Twei
I have a face!
- Location
- the land where they write things
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Missing words and also misspelled utilitarian.
but also
hype
WO IN JOB
WO IN JOB
pompoms.gif
All Wo-rk and No Play: An Abyssal's Trials in the Job Market (KC)
- Thread starter PyrrhicSteel
- Start date
Missing words and also misspelled utilitarian.
but also
hype
WO IN JOB
WO IN JOB
pompoms.gif
- Location
- Elsewhere
- Location
- The State of Denial
I hope she doesn't suffer any.... Pratfalls at this company.
Pratt: She's a good worker, but every so often there are dainty little bites taken out of the I-Beams if we don't have the lunch break on time...
Pratt: She's a good worker, but every so often there are dainty little bites taken out of the I-Beams if we don't have the lunch break on time...
13th Bee
Worker
- Location
- Tennessee, USA.
What is she gonna do?
All i can think is just gophering around small parts, like nails, screws and jackhammers.
All i can think is just gophering around small parts, like nails, screws and jackhammers.
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While I do believe our little wo would be classed as a light carrier that's still not exactly light.
Keep it up I'm enjoying this story.
Looks like Dan wants to fast track his new hire's Wo-rking at heights certifcation.
- Location
- Christchurch, NZ
Ok, so "next time" apparently was two hours later...
Now we know who the real monsters are here.
I mean, you're not wrong...
I mean, you're not wrong...
celdak
[Maniacal laughter]
- Location
- Behind you.
Do steel toes count?
Stahor
BookWorm
- Location
- Russia, Moscow
One thing to remember, is that she is outstandingly pretty (it's unclear how much it'a notifiable under her camo). And it can lead to.. interesting job offers when she gets to city center (in search of library).
PyrrhicSteel
Look natural.
- Location
- Idaho
Horray! And it only took... 28 chapters? Even then, there's two more interludes and another chapter before she's actually earning money.
Honestly, I was planning on being here by chapter 5. That... probably would have been a much worse story, but this is definitely turning out to be a slow burn.
- Location
- A house
The real question now is Wo vs. Internet when?!
Neruz
Rogue Spiderbanana
- Location
- The Land of Fire and Poison
'I'M NOT THE THING THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE AIR!'
'You got up there just fine all by yourself, you can get down by yourself.'
'Nooooooooo! Am stuck!'
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And then the building is suddenly supporting the weight of an corrupted aircraft carrier and collapses.
Neruz
Rogue Spiderbanana
- Location
- The Land of Fire and Poison
Nah, if that happened then she wouldn't be 'stuck' anymore. That's not how cats 'stuck' in trees work at all.And then the building is suddenly supporting the weight of an corrupted aircraft carrier and collapses.
- Location
- Warszawa Polska
Wo: "Sir I did bend all the rebar you told me too."
Forman: "Good, now put the tools back then."
Wo: "We have tools for that?"
Wo: "Carrying those cement bags is awkward"
Forman: "Use a wheelbarrow."
Wo: "I did but the wheel digging between my shoulder blades gave me a tickle."
Well I can see this going very very well or very very wrong. Either way, it will be entertaining.
Forman: "Good, now put the tools back then."
Wo: "We have tools for that?"
Wo: "Carrying those cement bags is awkward"
Forman: "Use a wheelbarrow."
Wo: "I did but the wheel digging between my shoulder blades gave me a tickle."
Well I can see this going very very well or very very wrong. Either way, it will be entertaining.
PyrrhicSteel
Look natural.
- Location
- Idaho
So I've commissioned some art for Trinitite:
Thanks to rainywins for drawing this, his Deviantart is here and his pixiv member id 5143746. I'm pretty happy with how this turned out, except for the hair which isn't quite how I pictured it, but that's certainly my fault for failing to communicate it rather than his.
Thanks to rainywins for drawing this, his Deviantart is here and his pixiv member id 5143746. I'm pretty happy with how this turned out, except for the hair which isn't quite how I pictured it, but that's certainly my fault for failing to communicate it rather than his.
Interlude: A Phone Call
PyrrhicSteel
Look natural.
