More difficult than expected, this one. But here we are!
Chapter 16:
I wonder...did Enterprise make a breakthrough?
James sighed softly, as he moved towards the now-familiar carrier in the distance. He hadn't expected the message. He had been going over plans with Sara, and the next thing he knew, one of his crew had come to his bunk. They had borne a message from
Enterprise, and more specifically, from Admiral Halsey himself. To say the Admiral had been surprised by this would be understating the situation. He had corresponded with Halsey, of course. The two were putting their heads together to 'figure out the technical issues'. And to develop carrier tactics. But, a high-priority message this did not make.
What he had received,
was high-priority.
Annoyingly though, the
reason Halsey had been calling for him wasn't listed. Thompson only knew that the older Admiral wanted to see him, right away. Beyond that? He had no idea, as he neared
Enterprise. Oh sure, the Admiral had guesses he could make. Such as Enterprise making some form of breakthrough. But he wasn't about to rely on a guess. Better to go in blind, than go in on a false-assumption. This
was Bull Halsey he was going to see, after all. The man could be wanting any number of things, and guessing the wrong one could be...less than fun.
To put things mildly.
Shaking his head, James sighed again. He'd figure it out when he got aboard, wouldn't he?
"Permission to come aboard?"
And in that regard, as he stood at the gangplank leading up to the carrier, Thompson could only move forward.
"Granted," the Marine guard replied, not showing any confusion he may have been feeling. "One of my men will escort you to Admiral Halsey, sir."
"Understood."
As the second Marine standing with the guard walked forward, James once again entered the famous warship. His footsteps echoed through her hull, the feeling of being aboard
Enterprise never changing. He doubted it ever really would.
Big E...Little E. It doesn't really matter, this is Enterprise
. Knowing her and being aboard this ship are two different things.
Sightseeing was hardly the reason he was here though. No, that was the office he rapidly was approaching. It had only been the second time he had actually been in this room, but it felt like the first all over again. This time he wasn't with Halsey. This time, he was going to be entering the man's office without the slightest clue why he was.
Fun times.
"Admiral Thompson has arrived, sir."
"Send him in."
The Marine nodded at the Admiral, stepping aside to allow James forward. Nodding at the guard, the Admiral squared his shoulders and walked into the office.
"Admiral!"
Only to stumble the moment the door was shut, as Enterprise tackled him into a hug. Thompson stiffened, eyes cast down on his waist. Getting a hug from
Enterprise didn't happen. Unless you were her sisters and Sara, anyway. And this Enterprise was not the one he remembered. This Enterprise was young enough that he could call her a younger sister, and she was currently wrapped around his waist.
In the middle of Admiral Halsey's office.
When the man in question was staring silently at the younger Admiral, who felt a drop of sweat roll down his face.
"He can hear me Admiral!" Enterprise, by contrast, seemed to have not noticed. "I tried morse like Ari suggested, and it worked. Admiral Halsey can hear me now! But he can't see me yet..."
"..."
"Admiral?"
Halsey coughed in the background, "Well, I see you can
see her, James."
"Er..."
"Wait, he can..."
"No I can't." Halsey grunted, the
barest twitch of his lips betraying a level of amusement. "But I
could see James flinch back like someone hit him."
It was only then that Enterprise seemed to realize what she had done. The blonde carrier pulled back, face going brilliantly red. Equally red eyes looked away from the younger Admiral, as James sighed softly. Well, that hadn't gone according to plan, had it? Then again...never
expect that when dealing with a ship girl. They had a unique ability to throw any and all plans out the proverbial window, intentionally or otherwise. Even Sara or Enterprise.
"Sorry Admiral..." Enterprise looked apologetic. "I wasn't thinking."
"Don't be sorry, had to come up eventually." Thompson didn't do anything but pat the carrier on the shoulder, as he looked at Halsey. "So, you can hear her now sir?"
"Bill." The older man pointed out. "And yes, I can. Says she's
Enterprise."
James looked between the carrier and the Admiral, before turning back to Halsey, "Because she is."
