How about a follow up to Ranger's summoning?
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Somewhere in south Texas
LT Joaquin Jackson hummed along with the radio as he drove south on highway 77. Actually he hummed along with the singing aircraft carrier beside him, who could pick up tunes pretty quickly. U.S.S. Ranger CV4 had a beautiful voice and as much as she prodded him to sing with her, he just enjoyed listening. There had been worries about what kind of vehicle would be needed to transport her. He had heard stories of Alaska needing anything from a deuce-and-a-half to a ten-ton truck. It turned out that Ranger was light enough that one of the station's one-ton crew cabs was plenty.
Ranger had wanted to learn how naval aviation had developed since she was decommissioned. Not being satisfied to just see pictures, she had wanted to see everything in person. They had just visited the U.S.S. Lexington museum in Corpus Christi. She was familiar with Lexington and the Essex class, though she was fascinated that she could walk around her, and really enjoyed seeing the aircraft that were housed on the deck. "How can planes this big get off the deck?", she had asked a tour guide while walking around an F-14 Tomcat. "Well, Miss, that required a much larger ship."
"Oh, like the Midways they were building at the end of the war?"
"You could take off and land from a Midway in a Tomcat, but only for exercises. The navy had to build even bigger carriers as time and technology moved on."
She had grabbed Jackson's arm like a child wanting cotton candy at a state fair. "Are there any big carriers in Texas? Or in the Gulf? Can you fly me out to one?" He had hated to turn her down. "I'm sorry, Ranger. There just aren't any of the Nimitz class operating in the gulf right now." The tour guide spoke up again, "There might not be any nukes that she can see nearby, but there is one of the Super Carriers. She was supposed to be here a while back, but got delayed by Abbies attacking convoys. Down there at the Brownsville shipyards." Jackson knew what he was referring to, and wasn't sure how it would impact Ranger to see ships in that condition. He started to object, but Ranger said, "Oh thank you so much! We have to go see her! We have to go see her, Joaquin!"
So now they were on their way to Brownsville. He wasn't sure how to explain where they were going. "Do you think I'm dressed ok to meet a super-carrier? I want to make a good impression!", said the dark haired girl. She smoothed her navy blue minidress as best she could while sitting down, and straightened her tricorn hat with it's naval aviator wings pin. "Ranger, I have to tell you. This isn't a shipyard. It's a breaking yard. The non-nuclear super-carriers have all been decommissioned and are brought here to be scrapped. I'm sorry." She went quiet for a second. Then she said, "That's actually OK, Joaquin. If the scrapping process isn't too far along, I still want to see her."
They drove through Brownsville quietly until they got to the yard gates. Ranger's face was glued to the window, staring out at the largest warship she had ever seen. Jackson got out and spoke to the gate guard who told him the ship's name and let them in. Now he was even more nervous. Maybe she didn't need to know. She would see the carrier and then they could go.
Ranger jumped from the truck before it was in park and ran up the gangway. Jackson chased after her as fast as he could. It was like she had an intuition as to where the ladders would be to take her to the flight deck. He caught up to her as she turned in circles, taking in the sheer size of it all. She said, "This, this is incredible! Can you imagine how many wildcats I could launch from a deck like this?!" He was surprised she hadn't made out the faded letters on the island. "I don't know what this might mean to you, but this ship is the U.S.S..." "Ranger CV-61. May I ask what you are doing here?"
The little carrier and the lieutenant turned toward the voice. Jackson looked at....nothing. He knew he heard a voice. But there was nothing there. Ranger, on the other hand stared up at the tallest person she had ever seen. She was at least six and a half feet tall, probably closer to seven. Dark hair, blue eyes, just like her. She was in dress blues, with an impressive ribbon board denoting long and honorable service. There was a question on her face, she just hadn't brought herself to ask it. Ranger spoke instead. "Hello, Ranger. I am U.S.S. Ranger CV-4. It's an honor to meet you." Jackson looked at her like she had gone crazy. "Who are you talking to?" The little carrier gestured toward the giantess before her, and then realized he couldn't see her. "I'm talking to the ship spirit of CV61."
"Oh. OK?"
She grinned at him and then winked at the spirit who smiled back. She said to Jackson, "I'll be back in a little bit."
She walked down the deck next to the tall woman. "How long have you been decommissioned?"
"A little over 20 years.", said the super carrier.
"Wow, that long in inactive. I was scrapped within a year of being stricken."
"For us, there were parts to scavenge, fights over if any of us would become museums, debates over reactivating a couple of us when the abyssals started attacking."
The older carrier took the younger by the hand. "That had to make this process even more confusing for you."
The super carrier squeezed the little carrier's hand. "I have been in combat all around the world. I earned 13 battle stars in Vietnam. But I have never been more worried than I am now. I don't know how to do this." They sat down on a work bench that had been placed on the deck. "Well, you have questions, ask them." CV-61 drew in a breath, "what happens to us? Do we just disappear? Is there a heaven for us?"
