Aboard the bridge of the Pennsylvania, Ooshio could not discern whether she was in the presence of a man or a demon. Her sisters, Shiratsuyu, and a tender-faced Ironblood destroyer named Z23 were allowed free reign of the space to care for Michishio, for which she was grateful, but they all remained in the back huddled around the cot. The front of the bridge was war, or perhaps slaughter. Against the deep purple curtain of night outside the windows, bright orange light flickered across the commander's face as black smoke billowed into the sky from the direction of the airfield. His brow was furrowed and his mouth contorted into an angry frown. The tall, elegant woman who commanded the ship had left the bridge minutes prior, just after the bombardment had begun. Ooshio's attention shifted as Asashio spoke.
"Sister, don't strain yourself!"
"I'm alright, thank you," Michishio replied as Arashio helped her to sit up and accept another spoonful of rice and chicken broth from Shiratsuyu. "Oh dear, where are we?"
"Tha Shikikan sailed his fleet ta Bali. They're...tha airfield is lost nee-chan. It's burnin', just like Makassar," Ooshio told her. Michishio looked past the equipment in the bridge to the man who was their mortal enemy, yet had saved her life. He stood rigid with his hands clasped behind his back, his broad shoulders shadowed by the low light of the flames.
"He seems rather sad, doesn't he?" Michishio asked. Arashio and Asashio sent evil looks his way but Zed answered quietly.
"I don't think he likes killing."
"He's doing it," Arashio pointed out acidly.
"Of course, it's his duty," Zed acknowledged. "Saving me and the four of you wasn't his duty and he did it anyway. I think that says more about him but...I'm still learning what kind of man Andrew Thorson is."
Silence fell over the six ships as the occasional blast of a main battery rang out across the ocean. Ooshio made her decision and stood.
"Onee-san!" Arashio hissed as Ooshio stretched her legs and brushed off her kimono. "What are you doing?!"
"I'm gonna go talk ta him. If he's as good a man as the Ironblood says, maybe he'll let us go or treat us good? I don' really know, but if I can help all of us, I'm gonna do it." Though her words were brave, Ooshio felt great fear by the time she drew level with Thorson. The sound of her wooden sandals on the metal of the bridge was more than sufficient to herald her arrival. He turned his head slightly. Her ears barely came up to his shoulders.
"Stand on my other side. Don't go for my weapon and we won't have problems. Reach into your kimono and I'll draw my gun," he said evenly. "You're Ooshio, right?"
"T-tha's right Shikikan. I uh...I don' know what I was gonna say. That's...that's a mighty dreadful sight there."
"It is," Thorson agreed, watching through his binoculars as the last, bravely stupid soldiers gave up trying to fight fires or fire back and fled to the north or south of the airfield. "Your sister is stable?"
"Yeah, she is. Thank ya kindly."
"Good."
Another long silence pervaded the bridge as Ooshio's attempt at conversation was stymied by Thorson's terse nature. She eventually tried again. "So ah...where did tha raven haired beauty from earlier go?"
That comment got her Thorson's full attention as he cocked a brow at her. She raised her sleeves to her chin in embarrassment but he didn't say anything untoward. "One of my ships claimed that fighting from the bow allows for better target acquisition. Given the force imbalance, I requested Pennsylvania confirm this. She's down there."
Ooshio accepted Thorson's binoculars and stood on tiptoe, looking first at the bow of the ship she was on. Penny's blue uniform fluttered in a nighttime breeze as Ooshio shifted focus to the burning tarmac and then to the left as one of Thorson's battleships fired again, adding a couple more craters to the airstrip. Ooshio's mouth dropped open. "Who in the name of tha gods is that angel over there?!"
"You like women?" Thorson countered, seeing where Ooshio's gaze was directed. Tennessee stood proudly on the bow of her ship. Her jacket billowed behind her like some conquering hero as her crossed arms rested on her chest. Her frown matched Thorson's to the letter, the golden rigging attached to her temples glinting in the firelight.
"It don' matter ta me," Ooshio squeaked, wondering why she was even conversing with him. "I just think beautiful things are beautiful. Look at her, that flaxen hair turnin' red in the fire, her caramel skin an' those legs. Whatever man lands her is gonna be a lucky man indeed. Though I hope he's got himself a spine o' steel. Her frown is almost scary as yours, Shikikan."
