Lives Lost – Battles Won

"Are we ready to go…?" asked Principal Muetanni as she stepped onto the Bridge.

"Yes, Ma'am – all lines are cleared"

"Very well" the woman sighed. "Half speed ahead – steady as she goes" and slowly but surely, the giant battleship Yamato eased away from its dock and headed towards the blockading Blue Mermaid vessels.

"I have an incoming message from Commander Task Force – she orders you to surrender this vessel"

"Make no reply… Gunnery, prepare to engage"

"Ma'am…?" the young woman was a bit frightened.

"Load with training rounds and target the aft sections of the Blue Mermaid vessels" the Principal had called in every favour she was owed to get the Yamato readied for sea and she had little real ammunition as it was.

"Four hundred yards and closing fast" reported a lookout.

"Fire over the bows of the Blue Mermaids" Mashiro's mother ordered, "Helm, keep your rudder amidships. Deputy Captain, please sound the collision alarm" and the Yamato fired a single salvo from her forward main battery which landed just on the other side of the blockading Blue Mermaid vessels. "Increase to full" and the Yamato shot forward and the Blue Mermaids blocking the port decided to give in and only just managed to move out of the way.

"We're clear"

"Good. Helm, set course for Yokosuka – flank speed" and Principal Muetanni prayed that she would not be too late.

# # # # #

"We've been hit in the middle of the ship –it got through the hull" Kouko said.

"Tama, target the aft batteries on Musashi with our cannon – if we can knock them out maybe we can create a safe zone" Akeno said. The battle had waged on for hours and the Harekaze was being torn to bits by the larger guns of the Musashi. Even Spee was not much better and was pounded upon – but whoever was in charge on Musashi seemed to want to take out Harekaze first…

"Tsugu, tell Spee what we plan to do" Mashiro called out.

"Aye, Aye"

"Captain, I've lost torpedo launcher 2!" Mei called out sharply.

"Understood" Akeno winced.

"The guns have their targets" Tama said.

"FIRE!" and the turrets roared into action and hurled shells from the barrels of the Harekaze's main guns to the Musashi, but they just bounced off the armour or otherwise did nothing.

"If we can't find a way to get through the armour and disable the Musashi, this is going to be over in minutes" Mashiro said.

"Spee has launched torpedoes at Musashi" Macchi said from high above them.

"Mei, fire whatever we have. Bridge to Engineering, get a party to the second torpedo launcher and get it freed" Akeno said. "Damage report"

"Torpedo launcher 2 is out of action, fire has broken out in the dry stores storage area, there is a hole in the starboard bow area… Not much flooding though" Kouko said. "Our main problem is the amount of firepower hitting us – its not exploding but just punching great big holes in our sides"

"We're not getting enough hits" Tama said. "Rin, can you get us closer and broadside on?"

"We're already too close" replied Rin.

"What distance can you manage?" asked Akeno as the ship was struck by another salvo of shells.

"I'd prefer 300 miles away from it" Rin replied under her breath. "If we come up in front of the Spee, it might make Musashi split up its fire"

"Or concentrate it"

"Captain, we've lost the main fire suppression system!" Kouko shouted over the din of guns firing and the sounds of others on the Bridge. "The secondary system is working, but it has been badly damaged… I can send people to try and manage some of it with hand held gear, but it will soon overwhelm us"

"Sonar reporting… I have four underwater contacts approaching the area at high speed"

"Can you identify them?" Akeno asked as she watched the Spee be bracketed by a salvo from all of the Musashi's main armament.

"Not with all this high speed running" Kaede reminded her, "But I can tell you they sound like submarines on a high speed dash"

"Friend or foe…?" Mashiro asked the question on everyone's lips.

"Tsugu, contact the Spee and see if they can identify it better" Akeno said. "Rin, turn hard to port"

"Captain, that will put us dangerously to the Musashi" Mashiro thought it best to remind her Captain of this fact.

"I know… But I want to get so close that even the secondary guns and the anti drone guns will be sure of a hit – one pass with everything we have on her starboard side" Akeno watched as the battleship seemed to sense the danger the Harekaze posed and shifted every single capable gun to bear.