- Location
- Idaho
It had been almost two weeks since Saratoga had… returned to her senses, and it was her sixth day in San Diego. Over that time, she'd been debriefed on her fragmented memory as an Abyssal, recommissioned with her familiar USS prefix and an Ensign's billet, and been given a haisty briefing on a million different things, from the state of the war to basic training in acting human.
While that happened, Lexie and the other Essex sisters who'd helped rescue her from Bikini had left for their own assignments, returning to patrols, refiting, or training for the next offensive CDRUSPACOM was brewing up, leaving Saratoga alone in the rare periods she'd had free time. She'd run into Enterprise a day or so earlier, but the two hadn't done much more than exchange stiff nods before going their own way.
Was there still bad blood between them, or had the bitter rivalry between the two died with time? Was the famous carrier was too busy to stop for her former friend? There was a war on. That was probably something she'd have to clear up, but whenever she started thinking about how to reintroduce herself to Enterprise, her mind would freeze up and before she knew it there was something else for the carrier to do.
For example…
- - -
"Sorry I wasn't there at Bikini." Lexington- the nameship Sara never thought she'd see again- had smiled, greeting her sister with an apology.
"Took a torpedo about a week before the fleet set out." Her thin smile was simultaneously new but achingly familiar "It's always those damn submarines-"
Lex wasn't able to finish, interrupted by her sister's tearful hug.
"It's fine." The carrier wept. "You're- You're here now."
"Woah!" Lexington replied, and Saratoga thought her sister would say something more, but instead the carrier heald the hug until they'd both gotten their emotions under control.
"I- I knew you were back, but I until I saw you-" A wave of giggles stopped Sara from finishing her thought, wrapped up in enjoying the feeling of her sister. The abyss- or perhaps the thing that dwelled there- had taken advantage of her grief over the Essexes, but the loss of her sister had cut much deeper. Seeing her again, just over eighty years after her sinking, simultaneously exposed years of grief and countered it with giddy relief.
"Nice to see you back, as well. When I returned, knowing that it had gotten to you-" Sara stiffened, and her sister paused. "Well, I had to do something, right? I guess Carrier Group Six managed without me, but not being there makes me feel like a lousy older sister…"
"Hold on." Saratoga interrupted, releasing the hug and holding her sister in front of her. "You're the older sister?"
"Yeah." Lexington replied, her smile returning. "I am the nameship, after all."
"Please," Saratoga shot back, "I was at sea long before you launched!"
The two lapsed into familiar banter, the sisters' lighthearted ribbing saying more than any heartfelt greetings. Her sister would help a lot in familizing herself with the world of the 2020s, putting several briefings in context and helping her get settled in as a shipgirl.
For a few days, at least.
- - -
The ship scanned her first PCS order. She paused, before rereading it and looking up from her lap.
"Maizuru, sir?"
She knew USFJ still operated some bases in japan, but none were fully staffed, and as far as she could recall, none in Maizuru. The commander of USPACOM nodded, his face straight.
"The JMSDF is facing a serious training problem at the moment. Several of their latewar carriers sunk without even basic training, meaning they're dangerously green. I'm told Katori has been training them to some standard, but she doesn't understand dogfighting tactics, aircraft direction, or the unique damage control procedures carriers need practice in. With how hard the Abyssals have been pushing north, they can't spare one of their own fleet carriers on the task, and they're afraid to ship them overseas in case a crisis pops up."
"That's where I come in?" Saratoga guessed, and the Admiral nodded.
"Exactly. Seems someone over there read your service history before offering to help free you. You'll be flying out with the rest of the JMSDF contingent saturday. Understood?"
To Saratoga, this sounded like a job for Wolverine or Sable, but the Japanese had done the majority of the work at Bikini. For a brief moment, she considered asking about the whereabouts of the two training carriers, but discipline quickly reasserted itself. Perhaps they hadn't returned yet, or maybe Japan wanted a real veteran to train their carriers, but it wasn't a ship's job to question orders, especially ones with a political background.
She did owe them, she guessed.
"Yes, sir."