To Ooshio's great surprise Thorson smiled. "Don't let her hear you say that, but I think she'd appreciate the sentiment, both about her body and her intimidating presence. She puts a lot of effort into her health, even more than most ships of the Union."
"It shows," Ooshio whispered. They were interrupted by the radio and Fusou's voice.
"Tono-sama, I believe we are done here?" She asked.
"Looks that way," Thorson agreed darkly.
"I can hear it in your voice, tono-sama. I feared this. Please, might I perform a ceremony for the dead?" Fusou requested. Ooshio and her sisters perked their ears, curious as to how a Union Commander would react to such a request.
"How long will it take?"
"A few minutes is all," Fusou promised.
"Go ahead, do what you need to do."
"Thank you, tono-sama. Are the young ones there with you?"
"They are. Ooshio is next to me," Thorson confirmed.
"I see. Can she hear me?"
Thorson handed the receiver to Ooshio. "Ah, I'm here Fusou-sama!" She said nervously.
"Hello, Ooshio. I know we are still likely enemies at this point, but you and your sisters are servants of the gods and so I entreat you now. Many sons of Japan have lost their lives today...some at my own hand. If you could find it in your hearts to do so, I would ask you to pray for their souls with me. I hope that we can set them at ease as they travel on to their final rest."
The young shrine maiden nodded. "Yeah, we can do tha' for sure, Fusou-sama."
"Good, thank you. Tono-sama, would you please escort them onto deck? I believe the rest of your ships may find comfort in this as well," Fusou offered serenely, effortlessly fulfilling her role as spiritual guardian and priestess within his fleet. With no threats apparent on radar, sonar, or visual, Thorson considered it an acceptable risk. He turned and walked over to the gathering of ships on his bridge while Fusou used the radio network to communicate her intentions to the Union and Royal ships in the fleet.
"Are you feeling better Michishio? Can you walk?" Thorson requested as kindly as he could manage. With her sisters' help she rose to her feet.
"Yes, I can," she confirmed. "Where are we going?"
"To honor the dead," Thorson informed her simply. Asashio and Arashio looked at one another cautiously, but Shiratsuyu and Zed seemed to have expected such a thing from Thorson. Moving at a slow pace for Michishio, they eventually emerged onto the deck to find Penny waiting for them. She pointed to the ocean between them and the airfield. There, silhouetted by the fires and smoke, the Fusou floated proudly. Her rigging was covered in paper charms and talismans, with Sakura flags and banners flying from every spare spot on her mast and other equipment.
"Commander, what's the deal?" Pennsylvania requested as he joined her.
"Fusou is sending the dead on to the afterlife. I don't know much about the Sakura traditions," he admitted, gesturing to Ooshio and the others that they should feel free to behave as they saw fit. "You and the others don't need to participate."
"I know, Commander, but maybe we should do for them what we did for that cruiser you sunk?" Penny offered, more than able to see the stress on Thorson's face. Ever since spending the night with him she'd enjoyed that little game, studying the minute movements of his cheeks and eyes and mouth. It didn't feel like a game anymore. The four captured shrine maidens walked silently past them before standing near the railing and bowing their heads. Shiratsuyu joined them. Thorson offered a hand to Zed. Penny had already taken his left. God felt very far away and so he knelt. They did the same. Penny remembered the prayer. Zed listened respectfully.
We hereby commit these lives to the deep, to be turned into corruption. Looking for the resurrection, when the sea shall give up her dead, and the life of the world to come, through our Lord.
"Amen."
"Amen."
"Amen," Zed finished as they stood, finding that the various tags, charms, and seals on the Fusou had caught fire, detaching and floating into the sky to symbolize the lives they'd taken that day in Makassar and Bali. "It's hauntingly beautiful," the Ironblood whispered, removing her cap and feeling just a bit at ease.
"It is," Thorson agreed, wondering if the rest of his fleet had chosen to participate. Unbeknownst to him Tennessee had taken a knee on her bow along with Warspite, the latter resting her forehead against the crossguard of her sword. Arizona and the rest of the Union and Royals bowed respectfully, and Laffey poured some of her bourbon into the Badung Strait. For many of them such a gesture was new and foreign, but the mismatch in power between men and shipgirls was more than apparent. There was no pride in the duty they'd fulfilled, but they'd seen it through and saw fit to join their commander in acknowledging those they'd fought against. When it was over, Thorson rested a hand on Penny's shoulder.