"I am!" Enterprise added.
"So she's said," Halsey nodded. "But, I have no proof beyond her word. And you have to forgive me, James, but I have no reason to believe that. A ghost is one thing. Her being my girl, is another entirely."
"You have
my word."
"I do."
Halsey pulled himself to his feet, walking around his desk. The Admiral looked James in the eye, gruff features betraying nothing about how he felt. James stared right back, doing his utmost to not flinch. Bull Halsey has a presence to himself that no one else did. It was all the younger man could do, to not sweat from the pressure. He couldn't show weakness. Not here. Not now.
Not when he needed to convince the Admiral that he and Enterprise were telling the truth.
"And where is your proof?"
"I can't prove anything, not with you not able to see the girls."
It hurt to admit that, and Enterprise sent him an equally hurt look, but James wasn't going to lie. That would do more harm than good.
"Girls. So, you're telling me it isn't just Enterprise." Halsey raised an appraising eyebrow.
"It isn't. I've talked over the radio with every girl in this base." James realized his mistake a moment too late. "Oh."
Halsey didn't change expression, save for his eyebrow rising higher, "So that was you."
"Yes sir," Thompson didn't bother denying the point. "I couldn't tell anyone, clearly, or I would be called insane. At the least."
"I'm not sure we both aren't insane."
Only Halsey could say that with a straight face, as he turned his attention away from the younger Admiral.
"So, you say you've talked with every ship in this base."
A nod, "I have. Only Arizona, Enterprise, and Saratoga in person though. Sara has been a great help in planning out new tactics. No one knows how to use the birds as well as the carrier launching them."
In the background, Enterprise flushed slightly. James couldn't help but smile at that, recognizing what
that was. He hadn't seen it on
her before, but he had seen it many times back in the...future. A lot of ship girls were easily flustered, when he brought up how skilled they were. How they knew how to fight better than anyone else possibly could hope to do. He just hadn't seen it from
Enterprise before. Granted, he struggled to think of a time he saw the legendary carrier blush to begin with. Wasn't like her.
But, then, this was
Little E. Not
Big E.
"That explains why you are always visiting Arizona. 'Fond of the old girl' my ass." Halsey's gruff voice didn't hold any amusement, his wording aside. "If each of the ships here has a woman haunting her, then I can ask...Enterprise...to connect them?"
"Yes."
Halsey turned around, his eyes clearly scanning for the carrier in question, "Well?"
"You want me..."
"Do I have to make it an order?"
Enterprise snapped to attention, the look quite cute on such a young looking girl, "No sir!"
Halsey's lips twitched again, as he turned to James, "Saratoga."
"If you want to talk to her, s...Bill."
At a nod from the older man, James turned to Enterprise. He nodded at the young carrier, Halsey intently following the motion. Enterprise just smiled, as she tapped the side of her head, connecting to Sara's own TBS system. Times like this, it was quite useful that he had made such progress in connecting the girls to each other. There was no questioning of the messages. The girls just watched for any communication, and replied promptly. Thompson was hardly egotistical, but he did put that down to his influence. Why would they have reason to send messages, were it not for the efforts he was making to connect everyone? To prepare for the coming war, as best as they could? There was no other reason.
At any rate...
"Little E? Is something wrong with my Admiral?" Sara's soft voice echoed through the office.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sara." Admiral Thompson deadpanned.
"Anytime, sir."
The slight teasing in Sara's voice had James rolling his eyes, even as Halsey continued to stare intently at him.
"I heard that, and it sounded exactly like a radio." The older man spoke, eyes narrowed slightly.
"...Admiral Halsey?"
"If you
are Sara, it's good to hear from my old girl." Halsey's mouth formed an ever so slight smile.
"..."
James frowned, running through what he remembered. He couldn't think of Halsey ever commanding Sara...hadn't Enterprise been his first carrier command? All the younger man could remember, admittedly from many years ago, was Bull Halsey serving as Admiral of Enterprise and New Jersey, at varying times. Him being in command of Saratoga didn't register. Not that it was impossible, of course. But he didn't remember reading about that. Not even when doing research on the girls after they returned to fight the Abyssals...
