A cloudy morning dawned over the base, dulling the colors of green, red, and blue as Thorson took the steps down to the docks and mess hall. "Never realized I actually might miss these," he muttered to himself with a small smile. "Imagine a sailor yearning for dry land." Upon further reflection he reasoned that a decent part of his appreciation for the base was likely due to what Yamashiro and Fusou looked like naked. A fierce blush colored his cheeks as he recalled a particularly high pitched, cat-like squeal that Yamashiro had let loose as he'd reached a very deep and apparently pleasurable space inside her. Thorson allowed that consideration to remain unspoken, ensuring his uniform was on the straight and narrow when he arrived and opened the door of the mess.
"Tono-sama, tono-sama!" Yamashiro called out to him in a sing-song voice, leaving her place at the now quite expansive Sakura table to take him by the arm. "What can I get you for breakfast, tono-sama?"
"It's too much, I can't watch!" Shigure moaned dramatically.
"Oh pipe down, black dog," Yukikaze cut in. "I think it's nice."
"You're only saying that because it's the opposite of Shigure, wan~!" Yuudachi declared, leaving Yukikaze spluttering and most of the other ships giggling quietly. "Hey Shikikan, did you know that the meat here is even better than at sea?"
"I should certainly hope so," Thorson replied kindly, nodding to the table in general and Fusou in particular. Unlike her excitable sister, the elder battleship simply closed her eyes blissfully and bowed as well as she could in a seated position. Perhaps unsurprisingly his ships had segregated themselves again, but very little of the previous mistrust and animosity was present. Tennessee could not be found glaring at Fusou. Laffey could not be seen staring curiously at Shiranui. Even Pennsylvania, his most trustworthy and typically cautious ship was dining happily with Arizona and her sisters in arms, choosing to face down Jintsuu and Naka instead of anyone from the Sakura who had joined them by choice. It was a most welcome sight as he turned to the neko battleship hanging from his arm. "How about we give Yuugure, Hatsuharu and the rest a chance to do their job too, alright? You go enjoy the rest of your breakfast, Yamashiro."
"Aww, tono-sama," she pouted. "At least give Yamashiro a kiss then!"
Tennessee's glare promptly returned as the buxom, black-haired kitten stole a kiss willingly given, short but quite sweet, before returning to her seat next to her sister. Thorson, not wanting to immediately set off a riot by playing favorites, chose to walk slowly over to the table where his prisoners sat. They had not yet been served and the volume of the room dropped substantially as he took his seat. "Good morning."
Jintsuu did nothing but cast him a loathsome look from across the table, while Naka at least found the courage to return the courtesy. "Uh, good morning."
"Nee-chan!" Jintsuu hissed.
"What does it hurt to not upset the man who is our captor?" She asked nervously. Seeing that Thorson had arrived, the girls in the kitchens hurriedly prepared a few trays for him and the Sendai-class ships. Everyone else had been served to that point. Thorson's face softened as Hatsuharu and Fredrick Miles approached with coffee, eggs, toast, and even a couple slices of bacon. Various traditional Sakura dishes, mainly rice-based, had been prepared for the others.
"G-good morning, Shikikan," Hatsuharu stammered, allowing Miles to hand Thorson his food while she set a tray in front of a former commander turned enemy. "H-here you are J-Jintsuu."
"You would speak to me with such disrespect? Surrender has made you soft!" Jintsuu shrieked, standing suddenly and raising her hand as if to strike. Thorson was impressed with Fredrick's speed.
"I'm going to have to insist you not do that," the young man said evenly and respectfully, catching the shipgirl by the wrist. Thorson wasn't sure if the maneuver was possible due to Jintsuu's shock or the fact that she no longer possessed the strength of rigging, but she gaped at him openly.
"How dare you touch me, you inferior sack of meat!" Jintsuu spat as Naka looked like she wanted to sink into the floor and disappear. It was at that point Miles seemed to realize he might have overstepped, promptly releasing her given that Hatsuharu had scurried off to the safety of the kitchens. Thorson was on his feet.
"I don't think insults are going to do much. He's likely heard far worse from his own comrades. Am I wrong, Miles?" The Commander wondered.
"I…wouldn't speak ill of the crew, sir," the cook replied quietly.
"I'm not asking you to name names," Thorson clarified, his hand resting on the colt at his hip. Jintsuu was still fuming and upright, prompting Tennessee and a handful of other ships, some from the Sakura, to draw rigging and point their guns at her.
"I've definitely been called worse, sir. But I'll admit that meat sack is novel," Fredrick tried nervously, heaving a deep breath as Thorson's lips curled into a smile.
