- Location
- Vancouver, Washington
No Alternative 2: The Aso Tour.
The revelation of what had happened to PacCom TF-14 and where they now were had come as a devastating shock to the 23 dimensionally displaced Kanmusu. All were coping as best they could. The seven Japanese girls having the hardest time of all in this Japan, so like and yet so unlike their own. The destroyers: Kitakaze, Hayakaze, Natsukaze, and Fuyukaze took comfort from being around their full American sisters, Fletcher, O'Bannon, Heermann, and Hoel. Matsushima and Atago, both found interest in the native cruiser with the face of the one and name of the other. Of all of them, United States worried about Sagami most of all. The battleship was completely unique in this world, with neither namesake or twin in this world, her only sister, Tango was back home, probably mourning Sagami even now. United States could sympathize. Her sisters, Constitution, Alliance, and Republic were probably also grieving for her. The odds they would ever see each other again were slender at best. But there was one difference that made it all the worse for Sagami.
For United States, the vast majority of changes between the America of this world and her own were mostly superficial differences: The number of times the Yankees had won the Series.... Relatively minor issues. But for Sagami the world had been turned completely upside down. Somehow, the Empire she loved and served had gone horribly wrong. The military having taken over and turned Japan upon her neighbors and former friends. The Empire turned cruel and in its arrogance had forced full, unbridled vengeance upon it.
She was Sagami, proud battleship of Her Imperial Majesty's Navy but here that pride in the Empire had become something dirty, tainted and several of the local kanmusu viewed Sagami warily, especially Kaga. That cut hard but was not nearly as troubling as a visiting carrier identified as Aso. The young carrier had begun peppering Sagami with questions and offering a great many unsolicited opinions about the superiority of the Japanese race and the order of things.
"How can you stand being made to work beside half-breeds and Gaijin?" Aso asked.
This had been a major mistake on Aso's part. Although slightly taller and more slender in appearance to Yamato, Sagami had the same SHP as the mighty Yamato and moreover, Sagami was furious. She snatched the carrier up by her collar and jerked her up clean off the ground to stare into smoldering eyes.
"You are a foolish child parroting the words of fools and other children. You are not old enough to have earned those opinions through your own experience. Now listen very carefully to me as I will not waste the effort to repeat myself. The Army and Navy are the Sword of the Empire. The sword does not command the arm that wields it and in my Japan, no soldier with a sense of true honor would dare to speak on behalf of the Imperial Throne! I fight for the protection of the Japanese people and NEVER for my own glory. To sacrifice blood for personal honor or glory is an unconscionable shame. Now," She pulled Aso even closer. "Allow me to ask: Do you value your kanbaku over your kanko? They differ but yet each has its own strengths. Each has its own value. You should consider this as you go and reflect upon your foolishness, child." She released Aso and glared at the carrier, who bowed and hurriedly retreated from the battleship.
United States walked up to Sagami with a grin. "Remind me never to make you mad!"
Sagami shook her head dismissively. "She was merely a misguided child."
"Always the teacher!" United States agreed. "So, security finally released my video collection back to me, now that they're sure the only bombs in there are theatrical ones."
"Why do you take those things on missions anyway?" Sagami asked curiously.
"A tip I picked up from Argonaut. You never know when you are going to find yourself having to layover in the middle of nowhere. Anyway, I thought we could get the kids together and watch Star Trek after dinner. I was thinking a couple of the original episodes and then a couple from the '74 series, Star Trek: Yamato."
"You are, what is the word? Ah! Yes! You are a total geek."
"You say that as if it were a bad thing!" United States laughed.
The revelation of what had happened to PacCom TF-14 and where they now were had come as a devastating shock to the 23 dimensionally displaced Kanmusu. All were coping as best they could. The seven Japanese girls having the hardest time of all in this Japan, so like and yet so unlike their own. The destroyers: Kitakaze, Hayakaze, Natsukaze, and Fuyukaze took comfort from being around their full American sisters, Fletcher, O'Bannon, Heermann, and Hoel. Matsushima and Atago, both found interest in the native cruiser with the face of the one and name of the other. Of all of them, United States worried about Sagami most of all. The battleship was completely unique in this world, with neither namesake or twin in this world, her only sister, Tango was back home, probably mourning Sagami even now. United States could sympathize. Her sisters, Constitution, Alliance, and Republic were probably also grieving for her. The odds they would ever see each other again were slender at best. But there was one difference that made it all the worse for Sagami.
For United States, the vast majority of changes between the America of this world and her own were mostly superficial differences: The number of times the Yankees had won the Series.... Relatively minor issues. But for Sagami the world had been turned completely upside down. Somehow, the Empire she loved and served had gone horribly wrong. The military having taken over and turned Japan upon her neighbors and former friends. The Empire turned cruel and in its arrogance had forced full, unbridled vengeance upon it.
She was Sagami, proud battleship of Her Imperial Majesty's Navy but here that pride in the Empire had become something dirty, tainted and several of the local kanmusu viewed Sagami warily, especially Kaga. That cut hard but was not nearly as troubling as a visiting carrier identified as Aso. The young carrier had begun peppering Sagami with questions and offering a great many unsolicited opinions about the superiority of the Japanese race and the order of things.
"How can you stand being made to work beside half-breeds and Gaijin?" Aso asked.
This had been a major mistake on Aso's part. Although slightly taller and more slender in appearance to Yamato, Sagami had the same SHP as the mighty Yamato and moreover, Sagami was furious. She snatched the carrier up by her collar and jerked her up clean off the ground to stare into smoldering eyes.
"You are a foolish child parroting the words of fools and other children. You are not old enough to have earned those opinions through your own experience. Now listen very carefully to me as I will not waste the effort to repeat myself. The Army and Navy are the Sword of the Empire. The sword does not command the arm that wields it and in my Japan, no soldier with a sense of true honor would dare to speak on behalf of the Imperial Throne! I fight for the protection of the Japanese people and NEVER for my own glory. To sacrifice blood for personal honor or glory is an unconscionable shame. Now," She pulled Aso even closer. "Allow me to ask: Do you value your kanbaku over your kanko? They differ but yet each has its own strengths. Each has its own value. You should consider this as you go and reflect upon your foolishness, child." She released Aso and glared at the carrier, who bowed and hurriedly retreated from the battleship.
United States walked up to Sagami with a grin. "Remind me never to make you mad!"
Sagami shook her head dismissively. "She was merely a misguided child."
"Always the teacher!" United States agreed. "So, security finally released my video collection back to me, now that they're sure the only bombs in there are theatrical ones."
"Why do you take those things on missions anyway?" Sagami asked curiously.
"A tip I picked up from Argonaut. You never know when you are going to find yourself having to layover in the middle of nowhere. Anyway, I thought we could get the kids together and watch Star Trek after dinner. I was thinking a couple of the original episodes and then a couple from the '74 series, Star Trek: Yamato."
"You are, what is the word? Ah! Yes! You are a total geek."
"You say that as if it were a bad thing!" United States laughed.