Not that it was impossible he missed something, of course.
"I haven't heard from you, since 1937, sir." Sara broke in, her voice distinctly nostalgic.
"You were a good Captain, sir."
"I like to think so."
Now James
and Enterprise were sharing a look, thoroughly confused by the situation.
"I am glad you can hear me," the elder carrier continued.
"Is that why you called me, Little E? Admiral?"
Coughing lightly, Thompson nodded, "Yeah, that's why."
"You need proof, right?"
"Yes."
"Captain Halsey always was one to want proof. Don't try lying to him, or bad things would happen."
Halsey grunted, "I see my reputation endures over there."
"Of course."
As enlightening as this conversation was proving to be, James coughed again. He had to make sure that he could get through to Admiral Halsey. If the man didn't believe that the ships were the ones talking, it would not end well. James didn't want to run the risk of getting removed from command, considering he had admitted to being the source of the radio problems. Halsey may have been a maverick at the best of times, but he
did follow the chain of command. And, well, James wasn't really inclined to worry about that ending up with him
removed from that chain. What he had done could end up that way.
If he didn't convince Halsey that he was telling the truth.
"Do you believe us now, Bill?"
"You have certainly made a good case," Halsey replied. "However, this is still not full proof. I have no way of assuming that our girls aren't haunted by normal ghosts..."
Halsey snorted in amusement.
"Normal ghosts. Damn it, I shouldn't be able to say that." Shaking his head, the Admiral continued. "Ghosts that can use the TBS and Morse sets, perhaps. But still just spirits, even if they follow orders."
"We aren't lying sir." Sara spoke up.
"Yes!" Enterprise nodded herself. "Why would we have a reason to lie about this? Right Admiral?"
For his part, Thompson just frowned, "I don't know what else we can do, Bill. The girls can't do any thing else with their hulls, or I would suggest that."
"And thank God for that." The older man grimaced. "I do not need my ship acting on her own."
Enterprise frowned, "I would never act without orders! You're my Admiral sir, and I think you're almost like a..."
And promptly trailed off, looking away. James felt a sudden urge to hug the girl, as the young carrier looked very upset. Or, at least, worried. She might have overstepped her bounds. That was what she was likely thinking.
"Like what?" Halsey, on the other hand, was staring intently at where Enterprise's voice came from.
"..."
"I want an answer."
The carrier looked at James for support, "Admiral?"
"I say tell him. What's the harm, really?"
And he knew what she wanted to say. She had told him as much, the very first time they had met in this time. He couldn't blame Enterprise. She had every right to worry about saying what she felt. But the fact remained...it may be the one thing that could break through the stubborn shell of one Bull Halsey.
"Right..." The blonde took in a deep breath, before looking exactly at Halsey. "You're like a father to me, sir. I...none of my other commanders. None of the workers who built me. Not one of them cares about me like you do. You always treated me as more than just a pile of steel and oil. I...I know that you never really considered me
alive like I am. But..."
Enterprise trailed off, her voice softening as red eyes looked at her feet.
"You always
loved me. I know it sounds silly, but you always cared about me more than anyone else ever has. You've treated me well, Admiral. Better than I probably deserve..."
"Enough."
Halsey's gruff voice had Enterprise looking up, as James leaned against a wall. Hearing her air her heart like that...
I feel sorry for her. What if he never believes her?
"So, you think I'm like a father?"
The carrier nodded hesitantly, "I do. I know it's..."
"No, that isn't foolish."
And once more, both carrier and younger Admiral were staring at Halsey. Who stared right back, at least at James.
"Bill?"