"I can imagine. Though that still leaves the question of what to do with a hotheaded fox on the base. Seems to me that leaving anyone friendly unarmed would be a mistake, don't you agree? How familiar are you with Samuel Colt, Miles?"
"We've been acquainted, sir," the young man replied. "But I've been shooting with my Pa since I was young, long guns mostly. Sort of thing that wouldn't fit in a kitchen."
"Well given that you've managed not to poison anyone in Captain Stevens' crew or on my base I think the worst we have to worry about is you blowing your own toes off. Besides, we've got a war on and your hip is looking mighty lonely," Thorson murmured, not looking at Fredrick at all but instead staring down Jintsuu, as if daring her to make him draw. "Can't have this Sakura wench thinking she's better than you, now can we?"
"Auntie Ark, what's a wench?" Kisaragi asked of the carrier, who promptly spat her tea through her nose. Fortunately for her, the display proved more than sufficient to completely distract the three flavored kittens from the Commander's foul mouth. Elsewhere though, a great chorus of snickering and disbelieving whispers rose in the mess hall. The Union girls couldn't have looked smugger if they had tried. Cleveland had even procured sunglasses. Among the Sakura Fusou attempted to maintain order, but it was a fool's errand as the three new destroyers had a field day.
"Can you imagine when he captures Kaga, nanoda?" Yukikaze gasped.
"I hope he gives her no meat for a month. She blew up my ship, wan~!" Yuudachi agreed, still righteously upset about the destruction of her vessel.
"Perhaps this Shikikan isn't so dull after all, but he's definitely an idiot," Shigure gave her evaluation, only to leap from her seat as Shiranui positioned one of her spirit flames under the black dog's butt. "What in the name of the gods was that for?!"
"I warned you, doggie. Only I get to call Shikikan an idiot," the ghost ship replied coolly. "Now be quiet. I want to find out if you can hear anger."
As it turned out, Shiranui wasn't far off the mark. Unlike Hatsuharu, Jintsuu seemed quite convinced that Fredrick's skin color was a sign of his inferiority. That coupled with Thorson's suggestion that the young man be armed and his very particular choice of words for her had her face flush with fury. "I swear by all the gods, when I escape from here-"
"If you do manage that, which you will not, we will hunt you down and execute you," Thorson explained simply. "Now sit down, shut up, and eat unless you'd rather starve. And don't bother giving me any bullshit about dying of hunger. You try to pull that shit and I'll give you to Tennessee to do with as she sees fit. I'm sure she'll keep you alive against your will."
"Down girl, down!" Downes yelped as Tennessee cracked her knuckles eagerly. Her face could only be described as demonic, and it was more than enough motivation to force Jintsuu silently back into her seat where she began eating the bowl of rice and seasoned fish that had been prepared for her. Thorson nodded to Fredrick.
"Miles, report to the labs after you've finished here this morning. Shiranui will show you to the armory. If anything other than a sidearm, holster, and ammunition are missing we will have words. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir," Miles saluted.
"Good," Thorson said, taking a piece of bacon between his fingers and sampling it. "And that's a damn fine crisp you got on this. Carry on, Mr. Miles."
"As you say sir. Thank you, sir."
Thorson couldn't help a smile as he sat and took a sip of his coffee, a perfect blend of creamy bitterness. "Nothing like a good breakfast, is there?" He asked. All Jintsuu could do was maintain her solid, defiant exterior and glare. She had heard stories, awful stories of the atrocities inflicted by Sakura Empire soldiers on the women of conquered lands. She didn't honestly know what was worse, rape and the sweet release of death, or perpetual torment at the hands of a powerful foe. So long as she was alive, at least, there was the dream of revenge.
After ensuring Jintsuu and Tennessee would remain well separated following breakfast, Thorson joined Shiratsuyu, Michishio and company for their cleanup, ensuring that the newest additions to the team were integrating acceptably. After repeated assurances from the Sakura destroyers that no manjuu feathers would be finding their way into the food, Thorson saluted, smiled, and departed to the sound of Michishio and her avian companion singing a song in her native tongue. He shielded his eyes as he stepped out onto the docks, the bright, Pacific sun having burned away the clouds of morning. He walked to his left, coming a few minutes later to the beach where he and Ark had agreed to meet. He found her in her swimsuit again, peering over a pair of sunglasses at him. "I approve. It looks better in the light."
Ark tilted her head in acknowledgement but didn't entertain his compliment directly. Thorson looked down the strip of sand and out into the water where Pennsylvania and Fusou had organized something of an impromptu war game, with shields and cannons being tested all around them. The surprising element was not the initiative of his girls, but the fact that a good portion of them were absolutely not clad in standard military attire, or even their own uniforms. "What did I miss?" Thorson wondered.
