Bali Sea, 100 miles northeast of Badung Strait, February 20th, 0800 Hours
"I'm real sorry about that whole dustup there nee-san. I didn' mean it, honest!" Ooshio called over the radio as she and her eldest sister headed back to Makassar following a successful nighttime operation in the Badung Strait.
"It's fine, onee-chan. I was firing as well. You just scratched my paint is all. I didn't hurt you?"
"Naw, I'm just dandy Asashio. After what happened ta Michishio I guess I was feelin' a bit jumpy is all."
"Far worse things have happened during friendly fire incidents in the dead of night," Asashio assured her little sister before covering her mouth in a wide yawn. They'd been underway for more than a day. "The transports landed safely, the airfield on Bali was secured without incident, and we drove off the allied naval forces. We have nothing to be ashamed of, Ooshio."
"That was a mighty fine torpedo by Arashio for sure. I'm a little jealous actually. I do hope them allied sailors got rescued though…"
"Ooshio, we're at war," Asashio reminded her sister. The young woman's pale blue cat ears wilted slightly as she surveyed the open ocean of the Java sea.
"I know that, nee-san. But Michishio got hurt an' all, ya know? Just gets me thinkin'. Long as we make it back to Makassar she'll be right as rain with Arashio towin' her. But those boys...we just left em there in the dark."
"You are a gentle soul, Ooshio. Don't let Jintsuu or the others hear those thoughts," Asashio warned her sister. "I know you serve the gods...but they seem very far away right now."
"I miss em too, Asashio-nee. Nagato-sama, Fusou-sama, Yamashiro-sama...I don' wanna think of it too much, think that the gods have abandoned us. Let's just focus on gettin' our sister back in shape," Ooshio eventually replied, walking onto deck and glancing behind her. Far to the south, she could barely make out the silhouettes of the Arashio, the Michishio, and one of the two transports that has delivered Sakura soldiers to Bali. Her heart almost stopped when she turned back to the north. "Asashio! It's burnin'! Look at the smoke there! That's Makassar, innit?!"
"I see it! Adjust course to starboard! We will try to get closer using the island to the south as cover. We need to figure out what happened and report to Jintsuu-sama. This could scuttle the Java invasion timetable. How in the world did they slip past our air patrols?"
"What about Michishio! She's dyin'!" Ooshio cried in distress.
"Makassar is still the nearest port...I don't know, nee-chan. This is all we can do. I'm radioing Arashio now." Asashio informed her sisters of the situation and her proposed course correction before attempting to establish contact with the main fleet. She poured every once of power she possessed into her communications array in a desperate attempt to pass the information along at great distance. She thought herself safe on Sakura channels. She was wrong.
"Commander, it's Fusou on the line for you," Penny informed Thorson seriously as the two of them oversaw the destruction of Makassar from the bridge of her ship. The fleet had been blessed with luck and skill on the prior day, with cloud cover, intermittent storms, and Ark Royal's Fairey squadrons ensuring that no Sakura air patrols could report their position to the enemy. On the morning of the 20th they had sailed into Makassar harbor, fourteen ships strong, and opened fire.
Transport ships sunk where they were docked, laid low by torpedoes and a rain of small caliber shells from Laffey and the other destroyers. The handful of warships stationed there, two destroyers and a light cruiser, lasted less than five minutes against Portland, Indianapolis, and secondary fire from the American battleships. The largest guns in the fleet had loaded heavy shells and targeted every bit of military hardware and infrastructure they could see. Warspite delighted in destroying the handful of fixed artillery positions with pinpoint accuracy that had even Tennessee nodding with respect. Arizona and Pennsylvania turned the repair facilities and ammunition depots into smoldering, burning wrecks.