"Radio the fleet, it's time to move."
"Destination, sir?"
"The Sakura have attacked from the north and the east. If there's anything left in this area it'll be in Surabaya. We can be there around dawn. I'm counting on you to make contact before anyone starts shooting."
"We haven't seen a single Union boat since arriving here, sir," Pennsylvania replied. "What do you think happened to them?"
"Given the Sakura took Makassar and Bali, they retreated or were sunk. We know too little about this theater. We need to find whoever is in command of the ABDA forces here."
"Agreed. I'll return to the bridge, sir. Girls!" Penny called. "Form up and move out. We're heading for Surabaya, bearing northwest."
A chorus of affirmations reached Penny as she headed inside. Zed and Shiratsuyu joined her, the latter making for the kitchens to ensure all was prepared for the morning meal. That left Thorson to watch over his new prisoners. The blue and purple maidens supported the red one when they finally headed back to the door that led to the ship, with the plump green one tottering behind them.
"You missed one," Asashio informed him, pointing to the barracks and troop quarters next to the airfield. Thorson shook his head.
"My fleet destroyed everything they were ordered to destroy," he replied simply before opening the door for them. Michishio threw him a confused but grateful look as she passed him. Ooshio didn't follow. "Is there a problem?"
"Can I ask ya somethin' else, Shikikan?"
"Why do you keep calling me Shikikan?"
"Ah, well I considered yer name but that's not real appropriate is it? And Union devil is probably doin' ya a disservice. Don't think I really have any choice but ta follow yer orders anyway so...is that not alright with ye?"
"It's fine," he replied as softly as he could. She did not deserve his anger and self loathing. "What do you want to ask me?"
"Why do Fusou-sama and her sister follow ya?" Ooshio requested. Thorson sighed and shook his head, gazing out over the railing and contemplating what he'd wrought.
"You'd be better off asking them."
"Ah will be doin' that, Shikikan. But I would like ta hear from you as well."
"I saved Yamashiro's and Fusou's lives the night they came to me. They were pursued by one of your spies, Kirishima, and a host of drone ships, cruisers, and destroyers. The sirens had infected them. I suppose they figured they owed me a life debt and that we both have a common enemy in the those aliens. As for what's happened since then...you will have to ask them if their conviction has waxed or waned."
Ooshio glanced up at him, remembering how Fusou had behaved in his presence after Michishio had been stabilized. "It may not be mah place ta say anythin', Shikikan, but I couldn't help watchin' the way Fusou-sama was actin' around ya. I'm a simple country girl, and that looked like she believes in ya for real. Maybe she feels more than just belief in ya. It's been makin' me question things, about what the Sakura are fightin' for if she's fightin' for you."
Thorson could only nod his head, pleased that at least one of his prisoners seemed amenable to conversation. "I think they'll be happy to have more women who serve their gods on the base. We're trying to build a shrine. Maybe you can help."
"Yer...buildin' a what?"
"Shinto is your religion, yes? One with many gods?" Thorson queried. That was about the extent of his knowledge regarding Sakura religious practices.
"Yes, Shikikan."
"So yeah, a Shinto shrine I guess. Hopefully Akashi's managed to lay a foundation without blowing up half the island. Sounds like something she'd do."
"Wait, yer with Akashi too?!" Ooshio exclaimed.
"Found her the first day on the base," Thorson replied wistfully. "Things were simple back then."
"I...I should go be with my sisters but it's been nice talking to ya, Shikikan. Do...do ya expect us to be fightin' for ya?"
"No. I'll hold you prisoner until the end of the war if you choose not to fight. You will not be harmed or killed, but you will not be free. I have enough guns on my side to enforce that now. Should you choose to serve alongside your sisters...you will take rigging and pledge yourself to my fleet. We will rebuild your ships, and that will be that."
"I think I like you just a bit, Shikikan."
"Why's that? I destroyed your ships, bombarded your ports of call, and undid weeks' worth of military successes by the Sakura in a single day," Thorson enumerated as the Pennsylvania reached cruising speed and sliced through the waters of the tropical seas. Ooshio nodded.