"Would you like the long or the short version?" Ark wondered, turning to gaze out over the water with him. "Because I didn't really know Javelin was willing to show that much skin either." True to Ark's word, Javelin was gracefully dancing about the waves in a bright blue swimsuit with white accents and a skirt that was so short its only function was to accent her girlish hips. Thorson spent a moment lingering on her bare legs, as any man would do, but he couldn't fault her evasion and dexterity. Her shields were almost never active, with shells and torpedoes whizzing by but never seeming to connect.
"Long version then? Unless you have pressing matters to attend to," he replied merrily. Ark held up a hand and pointed down the beach. Thorson leaned forward to find Tennessee and Downes sprinting across the sands, using the uneven and soft terrain to increase the difficulty of the exercise. They were shirtless and wearing some sort of female undergarment he'd never seen before, as if someone crossed a tank top with a bra and then constructed the entire article from supportive fabrics. Tennessee especially needed that support given their speed and Thorson found himself yet again looking longer than he had to. "This fleet is getting to be bad for my health," he joked under his breath.
"Or very good, if you ask Vampire," Ark chuckled. "Those two approached Akashi after breakfast, asking after clothing. Akashi had some advice but pointed them my way too. After all this is my own creation," the carrier stated proudly, gesturing to her tight, flattering bikini. "I told them to just feel out what they needed, as they would with their other outfits. Like how Yuugure and Hatsuharu took after Shiratsuyu in the kitchens, that sort of thing. Well, you're looking at the result. I think Cleveland's wearing one under her uniform too, but those two seem to be more typical Union…showoffs."
"That's rich coming from you," Thorson replied.
"Yes well, how about my aircraft then?" Ark abruptly changed the subject, though Thorson didn't mind.
"Sounds good," he agreed, reverting his attention to the ocean. Looking past a healthier and livelier Zed who was running gunnery drills with Cleveland and Indianapolis, Thorson focused on the Ark Royal which was slowly reversing its way towards the shoreline and the nearest berth back on the docks.
"I think we should be on deck for this trial run. Right this way, Knight Commander, and do try not to get lost," she teased as Ooshio and her sisters walked by, chatting happily and sipping what he assumed was cold tea. Each of them wore a black polka dot bikini, with secondary colors to match their kimonos. Kasumi was the only exception, shedding only her outer robes but maintaining her more modest dress. Ooshio in particular was easy on his eyes, her short, stacked form on full display as the five Asashio-class sisters headed for a fallen tree shaded by the palms overhead. Their smiling faces and jovial conversation cause him to smile in turn as Ark gave his hand a tug.
"Right, sorry. Lead the way, Ark."
"They look like they're having fun," Thorson remarked from his vantage point on Ark's flight deck. The ships involved in the mock exercises were still going strong.
"Yes I'm sure, now keep facing that way please," Ark requested. Thorson waited patiently until her hand rested on his shoulder. He turned to find her clad in her usual garb, though her usually confident smile was missing.
"Just show me what you can do for now. We'll figure everything else out later," he promised. Ark nodded, unshouldering her rifle and taking out at the sea and the northern horizon. After many days and weeks of practice, a perfect replica of a P-40 appeared nearby at the very back of the runway. Thorson noticed that she'd changed the wing decals to match those of the RAF, but had kept the tiger's teeth on the nose cone.
"And here comes the problem," she said, grunting as every ounce of strength she possessed was devoted to moving the unmanned aircraft forward. The Commander watched with excitement that swelled only to crash to earth as the plane reached the end of the deck and promptly glided into the sea. "I've done everything I can with the engine and fuselage," she huffed, breathing as though she'd climbed several flights of stairs. "But I just can't ramp the velocity quickly enough. I guess I could use them to block torpedoes?"
"Let's not despair just yet," he advised. "Can I take a closer look?"
"Of course, Knight Commander," Ark replied, conjuring another fighter. This one appeared only a few feet away, allowing Thorson to instantly hit on a possibility.
"Can you get rid of the bomb?" He wondered. The answer came as Ark snapped her fingers and the anti-ship ordinance vanished. "How heavy was it?"
"Five hundred, Knight Commander."
"Well let's see if it helps! Try it again," he ordered, stepping back as Ark readied another aircraft. Thorson nodded, feeling a slight headwind blowing in towards the island from the north.
"Alright you clunker, let's do this," Ark Royal muttered, taking a knee and aiming her rigging weapon. "Now fly!"