Tennessee had been charged with remote bombardment of the local airfield, located thanks to the sacrifice of a handful of Ark Royal's aircraft. They were shot down by land based anti-aircraft guns, but not before the raven haired beauty had discerned the coordinates for bombardment. The royal carrier had assured Thorson that with some rest and a few good meals her fleet of aircraft would be full strength yet again. Tennessee, of course, had delighted in the task, sending barrage after barrage inland to devastate the hangars and tarmac. On Thorson's orders the city was spared, but he knew that he'd still presided over the death of hundreds of Japanese soldiers, the flags of two nations and a Sakura splinter group waving proudly in the bay and mocking the surviving defenders.
"Fusou, what is it?" Thorson asked soberly, glancing behind him to where Zed and Shiratsuyu sat. The two of them were on the bridge for safety, and they looked just as bad as Thorson felt at such a brutal display of power.
"Tono-sama, we are not alone," she warned.
"Go on."
"The destroyer Asashio, of destroyer division eight, is within radio range. She's attempting to reach Jintsuu, who apparently commands the main force in this region."
"What do you know of them?"
"The four sisters of the eighth division are tender and simple souls whose hulls were laid down in country shipyards," Fusou replied with hesitation before her voice hardened. "Jintsuu is a seasoned warrior and superb tactician. If we meet her on the field the battle will not be easy."
"So there are ships crewed by shipgirls in the theater...thank you Fusou, this is invaluable. Please continue to monitor the radio as we plan our next move."
"Understood, tono-sama. I trust you to do what is necessary and right. The gods watch over us all."
"How am I supposed to live up to that?" Thorson demanded of Pennsylvania. She threw an arm around his shoulder.
"You've already done the gods of war proud. You spoke of capturing or sinking destroyers? Sounds like we have a new objective. I'll get the fleet ready to move South. You touch base with the scouts," Penny ordered, though she was coy enough to make it sound like a suggestion. In the back of Thorson's mind he knew that if his command ever grew to the size of a navy, Penny would be one of his commanders.
"Agreed. Put me through to Fusou and Ark," he requested, not wanting to exploit the link between the two of them too heavily. It was consumed by tender memories of lovemaking in the dark, hardly suitable for active combat.
"Line is open on the required channels, sir. Warspite is on as well."
"Thank you. Ark, Fusou, I need the two of you to dispatch scouts to the south. Can't imagine they'd be coming from the north. Find the destroyers Fusou mentioned and give us a heading.
"Yes sir, Knight Commander."
"Hai, tono-sama."
"Nee-san, I know I'm not the sharpest blade in the Navy but I don' really think this is supposed ta be happening," Ooshio ventured, seeing a squadron of four aircraft with Royal Navy markings circling above them along with one Sakura seaplane, likely launched from a heavy cruiser or battleship. It was so out of place that neither of the girls had fired.
"I'm just as confused as you are," Asashio agreed as she and Ooshio drew closer to the billowing black smoke on the horizon. They were still far from the shelter of the island and strait to the south of Makassar when they saw them. As two of the royal aircraft detached and headed further south, Asashio was suddenly struck with panic. Their chances of shooting them down were almost nil and she couldn't believe the number of enemy ships on the horizon. "Arashio, Michishio, turn around and run now! Try to get through the Banda Arc to Palau or make it back to Borneo! We'll do what we can to stall them! Ooshio, load Type 93's and prepare to fire!"
"Asashio, we don' stand a chance!" The young shrine maiden cried.
"...I know, nee-chan. The best we can do is try to die well, give our sisters time, and ensure someone learns why those air patrols went missing yesterday."
A gentle sob came over the radio as Ooshio tried to accept the fates of war. Asashio was not doing much better, seeing broad Union battleship hulls leading the charge in a brazen display of confidence. The fleet even had an aircraft carrier. None of it made sense. The ABDA was supposed to be undersupplied, devoid of capital ships, and slowly routing. This fortress of steel was something entirely different. "I'm scared, Asashio-nee."
"I am too, Ooshio, but we have no choice. If we run, they'll catch Michishio. Fire now."
Aboard the Pennsylvania, Thorson relayed orders to his fleet. "All shields focus below the waterline. Anyone in the front of the formation hold your fire and prepare to take hits. Warspite, fire a warning shot. I know you're accurate enough to miss."