"This is going to hurt…" Mei noted grimly. Akeno simply nodded in mute agreement as the other ship opened fire.

"All hands – brace for impact"

#

"We're losing the fight against the incoming water" one of the engineering girls said.

"Get more pumps there…" Maron ordered shortly.

"We've got all the pumps we can on it already – the leaks are just too strong"

"We can't give up now…" Maron rubbed an oily bandaged hand on her chin in thought. "Do we have more piping for the pumps?" she asked.

"Yes… I think so"

"Good, get the pumps from off the side and feed them directly into the ballast tanks"

"I get it" said Gufran. "By using the dumping power of the ballast tank valves, we can get rid of the water easier and faster"

"Glad you approve" Maron was about to say more when Akeno shouted for all hands to brace for impact. Seconds later, the entire hull shook worse then it had ever done before – the sound of metal twisting ran up and down the Harekaze and the girls and Gufran wondered what the heck had happened as the entire back of the ship seemed to lift up into the air and then slam back down again with a huge groan. Almost instantaneously, the damage indicator displayed red lights all along the lateral frames and followed this up by showing a warning light along with the caution for fire in just about the worst possible place. "Forward magazine room – get the hell out of there… we're going to flood the compartment!" she turned to her staff. "Start the water sprays for the forward magazine and go forward with hand held gear"

"They will drown in there if they don't get out in time" Gufran said and the girl froze for a moment.

"I know" Maron whispered, "But I have to save the ship as long as possible" and she crossed to the phone and dialled the Bridge. "Bridge, Maron here… Fire in the forward magazine hold… I'm spraying as much as possible for as long as I can before sealing it off and flooding… Yes, the only way… Also, I think we took some serious damage to the keel"

#

"... damage to the keel"

"Is the back broken?" Akeno asked as the guns fired again.

"I don't know, but I really don't like the look of the signs"

"Understood… Give people there another half a minute before sealing and flooding. Bridge out" Akeno closed her eyes and prayed deeply that everyone made it out in time. "Rin, turn the ship hard to port and then swing it as far as possible to starboard… Mei, do you have any torpedoes left?"

"Six in the forward magazine and four in launcher 1" the girl replied. "I have four in the tubes of launcher two, but we have no way of reloading them and even firing them"

"Can they be launched manually?" Mashiro demanded the answer quickly.

"There is a back up handle to fire them manually, but it's broken and to go out there is too dangerous for any of the crew to do it"

"Then…" Mashiro tapped the frame of the window before heading aft, "I'll go and fix it myself"

"You mean out there…?" Mei was open mouthed.

"The things are set to go live the minute they are launched… Just get me as close to the stern as possible of the Musashi"

"Shiro?" Akeno looked over her shoulder, "Good luck"

"Captain… Akeno… Just in case something happens, I want you to know it was an honour to serve under your command"

"The honour was mine, Deputy Captain" and Mashiro nodded once before slipping away.

"Underwater contacts register as submarines from the same school as I-201" Kaede's voice managed to be heard over the din and noise of combat. "They are taking positions to fire on the Musashi"

"Quick… Use the sonar to signal them so they fire only at the stern" Akeno ordered. "Tsugu, radio the Spee and tell them they are friendlies"

"Aye"

"Rin, hard to starboard… Full ahead both engines"

"Hard to starboard, Aye. Engines together full" Rin swung the wheel as hard as she could to bring the Harekaze round.

"Midships"

"Midships"

"Standby for close range torpedo action" Akeno ordered as the entire ship was pummelled by the secondary batteries of the Musashi.

"Oh crap…" Kouko whispered as the aft most main turret shifted slightly round and angled down. Everybody turned to watch in terror as Akeno raced over to the rear bulkhead and grabbed the Engine Room telephone.