At her exhortation the propeller spun up and the engine roared, the young woman holding the plane back until the engine had reached full throttle. By the time it shot past them, Thorson could already tell it was moving more quickly than the previous attempt, and his chest tightened with anticipation as the plane reached the end of the tarmac. Ark remained deep in concentration as it left solid ground and promptly disappeared below the lip of the deck yet again. The Commander was about to rest a comforting hand on her shoulder when the roar of the distant motor grew louder once more. The P-40 surged back into view, having almost skimmed the surface of the water before powering into the sky with its lightened chassis.
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Thorson roared, punching the air as Ark stood from her launching position. She was out of breath but looked like a million pounds, smiling wide as the P-40 looped around and flew low and fast over the beach. The girls in Thorson's fleet waved and cheered for her, and a few cheeky cruisers even took a couple of pot shots at the aircraft before it pulled up and climbed into the skies above the base. "You did it, Ark," Thorson praised her, the two of them awkwardly debating if hugs or handshakes were more appropriate. In the end Ark raised one arm while Thorson used two, resulting in a clearing of throats and no contact. The Royal carrier spoke worriedly.
"How will I be able to fight enemy ships without bombs?" She wondered. "At least my swordfish could launch torpedoes."
"I don't need you to," Thorson insisted, gesturing to the capital ships that sat at anchor in the bay with a wide sweep of his arm. "The whole premise of carrier tactics is to destroy your enemy before they can even see you, negate the power of the largest guns in a navy. But what if your planes couldn't make it to their target?"
"You could still maneuver around them. They tend to be slower," Ark suggested.
"Perhaps," Thorson agreed. "But what if they're sitting on top of territory you want to take?"
"That's true, Knight Commander. Turtle tactics are old as warfare itself. But this base, idyllic as it is, isn't that strategically important."
"Our turtle floats, Ark."
"Our enemies will simply evade."
"Let them run," Thorson shrugged. "We'll just sail up and take their stuff."
After a brief pause the two of them burst into laughter at Thorson's drastic oversimplification of fleet tactics. "You, you really are green, aren't you Knight Commander?"
"Hey now. I have at least…" he paused to count the weeks. "Almost four months of leadership experience!"
"Oh my, how reassuring," Ark ribbed him. "But there is something to be said for simplicity. So you're saying my only role in this fleet is to kill enemy planes?"
"Not enough for you?" Thorson asked with disbelief.
"Of course not, but who am I to get in the way of Tennessee's brawls?" Ark wondered. "If it brings us victory, Knight Commander, that's all that matters to me. I don't want those little ones going back to the Sakura."
"You missed them, didn't you?" He guessed. It wasn't particularly difficult.
"How could I not?" She countered, launching another P-40 to join its twin. Ark began weaving them in serpentine maneuvers above them while they continued talking. "They are so pure and innocent, even though they are technically weapons. They deserve a chance to grow up…assuming we even do grow. Near as I can tell, Queen Elizabeth hasn't aged a day since Gallipoli. But even if that is the case, I think it's important to protect innocent things," she finished, eyes still focused on her aircraft high above. Thorson hummed in agreement.
"Yeah, that's the job of soldiers like us."
"At least we get a hot tub, Knight Commander."
"Well said, Ark."
"Care to join me for a dip? I don't think our reinforcements are expected today."
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" She accused with playful sternness, resting a hand on her hip. "Perhaps later, sir. I need to figure out how many I can get in the air at once. Thank you for your guidance…and your faith in me."
"You're a fine warrior, Ark. Far as I can tell, all of you Royals are. You just needed the right tools for the job. I'll see what I can do about securing a Union carrier-based aircraft for you in the future."
"I would appreciate that very much sir. Thank you."
"Anything else, Ark?" He wondered, taking a step towards her tower and the stairs he'd need to her back to the docks.
"Nothing, Knight Commander," she replied with a salute, feeling her cubes hum appreciatively at his praise. "It's good to be home."
"Aye, that it is."
"Knight Commander, join us!" Javelin called out, waving him towards a large towel that laid on the sand. She sat there with Laffey, and Zed, enjoying a picnic and relaxation in the sun after their long morning of exercises. It had been Akashi's idea, ever the origin of fun or unorthodox occurences on his little installation. Shiratsuyu and the other kitchen staff had been all for it, whipping up a handful of dishes that could easily be taken from the mess and enjoyed on the beach along with plenty of what Akashi referred to as 'secret coolant'. Thorson was told in no uncertain terms that 'he should not drink it if he wished to live, nyaa'.
"Javey just wants Commander to look at her body," Laffey declared, taking a bite of potato salad.