"You intend to offer them surrender, Knight Commander?" The battleship asked suspiciously. "This is not the same as with the Ironblood."
"No, but I've killed enough people today already."
"You are familiar with victory or death?" Warspite ventured.
"Let me hope they don't adhere to such a motto," he requested.
"Hmmm very well, Knight Commander. Firing now." Warspite's fore guns shifted and fired, sending four rounds arcing over his fleet at the two Sakura destroyers. Meanwhile, Thorson spoke to Fusou.
"Did you and Ark manage to get a positive ID?"
"Yes, tono-sama. The two within range are Asashio and Ooshio. Behind them a few miles are Arashio and Michishio. Apparently the latter is damaged and being towed by her sister."
"Do you think they'll surrender?" He asked seriously.
"I cannot say, tono-sama. But I would like to try."
"Then do it. Consider yourself my authority. Radio me if you need my help."
"Yes, tono-sama. I will begin negotiations at once. Please try to hold your fire if you can."
"We'll see what's possible. Thorson out."
Back aboard the Ooshio, the young maiden shrieked and recoiled as rounds from Warspite sailed overhead and crashed into the ocean just behind her. "Asashio!"
"Stay focused, reload, and fire!"
"But why did they only fire once?" She wondered, her kansen accent thick with fear. The radio crackled.
"This is Sakura battleship Fusou, serving under the command of Shikikan Andrew Thorson of the Union Navy. He requests your immediate surrender and promises mercy if you stand down. Asashio, Ooshio, is that you? Please respond!"
The two destroyers held fire for a long moment, watching as their first wave of torpedoes scored hits. Bright blue shielding flared and vanished. Tennessee and Pennsylvania doubled over in pain on their bridges but took no structural damage. Indianapolis blocked the other torpedoes that would have made their way into the interior of the formation. Every gun in Thorson's fleet focused on the two destroyers as the distance continued to close.
"Fusou-sama?" Ooshio whispered.
"Sister, no! That shield, this is the fleet that killed more than half of Myoukou's forces!"
"Look out there, Asashio! That there pagoda, there's no mistakin' it!"
"They betrayed the Sakura; they were killed! That couldn't be her!" Asashio insisted. "This must be some sort of Union trick!"
"Ooshio, how is your shrine back in Kyoto?" Fusou tried. The minor shrine maiden gasped.
"Nee-san, I think it's really her! How would someone in tha Union be knowin' that?"
"But why is she with them?!" Asashio demanded.
"Please both of you, talk to me! I can't stall them for long. Don't throw your lives away for nothing!" Fusou pleaded.
"Fusou-sama, is that really you?" Ooshio broadcast.
"Nee-chan! Don't!"
"It's me, I promise. Yamashiro is alive too. Akagi and Kaga sought to enslave us to the will of the sirens and we fled. Shikikan Thorson, our tono-sama, saved our lives and has given us his faith and power, power to return the Sakura to the old ways. His base is a sanctuary, a true sanctuary where Sakura, Union, and Royal coexist. Please, surrender. Tono-sama does not wish to kill you."
"Ooshio, fire now. They're at optional range!"
"Fusou-sama, Michishio is dyin!" The young sister wailed. She could see the pagoda clearly now, a sunburst flag flying atop its mast with a white Sakura blossom proudly featured in the center.
"Ooshio!"
"Ya saw it yourself, nee-san. We can't even scratch em! Makassar is gone! How are we gonna save Michishio now?! Doesn' she matter more than tryin' to go down fightin'?"
Back aboard the Pennsylvania, Thorson was made aware of the situation. With Fusou's help, he adjusted Penny's radio so that he could offer terms directly to the Sakura destroyer division. "This is Commander Andrew Thorson of the Union. My fleet is willing to overlook your attack on us in exchange for your immediate surrender. Lower the sunburst banner and fly a white flag. Disable your weapons and cut your engines. The transports you are escorting will be taken to Makassar to offload their crew before being scuttled. We will extend any medical aid we can to your sister if and only if you surrender. Resist and we will open fire with all available weapons. You have five minutes. If my fleet takes fire again you will be destroyed."