"Maron, ABANDON THE ENGINE ROOM – GET OUT OF THERE… GET OUT… GET OUT OF THERE" and the battery opened fire with just three shells – striking true and tearing through the after section of the Harekaze like wet tissue paper before exploding. At the same moment that every damage indicator turned red, Mashiro fired the torpedoes in launcher 2 directly into the stern of the Musashi as Mina brought the Spee round and did the same from the Musashi's portside whilst the submarines from Toemi High fired from the starboard. Every single fish ran to target and the shafts and engines were torn and twisted beyond possible repair at sea and the speed started to drop for the Musashi. "Engine Room, Bridge… Engine Room, Bridge"

# # # # #

"Maron, you alright?" Gufran asked the girl as she lay face down on the deck. When he got no reply, he crawled over and saw a piece of metal sticking inside her back. Grabbing the hanging intercom, he called for Minami but he got no reply so he held her and did as best as he could until help arrived.

"Gu… Guffy?" Maron groaned. "Wha– What happened?"

"Musashi fired right at us and has more or less wrecked the place"

"Anybody injured?" she gasped.

"No" Gufran cradled her shaking form in his lap. "Just rest… You need your strength"

"You need to make sure the engines are fine"

"Others are doing it" hot and salty tears ran down Gufran's face.

"Its stupid" Maron spat blood onto her front.

"What is?"

"Such a stupid place to die…"

# # # # #

"Engine Room… It's Gufran"

"Where is Maron?"

"Badly injured by that last strike… We've just about lost the ship with all of the damage to the hull and fire and flooding"

"Do you still have engine control?"

"I think so"

"Then put the engines to stop and begin damage control checks" Akeno hung up. "Rin, left standard rudder… Bring us alongside the Musashi at a half good range. Kouko, full damage report"

"We're screwed"

"Maybe, but full damage report"

"That's it – we're screwed… The keel has been twisted along with what looks like a broken back… There are multiple injuries… We're dead in the water and only just floating for now, but there's no idea on how long that will last"

"Bridge, there is a hatch opening on the Musashi" Macchi called out. Akeno brought her binoculars up to see two women dressed in the uniform of Blue Mermaids drag a young girl out and hold her in a choke hold.

"MOEKA!" she cried out.

"Getting a radio message from the Musashi… They are telling us they are taking this action to preserve the dignity of the nation and to bring us back to a war like state at the turn of century. They say they will stop at nothing until they have achieved their aims and have proof of that"

"Proof…?" frowned Rin. "What do they mean by having proof?" and the Bridge crew looked at each other before Akeno saw Moeka being thrown forwards and some kind of argument between her and her former captor who pulled something silver out of her skirt pocket.

"What's that?" asked Mei.

"I don't know" Akeno replied, "I can't see without…"

BANG

The sound of a single gunshot echoed over the water as the rogue Blue Mermaid officer fired between Moeka's eyes and her body went tumbling over the side. Akeno and the Bridge crew on the Harekaze tracked the figure as it went over the side, plummeted down and then hit the waves and started to drift away.

"Please no…" whispered Mashiro who had only just managed to get back from the rear torpedo launcher. Akeno just stared at the floating body bobbing face down and staining the water around it with Moeka's blood and started shaking. The grip on her glasses was so much both lenses shattered into a dozen pieces and they dropped to the floor like little tinkling bits of foil. The only family she had had was just taken away from her before her eyes and a rage filled her very soul.

"They've killed her" Rin said, "Blue Mermaids killed an innocent girl"

"Tama, do you have shells left? Mei, do you have shots left in the tubes?"

"Yes"

"A full launcher" and Akeno snapped the orders out harshly and with some perverted pleasure.

"Port guns and torpedoes together … Standby for surface and subsurface action – your target is the Musashi at 090 degrees… Open fire with all remaining rounds until depletion"

"Captain…?" Mashiro stepped forward hesitantly as if she had not heard the command correctly.

"SINK IT" Akeno ordered as darkly and as icily as any of them had heard her speak The Spee and the newly surfaced submarines did nothing but watch as the attacks did nothing but make dints in the hull and decking.