She would rather have sailed alongside her sister and daughters, defending them and sharing in their victories, but her current wing of F2Fs and SBU-1s would be worse than useless in a battle. She'd have to do something to get her air wing out of biplanes. Work in Japan meant less contact with her sister, but that was what all of this new technology was for, right?
- - -
"What do you think?"
Saratoga paused, her sister following suit a half a second later.
"It's… Surreal."
When Lex had first explained shopping mall's concept to her, she had trouble wrapping her mind around it. Even now, the multi-story mall, with all of its restaurants, stores, and lights, was a little hard to take in. Conceptually, it wasn't particularly different from your average market, but the scale was overwhelming.
It was friday, the two sisters spending their last day preparing Saratoga for her imminent deployment. Their shopping trip coincided with the rest of the Japanese fleet's, who apparently considered this one of the highlights of leave in San Diego. With the trade routes between the US and central america remaining relatively undisturbed, clothes came cheaper and in more sizes, something especially important for some of Japan's more… endowed ships. This was especially important for the newly-returned carrier, as her first paycheck had only arrived that morning.
By now, the majority of Saratoga's first discretionary funds had already been spent, ensuring Saratoga's wardrobe consisted of more than her navy-issued uniforms and the dress she'd arrived with. There was still several hours before the shuttle would take them back to the Naval Base, and she was determined to get the most out of her remaining funds.
"You could say that about a lot of things these days." Lexington replied, her gaze focusing on an advertisement displayed on a massive television. "They say you eventually get used to everything, but there's a lot of stuff that still catches me off guard. Investigated the internet yet?"
Saratoga cringed, remembering her briefing on the subject. The C-something Warfare Engineer seemed to have known what he was talking about, but to the Carrier it felt like he was speaking another language. The history had made enough sense, a military project designed to help the US fight a nuclear war snowballing into something revolutionary and universal, but on the technical side of things Saratoga had gotten lost somewhere around 'address.'
"Not really, no."
Lexington smiled sympathetically. "Well, when you do? Expect anything."
"I don't think that's possible." Saratoga replied.
"Try." Lexington emphasized, her dark hair framing a mischievous smirk. "Wanna get some food?"
- - -
"Oi, Sara!"
The call echoed across the food court, silencing the multitude of conversations as it reverberated against the decorative ceiling. Saratoga jumped, almost dropping the large sandwich she was about to enjoy. Across the food court, Zuikaku waved, her twin tails bobbing as she broke into a jog. For a moment, Saratoga thought the carrier just wanted to see her, but judging by her expression and the phone in her hand, she wasn't there for their meal. Conversation quietly returned.
"What's wrong?" Saratoga queried. Her sister tensed as the Japanese carrier approached, but Saratoga ignored it. Wartime habits didn't die easily, after all. She probably didn't mean anything by it.
"Just got a call from Murray." The Japanese carrier replied, pointing to her phone. That everyone called the glowing metal tablets a phone still felt wrong, but they did seem to work. "He needed to know your number."
"What for?" Saratoga asked, but she already had her suspicions. That Abyssal hostage case had probably resolved itself by now, but a Spook like Murray would take a while pouring over such an odd event. What would he need her input for?
"Beats me." Zuikaku shrugged. "Heads up, though. You know how to use that thing?"
It took a few moments for Saratoga to fish her government-issue phone out of her purse, sliding the thing around in her hands. She knew it used some kind of radio technology to connect to landlines, but beyond that it might as well be magical.
"Not really, no." She admitted. "Lex can walk me through it, thou-."
Buzzt.
The phone sprung to life in Saratoga's hands, and the carrier stiffened. She probably should have been expecting that. Now, how did this thing work?
Saratoga tapped the green phone button, but it continued buzzing.
"You have to hold and drag it." Her sister added. The Carrier tried again, this time dragging her finger across the glass. Success! The buzzing stopped as the screen changed. What now? Cautiously, she held the steel and glass to her face, taking caution to avoid bumping the red button with her cheek. How was this metal slab supposed to rest on her cheek? There was a reason real phones were curved! Feeling slightly ridiculous, the Carrier spoke.
"Hello?"
