Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
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Hornblower
- Posts: 1361
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2003 1:02 am
- Location: New York'er relocated to Chicago
RE: Small Ship, Big War
i like this: "They seem to have escaped the attention of the Allies. But appearances can be deceiving and the Allied forces have many watchful eyes and many alert ears. "
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
RE: Small Ship, Big War
April 6, 1945
Location: Inch'on
Course: None
Attached to: None
Mission: Disbanded in port
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475
Orders: Await further orders
---
“I see we have some new arrivals,” says Captain Ishii. He picks up a pair of binoculars and scans the cruisers and destroyers that have anchored in the harbor.
“Yes sir, they came in this morning,” says Lieutenant Sugiyura.
“Hm, one of them is Tone,” says Ishii. “That’s good to see.” The last they had seen of the heavy cruiser it was damaged and laboring north following the naval battle of Iwo Jima.
“We have quite a collection of ships here now,” comment Sugiyura. “Do you think we are going to attack the enemy fleet in the Ryukyus?”
Ishii ponders. “It is possible,” he says. “If the Imperial Navy wanted us safely out of the way I imagine we would be in Hokkaido or someplace like that.”
“That would be good!” says Sugiyura. “I’m tired of lurking here while…” He is interrupted by the arrival on the bridge of a sailor bearing a message flimsy. The sailor goes straight to Ishii and salutes.
“Pardon me, sir,” the man says, “but Ensign Konada ordered me to bring this to you at once.” Ishii takes it from the sailor’s outstretched hand and reads it. When he has finished he looks up at Sugiyura.
“It seems the enemy may come to us rather than the other way around,” he says. “Enemy carriers have been spotted entering the Yellow Sea. Their course indicates they are headed in this direction.” He folds the message flimsy and dismisses the sailor.
“If we are very unlucky,” he says to Sugiyura, “the enemy knows we are here.”
Location: Inch'on
Course: None
Attached to: None
Mission: Disbanded in port
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475
Orders: Await further orders
---
“I see we have some new arrivals,” says Captain Ishii. He picks up a pair of binoculars and scans the cruisers and destroyers that have anchored in the harbor.
“Yes sir, they came in this morning,” says Lieutenant Sugiyura.
“Hm, one of them is Tone,” says Ishii. “That’s good to see.” The last they had seen of the heavy cruiser it was damaged and laboring north following the naval battle of Iwo Jima.
“We have quite a collection of ships here now,” comment Sugiyura. “Do you think we are going to attack the enemy fleet in the Ryukyus?”
Ishii ponders. “It is possible,” he says. “If the Imperial Navy wanted us safely out of the way I imagine we would be in Hokkaido or someplace like that.”
“That would be good!” says Sugiyura. “I’m tired of lurking here while…” He is interrupted by the arrival on the bridge of a sailor bearing a message flimsy. The sailor goes straight to Ishii and salutes.
“Pardon me, sir,” the man says, “but Ensign Konada ordered me to bring this to you at once.” Ishii takes it from the sailor’s outstretched hand and reads it. When he has finished he looks up at Sugiyura.
“It seems the enemy may come to us rather than the other way around,” he says. “Enemy carriers have been spotted entering the Yellow Sea. Their course indicates they are headed in this direction.” He folds the message flimsy and dismisses the sailor.
“If we are very unlucky,” he says to Sugiyura, “the enemy knows we are here.”
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thegreatwent
- Posts: 3011
- Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2004 3:42 am
- Location: Denver, CO
RE: Small Ship, Big War
You can run, but you can't hide. Well you can't hide for long.
Todd
I never thought that doing an AAR would be so time consuming and difficult.
www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2080768
I never thought that doing an AAR would be so time consuming and difficult.
www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2080768
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Capt. Harlock
- Posts: 5379
- Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2001 8:00 am
- Location: Los Angeles
- Contact:
RE: Small Ship, Big War
“If we are very unlucky,” he says to Sugiyura, “the enemy knows we are here.”
It's not luck if the other fellow is reading your cards. (They are not aware of the American code-breakers.)
Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?
--Victor Hugo
--Victor Hugo
RE: Small Ship, Big War
Unbelievably good!
Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu
RE: Small Ship, Big War
the end is nigh!! [X(][:(]
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
RE: Small Ship, Big War
April 7, 1945
Location: Inch'on
Course: None
Attached to: None
Mission: Disbanded in port
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475
Orders: See below
---
The enemy does not know for sure the Japanese fleet is at Inch’on. Despite the fact that the fighting in the Ryukyus continues to be heavy the chance to catch the remains of the Japanese fleet is too good to pass up. Accordingly two carriers are dispatched to check it out; the new Essex-class Lexington, named for one of the carriers lost off Gardner Island, and Saratoga, nearly sunk off Timor but now back in the war.
As day breaks the two carriers and their escorts, which include two Iowa-class battleships along with a powerful cruiser force, are in position. The harbor is reported to be crowded with enemy warships and so a strike is launched. It contains barely four dozen bombers but without a single Japanese fighter to contest the skies over the harbor they have free reign.
---
The attack ends. In the radar room Taiki watches the enemy planes recede, then waits with frantic impatience for his relief to arrive. When it finally does he scrambles up on deck.
One look confirms his worst fears. The attack has fallen most heavily on Mutsu, the only battleship present. The sturdy old ship seems in no danger of sinking but columns of black smoke boil upward, mostly obscuring the big ship’s superstructure. Here and there around the harbor other ships have also been hit, and fires burn along the waterfront as well.
Hibiki is untouched. A short distance stands Ensign Konada, ramrod straight and with his shoes polished, as always, to a mirror shine. Taiki hurries over to him and salutes.
“Takahashi,” Konada acknowledges, inclining his head slightly.
“Sir,” says Taiki, “permission to go ashore.” Konada shakes his head.
“We are no longer at combat stations but still on alert,” he says. “It is not possible.” Taiki sags slightly. Suddenly he is aware that Chief Shun is at his shoulder.
“Sir, may I speak?’ he says in his gruff voice. Konada grants his permission. One lesson he has learned well while aboard is to listen to his petty officers when they have an opinion.
“Takahashi’s brother is aboard Mutsu,” he says, indicating the damaged battleship with his chin. “And he will make it back aboard whatever happens. He once found his way to us from Tokyo to New Caledonia.”
“Your brother, hm?” says Konada. He seems about to refuse again but then relents. “Well, I can give you one hour, Takahashi. No more.”
“Thank you, sir,” says Taiki gratefully. He salutes again. Konada gravely returns the gesture. Taiki gives Shun a nod of thanks and then starts down the gangway. He stops suddenly as he realizes he has a problem. He cannot get there and back in under an hour without a vehicle, and use of vehicles is severely restricted. In the aftermath of the attack obtaining one will be even harder.
“Takahashi!” calls a voice. Taiki turns to see Riku gesturing urgently to him from the top of the gangway. Several long strides take him up the gangway to his friend.
Riku hands him a piece of paper. It is a vehicle requisition form, duly signed by the harbormaster and Captain Ishii. “I thought you might need this,” Riku says. “The truck is in that warehouse over there.” He points to a wooden building nearby that is mercifully still intact.
“Thank you!” says Taiki. He stares at the form. “This is dated today. How did you…?”
“Stop asking foolish questions, Petty Officer, and go,” says Riku. “Word is that we are heading out.” Taiki hesitates, then nods and goes.
---
A wide area just off the pier where Mutsu is berthed has been turned into a triage area for the battleship’s casualties. There are a lot of them. Firefighting continues, although much more smoke than flame is visible. Pumps are working, pulling filthy water from the bowels of the ship and sending it gushing back into the harbor.
Taiki coughs as an errant breeze swirls acrid smoke around him for a moment, then hurries over to an officer. He salutes and asks after Ensign Takahashi.
“Takahashi, eh?” says the officer. He looks grim and points over to the rows and rows of casualties, all too many of whom are covered. The wooden planks of the pier behind him are slippery with blood.
