Cane tossed another stone toward the three ships on the beach. A thin beam shot from the largest, and turned the stone to dust. This had been going on for a while, and everyone else was just tuning it out. Or as much as a person could tune out what was essentially an Oerlikon cannon firing at a rock.
It wasn't really that hard to understand that he and the mental model from the vessel were not fond of each other. If it wasn't for the fact that the ships wanted to be granted some form of asylum, she probably would have fired on him. It was just barely within the bounds of peace that she was firing at the rocks, and they couldn't prove that he was trying to hit her, but since he never did, they couldn't really discipline him for throwing rocks.
"So, how long do you plan to try to bring about our doom? I mean, she most likely will just kill you, but we end up collateral damage at this point," Fishbone asked from behind him.
"They already reloaded the launchers, and have three vibrators per. Also they stationed a crew at the coffin, so we don't have to worry about the aftermath. It would be mutually assured destruction," he replied, laying back on the sand.
Fishbone sat down beside him. They didn't speak for a long while. Honestly, beyond what they needed to, the four of them rarely spoke at all. They didn't really know each other that well for having lived in the same building for the better part of a year.
"I wonder if any of us will rotate out given this," the older man finally asked.
"Probably not. Most likely for security reasons," Cane replied, letting his eyes close.
"Did your brothers die before '39? I just wondered, you don't have to answer," Fishbone asked, regretting the question.
"'41. They were among the last to try to run. My parents tried to convince them not to, but they wouldn't listen. They were with a convoy. Eight cargo vessels. U.S.S. Cowpens. U.S.S. Stout. U.S.S. Ramage. U.S.S. Chafee. JS Fuyuzuki. JS Amagiri. ROKS Wang Geon. Entire convoy lost to Yamashiro, Naka, Kiso, and Chokai on Oct 12. Three survivors, out of over two thousand. Their life boat was too small for the Fog to care about. If you were wondering why I hate them so much, that's why," Cane didn't open his eyes.
That had to have been the largest concentration of active warships at that time. As old as those ships were, they had to have been pulled out of mothballs, especially the Cowpens. Fishbone couldn't help but be amazed that it had occurred, it had never been announced, that it happened or that it was destroyed.
"That's horrible. I wouldn't have thought that anyone would have tried by that time," he finally said after he thought.
Cane finally sat up, "They had to try, I guess. If they hadn't, then someone else might have later, and nobody survive. We shouldn't be here, hoping they really are wanting peace. Honestly, I don't know why I told Skips to save her. I don't know what the hell my gut was doing. I just hope this won't blow up in our faces."
"Honestly Cane, it doesn't matter at this point. If they change their mind, we most likely won't even realize it. So, you have anything on the transfer of responsibility from the Texas Navy, to the U.S. Navy," Fishbone asked.
Cane shook his head, "When you tell a Texan to do something, and you aren't just outright polite, we tend not to want to do it. They told Austin they would hand them over, and as of this moment, they have told Capt. Sutherland to kiss a very specific part of their body. In fact, they told her to get all of her forces out of the area, and that the Texas Navy would be handling this situation themselves."
"Uh, I'm not from Texas originally, so I don't understand how all of that works. How can Texas tell the Federal Government, to take a hike,"the former sailor asked.
"Texas has always been much more independent that any other state. We are the only state that has an independent navy, though it has always been more along the line of a river and lake partrol force. Technically, the U.S.S. Texas down in Galveston is the flagship, and every other vessel is an armed patrol boat. The biggest actual gun that is used, is a ma deuce. From what I am getting though, since the shore stations are under the auspices of the states, the Texas Navy was reformalized from the Texas Navy Association, and the Maritime Regiment of the Texas State Guard. Apparently this occurred three months ago, and the shore stations were rolled into the Texas Navy purview last month. Given that we are the last to know anything, we wouldn't have heard until rotations were done in a few months. Also, on another note, we are supposed to be getting a full six vehicle fleet of brand new Chevy Tahoes and Silverados to replace all of these worn out pieces of junk, but they weren't to be touched until rotations were done," Cane laid everything out as he laid back down.