Silence pervaded the radio waves as Asashio stood stupefied on her bridge. She thought of the Sanctuary, of her sisters, of Jintsuu and the war. "We will be shamed and killed if we surrender."
"Fusou-sama is alive, Asashio! We don' have a choice!"
"They might kill us even if we surrender!"
"An' if we don't they'll definitely be killin us!" Ooshio reasoned simply. "I may be a bumpkin, sis, but I prefer bein' a livin' bumpkin."
"What you suggest is treason, sister, no matter how appealing."
"And don' ya think we should maybe be figurin' why Fusou-sama decided ta commit treason? She an' her sister are second only ta Nagato-sama!"
Asashio knew her time was almost up. She thought of Michishio, closing her eyes and crying as tears fell to the floor of her bridge. With shaking hands she grabbed for her radio, sending a message to Arashio before running a white flag up her rigging and setting her radio to international channels. "Please hold your fire. We surrender."
"I trust you Cleveland, see this done," Thorson commanded. His fleet had stalled in the middle of the Java sea, encircling the 8th destroyer division and the two transports. The Japanese crews looked nervously at the allied warships around them, wondering if the bottom of the ocean was their fate.
"I understand, Commander. After everything today I think we can afford to be merciful. The transports will be escorted by myself, Arizona, Leander, Laffey, and Javelin back to Makassar. We'll offload the crews and then scuttle the ships." She repeated, confirming to him that she was ready to go and fully understood his orders.
"Good. Thank you, Cleveland."
"I love you, Commander. Go help that girl," she replied, firing up her engines as the selected ships attached tow cables to the captured transports and headed back to the north.
"Penny, I need to go."
"I know, Commander. Go accept their surrender and let us know if you need anything."
"Ark will be with me. She'll radio in the event of any incidents."
"We all have our soft spots, don't we?" Pennsylvania mused.
"Count on Ark to never turn away from a destroyer in distress. Zed, Shiratsuyu, if you wouldn't mind, go to the crew quarters and prepare a bed. The Sakura say they have wounded."
"Ja, Kommandant. We will go. Don't worry, Shiratsuyu. If anyone can help, it's him." The dog morph nodded worriedly at Zed's assurances but they departed nonetheless, with Thorson hot on their heels. Out on deck he found Ark Royal waiting for him, pistol drawn and ready. He had his own sidearm equipped as well. The Michishio had been towed and fixed to the side of the Pennsylvania, the Union battleship's hull dwarfing the tiny destroyer.
"The other three are aboard as well, Knight Commander. They still have their shards."
"Not a problem. That shield of yours work?"
"I would prefer not to think of four little destroyers as a threat, but yes I'm ready and able to defend you, Knight Commander."
"You have my thanks. Let's not delay. Their shards are probably driving them insane."
"What are you talking about, Knight Commander?"
"You'll see."
Asashio looked up defiantly as the door to Michishio's bridge opened. A man and a woman stood there, both armed, the woman heavily so. Her tail waved back and forth angrily, but the pain in the back of her neck was getting stronger and stronger as the minutes went on. Michishio groaned where she lay on the deck, Arashio holding her hand while Ooshio allowed her head to rest on her thighs.
"Which one of you is Asashio?" The Commander demanded. The pale blue shipgirl in a white half kimono and blue skirt raised her hand. The pattern on her sleeves evoked calm motions of the waves.
"I'm Andrew Thorson. I officially accept your surrender. I need to take your shards."
"What do you mean by that?" Arashio demanded. Thorson looked her over, taking note of the purple bow in her hair, purple dress, black fur ears and matching outer garment which featured white, three leaf Sakura patterns.