Taiki hurries over. “Noboro!” he calls, looking frantically around. “Noboro-san!” A few corpsmen look up at him briefly, then go back to their work.
Taiki continues to call, moving with increasing speed among the rows of dead and injured. Wounded men stir, their moans audible even over the background din, but none of them are his brother.
Until one of them tries to rise up as he passes. Taiki recognizes Noboro, who is having a hard time trying to prop himself up. It takes a moment for Taiki’s worry-befuddled brain to realize why; his brother’s right arm is missing at the elbow.
Taiki kneels to assist him. “They just whacked it off and tied up the stump,” says his brother with a ghastly smile. “It’s over there, I think.” He looks over at a pile of limbs and other body parts lying off to one side.
“Oh Noboro,” says Taiki softly. “What have they done to you?” His brother tries to smile. His face is very drawn and even his old burn scars are too pale.
“I think I tried to stop a piece of shrapnel about the size of a dustbin lid,” he says, and coughs. “It didn’t work out too well. What the hell are you doing here, Petty Officer?”
“Noboro,” says Taiki, “sir, I came looking for you..”
“I know you did, bakayaro,” Noboro says. “Now get…get back to your ship. I need you to go out there and give those bastards hell for me, okay? You are the last Takahashi left in the war. Go fight it.”
Taiki still cradles his brother, looking at him for maybe the last time. Then he nods and gently lowers him back down before standing. He salutes.
“Yes sir,” he says. His brother automatically tries to salute back but only flails the tightly bandaged stump of his right arm. He grimaces and salutes with the left hand instead.
“See you later, Noboro,” says Taiki.
“See you, little brother,” says Noboro. Taiki turns and strides away. As he walks spray from the jets of salt water still being played over the ship blows into his face. There it mingles with the tears rolling slowly down his cheeks.
---
“We’re bottled in here like rats in a trap,” Ishii tells his officers. “There are two or more carriers out there, several battleships, and a dozen or more heavy cruisers. And their escorting destroyers, of course.” His officers look at him expectantly. Sakati is impassive, Kuwaki looks grim, and a light of anticipation gleams in Sugiyura’s eyes. Lieutenant Miharu’s index finger traces slow circles on the table top in front of him.
“There is only one thing to do,” says Ishii. “Every warship here that can still make decent speed is going to head out to engage the enemy. Rear Admiral Kamenosuke Yamamoto, aboard Tone, will be in command.
“We leave as soon as night falls.”
Location: Inch'on
Course: None
Attached to: None
Mission: Disbanded in port
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475
Orders: See below
---
The enemy does not know for sure the Japanese fleet is at Inch’on. Despite the fact that the fighting in the Ryukyus continues to be heavy the chance to catch the remains of the Japanese fleet is too good to pass up. Accordingly two carriers are dispatched to check it out; the new Essex-class Lexington, named for one of the carriers lost off Gardner Island, and Saratoga, nearly sunk off Timor but now back in the war.
As day breaks the two carriers and their escorts, which include two Iowa-class battleships along with a powerful cruiser force, are in position. The harbor is reported to be crowded with enemy warships and so a strike is launched. It contains barely four dozen bombers but without a single Japanese fighter to contest the skies over the harbor they have free reign.
---
The attack ends. In the radar room Taiki watches the enemy planes recede, then waits with frantic impatience for his relief to arrive. When it finally does he scrambles up on deck.
One look confirms his worst fears. The attack has fallen most heavily on Mutsu, the only battleship present. The sturdy old ship seems in no danger of sinking but columns of black smoke boil upward, mostly obscuring the big ship’s superstructure. Here and there around the harbor other ships have also been hit, and fires burn along the waterfront as well.
Hibiki is untouched. A short distance stands Ensign Konada, ramrod straight and with his shoes polished, as always, to a mirror shine. Taiki hurries over to him and salutes.
“Takahashi,” Konada acknowledges, inclining his head slightly.
“Sir,” says Taiki, “permission to go ashore.” Konada shakes his head.