"Well yeah that's all true an' such," she agreed. "But you were jus' doin' yer job, right? Ya also chose ta spare me, Arashio, an' Asashio. Ya saved Michishio. Ya spared the crews of those transports. Ya left the barracks standin' in Denpassar...and ya let Fusou-sama honor the dead. I don' much like this talk of the Creator an' how he desires souls of the strong an' brave. I'm a simple lass. I don' overthink things cause I really can't. That's more for Jintsuu-sama an' the others. I don' think yer a bad man, Shikikan. Just that fate put ya on the other side." With those words Ooshio bowed and left him. He didn't follow her, knowing that if they went anywhere they shouldn't, Penny would know immediately. Instead he gazed out into the inky black night and wondered if God would tell him the same as Ooshio when his number finally came up.
\-
Rear Admiral Doorman was at his wits end. A combination of bad luck, outdated ships, incompetence, and Sakura airpower had driven the ABDA to the brink. With Bali falling to the Sakura not two days prior, it was all hands on deck just getting Surabaya ready for the inevitable twin engine bomber raids. When an ensign ran to him calling that a fleet of fourteen ships had been spotted sailing into the harbor his heart almost stopped. That was until he was able to see the colors they flew.
"God zij geprezen," he muttered, making the sign of the cross over his body before grabbing his cap and heading onto the docks. The scene that greeted him and his sailors there would have been comedic were it not for the fact that they were down to a handful of cruisers and destroyers, many of which had taken battle damage. A single Union Commander stepped into the docks from a battleship, a glorious behemoth of steel. At his side was a proud, beautiful, and seductive woman whose uniform was only exceeded in visual appeal by the twelve gun barrels that seemed to float at her side. She would have looked most at home on the fuselage of an American bomber. Behind them walked a procession of four Sakura maidens, an Ironblood girl, and a young woman with dog ears and a tail.
On either side of him, many shipgirls were skating over the waters of the bay to join him from where they'd dropped anchor. A slim, short, commanding woman with a broadsword almost as tall as her own body, flowing blonde hair, and rigging at least thrice her size led a group of five women of royal caliber, one of whom was exceedingly pale and carried an open parasol. The rest of the Union forces strode forward behind an intimidating woman, tall, blonde, and tan, with terrifying guns, a terrifying frown, and alluring leggings. With them walked a woman more elegant, reserved, and plush than the rest, though her eight gun barrels and command tower were no less imposing. There was no stopping the chatter among his men.
"I reckon they got more guns than we do."
"Where did they even come from? I thought we were cut off!"
"The hell are Sakura doing here?"
"Are you looking at the rack on that one?"
"The rack? Did you miss the tail and ears?"
Rear Admiral Doorman shook his head and stepped forward. The Commander, young enough to be his son, brought his heels together and saluted. The majority of his force did the same, with the ships of the Union fashioning similar salutes. The Royals and the one Sakura with weaponry bowed to him, while the Ironblood brought her hand across her chest. "I'm Rear Admiral Doorman, commander of the ABDA forces in the Dutch East Indies...or what's left of them. I was told not to expect reinforcement."
"Commander Andrew Thorson of the Eagle Union and Azur Lane. Officially I'm not here to reinforce you, but we sure don't mind, sir. There are some things you should know and some things we'd like to know."
"You're rather young to command a fleet of that size."
"I've got plenty of help," Thorson replied, gesture to his shipgirls who all bore confident or smug expressions at his display of faith. Doorman nodded curtly.
"I've had to pull the entire crew off the Houston to replace loses on other ships. I hope your...girls…are better in combat than that pink haired airhead. She can't even keep up with Jupiter and Exeter."
"Does she have rigging?" Thorson inquired.
"No."
"Well there's your problem."
"Can you fix that?"
"Only if you turn her over to my command."
"Not happening, young buck."
"Then let's talk about how your forces surrendered Makassar and Bali and how up until last night you were under constant threat from enemy air raids," Thorson suggested in a friendly tone with cold eyes. He saw Tennessee's turrets shift slightly out of the corner of his eye.
"And what happened last night?" Doorman demanded with furrowed brow.
"My fleet destroyed those airfields beyond repair and torched Makassar harbor. We have no ground forces to hold territory."
"Nor do I...we should talk, Commander Thorson. If you would?"
"Happily, Admiral. Just give me a moment," Thorson requested before turning to his fleet. "First priority is resupply and repair. When that's done, you're free to explore the port and Surabaya at large. Any of these guys give you trouble, bash their heads in."
"Hell yeah!" Downes cheered from his right. Thorson winked at her.