"I mean your rigging has been tainted by siren influence. They're using it to keep tabs on you and…" His attention was drawn to the wounded girl on the floor. A crimson stain was working its way through the right side of her half kimono. It matched her red skirt. She looked the spitting image of a shrine maiden, along with her sister who supported her. Though that particular kitten had black hair and ears as opposed to light, straw brown. "And if my intuition is correct, those shards also exist to cull the weak."
"What's gonna happen to her?" The short, chubby girl in green and white demanded nervously. Thorson smiled weakly.
"What's your name, little one?"
"O-Ooshio."
"Ooshio, I know we're all enemies here, but I don't hate you. I do hate the sirens. Let me fight them now and we can hash out the details later. Sound good?"
"Please listen to him, all of you," Ark Royal advised, keeping a keen eye on the situation and a finger on her trigger. "I've seen him help Ironblood ships before. He's a fair-minded man and he can help you too."
"Ironbloods?" Arashio murmured disbelievingly, looking to Asashio for guidance. A pained gasp from Michishio lent urgency to the situation.
"Please help her, Union Shikikan. Ya gotta do something!" Ooshio cried, placing a hand on Michishio's forehead. Thorson moved quickly, holstering his weapon and kneeling at her side. He spoke quietly.
"What's her name?"
"Michishio."
"Michishio, my name is Andrew Thorson. I'm going to save you if I can but I need your help. I need you to surrender to me, verbally if you can. Siren taint in your shard is corrupting your body and preventing you from healing. Please…"
"Shiki...kan?" She whispered, her eyes fluttering open. Even through the pain, her voice was charming and angelic. "I...surrend…"
Thorson reached behind her neck, feeling the heat and hard surface of a corrupted shard. It was still planted deep in her spine. The crackle of electricity singed his fingers. "This will hurt. Hang on!"
The girl shrieked in pain and passed out as he pulled the shard from her. Asashio and Arashio looked ready to attack him, but Ark's rigging kept them at bay while Ooshio looked frantically to Thorson. The evil shard, pale red with deep crimson veins, shattered to dust in his hands. He immediately took Michishio's pulse, pressing his fingers against her jugular.
"She's lost a lot of blood. Ark, take her to a bed in the Pennsylvania now. You three, we need to get this done immediately before your shards turn on you as well. I intend to scuttle your ships and use the cubes to save Michishio. Your ability to pilot them will be greatly reduced without your rigging anyway. Those are your options."
Ooshio was the first to surrender formally. "I surrender to ya, Shikikan. I won't pledge to serve ya, but I give myself over to yer care and may the gods strike me down if I'm wrong ta do so."
Thorson couldn't help but smile at her accent, the presence of a simple country shrine maiden taking some of the edge off of a morning of battle. Ooshio's shard was removed with pain but little issue otherwise and the two older sisters soon followed suit after watching the process closely. Thorson escorted them from the bridge up the ladder to the Pennsylvania, and they soon arrived at the crew quarters. Penny, Zed, Ark, and Shiratsuyu were all there.
"Penny, give the order to destroy those four ships and deliver the cubes here immediately. We'll need them for her."
"Yes sir, Commander." Penny saluted and immediately passed on the message with her rigging before heading up to deck to retrieve the cubes. Zed and Ark had stood to the side, allowing Ooshio and Arashio to tend to Michishio. Asashio didn't move, instead choosing to stare open mouthed at Shiratsuyu.
"I thought you were dead…"
"Only Nachi passed away that day," Shiratsuyu replied, much more used to the idea of Sakura shipgirls being on a Union ship. The rest of us who didn't return are alive and well. I serve Shikikan Thorson now along with Yuugure and Hatsuharu. The three young ones are safe too."
"Akagi said you were all slaughtered…" Asashio whispered.
"Then Akagi lied. Maybe the truth is too dangerous for you to know," Thorson replied grimly, unsure what else he could do for Michishio in the meantime. Shiratsuyu had already provided water and food, but she was in no position to consume it.