"Hello," The Lieutenant's voice replied, although if Zuikaku hadn't warned her beforehand she wouldn't have recognized it. "Is this Saratoga?"
"Yeah." Across the table, the already worried Lexington leaned forwards, noticing as the Carrier subconsciously braced herself. An intelligence agent didn't interrupt your leave with a phone call to give you good news.
"Good. Are you in a secure area?"
"I'm in a restaurant." Saratoga replied, unsure if she was technically correct. There was a brief pause, before the spook spoke up again.
"San Diego, correct? Could you step outside for a moment?"
With an apologetic nod to her sister, Saratoga stood, making her way to an exit. Once past the Mall's first parking complex, the sounds of distant traffic from the nearby highway greeted the Carrier, and she took a final look around her.
"How did the hostage situation go?" She murmured, walking further towards the highway. It was possible that it was still ongoing, but the fishing vessel, if not interdicted, would have reached the contenental US by now. Something must have changed in that time.
"I'm not authorized to disclose that yet." Murray replied, his tone apologetic despite it's formal manner. "I probably will be within the week, though. You have need to know."
The Carrier's walk faltered as she processed the statement.
"Me, specifically?" Saratoga could feel the pressure in her active boiler rising.
"Ensign, you had three Carrier-class Abyssals serving under you while under Abyssal influence, correct?"
Once again, disjointed fragments of memory flooded her consciousness, but almost as suddenly as they arrived they subsided. Saratoga already knew.
"Yes, but wasn't the Abyssal a cruiser?"
"Bad intel." Murray dismissed the question
"Ah." She couldn't argue about that. Mistaken sightings were more common than actual combat in wartime.
"Did one of these carriers have a Longform Essex's hull, but no deck edge elevator?"
"Trinitite."
The name came suddenly, leaving Saratoga's lips before she'd fully comprehended it. Until now, she hadn't even known her previous self's fleet even had names, but the knowledge came with the same certainty that came any other time she'd recalled a fact from her Abyssal life. The flood of memories returned, this time giving her disjointed images of one of her Wo-Class carriers.
Training, a fighter skidding off her deck and splashing in the misty waters of their Atoll.
Sailing into the bay, another Wo-class draped over her shoulders and supported by her rigging's tentacles.
Lying face-down in the bay, fire raging across her deck as the dying ship drifted.
"She's dead, though."
"Apparently not." Murray replied. "Trinitite, was it? Like the crystal?"
"Yeah." Saratoga replied. A lamp post was nearby, and the carrier needed something to lean on.
"Thank you." Murray said, after a brief pause. "One more question, then I'll let you get back to your meal."
Saratoga had plenty to think about already, but that could come after the call was over. With an effort, she pushed her flood of memories- the revelations her minions had had a personality at all- down, bracing herself for another question.
"Go ahead."
"If this 'Trinitite' was to run into you, and recognized you, what would she do?"
What did that mean?
She had known, from the fact that parts of her fleet had acted independently, that they were rational actors, but the fact they apparently were distinct enough to get a name was entirely new to her. Maybe it was a part of Jellyfish's family fantasy, using the three Wos as a replacement for the Essex sisters, but what if they'd earned a name?
"I- I have no idea."
Was running into Trinitite even a possibility? How could a carrier with nothing but convoy duty outwit the navy to make landfall? Was she actively looking for Saratoga? Did she know her former Princess was now a shipgirl? But Saratoga wasn't the Jellyfish Princess, was she? What if Trinitite took the same stance, and decided she wanted her old boss back?
No! I'm not going back!
"That's fair." Murray said, although the Carrier barely heard it. "One more thing, then."
That got her attention. With considerable effort, the carrier composed herself, only now noticing the family passing her. No matter what Trinitite wanted, the C5 she was scheduled to board in less than 24 hours would ensure she couldn't find her. There weren't any renegade Abyssals in Japan, that she knew of.
"Okay."
"Saratoga, I've broken several regulations to ask you these questions. I don't know what assumptions you've made based on this interview, but I ask that you don't share them with anyone, alright? More information will be coming, through formal channels. Let them decide who needs to know about this."
"Aye Aye, Lieutenant." She formally replied.