“We are no longer at combat stations but still on alert,” he says. “It is not possible.” Taiki sags slightly. Suddenly he is aware that Chief Shun is at his shoulder.
“Sir, may I speak?’ he says in his gruff voice. Konada grants his permission. One lesson he has learned well while aboard is to listen to his petty officers when they have an opinion.
“Takahashi’s brother is aboard Mutsu,” he says, indicating the damaged battleship with his chin. “And he will make it back aboard whatever happens. He once found his way to us from Tokyo to New Caledonia.”
“Your brother, hm?” says Konada. He seems about to refuse again but then relents. “Well, I can give you one hour, Takahashi. No more.”
“Thank you, sir,” says Taiki gratefully. He salutes again. Konada gravely returns the gesture. Taiki gives Shun a nod of thanks and then starts down the gangway. He stops suddenly as he realizes he has a problem. He cannot get there and back in under an hour without a vehicle, and use of vehicles is severely restricted. In the aftermath of the attack obtaining one will be even harder.
“Takahashi!” calls a voice. Taiki turns to see Riku gesturing urgently to him from the top of the gangway. Several long strides take him up the gangway to his friend.
Riku hands him a piece of paper. It is a vehicle requisition form, duly signed by the harbormaster and Captain Ishii. “I thought you might need this,” Riku says. “The truck is in that warehouse over there.” He points to a wooden building nearby that is mercifully still intact.
“Thank you!” says Taiki. He stares at the form. “This is dated today. How did you…?”
“Stop asking foolish questions, Petty Officer, and go,” says Riku. “Word is that we are heading out.” Taiki hesitates, then nods and goes.
---
A wide area just off the pier where Mutsu is berthed has been turned into a triage area for the battleship’s casualties. There are a lot of them. Firefighting continues, although much more smoke than flame is visible. Pumps are working, pulling filthy water from the bowels of the ship and sending it gushing back into the harbor.
Taiki coughs as an errant breeze swirls acrid smoke around him for a moment, then hurries over to an officer. He salutes and asks after Ensign Takahashi.
“Takahashi, eh?” says the officer. He looks grim and points over to the rows and rows of casualties, all too many of whom are covered. The wooden planks of the pier behind him are slippery with blood.
Taiki hurries over. “Noboro!” he calls, looking frantically around. “Noboro-san!” A few corpsmen look up at him briefly, then go back to their work.
Taiki continues to call, moving with increasing speed among the rows of dead and injured. Wounded men stir, their moans audible even over the background din, but none of them are his brother.
Until one of them tries to rise up as he passes. Taiki recognizes Noboro, who is having a hard time trying to prop himself up. It takes a moment for Taiki’s worry-befuddled brain to realize why; his brother’s right arm is missing at the elbow.
Taiki kneels to assist him. “They just whacked it off and tied up the stump,” says his brother with a ghastly smile. “It’s over there, I think.” He looks over at a pile of limbs and other body parts lying off to one side.
“Oh Noboro,” says Taiki softly. “What have they done to you?” His brother tries to smile. His face is very drawn and even his old burn scars are too pale.
“I think I tried to stop a piece of shrapnel about the size of a dustbin lid,” he says, and coughs. “It didn’t work out too well. What the hell are you doing here, Petty Officer?”
“Noboro,” says Taiki, “sir, I came looking for you..”
“I know you did, bakayaro,” Noboro says. “Now get…get back to your ship. I need you to go out there and give those bastards hell for me, okay? You are the last Takahashi left in the war. Go fight it.”
Taiki still cradles his brother, looking at him for maybe the last time. Then he nods and gently lowers him back down before standing. He salutes.
“Yes sir,” he says. His brother automatically tries to salute back but only flails the tightly bandaged stump of his right arm. He grimaces and salutes with the left hand instead.
“See you later, Noboro,” says Taiki.
“See you, little brother,” says Noboro. Taiki turns and strides away. As he walks spray from the jets of salt water still being played over the ship blows into his face. There it mingles with the tears rolling slowly down his cheeks.