"What truth is that?" Arashio demanded with mild accusation, the shame of her surrender still affecting her greatly. Mere hours ago she had single-handedly sunk an enemy destroyer and assisted in the flawless invasion of Bali. Now she had lost her shard, her ship, her dignity, and she was on the precipice of losing her sister. The answer to her question appeared in the doorway as if by divine providence. Pennsylvania and Fusou had returned bearing two cubes each. The three bumpkins who were able bowed to her as she entered, taking the cubes and laying one on Michishio's heart, one on her stomach, one at the base of her feet and one above her head on the pillow. She looked around her, smiling at Ooshio who was staring at her as though a goddess herself had joined them there in the hull of a Union battleship. Penny stepped back with Ark and Zed.
"The intent is key?" Fusou asked Thorson quietly, remembering the night she had used the matrix to save her own sister. He nodded silently. She closed her eyes and knelt at the head of the bed, reaching out to touch one of the cubes and motioning for the rest of the destroyer division to do the same. They complied mutely, driven by fear for their sister's life and awe that one of the Sakura's spiritual leaders was not only alive and well but working with the enemy as an equal. "Now young ones, let us call upon the gods of our land. Speak from your hearts and entreat their aid to save Michishio and heal her wounds. If your will and faith are strong, the cubes will respond."
Thorson and his other ships watched as the Sakura shipgirls closed their eyes and bowed their heads. Ooshio rested hers against the mattress of the cot, reaching out with her other hand to take Michishio's limp fingers in a comforting embrace. After about ten minutes of watching them, the young women occasionally moving their lips in silent prayer, Penny tapped him on the shoulder and whispered. "Cleveland is back. She reports mission complete with no incidents."
"Good, head back to the bridge and get the fleet headed south. These four came from Bali or Java it looks like. If the allies are left anywhere in the region it'll likely be there. Not sure if Fusou's hull will come along with us, but tow it if not. It's important that she remain here for now."
"Understood sir. Zed, why don't you come with me?" Penny offered the destroyer her hand. The Ironblood nodded.
"Yes, I will. Thank you." The two of them quietly left the crew quarters, followed soon after by Ark Royal who made for her own ship. That left only Shiratsuyu to observe the proceedings along with Thorson. As they continued to watch, Thorson made a few mental notes regarding wisdom cubes and the conductive matrix. There was no doubt in his mind that Fusou was somehow replicating processes that he'd previously thought only possible with the aid of the matrix. However, while it had taken a mere two cubes to restore Yamashiro to life and health, it seemed to be taking all four cubes just to heal Michishio. In the end, as the young maiden with wheat colored hair opened her eyes, Thorson concluded that the matrix existed not to allow the miracles of the cubes to occur, but to speed them along efficiently.
"Shiratsuyu, see if you can find some bandages or a spare garment. Not sure we can wash all that blood out."
"As you command, Shikikan. Please be gentle with them."
Thorson watched Shiratsuyu go as Fusou rose from her knees and walked over to him. The awed gazes of the 8th destroyer division told him all he needed to know. The war was more than they knew. The factions were not black and white. It was enough, an opening he needed to sway them to his cause. "I must return to my ship, tono-sama. She is stable, thank the gods."
"You're a miracle worker," Thorson replied softly, resting a hand on her hip as Fusou placed her hands on his chest in turn. Ooshio gasped.
"You flatter a humble servant of the gods, tono-sama. I could see it in your eyes, the way you looked at her. I could hear the change in your voice as you spoke to her. You and Pennsylvania became one, didn't you?" Ooshio gasped again.
"I was that obvious, was I?" Thorson asked with a sad chuckle. Fusou closed her eyes.
"May the gods watch over your union...your unions. May they bring you peace and the strength to see us all through to the end of this war. Goodbye, tono-sama. I leave these four in your care." With that the shrine maiden seemed to glide from the room, her mouth curving into a thin smile as the relief of saving Michishiro flowed through her and she indulged in the devious fun of praying to the gods of fertility for her own chance at a union with her Shikikan.
"Ah um...excuse me, Shikikan. Can uh...can I be callin' ye that?" Ooshio piped up as Asashio fed her wounded sister from a bowl of congee Shiratsuyu had prepared. Arashio stood by with a glass of water.