"Alright. If any new information on Trinitite comes to light, feel free to call this number again. We can make other arrangements later."
The technical question as to how to do that came to mind, but such minor things suddenly sounded insignificant.
"Understood."
"Alright. Enjoy your meal, Saratoga. Sorry for the interruption."
The connection terminated with a click. The aircraft carrier sighed, feeling her hands start to shake. She'd seen it before, on gunners who'd just run out of targets and pilots who'd barely made a rough landing, but this was the first time it had happened to her. Saratoga brought the phone down, pressing the button to turn off the screen before pausing to examine it.
Hopefully it still worked, with those finger-shaped dents in the frame.
While that happened, Lexie and the other Essex sisters who'd helped rescue her from Bikini had left for their own assignments, returning to patrols, refiting, or training for the next offensive CDRUSPACOM was brewing up, leaving Saratoga alone in the rare periods she'd had free time. She'd run into Enterprise a day or so earlier, but the two hadn't done much more than exchange stiff nods before going their own way.
Was there still bad blood between them, or had the bitter rivalry between the two died with time? Was the famous carrier was too busy to stop for her former friend? There was a war on. That was probably something she'd have to clear up, but whenever she started thinking about how to reintroduce herself to Enterprise, her mind would freeze up and before she knew it there was something else for the carrier to do.
For example…
- - -
"Sorry I wasn't there at Bikini." Lexington- the nameship Sara never thought she'd see again- had smiled, greeting her sister with an apology.
"Took a torpedo about a week before the fleet set out." Her thin smile was simultaneously new but achingly familiar "It's always those damn submarines-"
Lex wasn't able to finish, interrupted by her sister's tearful hug.
"It's fine." The carrier wept. "You're- You're here now."
"Woah!" Lexington replied, and Saratoga thought her sister would say something more, but instead the carrier heald the hug until they'd both gotten their emotions under control.
"I- I knew you were back, but I until I saw you-" A wave of giggles stopped Sara from finishing her thought, wrapped up in enjoying the feeling of her sister. The abyss- or perhaps the thing that dwelled there- had taken advantage of her grief over the Essexes, but the loss of her sister had cut much deeper. Seeing her again, just over eighty years after her sinking, simultaneously exposed years of grief and countered it with giddy relief.
"Nice to see you back, as well. When I returned, knowing that it had gotten to you-" Sara stiffened, and her sister paused. "Well, I had to do something, right? I guess Carrier Group Six managed without me, but not being there makes me feel like a lousy older sister…"
"Hold on." Saratoga interrupted, releasing the hug and holding her sister in front of her. "You're the older sister?"
"Yeah." Lexington replied, her smile returning. "I am the nameship, after all."
"Please," Saratoga shot back, "I was at sea long before you launched!"
The two lapsed into familiar banter, the sisters' lighthearted ribbing saying more than any heartfelt greetings. Her sister would help a lot in familizing herself with the world of the 2020s, putting several briefings in context and helping her get settled in as a shipgirl.
For a few days, at least.
- - -
The ship scanned her first PCS order. She paused, before rereading it and looking up from her lap.
"Maizuru, sir?"
She knew USFJ still operated some bases in japan, but none were fully staffed, and as far as she could recall, none in Maizuru. The commander of USPACOM nodded, his face straight.
"The JMSDF is facing a serious training problem at the moment. Several of their latewar carriers sunk without even basic training, meaning they're dangerously green. I'm told Katori has been training them to some standard, but she doesn't understand dogfighting tactics, aircraft direction, or the unique damage control procedures carriers need practice in. With how hard the Abyssals have been pushing north, they can't spare one of their own fleet carriers on the task, and they're afraid to ship them overseas in case a crisis pops up."
"That's where I come in?" Saratoga guessed, and the Admiral nodded.
"Exactly. Seems someone over there read your service history before offering to help free you. You'll be flying out with the rest of the JMSDF contingent saturday. Understood?"