"She's making way again" Kouko said – pointing to where a small but growing wake was forming behind the massive and seemingly unbeatable ship. "She's unstoppable…" and the aft battery angled and fired once more – striking the forward gun turret and the firing command post.

"All upper hands down to the deck and starboard side" Mashiro ordered.

"No… She's not getting away – not now" Akeno growled. "Rin, does the Helm still answer?"

"Yes"

"Good" Akeno looked around the shattered and broken Bridge at the girls who still stood to their posts even when seriously wounded. "Abandon ship" she said.

"Captain?"

"I said to abandon ship" Akeno repeated. "Get the wounded into the boats and have everybody else jump into the sea and swim away as fast as you can"

"What are you going to do…?" asked Mashiro in a suspicious manner.

"I'm going to ram the Musashi and scuttle the ship" Akeno turned to her crew. "I don't want any heroics or anything – just get as far clear as you can"

"SURFACE CONTACT" Macchi called out from high above. "270 – six miles and closing fast"

"What? Here? Can you identify?" asked Mashiro.

"It's a warship, Yamato Class… Unknown identification… I'm getting a flashing light signal from her. 'Harekaze… Harekaze, please hold on as we are about to engage the Musashi' Captain, there are other ships as well"

"Captain… I'm picking up identification signals – it's our school's ships and the Yamato" Tsugu called up.

"Belay my last order" Akeno said. "Tell them to engage the Musashi with full shells"

"Captain, I have to tell you that all the main guns are out of action – they're finished" Tama said.

"Doesn't matter" Rin said in a quiet but determined voice, "So long as the Harekaze can manoeuvre, she can still fight" and everybody realised what that really meant. As they exchanged glances, gunfire from the Spee and the newly arrived surface and subsurface ships arched over them and struck the Musashi – slowing it down but not stopping it.

"I thought I told you to abandon ship" Akeno said.

"We're staying, Captain" Mashiro said. "It is our duty to stay here"

"Your duty is to obey me…" Akeno shook her head and smiled weakly. "Very well, man your stations. Get the injured people over the side in the boats and order them to make for the Spee as quickly as possible… Let's try to ram that bastard" she added with a curse. "If we're going down, then I'm taking that son of a bitch with me" and several minutes later, all that was left was the Bridge crew plus Maron and Gufran down in the engine room. Kouko, with some sense of irony, rigged the still functional speakers all over the ship to start playing the old naval theme of 'March of the Battleship' which caused those remaining onboard to grin with feint amusement.

"Captain, all persons have evacuated the ship" Mashiro reported.

"Rin, full ahead both engines" Akeno ordered and the broken engines gave the crippled ship one last burst of energy as they tore themselves to pieces as the mighty vessel flung itself at the Musashi – the Harekaze's smaller guns blazing away on automatic as it stalked towards its target. In years to come, everybody watching would say that it was an awe inspiring sight – the ship continuing to put up a hopeless spread of fire. Smoke, heat and flames blistered the paint and caused the hull and most of the upper deck to buckle, sag and glow – huge sections seemed to melt with a violent shade of reddish purple. Occasionally, there would be a small explosion as fires reached fuel or ammunition stores. On the smoke heavy Bridge, Akeno judged her moment then ordered Rin to swing the Harekaze round to port and spear the Musashi like a stick through a fish. The bow tore into the side before the front of the ship rose up and the Harekaze ended up being partly dragged along by the Musashi. The front section had crumpled up like paper, but the small destroyer was sat at an angle and groaning from the strain of being dragged sideways.

"We're well onto her now" Mashiro noted as they picked themselves up off the deck.

"Understood… Rudder midships… Both engines ahead flank – unlock the limiters… Damage acceptable" and the Harekaze seemed to inch up onto the Musashi's deck so much that her stern was now fully down in the water. "Right then, that's it… All hands abandon ship". Akeno said and Mashiro called down to the Engine Room to get Maron and Gufran up and out and then pointed out some of the hijacking crew from the Musashi coming towards them with weapons.

"Should I sound 'Repel Boarders', Captain?" but Akeno shook her head.