"That depends. Do you plan to follow my orders as well?" Thorson asked in a level tone. The short stack destroyer wagged her tail bashfully. Now that he thought about it, there were quite a few cat ears and tails surrounding him.
"I don'...I don' really know what ta believe anymore. Akagi an' Kaga said they were doin' what they did ta bring Amagi-sama back to us all, doin' what's right for us, ta save us from exploitation. They said Fusou-sama and Yamashiro-sama were dead an' well...at least one of em seems ta be livin' quite nice like. Is Yamashiro-sama with ya too?"
"She is, and just as lively as ever," Thorson confirmed.
"And uh...is she also...well...ya know?" Ooshio asked, turning red as Michishio's skirt as she mimed an hourglass figure with her hands. Thorson threw his head back and laughed.
"Yeah, their bodies changed when they underwent retrofits at base for scout aircraft. Why do you ask?"
"N-n-no reason! I just wanted ta be sure you're treatin' em right. They're real important to us simple folk who still believe. I don' wanna fight for ya, Shikikan, but ya won't have any trouble from me. Ya saved my sister an' Fusou-sama fights for ya. I'm thinkin' that means somethin' but I just don' know what," Ooshio explained. The other three seemed to be in agreement at least on that part, nodding softly before returning their attention to Michishio. Thorson sighed.
"I hate to interrupt, but we can't stay here. The only person capable of holding you prisoner has to be on the bridge now, so that's where we're going. Michishio, can you walk?"
"I can try," she replied softly, but Thorson was more than capable of seeing she was still quite weak. Her face was pale and her hands shook slightly.
"The rest of you, grab the mattress and her food," he commanded, scooping up a bundle of blankets that just so happened to contain Michishio as well. She squeaked in surprise but made no real effort to escape him. "Sorry, quickest way," he apologized, his boots echoing through the halls as he made for the bridge, the other three destroyers trailing behind him. "Let's hope Penny's more amenable to cats than humans on her ship."
As it turned out, Penny was indeed more amenable to a quartet of cute little cats on her bridge than a crew of Union sailors, especially since one of them was snuggled up under blankets and being tended to by the other three. "I like them already," she smiled.
"That quick?" Thorson inquired, surveying the rapidly darkening ocean as they made their way towards Bali and the Badung Strait. Recon aircraft had picked out the target of destroyer division 8's raid easily enough. Pennsylvania nodded.
"What's not to like? They're cute, they're all a little different, they're not particularly threatening without ships or rigging, and they love their sister. They'll come around to you just like the rest," his flagship assured him, knowing that Arashio had been throwing him stern glances for the majority of the afternoon and evening.
"Let's leave it at minimal threat for now. How are you feeling after that torpedo?" At Thorson's question Penny pulled her collar aside to reveal a mildly bruised clavicle.
"Nothing I can't handle," she assured him confidently. He slipped his fingers under her collar as well, brushing against her own. He pulled the fabric back further and placed a kiss on the tender area. Ooshio couldn't contain another breathy gasp as the battleship cast a brief but emotional glance at her commander.
"Thanks, Penny."
"The battle isn't over, sir. There's the strait." Pennsylvania pointed to the landmasses just to port as Thorson returned to their map and spot checked his fleet's position.
"And the airfield?" He called. Penny took a look through his binoculars, seeing distant activity as the Sakura landing forces worked around the clock to ready the base for air attacks on the final allied positions on the neighboring island of Java.
"We'll be within reasonable range any moment, sir. There's plenty going on out there," Penny informed him evenly. He could sense the eyes of the 8th destroyer division on him. Ten minutes later he gave the order as Pennsylvania turned her guns to starboard and loaded high explosive shells. The smile on her face was not gleeful, but she was more than ready to strike another blow against the Sakura. Nothing was left in the area to stop them.
"All ships open fire on the airbase. Spare the barracks but leave nothing else standing."