To Saratoga, this sounded like a job for Wolverine or Sable, but the Japanese had done the majority of the work at Bikini. For a brief moment, she considered asking about the whereabouts of the two training carriers, but discipline quickly reasserted itself. Perhaps they hadn't returned yet, or maybe Japan wanted a real veteran to train their carriers, but it wasn't a ship's job to question orders, especially ones with a political background.
She did owe them, she guessed.
"Yes, sir."
She would rather have sailed alongside her sister and daughters, defending them and sharing in their victories, but her current wing of F2Fs and SBU-1s would be worse than useless in a battle. She'd have to do something to get her air wing out of biplanes. Work in Japan meant less contact with her sister, but that was what all of this new technology was for, right?
- - -
"What do you think?"
Saratoga paused, her sister following suit a half a second later.
"It's… Surreal."
When Lex had first explained shopping mall's concept to her, she had trouble wrapping her mind around it. Even now, the multi-story mall, with all of its restaurants, stores, and lights, was a little hard to take in. Conceptually, it wasn't particularly different from your average market, but the scale was overwhelming.
It was friday, the two sisters spending their last day preparing Saratoga for her imminent deployment. Their shopping trip coincided with the rest of the Japanese fleet's, who apparently considered this one of the highlights of leave in San Diego. With the trade routes between the US and central america remaining relatively undisturbed, clothes came cheaper and in more sizes, something especially important for some of Japan's more… endowed ships. This was especially important for the newly-returned carrier, as her first paycheck had only arrived that morning.
By now, the majority of Saratoga's first discretionary funds had already been spent, ensuring Saratoga's wardrobe consisted of more than her navy-issued uniforms and the dress she'd arrived with. There was still several hours before the shuttle would take them back to the Naval Base, and she was determined to get the most out of her remaining funds.
"You could say that about a lot of things these days." Lexington replied, her gaze focusing on an advertisement displayed on a massive television. "They say you eventually get used to everything, but there's a lot of stuff that still catches me off guard. Investigated the internet yet?"
Saratoga cringed, remembering her briefing on the subject. The C-something Warfare Engineer seemed to have known what he was talking about, but to the Carrier it felt like he was speaking another language. The history had made enough sense, a military project designed to help the US fight a nuclear war snowballing into something revolutionary and universal, but on the technical side of things Saratoga had gotten lost somewhere around 'address.'
"Not really, no."
Lexington smiled sympathetically. "Well, when you do? Expect anything."
"I don't think that's possible." Saratoga replied.
"Try." Lexington emphasized, her dark hair framing a mischievous smirk. "Wanna get some food?"
- - -
"Oi, Sara!"
The call echoed across the food court, silencing the multitude of conversations as it reverberated against the decorative ceiling. Saratoga jumped, almost dropping the large sandwich she was about to enjoy. Across the food court, Zuikaku waved, her twin tails bobbing as she broke into a jog. For a moment, Saratoga thought the carrier just wanted to see her, but judging by her expression and the phone in her hand, she wasn't there for their meal. Conversation quietly returned.
"What's wrong?" Saratoga queried. Her sister tensed as the Japanese carrier approached, but Saratoga ignored it. Wartime habits didn't die easily, after all. She probably didn't mean anything by it.
"Just got a call from Murray." The Japanese carrier replied, pointing to her phone. That everyone called the glowing metal tablets a phone still felt wrong, but they did seem to work. "He needed to know your number."
"What for?" Saratoga asked, but she already had her suspicions. That Abyssal hostage case had probably resolved itself by now, but a Spook like Murray would take a while pouring over such an odd event. What would he need her input for?
"Beats me." Zuikaku shrugged. "Heads up, though. You know how to use that thing?"
It took a few moments for Saratoga to fish her government-issue phone out of her purse, sliding the thing around in her hands. She knew it used some kind of radio technology to connect to landlines, but beyond that it might as well be magical.
"Not really, no." She admitted. "Lex can walk me through it, thou-."
Buzzt.
The phone sprung to life in Saratoga's hands, and the carrier stiffened. She probably should have been expecting that. Now, how did this thing work?
Saratoga tapped the green phone button, but it continued buzzing.