"Jump over the side… I have a surprise waiting for them" she said and pressed a button on a small radio control pad.

"Whats that?" asked Kouko.

"Countdown trigger for the scuttling charges. I had Maron rig them ages ago in case something like this would happen" and the crew took a moment before they went to the starboard Bridge wing and jumped off. Akeno, alone, remained on the Bridge and watched the crew getting well clear as the rogue Blue Mermaids came running up the ladders and surrounded her.

"I see you stayed behind to beg for your life" one of them spat and brought up a gun.

"You killed a defenceless girl – what honour is there in that? Why have you betrayed the Blue Mermaids and everything they stand for?"

"Because we have been passive for far too long – we must take over other countries to supply our needs… As for that brat, she was killed because we thought people needed a warning to stop fighting and follow us. But like I said to that bitch I put down, what a pity we don't take prisoners" the woman cocked the gun's safety off.

"That's funny" Akeno said as she bent down and retrieved her uniform cap and place it on her head, "Neither do I" and she pressed the button – detonating the scuttling charges right on top of the Musashi's forward magazine. The result was a fireball that took out both ships, chunks of hull being torn away like some invisible giant's hand just prised it apart. The death throes of both vessels combined to make an impressive spectacle before the ruined Musashi folded in two and went down with all hands. What remained of the Harekaze floated on the surface for a few seconds before the bow snapped off, tipped upwards and sank. The larger bit flooded quickly and bobbed about for a few seconds before diving in with the propellers still turning in obedience to their last command of Ahead Flank. As the Bridge dipped down, the Harekaze crew stood in lifeboats, on the decks of the combined fleet or floated in the water to watch as a lone figure picked something up off the flooding deck, ran quickly to the stern and removed the pennant before jumping over the side and into the water.

#

"Let's go" Mina ordered the crewmember in the Spee's speedboat. She had launched boats to pick up everybody the minute she had an idea as to what was going to happen, and she'd personally gone with the fastest boat they had onboard. Along the way, she'd picked up Mashiro and Kouko who sat at the back wrapped up in blankets and looking worried.

"It's the Captain!" Kouko stood and pointed at the red hair in yellow ribbons. Within a minute, they had pulled Akeno into the boat and were heading towards the Yamato where Mashiro's mother was waiting. It was hauled up and Akeno taken down to the Sickbay to be operated on.

"Are you alright, Mashiro?" asked her mother.

"I don't know" came the reply. "Was all this worth it? We were chased, hunted, hurt… All because nobody had the courage to believe us apart from you" Mashiro straightened somewhat. "Before she passed out, the Captain gave me this" she handed her mother a water damaged Blue Mermaid cap... "Mother, I am sorry that this is late... Captain Misaki found the cap that blew off my head so many years ago but I now return what was once lost. I know it is an honour for you to have it again" and Mayuki Munetani looked at it and then shook her head with a mixture of a sad and proud smile.

"No, Mashiro… The greatest gift and honour is having you for a daughter. Now, you have a crew to attend to in the place of your Captain"

"What of the rest of the Blue Mermaid units that went renegade?"

"They were… They were dealt with or are in the process of being so" and she led the way to the inside of Yamato which was lowering boats filled with people to go to the wreckage to search for possible survivors.

"Mother… About Musashi's captain…"

"I already know about her… We will find time in the coming weeks to honour her memory. Now, let's see to your crew and your injuries"

"Aye, Aye"

"Yeoman!" Mashiro's mother turned to the male that was standing nearby talking to Gufran.

