[Enterprise]
Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!
—
"Enterprise…" I say quietly. "I served with her briefly on one of our sorties up north, not on her, but her air support was valuable. Though she nearly took a torpedo in her stern."
Kidd smiles. "She's a rather determined girl, definitely one of the more 'by the book' girls we have.
"Still doesn't wear the uniform," Valkenburgh says before taking a sip of the scotch.
Kidd shrugs in a very lackadaisical 'what can you do' kind of gesture. "Neither does Arizona, she and Pennsylvania designed their own. You want to argue with the capital ships Valkenburgh?"
"I enjoy the water in my shower being warm," Valkenburgh replies.
"A wise man, so, Enterprise, a fine ship… though older compared to the Essex's coming out now." Kidd says.
"It's not the age or the armament, but how you use her Admiral," I reply with a smile. "I would trust Cassin against any capital ship in the fleet."
"And she'd take those odds too," Kidd replies. "But that's less ability and more just her being a destroyer. Mad, the lot of them."
"And I wouldn't change her for someone saner in a moment," I reply.
"Course not," Valkenburgh says with a grin. "You captain her, so you're mad by association."
"If throwing ten depth charges off my stern then hauling away at full flank is ma-"
"It is," Kidd replies. "But we don't keep you around for your brains Stevens."
"For my stunning good looks then?" I ask.
"No, your humility, clearly." Valkenburgh replies.
I smile, then take a drink of the scotch. "I am but a man of god and an instrument of his and my country's will. I don't have an ego, we save that for the battleship drivers."
"Some men are simply born with the desire for firepower, Stevens." Valkenburgh says.
"Gentlemen, behave yourselves," Kidd says warmly. "You still have that Buick Stevens?"
"Indeed sir," I reply.
"Then what are we waiting for? Lets drive her out to Enterprise, I assume you can handle things while I'm away Valkenburgh?" the Admiral asks, turning and looking at the Captain.
"I'll certainly give it my best effort sir," the Captain replies.
—
It is quite a sight to see the USS Arizona tearing around pearl, her smokestacks billowing as she pushes a good fifteen knots
in port. She turns with grace however, the benefit of having a shipgirl directly at the helm, and the tugs keep well out of the way as she rounds Ford's island with the tiny and silent, but still exuberant Cassin in tow. Just in shipgirl form mind, her 1500 tonne butt still rests in drydock.
The carriers are all bunched together in the docks, Hornet is the furthest off, separate from the three carriers already here. Distantly I can see men moving about atop her deck, working on planes in the fresh Hawaiian air instead of in the humid and cramped hangers. To my right, and adjacent to my now parked car was the USS Leviathan, a converted german Liner, CV-2 is one of the oldest carriers in the fleet, and indeed one of the oldest ships overall. Past her prominent bow, a relic from her previous years as a troop transport, I can hear the sound of machinery, her engines being replaced amongst other things. Ahead, parked side by side, was the USS Yorktown and the USS Enterprise, CV 4 and CV 5 respectively.
"How long have you had the Buick Sstevens?" Kidd asks.
"'25, got it with my first command." I reply. "Your wife let you drive the Bugatti again?"
"No, but then she lives in California." He says with a smile.
I look up at the gargantuan hulls of the two carriers in front of me. Cassin could comfortably sit atop their flight decks, and I wouldn't doubt either could still get to speed with the weight of her. There was always something so very… impressive about the power of these vessels, the size. They always attracted me even more than battleships did. But then, I much-preferred speed over firepower, and they had that in spades as well.
"You planning on going aboard?" Kidd asks.
I continue to stare up at the craft for a few moments, then look at the Admiral. "Not particularly, her crews resting from her haul I imagine, and if I know anything about Murray he's probably already taken Enterprise into town for some proper R&R."
Kidd grins. "Good instincts, I gave him the go-ahead two days ago, he's currently up in his cabin at North Shore. They're actually moving Enterprise in a few hours to another harbor for refits."
"Engines like Leviathan?"
Kidd shakes his head. "Adding in hanger catapults. The shipgirls seem to believe they can use them to launch planes as emergency combat air patrol. I won't argue if the pilots are crazy enough to do it. They are
throwing the planes out of the hanger via arm strength."
"We build em crazy," I reply. "But regardless, no, just wanted a good look at 'em. Don't tell Cassin but I'd love to helm a carrier someday."
"Oh, she'd cry and cry." Kidd says.
"Hence why I asked you not to tell her," I then turned my head to look back over the water again. "When are we heading out again?"
Kidd lets out a long, and slow breath. "Can't say yet, soon though. I'd suggest you enjoy your time in Pearl while you can."
I watch the Arizona steam along, a tiny little figure making wide circles around it. "I already am Admiral."
—
The Buick hums along, making its way down the coastal road to the 'secret' beach Cassin picked out sometime back. The shipgirl in question is lounging in your passenger seat again, hands on her stomach, a wide smile on her face.
"Enjoy your time with the big guns?" I ask.
"Hell yeah," Cassin replies, her smile somehow widening further. "Then she fed me
icecream,
homemade."
"How very spoiled."
"Oh like I don't
deserve it." Cassin replies with a grin. "You have fun talking to the stars?"
"It was a pleasant enough conversation," I reply, then drive the car slowly off the road to park on the sand. The passenger door opens immediately, Cassin slides out and leaps onto the sand. I get out far more slowly, grabbing the keys and locking the door before I follow her. Or, rather, attempt to. No sooner am I out of the car then she has her hand wrapped around my wrist and is dragging me down the beach towards the water.
"I missed these sands, so much better than the Antarctic~"
View: https://i.imgur.com/DIts9x1.png
"It's certainly warmer at least," I reply. "Enjoying your time in Pearl then?"
Cassin drops my wrist, turning to look out over the sunset of the Pacific coast. "Won't last, but it's nice to get a break from running my boilers at full blast chasing submarines. What's the plan for tomorrow?"
"More refit work for you," I reply. "Then I thought we'd get some shopping done in Honolulu, I don't have orders yet and likely won't for a fair bit."
Cassin smiles, then moves to rub her shoulder against me. "Hey, you remember how you said you'd let me out of drydock for a bit, and how the captain of Pennsylvania owed you a favor?"
I arch a brow. "This late in the evening I'd likely have half the harbor tugs in Pearl annoyed at me, you realize that right."
Cassin's smile disappears. "Hey now, you promised, and besides, I let you talk to those boring officers."
"Yes, 'let', you weren't distracted by Arizona, absolutely not."
Cassin rolls her eyes. "I always kept tabs on where you were Captain. So come on, please? A nice evening sail, just you and me? This sunset is too good to waste."
I think about her request for a moment, it is late in the evening, and I will likely annoy more than one person making it happen. But… it is Cassin.
—
[] [Save the USS Cassin]
The Cassin won't be in drydock and can move if Pennsylvania moves.
[] [Save the USS Pennslyvania]
The Pennsylvania will be stuck out of drydock for a bit and will be a large target if Cassin moves.
This is the last vote before Dec 7th.