"You have to hold and drag it." Her sister added. The Carrier tried again, this time dragging her finger across the glass. Success! The buzzing stopped as the screen changed. What now? Cautiously, she held the steel and glass to her face, taking caution to avoid bumping the red button with her cheek. How was this metal slab supposed to rest on her cheek? There was a reason real phones were curved! Feeling slightly ridiculous, the Carrier spoke.
"Hello?"
"Hello," The Lieutenant's voice replied, although if Zuikaku hadn't warned her beforehand she wouldn't have recognized it. "Is this Saratoga?"
"Yeah." Across the table, the already worried Lexington leaned forwards, noticing as the Carrier subconsciously braced herself. An intelligence agent didn't interrupt your leave with a phone call to give you good news.
"Good. Are you in a secure area?"
"I'm in a restaurant." Saratoga replied, unsure if she was technically correct. There was a brief pause, before the spook spoke up again.
"San Diego, correct? Could you step outside for a moment?"
With an apologetic nod to her sister, Saratoga stood, making her way to an exit. Once past the Mall's first parking complex, the sounds of distant traffic from the nearby highway greeted the Carrier, and she took a final look around her.
"How did the hostage situation go?" She murmured, walking further towards the highway. It was possible that it was still ongoing, but the fishing vessel, if not interdicted, would have reached the contenental US by now. Something must have changed in that time.
"I'm not authorized to disclose that yet." Murray replied, his tone apologetic despite it's formal manner. "I probably will be within the week, though. You have need to know."
The Carrier's walk faltered as she processed the statement.
"Me, specifically?" Saratoga could feel the pressure in her active boiler rising.
"Ensign, you had three Carrier-class Abyssals serving under you while under Abyssal influence, correct?"
Once again, disjointed fragments of memory flooded her consciousness, but almost as suddenly as they arrived they subsided. Saratoga already knew.
"Yes, but wasn't the Abyssal a cruiser?"
"Bad intel." Murray dismissed the question
"Ah." She couldn't argue about that. Mistaken sightings were more common than actual combat in wartime.
"Did one of these carriers have a Longform Essex's hull, but no deck edge elevator?"
"Trinitite."
The name came suddenly, leaving Saratoga's lips before she'd fully comprehended it. Until now, she hadn't even known her previous self's fleet even had names, but the knowledge came with the same certainty that came any other time she'd recalled a fact from her Abyssal life. The flood of memories returned, this time giving her disjointed images of one of her Wo-Class carriers.
Training, a fighter skidding off her deck and splashing in the misty waters of their Atoll.
Sailing into the bay, another Wo-class draped over her shoulders and supported by her rigging's tentacles.
Lying face-down in the bay, fire raging across her deck as the dying ship drifted.
"She's dead, though."
"Apparently not." Murray replied. "Trinitite, was it? Like the crystal?"
"Yeah." Saratoga replied. A lamp post was nearby, and the carrier needed something to lean on.
"Thank you." Murray said, after a brief pause. "One more question, then I'll let you get back to your meal."
Saratoga had plenty to think about already, but that could come after the call was over. With an effort, she pushed her flood of memories- the revelations her minions had had a personality at all- down, bracing herself for another question.
"Go ahead."
"If this 'Trinitite' was to run into you, and recognized you, what would she do?"
What did that mean?
She had known, from the fact that parts of her fleet had acted independently, that they were rational actors, but the fact they apparently were distinct enough to get a name was entirely new to her. Maybe it was a part of Jellyfish's family fantasy, using the three Wos as a replacement for the Essex sisters, but what if they'd earned a name?
"I- I have no idea."
Was running into Trinitite even a possibility? How could a carrier with nothing but convoy duty outwit the navy to make landfall? Was she actively looking for Saratoga? Did she know her former Princess was now a shipgirl? But Saratoga wasn't the Jellyfish Princess, was she? What if Trinitite took the same stance, and decided she wanted her old boss back?
No! I'm not going back!
"That's fair." Murray said, although the Carrier barely heard it. "One more thing, then."
That got her attention. With considerable effort, the carrier composed herself, only now noticing the family passing her. No matter what Trinitite wanted, the C5 she was scheduled to board in less than 24 hours would ensure she couldn't find her. There weren't any renegade Abyssals in Japan, that she knew of.