"Yes, Ma'am"

"Make to the Disaster Headquarters as well as both Blue Mermaid and Naval Headquarters… 'Musashi sunk – fleet is returning to port'… Lets get out of here"

#

Mina refused to leave the area until a search had been carried out for anybody in the water before the school ships, the Spee and the Yamato all headed for Yokosuka to conduct repairs and offload the wounded. Moeka's remains had been placed in a casket with a vigil by Akeno who had crawled her way on her stomach from the Sickbay to perform a last duty to her old friend after the casket had been transferred to the Spee. Just before the Spee had entered Japanese waters, her engines had been put to idle and she came to a stop just three inches outside the limit. Despite their various wounds, the Harekaze's crew had somehow managed to clean and press their uniforms before being ferried over to the quarterdeck where the Spee's Captain, thankfully allowed to return to limited duty after getting over the allergic reaction to the injections given, performed a marriage ceremony between Kouko and Mina – this angered some of the older Japanese until it was pointed out it happened on a piece of German state property and in international waters… As the Spee and the other ships had entered the Uraga Channel and the school, Thea ordered all of the ship's Battle Ensigns to be broken out, all guns readied for action, a large black flag to be raised on the mainmast, the ship's siren to be sounded every twenty seconds for five seconds and the crew assembled on both sides of the upper decks in their dress uniforms. What cheered some of them slightly was that the Musashi's intended compliment had been offloaded some time before and found by the Blue Mermaids and taken for treatment – most of the Harekaze's crew had been wondering if her original crew had still been aboard when Akeno sent both ships to the bottom after the scuttling. In order to allow the wounded to get fast treatment, Yamato docked first whilst Spee sat in the harbour and transferred Moeka's body to a boat for the last leg to shore. Once it was clear, and by pre-arranged signal, the main batteries of both Yamato and the Spee rotated round and angled upwards and fired three salvos of blank shots in a salute to a fallen friend and fellow sailor… Those of the crew that had been lightly wounded gathered together on the dockside and awaited orders from their Principal who was talking to some of her staff.

"Crew of the Harekaze, what you have done does great credit to yourselves and to this school. In the coming weeks and months, you will be questioned over each and every single thing you did. For now though, we will get you treated and returned for rest with your families before we debrief yo–" Principal Muetanni paused and did a quick headcount of the girls assembled before her. "There seems to be one of you missing" she said at last, "Where is your missing crewmate?" and the crew looked uneasy before Akeno stepped forward.

"Principal, Assistant Engineer Kuroki Hiromi remains at her post"

#

It was three months after the final battle and the crew had gathered at the school after recovering from their injuries. They had been debriefed on what had happened, and several Blue Mermaids had been dismissed with a larger amount being imprisoned for the rest of their lives. The only one not with them was Kouko who had, after some threats made against her from certain members of the public, decided to accept the offer of a transfer to the German school to stay with Mina. Once Akeno had been released from hospital, she had been detained for questioning into what had happened and the reasons behind the destruction of both the Harekaze and the Musashi. People understood the reasons why, but they'd been upset it had happened the moment she had set foot outside the hospital building. The only reason she was released from detention and allowed to go back to the school was because Kaede's father, realising his poor treatment towards his daughter, had used every favour owed to him to secure her release. The first thing the girl did was to visit Moeka's parents to convey the sympathies of her crew as well as her own personal ones. They didn't blame her for what had happened and they were pleased that it had been their semi official daughter who had brought their child home, asking her to convey to Mina their thanks for the escort and the salute as Moeka made landfall one last time. She'd barely had enough time for her wounds to heal before getting a telephone call to assemble with her crew on the lawn outside the school's main building.

"Crew of the Harekaze…" Principal Muetanni addressed them all on the grounds of the school. "It has been some time since the brave and fearsome defence you made of the country and the world. If you had not done the right thing, we would not be standing here talking. I have spoken to many people both at the school, in public, government and I have even spoken to the Emperor himself. They all agree that you have shown skill in battle, courage and devotion to duty – you saved the lives of each other and only fired to disable until the final battle" she looked over the girls. "It has been decreed by his Imperial Majesty that you be given a new ship commensurate with your abilities and I therefore have the honour of relaying his order… 'Take command of ship Y-500'" and she saluted them all and dismissed them all but asked to speak to Akeno. The girl had gone through some surgery and grief management and would most likely go through at least another two months' worth of it before they thought she was over the death of Moeka.

"Principal?" Akeno nodded respectfully.