"Well, there isn't a heaven, per se. We go to what we call Davy Jones Locker, though until recently it was a place of sleep. And sleep was often filled with pleasant dreams. With the abyss raiding the locker for forms to bring against the humans, now it's a place of conflict, with those of us who awaken holding back as much as we can from crossing into the human realm. Some of us get summoned into this world again, like me, but no one is really sure about the mechanics of that. I myself was kicked in the behind by the U.S.S. Texas, while that young man down by the LSO station was singing a song." The super carrier grinned at the mental image, then her voice cracked when she said "Will it hurt?"
CV4 wrapped her arms around CV61, then leaned up and kissed her on the forehead. "No. Without a crew, you have little actual connection to this world. If you had been damaged in battle you could feel it, but now, you just start to fade. Eventually, you just lay down to rest, and then you are in the locker. I was gone before my island was fully disassembled."
"Do you think they will let me fight the abyssals in the locker?"
"I don't know. Is that a mystery you can deal with?"
"I suppose I can" said the tall brunette, "Thank you". U.S.S. Ranger CV4 looked at U.S.S. Ranger CV 61. "I am so proud of you and all that you have accomplished."
"I am proud to have been able to bear the name with honor."
They embraced one last time then the tall ship spirit walked back to the island. Ranger walked back down the gangway and got in Jackson's truck. She burst into tears as soon as the door closed. Jackson took her into his arms and held her. " I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought you here." She let him comfort her, but said, "No, that's not it. I'm truly glad you brought me here. It would have been a song in my heart forever if some other ship had been able to visit me and help me through this. This was the rarest of gifts. Thank you for making this possible." She looked back at the massive vessel, and smiled. "Let's go home, Joaquin."
Epilogue:
She awoke with a start. A small ship girl stood over her. "Hey, you're awake. That was quick. Even the girls that sink in combat sleep for about a week. Decoms usually sleep for a month if they wake up at all. Your sister, Forrestal, is a lot more lazy than you. Come with me"
CV61 looked around her. The world was frozen. She followed the little side-paddle steamer through a maze of modern and antique warships. Battleships, cruisers, carriers, destroyers, frigates, sloops, ships-of-the-line, submarines. They walked through a large chamber with screens and communication equipment. At the center of it stood a small carrier, giving orders. "Holy crap, is that the old Enterprise?"
"Yep, come along, now. You can get your hero worship out later. Right now we need you."
"Who is we, and who are you?" asked the super-carrier. The little steamer stopped. "Oh, I do apologize, I have forgotten my manners. CSS Robert E Lee, blockade runner. You can call me Bobbi Lee. I'm the XO of this menagerie. We are those who have awakened to fight back the demons using our forms to raid the living world. And now it's time to get you in position."
They ran down the line, finally entering the frigid water moving much faster than what she thought possible. She made mention of this. Bobbie Lee replied, "Physics don't quite work the same here. And neither does weaponry. Just because the abyssal that sails up to you looks like a 18th century ship-of-the-line doesn't mean she can't hurt you. Her 32 pounders will hit like a 14 inch naval rifle. Coral Sea forgot that lesson, that's why we're in a hurry so you can take her place."
They arrived at an empty place in the line. "Alright, Ranger. This is your place. Your radar is probably already picking up Abbies headed this way. You have submarines Thresher and Los Angeles supporting you, and I'll send over some Fletchers and Spruances to give you some Anti aircraft support, as well as U.S.S. Arkansas for surface. Plan your own attacks, let us know what you're doing and what you need. We have to hold this line. Some real nightmares got through when Coral Sea went down."
"What about Coral Sea? Is she gone forever?"
"No, just asleep again. No way to tell when she will come back."
"My orders?"
"Find the enemy and kill them."
"Aye,aye."
The blockade runner steamed down the line, checking on ships as she went. Ranger took stock of her air wings and supplies. Phantoms, Intruders, her very sexy RA-5 Vigilante. Her Vietnam era load out suited her orders. Maybe she might call up some tomcats, but this was not Iraq where precision strikes were the name of the game. Her Vietnam air groups were definitely well suited to a KILL ALL THE THINGS gameplan. This would be like a Linebacker III. She looked down at her outfit and saw it was her outfit rather than dress blues. Short Khaki shorts, low buttoned khaki blouse, leather jacket, blue ball cap.
She imagined it and now she was standing on her own bridge. She picked up the mic and made announcement after the shrill whistle of the bosuns pipe, "Flight quarters, flight quarters! All hands man your flight quarters stations! All unnecessary personnel clear the flight deck and catwalks. All flight deck personnel get into complete and proper flight deck uniform, helmets on and buckled, sleeves rolled down, googles down. Check chocks, tie downs, and all loose gear about the deck. Check your pockets for FOD."
She listened to the sound of jet engines, and the catapults launching them off the deck. She put a tape in the player and let the music ring across the icy sea.
She put on her mirrored sunglasses and sang along, "...let the people know my wisdom, fill the land with smoke...Better run through the jungle, abbie. Ranger is on station."