"Now listen up. I want two armed ships with the four prisoners at all times and one armed ship with Z23 as well as Shiratsuyu. Protect your friends and fellow soldiers. You never know what can happen in wartime. We will meet after sundown aboard the Pennsylvania for debrief and dinner. Understood?"
"Yes sir!"
"Of course, Knight Commander."
"Hai, tono-sama."
"Ja, Kommandant."
\-
Two hours later, Thorson departed Doorman's office with a friendly handshake. The two men had pledged to engage the Sakura fleets around Borneo together during the inevitable coming offensive, though Thorson had not been able to secure the transfer of Houston, Jupiter, or Exeter to his command. Penny, who had accompanied him to the meeting, requested leave and headed off to find her sister, leaving Thorson to travel the docks alone. His presence seemed to be of little interest to the locals, who were already quite familiar with men of fair skin and hair. He suspected he only mattered if he planned to spend money.
It was the streets of Surabaya that proved more interesting, with street vendors, crowded thoroughfares, and the occasional chicken all providing a surfeit of stimulation. He was reviewing the stall of an older man selling spices by the literal basket load when a young native girl called out to him from a nearby alley in broken English. The look in her eyes and the crook of her finger made it more than apparent that she was offering her own body as a service. Thorson had never been propositioned in such a way before, and he was sure it showed on his face as his feet remained rooted to the spot and his jaw went slack. He was saved from having to work his own way out of the situation when a young woman took his hand, then the other, stood on tiptoe, and gave him a blistering kiss on the lips.
"Downes?!" He spluttered. His rowdy destroyer threw a wink over her shoulder before leading him off through the milling crowds.
"You know, for a guy who's slept with Cleveland and Penny, I'd figure you'd be a little less intimidated by some poor island girl," Downes informed him. "But perhaps that's part of your charm."
"Penny told you all then?" Thorson asked evenly.
"Are you kidding? We all knew the moment she was at the radio fifteen minutes late sounding like the happiest little battleship in the fleet!" Downes laughed delightedly.
"Must have missed that," Thorson grumbled.
"Oh I'm sure you were there. Just a girl thing, you know?" She asked as the two of them found an ancient looking wall to sit on that overlooked the docks.
"Then I suppose I should risk my neck and ask if things are still alright in the fleet," the commander decided. Downes swung her legs about as she considered the question.
"Yeah well, everyone's going to react differently, right? I think the royals are more confused than anything. Fusou and Arizona are happy for you and basically just waiting their turn which they're more than confident will come. Tennessee is mad as hell," Downes sniggered, ticking girls off on her fingers. "But when is she not? Cleveland's cool about it, Laffey cares about Zed, not you at the moment, and Indy and her sister…they're a bit opaque."
"How so?"
"Well you know Portland. If she's thinking about anything other than Indy you'd never know. As for Indy herself, well she's just a very reserved girl."
"I see. Thank you, Downes. And you?"
"Oh come on Commander, you can't ask me that!"
"Oh?"
"Nah I'm just kidding with you. I guess I'm a little bit of everything. It's scary and exciting to think about. I wonder if it'll be as good as Cleveland and Penny seem to think it was. I wonder if you'll ever want to do it with me. I won't really be your flagship ever so…"
"Sorry...maybe that was too much prying," Thorson admitted, resting a hand on her knee to show her he didn't dislike her body. "Maybe we can take that up again back home. Care to give me your thoughts on the operation so far instead?"
"Blowing those bases up was a blast!" Downes declared instantly. "But yeah, then that set in."
"What's that?"
"That glum look on your face. Whatever that feels like on the inside, I'm pretty sure we were all feeling it by the end. It's one thing going up against the other Sakura, you know? This wasn't even a fight."
"How are your limbs holding up?"
"I'm fine, thanks Commander. See?" She asked, taking his hand in hers and rolling up her sleeve so he could see her whole right arm, including where she'd lost her limb at Pearl Harbor. "It's alright, touch me!"
Thorson smiled warmly at her, running his fingers up her arm from her hand. She smiled right back as a healthy flush developed on her cheeks, followed by a cute, rushed intake of breath as he passed over her scars. "You alright?"
"Just a little sensitive, Commander. But what did I tell you? Good as new! Real talk though, about the op…I'm glad Fusou's with us."
"Why's that?" Thorson asked quietly, knowing already that he had his own answer.
"We had to do what we did, yeah? But it's nice having her to keep us grounded, give us the illusion that everything will be fine in the next life."