"That's not true at all!" The Royal insisted, turning her torso slightly in his direction. To Laffey's point there was plenty of body to see, only her tiny breasts and maidenhood concealed from anyone's passing gaze. "There are plenty of us out here in swimwear."
"I think they all want the same thing," Zed ventured shyly. Unlike most of the other shipgirls lounging about she was still in her uniform. "Hello Kommandant. There's plenty of food if you would like to join us?"
"I think I'll take you up on that," he agreed, sitting on the empty corner of the blanket. Zed handed him a sandwich of more pork and pickled vegetables that proved to be full of flavor. Though Javelin looked quite pleased with herself, Laffey was the one who actually took advantage of the situation, turning around and laying back so that her head rested squarely atop his crossed legs. Her actions earned her but a passing glance and a stroke of her hair from Thorson, but Javelin couldn't help a bit of a fluster.
"Javey tries too hard," Laffey insisted. "Commander may have sex with big boats, but he likes small ones too. You just have to like him back. Kiss, Commander?"
"Not flexible enough," he laughed, causing Laffey to shake off her laziness, rise to her knees, and take his lower lip softly between hers. Point proven to her friend, she retook her position in his lap and began snoozing lightly.
"Can...you all get sunburned?" Thorson wondered.
"I've never been burned before, but I suppose after today we'll know, right?" Javelin replied happily as Zed gazed at Laffey with a mixture of envy and apprehension.
"Guess so. Just be careful and stay in the shade if you do start to get red. What do you think of Ark Royal's progress?" Thorson moved the conversation on as a full squadron of P-40's soared over the island even while their master was taking her own meal and iced tea beneath the shade of a palm tree with the three little ones. A full day of play on the beach had them passed out in a pile against her legs and side but she seemed more than content with the situation, waving her finger about like a conductor.
"She is quite impressive, Kommandant," Zed replied. "The Luftwaffe could handle those planes well in certain combat situations but only with land-based fighters. Graf Zeppelin would...would…"
"There there, Zed. I'm sure we'll be able to help her one day," Javelin assured her friend sadly as the German destroyer proved incapable of speaking further of the Ironblood's lone carrier.
"She is beyond saving…" Zed sniffed. "Thank you, Kommandant."
"Think nothing of it," Thorson replied, making every effort to keep his voice supportive but firm so as not to show disrespect. "You've more than proven you deserve a place here, Z23. And your comrades will be given that same chance…gods of war permitting."
"That is all I can ask, Kommandant. I thank you," Zed replied, pulling the brim of her beret down and returning to her food as Javelin sighed heavily, the buoyant and carefree mood having been quite deflated.
"I think it's a wonderful thing, giving Ark some new planes to fight with," the Royal destroyer declared, wiggling some sand out from between her toes as she looked to the skies. Her short, wild purple hair waved about her shoulders in the breeze. "Strap some rocket pods to those and I'm sure she could take out that trollop, Kaga!"
"I think we'll leave that to the heavies," Thorson advised. "But Ark is still the linchpin of the entire fleet. Not even the incoming battleships and their AA guns will be able to fully hold her off; though Cleveland would probably make it a close thing. No, we need Ark to clear the skies and get us into striking range. Not everyone can dance like you, Javelin."
"Ahaha, Knight Commander! You, you don't need to say it quite like that," Javelin flushed anew, worrying her hands together in her lap in contrast to her provocative swimwear.
"Javey, come rest," Laffey insisted.
"Awawa but…" she hesitated. "That's a lot more than a kiss on the cheek!"
"I won't bite. Got a sandwich to finish after all," he joked, trying to avoid falling into the trap that Laffey seemed to continually set. "Do you always have to make everything awkward?"
"It is not Laffey's fault that no one else wants to accept that they love the Commander, no no. Laffey is an honest and upstanding girl, yes yes. Whatever reason the Royal Navy has for no Commanders they should reconsider," Laffey murmured 'innocently'.
"Was she always like this?" Thorson chuckled as Javelin hesitantly approached. She smiled and reached down to pet Laffey's ears.
"Since the day we were born," Javelin affirmed before curling her legs under her and leaning down to rest against his leg. "Ah well then, excuse me!"
"No pressure," Thorson said to Zed who was eyeing the growing pile of ships around Thorson. She shook her head and gave him a hesitant, petite smile.
"Ever since I arrived here I've not minded your touch, Kommandant. And they are my best friends." And so Thorson spent the majority of the afternoon talking with the rest of his fleet while three destroyers of three different nations took some time to enjoy one another's comfort in the midst of the war.