"I have an order directly from his Majesty" the Principal handed over a scroll made out of parchment. Akeno instantly knew this was something important as only ceremonial purposes demanded the use of the old ways. She undid the ribbon that tied it up, unrolled it and gasped at the contents – the letter had been handwritten in shining green ink.

FROM: His Imperial Majesty, Tokyo Imperial Palace

TO: Akeno Misaki, Yokosuka Girls Marine High School

I hope that you do not find me in breach of the normal formalities when I address you as Akeno, but what has happened previous has made me realise that there are times when formality has to be placed aside.

Over the past few months, you and your crew have been highly honoured for their bravery in exposing the plot to overthrow myself, the Imperial Family and the government before starting a war that would have ruined out nation. I wish to give you a few more honours, if you will permit me to do so, and they are those of which I list below…

Akeno Misaki, late of the destroyer Harekaze is to be elevated to the rank of Officer in the Yokosuka Girls Marine High School.

That the Captain, Senior department heads and crew of the former Harekaze be transferred with all speed to their new ship

That the Captain of the late destroyer Harekaze receive the Order of the Chrysanthemum and that her department heads and crew receive the Order of the Precious Crown along with two persons known to us from foreign schools

I have also given thought to certain things listed in your full report and have issued a decree that people are to be permitted to love one another to the point of marriage – no matter what their preferred partnership is. Part of this decree will be to pass new laws protecting the rights of these partnerships as if any other. I will also order my Council to look into the better laws and regulations for women and girls – Japan might be a country steeped in tradition, but perhaps it is time some of those traditions died. For now, please tell your friend that I have made a special notice to my council that I recognise her marriage to one of her own gender.

The Imperial Household will, by general agreement, be keeping an eye on you, your crew and your careers after you graduate from the Marine High School you currently attend.

Signed

Akihito

"Is… Is this real?" Akeno looked up at the Principal with glistening eyes.

"I was handed it personally… Now, tie it up again and follow me – we have to go to your next command"

#

Y-500 was a Fuso like ship but with upgrades from the original design – clearly a formidable vessel. Akeno gazed up and noticed that the name on the stern was covered with a white cloth and held up by the hands of two Blue Mermaids. At a gesture from the Principal, they let the cover fall to the dockside to reveal the name – Harekaze…

"You knew!" Akeno turned to look at Mashiro who smiled.

"I had somewhat of an idea" she replied.

"Captain, I believe that your ship is fuelled, armed, stored and ready to go – she merely awaits a crew. Your personal orders from me" Mashiro's mother handed over a sealed packet which she told her not to open before they had put to sea. "Carry on, Captain Misaki" she saluted and got a return salute from Akeno before spinning round to face the crew.

"All hands, man the ship – bring it to life"

#

"We've left the last of the channel markers – we are clear and free to navigate" Macchi said.

"How are you doing up there?" asked Akeno.

"Great – I even have a heater and a glass window up here!"

"Hmm…" Akeno shook her head with a laugh before opening the packet and taking out the single sheet inside.

FROM: Principal Mutenuni, Yokosuka Girls Marine High School

To: Captain Akeno Misaski, Commanding Officer, Harekaze Y-500

Having been assigned command of the Harekaze you are hereby ordered to proceed on a long range mission to Germany and exercise with ships belonging to the Wilhelmshaven Maritime High School there whilst conducting shakedown tests whilst enroute. You are also, when passing through the waters of Saudi Arabia, to offload a passenger.

Signed

Principal Mayuki Munetani

"Offload…? I thought Gufran had already gone home"

"I was working as a short term attachment to my country's embassy here – when I heard where you planned to go, I figured I could hitch a lift home" Gufran said from the Bridge hatchway. Everybody welcomed him back, if only for a short time, and Akeno laughingly sent him down to the engineering area to work his passage home. Judging from the squeal heard through the voice pipe ten minutes later, Maron didn't seem to mind at all.

"Chief Navigator, Operations"

"Chief Navigator, Operations" Rin replied.

"Come to starboard and steer 239 – both engines cruise together"

"Come to starboard and steer 239 – both engines cruise together… Aye" and the Harekaze sailed on with the pride and traditions of her previous self already instilled deep inside her.

