sending up a spray of water and killing their speed, allowing the incoming volley to splash harmlessly in front of them. As Laffey corrected course after the dodge, she dropped five torpedoes from her starboard tubes in a tight grouping that would force the Furutaka class cruiser to maneuver away or towards them, preventing another broadside attack. Thorson remained standing throughout, his sense of balance aided greatly by whatever sort of intrinsic link Laffey had activated when she'd pulsed her ship while still in contact with him. She stood serenely in the middle of the bridge, focusing on her 'body' while Thorson felt her stroking his mind, gathering combat information from his surveillance.
"Yes, Commander. Laffey knows we can win against them. They are stupid ships. The faster Laffey defeats them, the closer she comes to them, the less the convoy will suffer."
"How are you reading my thoughts?" He demanded, watching as the Kamikaze class ships changed heading in order to engage them.
"Commander prepares for combat, has information from Akashi. Laffey sees it easily, understands it."
"I don't understand this at all," Thorson admitted, continually surveying the battle through his binoculars. "But I think you have the right of it," he agreed, watching the enemy cruiser tack away in a dodge, a move that separated it from the other three ships. "Those destroyers are all behaving identically."
"Laffey requests permission to destroy them," the bunny girl said, walking forward to take his hand and allow him a glimpse of her plans.
"Modify your attack slightly, draw fire away from the convoy if you can withstand the fire," Thorson ordered. Laffey nodded silently. "Permission granted Laffey, you're cleared to engage."
A thrill surged through Thorson as he felt Laffey's engines kick up yet another notch. The destroyer began a series of aggressive S-shaped maneuvers to close the distance between her and the enemy, firing a volley every time all four of her guns were broadside to the Sakura ships. They returned fire, but Laffey never showed them her hull for long. Most of the shells splashed harmlessly into the water around them with a couple impacting the hull and deflecting away. One shot from the destroyers did impact the deck but Laffey shrugged it off, that same blue hexagonal shield that Thorson recalled from Pennsylvania reappearing to prevent damage against them. Laffey was breathing heavily, but her skin was flushed and lively, her rigging moving and shifting as with the ship below them.
"How many more times can you do that?" He demanded, holding her hand tightly in support. She spared an appreciative glance at him
"Laffey will do whatever is needed to win. Laffey will fulfill her purpose," she replied. He nodded, though maintained his worry about the strength of a destroyer's shields. He was sure Pennsylvania would be much more suited to such a charge.
"We're in range. They won't be able to evade us in that formation. Torpedoes, now. Cross them up."
"Yes, Commander." Laffey acknowledged his orders, her voice alert and eager. Turning to starboard, her torpedo tubes activated and turned out to sea, releasing another cluster of five torpedoes towards the center and right Kamikazes. A quick turn to port and her starboard tubes also deployed, sending more ordinance downrange and creating a field of torpedoes that their enemies would only be able to avoid if they maneuvered separately. Thorson growled triumphantly as he watched them attempt to maneuver, first to the left and then to the right. In the end the three of them couldn't decide on a proper course and paid the price. He could sense Laffey's heart thrumming with anticipation of her first kill.
"Hell yeah!" Thorson cheered as torpedoes began detonating around the destroyer pack. The center one took a single torpedo to the bow before keeling over and taking on water. The ship to its right took multiple hits along the hull and broke in half, slowly sinking to the bottom. The final destroyer exploded as its munitions stores detonated, throwing scrap metal, water, and fire high into the sky. Laffey cooed adoringly as Thorson rubbed her head, slightly messing up her pigtails. "Damn, that's quite the sight," he remarked approvingly.
"One more, Commander," Laffey replied happily as she continued to dodge and weave through the enemy torpedoes and shells, now substantially reduced thanks to their area attack. Unfortunately, the two of them had sailed quite close to the Furutaka-class cruiser, a deliberate ploy to draw all fire away from the convoy. Their enemy took the offered target, firing a heavy barrage of 203mm shells at them. Laffey was able to block the first shot but two shells hit the deck and exploded, taking out one of their forward gun batteries. Thorson knelt beside Laffey as the shipgirl cried out in pain and fell to her knees, gritting her teeth as her jacket frayed and an angry bruise developed under her left clavicle. He looked her over and noticed that in the heat of battle even her rigging had lost its customary, pristine sheen.
"Laffey, you alright?" He worriedly asked, helping her back to her feet and refusing to let her go.
"It will take much more to destroy me," she promised. "Commander, please help with the starboard torpedo tubes."
"What do you need me to do?"
"Load faster so Laffey can end this sooner."