Fishbone nodded, "Sounds about right. So, how does Texas grant these, ladies," he grimaced at the idea of the ships being actual women in some manner, "asylum? I mean, they are literally ships, not people."
"I apologize if our presence is a bother,Sir, but how are we not people," a small feminine voice came from behind them.
The two men rounded to see a young blonde woman dressed in rather normal clothing. Honestly, they wouldn't have noticed her if they passed her on the street. The only reason they realized that she wasn't human due to her words.
"Uh, Miss," Cane started.
"Wyoming. I'm Wyoming," she said, "I'm the, quieter one."
Fishbone's voice caught in his throat a little. Even if he wouldn't have noticed her with how she was dressed, he would have noticed her face. She was stunning. Her blonde hair was smooth, and looked like the finest silk. Her eyes were emerald green, and were big and shined in the midday sun.
"Yes, Miss Wyoming, you aren't flesh and blood. You are just an imitation of us. For what reason, who knows. I know I don't care. I just can't wait until they figure out what to do with you, so you can get off my beach. Especially your, leader, I guess she is," Cane looked at the mental model with little interest.
The woman shrunk back a little, "I apologize for how she is. She, doesn't know how to put her pride behind her. Even to other members of the fleet, she is rather rough. I think besides me and Arkansas, the only other member she is nice to, is her sister. I, thank you for allowing us to stay as long as it is necessary."
Cane stood up, "I don't have much choice. My superiors are saying you get to stay, so I have to put up with you. Hopefully, something can be done to move you to Galveston or Houston. Otherwise, I don't want to have any more to do with you than I have to."
Cane walked away at that. Wyoming simply looked after him, seeming a little nervous. Fishbone couldn't believe that Cane could have acted like that, regardless of the nature of the woman. The sheer disregard and cruelty in his voice, was startling.
"Miss Wyoming, I apologize. He lost family to your people, about thirteen years ago. Miss Texas' first impression wasn't much better to be honest," he finally managed to dig his tongue out of his stomach.
"I can understand. There have been casualties on our side as well. Primarily destroyers, but we have had others who turned against us. Something told us to stand down, The three of us followed that order, most others didn't. I should return to my ship, I don't want to make Texas angry for disappearing."
Cane kept walking to the station house. Trying to put the memory of the day they found out about his brothers' deaths out of his head. It never stopped hurting, and he didn't want it to. That pain gave him a reason to get up every morning and do the job he was now doing.
"You ok Drydock," he heard a voice behind him.
"I thought the Fed was told to take a hike," he didn't turn to look at the woman.
"I know how to talk to my own people. I am staying as a liaison for now. Capt. Sutherland, left a few hours ago to return to San Diego. So, I am the only member of the U.S. Navy in this part of the state right now," she stepped up to walk beside him.
"Melissa. I don't want you here, and I doubt you want to be here. So why didn't you leave," he refused to look over at her.
Melissa Draver looked down at her shoes, "I'm still sorry. I made my mistake, and I can't take it back. It doesn't mean that my feelings for you changed."
Cane stopped, "You slept with one of our teachers. You actually thought that he would change my grade because you did. You already knew I believed in passing and failing on my own merit. That you tried to do anything behind my back, hurt enough. That you used your body, that you disrespected yourself worse, than you disrespected me, was the last nail in that coffin."
"Drydock, I didn't want you to fail. I knew how much success meant to you, and I didn't know what else to do. I loved you that much, and I still do."
Cane pulled a ring on a chain from the collar of his shirt, "And I was days, from asking you to marry me. I kept this to remind me, how tenuous, feelings can be. Melissa, I am done, I have been for years. The best thing you ever did for me, was leaving. The best thing that you could do right now, is stay away from me. I don't want anything to do with you."