Halsey ignored that, walking forward. He clearly still couldn't see Enterprise, but the carrier walked towards him as well. Admiral Thompson merely watched, staying out of the way. This...this felt like an intensely private moment he was intruding on. James felt that he shouldn't be here, but he wasn't going to leave. No. He just stayed where he was, watching as Halsey stopped walking. Enterprise stopped as well, just barely in front of the older Admiral. Gruff features twisted into a small smile, as Enterprise smiled hesitantly as well. She looked...hopeful. Hopeful...
James truly, honestly, hoped that wasn't misplaced. Enterprise deserved to be happy. All of these girls, from the smallest frigate to the soon to be build Iowas, deserved to be happy. God only knew their intended purpose and service didn't leave much room for that.
And perhaps, Halsey realized that himself. The man had done nothing to deny what Enterprise felt. He had made no moves to change his expression, or move from his spot. The Admiral just stared into space, unable to see Enterprise, but seeming to realize she was right in front of him anyway. And that he hadn't denied her was...at least a positive sign. Maybe, just maybe, he was willing to believe what he was hearing now. One could...
Hope.
"You seem to understand me well," Halsey finally spoke up again. His voice retained it's gruff tone, but there was less bite to it. "And you are right. While I was fond of Saratoga, Enterprise always did have a special place for me. This carrier...she's not like any others. There's always been something unique about Enterprise. A certain feeling, that she would never let me down. So long as I worked with her, she would never fail or sink."
"Admiral..."
"And yes, I do care for Enterprise more than any other ship. She's never let me down, and I don't think she ever will. Enterprise is the most reliable ship I've ever served aboard. So..."
Halsey stepped forward, as Enterprise looked up at him with wide eyes.
"If you really
are her, prove it."
Unable to hold herself back, the young carrier jumped forward and wrapped her arms around Halsey's waist. The Admiral rocked back, eyes widening slightly. It was the most emotion he had shown yet, in fact.
"I...I..." Little E got out somehow. "Admiral, please, let this be enough..."
For his part, James smiled slightly, "You can feel her, at least."
"And see her."
The younger Admiral nodded, even as Enterprise pulled back in shock, red eyes staring up at the older man.
"You..."
"Well, Sara was right I see. The more you care for the ship, the more receptive you are to seeing her." Thompson smiled softly.
"Of course I was."
Sara's voice managed to get a deep laugh from the younger Admiral, and soft giggles from Enterprise. Giggles that, of course, trailed off as she looked up at Halsey. Who was looking
down on her, eyes appraising. Enterprise shuffled under that look, even as Halsey's face didn't change expression.
"Admiral..."
Didn't change, but his hand did reach out. Halsey placed it on Enterprise's shoulder, looking down on the blonde girl.
"What is this excuse for a uniform, sailor?"
"Eh?"
James sighed, holding a hand to his face, "Why did I expect that?"
Halsey's lip twitched, as Enterprise looked more confused than anything.
"This is my uniform though...I was born with this...?"
And then it hit her like a speeding bullet.
"Wait...
sailor?" Enterprise's crimson eyes widened. "You...Admiral..."
The older man merely nodded, squeezing down gently on Enterprise's shoulder.
"I can't say I believe you, not entirely." Halsey continued. "But you are not anyone who has ever been aboard this ship. So I find it hard to believe you're just a ghost. Moreover, the way you describe how I feel about Enterprise...well. This is hard to believe, and I will need to see Saratoga or Arizona first. But I'm willing to talk with you...Enterprise."
The carrier didn't...couldn't...reply to that. She buried her face in Halsey's broad chest, as the older Admiral turned his head to James. There was an entirely serious look on it, that made the younger Admiral sweat again. This wasn't like the looks he had gotten before. This was a different level.
"If I see the same on those ships, you know what that means, James."
"Bill?"
"We will need to go to Washington. This is not something that can be kept secret." Halsey's lips tilted upwards ever so slightly. "Especially if the other ships try to do the same."
Well...I can't say I didn't expect that...
Even so, James felt a chill run down his spine. Washington. Revealing the existence of these girls...
We know how to do it now. Utah will breakthrough. Lex. Yorktown. Cali. Virginia. How long is it, until every ship in the fleet find someone they can get through to?