"Okay."
"Saratoga, I've broken several regulations to ask you these questions. I don't know what assumptions you've made based on this interview, but I ask that you don't share them with anyone, alright? More information will be coming, through formal channels. Let them decide who needs to know about this."
"Aye Aye, Lieutenant." She formally replied.
"Alright. If any new information on Trinitite comes to light, feel free to call this number again. We can make other arrangements later."
The technical question as to how to do that came to mind, but such minor things suddenly sounded insignificant.
"Understood."
"Alright. Enjoy your meal, Saratoga. Sorry for the interruption."
The connection terminated with a click. The aircraft carrier sighed, feeling her hands start to shake. She'd seen it before, on gunners who'd just run out of targets and pilots who'd barely made a rough landing, but this was the first time it had happened to her. Saratoga brought the phone down, pressing the button to turn off the screen before pausing to examine it.
Hopefully it still worked, with those finger-shaped dents in the frame.
Don't issue shipgirls iPhones. Besides the fact the price is higher, they're built with an aluminum frame, and they'll need all the compression strength they can get when one of those dramatic calls come around!
Anyways, this took less editing than I thought it needed. The writing style here is a little different, partially because I wanted to cover a larger period of time, and it felt a bit odd once I was finished with the chapter. Going back through, it doesn't seem that bad, but other opinions and criticism is certainly welcome.
So yeah, the Saratoga interlude from earlier was not just a simple one-off. I'll be occasionally revisiting the story's confused Mombote, but since you guys aren't reading for her story it'll probably stick to an occasional interlude. Please let me know if Saratoga's assignment in Japan seems all that interesting to you, so I know a bit more about how much to revisit her. Right now, I'm not planning on much more than maybe one or two for every 20 chapters.
Anyways, this took less editing than I thought it needed. The writing style here is a little different, partially because I wanted to cover a larger period of time, and it felt a bit odd once I was finished with the chapter. Going back through, it doesn't seem that bad, but other opinions and criticism is certainly welcome.
So yeah, the Saratoga interlude from earlier was not just a simple one-off. I'll be occasionally revisiting the story's confused Mombote, but since you guys aren't reading for her story it'll probably stick to an occasional interlude. Please let me know if Saratoga's assignment in Japan seems all that interesting to you, so I know a bit more about how much to revisit her. Right now, I'm not planning on much more than maybe one or two for every 20 chapters.
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"Make other arrangements" would work better I think.
PyrrhicSteel
Look natural.
- Location
- Idaho
Whoops. That is a bit awkward to read, isn't it. Fixed.
Librarian
SAN Loss Isn't Fun Anymore...
Seems more likely that instead of demanding Saratoga return to the Abyss, Trinitite might very well up and flip over to Humanity's side just to stay with her mothership.
Vibes I'm receiving from looking over Trini's thoughts and actions is that she herself doesn't really have a clear grudge for fighting Humanity, her only motivations for that being for fleet and family, and because she was borne from the Abyss and that's just what Abyssals are supposed to do.
Heck, other than the threat they posed to the Jellyfish Princess and the general "humans bad, mmmkay" touted by the majority of the Abyss, I don't think Trini sees humans as an enemy to be destroyed so much as freakish alien lifeforms to gawk at.
Vibes I'm receiving from looking over Trini's thoughts and actions is that she herself doesn't really have a clear grudge for fighting Humanity, her only motivations for that being for fleet and family, and because she was borne from the Abyss and that's just what Abyssals are supposed to do.
Heck, other than the threat they posed to the Jellyfish Princess and the general "humans bad, mmmkay" touted by the majority of the Abyss, I don't think Trini sees humans as an enemy to be destroyed so much as freakish alien lifeforms to gawk at.
- Location
- Castle Drakenhof
I want to second this. The more time Tri spends working amongst us fleshlings, the more she'll come to understand us. The more she'll learn, and the more that happens the better mindset she'll be in when she meets back up with Mom. Really the only thing I can see derailing this process is getting found out by her boss, and him not being chill about it. The longer she works there though the less of a chance that'll be an issue.