"It may seem somewhat unneeded, Captain Misaki, but I most humbly and respectfully request permission to come aboard your ship" an elderly voice requested. Akeno turned round in surprise only to see her Bridge crew and the lookouts all gaping at the Emperor standing with only himself there.

"Wha- Ho- How did you get here?"

"I boarded the boat while you were getting your orders" Emperor Akihito said. "As for why, that part is easy to explain… I am not a well man these last few years, and I have made it up in my mind to pass the throne on at some point next year. I have always put Japan first in my life, but in doing so I have not been able to do things I have wanted to. As a boy, I was sometimes jealous of the freedom the ordinary person had to do the things they wanted. This could be my final ever journey abroad, Captain, and myself and the Empress made the decision to go in secret and security. Normally, this means with the Navy"

"Are we getting an escort, your Majesty?" Mashiro asked carefully.

"No… I just want a cruise without the worries of being the leader of a nation – I could think of no finer crew to go with" the man straightened up slightly and he dropped the formality in his voice. "I understand it is traditional for stowaways to be made to work upon being discovered"

"It is" Akeno said, "But I would not dare to do this to you. I am sorry that we have only standard cabins for you"

"I would ask for nothing more" Emperor Akihito said. "You are still very young, Captain, compared to me, so you may not understand this, but the journey is not just knowing where to go but how you got there. All I ask is that myself and the Empress be allowed to occasionally visit the Bridge – I love the sea and perhaps in another life I would have been allowed to become a sailor"

"Your Majesty…?" Akeno called out as the old man turned to leave. "Would you like to take the wheel of the Harekaze?"

"I… I can?" Emperor Akihito's eyes shone brightly at the impulsive offer and he darted over to the wheel where Rin stepped aside and quietly explained what everything did.

"Shiro, get Kaede to call her relief and come to the Bridge – she'll know what to do. Rin, how is his Majesty?"

"As good as anybody on the wheel" came her reply.

"You flatter me, my dear, but I am just an old man with too many regrets at the end of his life. The only thing I have steered is a small yacht filled with scientific information"

"You are not that old, Majesty" Rin smiled.

"I am in my eighties" the man sighed. "If I were young and unmarried…" and the two laughed and started talking about Helming the ship through dangerous times.

"Steady on course 239 – engines to cruise together" Akeno said.

"Yes, Captain… Steady on course 239. Both engines to cruising speed" and, with the Emperor of Japan himself at her wheel, the newest vessel to take the name Harekaze pushed her nose forward and towards the open sea. "On course 239"

"Communications, send an email to Kouko and tell her we're coming to visit" Mashiro ordered. "All hands, secure from leaving harbour - go to cruising stations"

"Bridge, Engine Room – what the hell is Rin doing up there with that lurching around?" Maron demanded from deep in the bowels of the ship.

"Rin isn't driving" Akeno replied.

"Right… You'll be telling me that the Emperor is driving"

"He is"

"Yeah, right"

"Good Afternoon, Chief Engineer" the Emperor spoke, "I apologise for mistreating your ship – I humbly and faithfully promise to take better care of it"

"Excuse me while I go and drown myself… Engine Room, out"

"What a charming girl" the Emperor said with a shake of his head and a twinkle in his eye.

"She seems a lot better after a night with Guffy" Rin shrugged.

"You mean that boy?"

"Yes… They… Um…" Rin suddenly paused and turned bright red.

"I see" the Emperor chuckled, "Well such is life"

"Do you think that all of our adventures will be like this?" asked Tama and Mei together.

"Oh no" Akeno chuckled, "They will be much more interesting. Rudder amidships – All ahead full and steady as she goes…" she finished in a whisper and newly built, but full of promise and with a tradition to carry on, the new Harekaze put her nose to the wind and sailed on.

A/N:

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is that… I want to thank you all for the reviews, few as there have been, and look forward to seeing them for the final chapter. Please tell me what you liked in the fic because, maybe, there might be a sequel…

Regards

Pixel And Stephanie Forever