For the second time that day, Cane turned his back and walked away from a woman. Melissa's eyes filled with tears, and then overflowed. There wasn't anyway for her to say that she didn't deserve it, she had slept with a teacher, who had lied to her. She had betrayed Cane's trust, and it was apparent that there was no way for her to regain it.
"You humans, are very confusing. Loyalty also appears to be a weak point among you," Texas walked up, her face completely unreadable.
Melissa scowled, "What would you know of it? You are just a computer playing a woman. What would you know about love? About wanting to make sure that someone you love never has to suffer? Knowing that you ruined everything by your own poor decisions?"
The mental model tilted her head slightly, "I don't. Like you said, I don't have those experiences. Loyalty though? Loyalty is one of the few things I hold sacred. When we received Yamato's order to stand down, I followed, as did the twins. My sister though, was not as loyal as we were. Now I am having to deal with the fall out from that."
"Loyalty to a man you love, and loyalty to your superiors, are two different things. You can't know how it is. You will never know that you lost the chance to spend the rest of your life with the one person that makes you feel like there is a point to your life. You won't know the pain of knowing that you will never have a family with that man, that you won't have his children, and make the memories that you can only make with them. So why don't you just go drown yourself if you think you can," anger flared behind the human's eyes.
"I don't understand what any of that has to do with loyalty. To be honest, it sounds more like you are yelling at yourself for screwing things up by yourself. So, going and yelling at mirror may be a more appropriate action. Now that that is out of the way, have you seen a young woman somewhat taller than me, dressed rather plainly, has blonde hair, and seems like she is about to have a panic attack," Texas lost interest in the conversation, and switched the topic to her own purpose.
"Texas, I am sorry for wandering off. I wanted to express my appreciation for the hospitality we are being provided here," Wyoming walked up with Fishbone slightly behind her.
"I told both of you not to wander away for any reason. What if you somehow managed to get lost, we don't have any kind of mapping for ashore. How would Arkansas feel if you disappeared," the mental model seemed to soften as she spoke to the other.
"I know. I didn't realize how much hate we had against us. Why do they hate us this much, when they do the same to their own people, and have for ages before us," the blonde mental model looked down at the ground as she spoke.
Another voice chimed in, "Because humans, hate outsiders fighting them, more than they hate each other. I was worried about you, you know I hate you getting out of my sight."
Fishbone and Melissa looked over as a woman that looked almost exactly like Wyoming was walking up. The difference was in her clothing and bearing. She was dressed rather finely, but more rugged than a person would have expected. If the mental models clothes weren't a part of them, then her boots would have had to cost five hundred dollars alone. She had a lopsided smirk on her face, and her eyes were a shocking blue.
"I know Arkansas, I just wanted to say thank you to them for allowing us to be here," Wyoming said to her sister .
"To think you are a warship. I'm just glad you're ok. I take it you are this, asshole, who is in command of this place," Arkansas looked over at Fishbone with a slightly hostile look.
Texas spoke up, "He is not. He has been, less hostile. He is also much taller. Unfortunately, the commander of the station seems to have some ability to know I am approaching and walk away. As soon as I can pin him down, I will ask about the status of our asylum."
Fishbone sighed, really not liking the fact he was the XO of the place, "I am the executive officer. We haven't had any definite communications regarding it, however you are currently under the custody of the Texas Navy, with no current plans to hand you over to the USN. I apologize for Cane's manner. His brothers were killed trying to run a convoy to Japan over a decade ago. He really let it fester, and I think all of this has become a little overwhelming for him."
Texas looked at him blankly, "We were not involved according to him. He said that his brothers died in the Pacific. "
"Yeah, apparently Yamashiro was the ship that lead the attack on the convoy. I don't him that well, mainly just working with him, so I can't tell you if he will every lighten up. He is going to follow the orders that come down though. I'm going to go check with our communications guy and see if anything has come in. I will let you know if we hear anything. Pardon me ladies," Fishbone turned to head to the station house, giving Wyoming one more look as he did.