---
“We’re bottled in here like rats in a trap,” Ishii tells his officers. “There are two or more carriers out there, several battleships, and a dozen or more heavy cruisers. And their escorting destroyers, of course.” His officers look at him expectantly. Sakati is impassive, Kuwaki looks grim, and a light of anticipation gleams in Sugiyura’s eyes. Lieutenant Miharu’s index finger traces slow circles on the table top in front of him.
“There is only one thing to do,” says Ishii. “Every warship here that can still make decent speed is going to head out to engage the enemy. Rear Admiral Kamenosuke Yamamoto, aboard Tone, will be in command.
“We leave as soon as night falls.”
- Attachments
-
- hibiki_040745a.jpg (39.97 KiB) Viewed 240 times
RE: Small Ship, Big War
Cue Charging Fort Wagnerfrom your Glory soundtracks on your CD player, gentlemen.
...the bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding go out and meet it.
-Thucydides
-Thucydides
RE: Small Ship, Big War
Gotterdammerung.
i did have a flashback to Glory too. epic movie.
i did have a flashback to Glory too. epic movie.
RE: Small Ship, Big War
Well, smells like the Hibiki may be pushing her luck just that little bit too far. If we see a pre-departure scene where nobody can find Benzaiten all of a sudden, we'll know what's coming...[:(]
We are all dreams of the Giant Space Butterfly.
RE: Small Ship, Big War
Half a league, half a league,
  Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
  Rode the six hundred.
'Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns' he said:
Into the valley of Death
  Rode the six hundred.
  Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
  Rode the six hundred.
'Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns' he said:
Into the valley of Death
  Rode the six hundred.
Ryan Opel
RE: Small Ship, Big War
cannon to the right of them
cannon to the left of them
cannon in front of them volleyed and thundered
stormed at with shot and shell
boldly they rode and well
Into the jaws of Death
into the mouth of hell
rode the six hundred
*that part i remembered from Star Trek, though it wasnt all quoted in that episode* [:D]
cannon to the left of them
cannon in front of them volleyed and thundered
stormed at with shot and shell
boldly they rode and well
Into the jaws of Death
into the mouth of hell
rode the six hundred
*that part i remembered from Star Trek, though it wasnt all quoted in that episode* [:D]
RE: Small Ship, Big War
Well, at least two of her crew survive the war, we know that...
We are all dreams of the Giant Space Butterfly.
RE: Small Ship, Big War
Having just read 152 pages of this forum... all I can say is BRAVO!!! Thank God I didn't start reading 2 years ago like some of your loyal fans... the suspense would have driven me more insane...
From a literary standpoint, I really like your character development techniques as well as the use of subtle hints and themes... Drive On!!!
From a literary standpoint, I really like your character development techniques as well as the use of subtle hints and themes... Drive On!!!
RE: Small Ship, Big War
The Charge of the Light Brigade
by Alfred Tennyson.
--------------------------------
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
"Forward the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!" he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Some one had blunder'd.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.
Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder'd.
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre-stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not,
Not the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honor the charge they made!
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!
by Alfred Tennyson.
--------------------------------
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
"Forward the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!" he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Some one had blunder'd.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.
Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder'd.
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre-stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not,
Not the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honor the charge they made!
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!
"It is obvious that you have greatly over-estimated my regard for your opinion." - Me
RE: Small Ship, Big War
That's too funny. I was thinking the exact same thing as rjopel and marky.
-F-
-F-
"It is obvious that you have greatly over-estimated my regard for your opinion." - Me
RE: Small Ship, Big War
And welcome painrus! Welcome to the Hibiki Addicts thread.
-F-
-F-
- Attachments
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- welcome.jpg (5.29 KiB) Viewed 238 times
"It is obvious that you have greatly over-estimated my regard for your opinion." - Me
RE: Small Ship, Big War
ORIGINAL: Feinder
That's too funny. I was thinking the exact same thing as rjopel and marky.
-F-
Great minds think alike [:D][:D]