"War is hell," Thorson agreed. "I'm glad we have her too."
"I can think of a few other reasons you'd be happy about that," Downes replied slyly. "Don't give me that look, Commander. I'm not disrespecting the dead. It's just that if you're focused on them and not Fusou's ridiculous butt, I don't like our chances when we go up against that jinsoo or whatever her name is."
"You don't have any filter, do you?" Thorson asked as he tried to tamp down a chuckle.
"That a problem, Commander?" She leaned towards him. He threw a casual arm around her shoulders.
"Nah. Don't need my ships walking on eggshells around me. I prefer it this way even if it means learning you've been scoping out Fusou's rear."
Downes laughed boisterously and slapped her knee. "Commander, the girls might jump me for this but I'll let you in on a little secret. We look at each other just as much as we look at you. Maybe not in a 'goddamn I want to sex Arizona into the mattress just like Andrew probably does' way."
"That's oddly specific."
"You know it's true and she'd go right along with you, savior. The point I was trying to make before you started feeling awkward is that we're all checking each other out, if only because it's incredible to see the sort of forms we all took. Like look at me! I'm a destroyer but I got an ass! Maybe a bit of a rack too!"
"On the curiosity we're definitely in agreement, though I hate to inform you that the short stack in the green kimono is also a destroyer."
"No fucking way!" Downes gasped. "I only got a small glance on the docks this morning but she's like a mini Yamashiro! That's not fair!"
"And how are your abs coming along?" Thorson demanded playfully. He immediately regretted his decision as Downes carelessly lifted her shirt to the point he could just barely glimpse her tiny areolae. She pointed at her stomach and flexed. It was rock solid and he could see every muscle. She was like a cream colored, pint sized Tennessee, showing off almost two weeks of constant workouts. "Do you have any idea how long it would take a man to get abs like that? Months."
"You're pulling my leg!"
"I'll pull your leg off, you little liar. Most women will never look like you!" Thorson insisted. That gave Downes pause.
"In...a good way?" She questioned with sudden apprehension. "I've only got this body."
"Come here," Thorson assured her, hauling her into his lap as he caught a glimpse of her crimson underwear's waistband. Downes needed little encouragement, getting comfortable and throwing her arms around his neck. "Yes, in a good way, Downes."
"Promise?" She pleaded like a happy retriever.
"Promise. Long as a girl has the right kind of body, she'll look like Ooshio if she eats enough. You? I guess the cubes are very good to your metabolism. You've got a body men would kill for, to say nothing of women. I might send you in hand to hand if things get real."
"You mean it? I could go fight those bitches on their ships!?" Downes gasped.
"Don't see why not if the situation called for it. Just wait for orders, yeah? And keep yourself in top form."
"Oh you bet I will, Commander! God that would be too cool. I'd give them a left, then a right, then feed them a torpedo straight from my rigging!" She insisted, punching Thorson in the gut. He was able to flex in time.
"Save it for the enemy! Speaking of the enemy, any thoughts on the new girls?" He asked.
"Haven't had a chance to talk to them, just took a few looks as I said. The one in red is a real angel, I can tell. She practically radiates gentleness. The green one seems outgoing enough and damn thick, as we discussed. Might chat her up sometime. Other two are still closed off, but I don't blame them. We'll see. Overall it could be a lot worse, sir."
"This is the first time I've had to convince girls that weren't in dire straits to join us."
"Let that be for when we have the cubes to build more ships. Besides, not like you can force someone into battle. They'll come around just like the rest of us. In the meantime, care to go for a walk with me Commander? Hopefully one that doesn't involve you running from a street whore half your size? Don't worry, I'll protect you!"
"My maiden in shining armor," Thorson said with a smile.
"I think I prefer number one explosion girl for now. Save that woman stuff for if I ever grow up like Laffey did. Having a teen's body has its perks!"
Thorson had a sneaking suspicion that among those perks were her impossibly firm, budding chest and her well-toned posterior, to say nothing of her muscular frame. Before he knew it they were strolling along the port.
"By the way, Commander?" Downes got his attention, swinging their joined hands back and forth like a teen on her first date.
"Yeah?"
"This is shaping up to be one heck of a vacation. Thanks for taking us!"
Thorson considered the utter defeat that had clearly awaited the allied naval forces along the Malay barrier without their intervention. He nodded. "Happy to have you along, Downes."