"Understood." No longer needed on the bridge thanks to the close quarters nature of the battle, Thorson opened the hatch and sprinted down the deck, stumbling slightly as Laffey fired another volley and the sound of guns seemed to roar inside him. He looked up just long enough to see her HE shells impact the Furutaka's quad torpedo tubes, taking them out of commission to clear their final approach. Thorson nodded as he began wheeling a torpedo over to Laffey's torpedo tubes, not even bothering trying to understand how three of the five tubes were already reloaded without any intervention.
"We have more speed and maneuverability. That thing won't be able to hit us with torpedoes so long as we stay on this side," he muttered to himself as he finished loading, pounding on the hard point. "Fire when ready, Laffey!" He yelled. He wasn't sure if she heard him or if she 'heard him' through their link, but the tubes before him moved and acquired their target. They released their payload in a wide arc with a satisfying thump as the Furutaka fired a final defiant volley, seemingly understanding that every angle of escape had been eliminated. Thorson swore and clung to the nearest railing as the hull shuddered, but when the smoke cleared he knew that they'd held. Peering over the side he could see a shell had penetrated Laffey's hull and exploded within, but given that he was still alive that meant the engines and ammo stores were unharmed. "Bet you the kitchen's a right mess," he said, heading back for the bridge as the enemy cruiser was torn in half by their torpedo attack.
When Thorson returned he found Laffey panting against the command chair, her clothing much more ragged than when he'd left her and her face covered in soot. He could see patches of skin on her legs where her leggings were torn as well as a hole in her rigging's gun mount. She looked at him, breathing heavily as their speed dropped and she returned from the trance of combat. "Did Laffey…make the Commander happy?"
"Don't say something like that." Thorson shook his head and walked swiftly to her, hugging her against his body and stroking her head. "You won your first battle, Laffey. You were very brave," he praised her. "You took fire that would have otherwise hit defenseless transports and you sunk four enemy ships. I'm not happy. I'm damn proud." Thorson gave her a genuine smile as she pulled back to look at him, feeling the 'link' fade along with the battle itself. "You didn't just fight for me, you fought for us."
"Laffey is happy then," she whispered, not saying anything else and instead returning to Thorson's embrace, the pain of combat ebbing away thanks to his protective presence. The Commander looked out over the convoy they'd rescued, not bothering to question what the two of them might look like to an outside observer. They had defeated the enemy. How they did it seemed to matter little in that moment.
"-come in! Commander Thorson, is that you?" The radio came alive, breaking the two of them away from each other. Laffey grabbed the receiver and handed it to him.
"You have a call, Commander." She giggled as he took it from her.
"Thank you, Laffey," he said with a smile before composing himself. "This is Commander Thorson aboard the USS Laffey along with Eagle Union shipgirl Laffey. Was that all of them?"
"Commander Thorson, this is Captain Stevens of the USS Demeter. Far as we know there are no other enemy contacts out there. Radar and sonar are negative. Damn fine of you to show up when you did. And did you say shipgirl?"
"Yes sir. Laffey and I are the only ones aboard."
"Well I'll be damned; guess that explains those maneuvers. I've never seen anything like it. Commander, I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth but I have another favor to ask of you."
"Go ahead, sir."
"One of our ships was crippled in the ambush, lost her rudder and was left behind. Any chance you can tow her to wherever you're based for repairs? Assuming she's still afloat, of course."
Thorson considered the request for a moment before remembering that most shipgirls in the Union and Empire knew about his base. It was hardly a secret. War was upon them and he inhabited one of the most strategic locations in the Pacific. The more Union sailors that knew about it, the better. He felt a compromise could be found as far as access to the actual base was concerned. He was about to reply when Laffey tugged his sleeve.
"Akashi might enjoy another project, Commander," she offered. He found himself nodding in agreement.
"I hope she's feeling like a bit of bartering," he replied before activating the radio. "That shouldn't be a problem, Captain. My situation is a bit…peculiar but we definitely have the facilities to assist you provided your men are willing to remain confined to their ships. This is a matter of classified intelligence."
"Then you have my thanks, Commander. We'll hold here until you've secured a tow line and then follow your lead back home. We'll comply with whatever measures are necessary. Again, you have my thanks and the thanks of my crew."
"Just doing my duty, sir."
"Of course. Commander, are you seeing this?"
"What is it, Captain?"
"In the water, where the Sakura ships went down. Something's glowing down there." At the captain's word Thorson and Laffey sprinted out to the bow of the ship, the rain streaking against their bodies and rinsing the soot of battle from Laffey's face. Sure enough, the watery graves of their adversaries were all marked by small, blue points of light. Thorson brought his binoculars to bear as Laffey tugged on his sleeve anxiously.
"What does the Commander see?" She asked.
"Well I'll be damned. Akashi was right," he declared, looking seriously at Laffey. "Those are wisdom shards."