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They all feel it on Zuiho............and not a mind does not think Torpedo!, and many are moving even before the alarm rings.
They will close her up in under two minutes, a record for her.

Even as they race to stations, Zuiho is slewing to Port, slowing, and now her safety valves are shrieking, adding to the belam of noise..
fear will grip many.
But all will do their duty.

There is no torpedo

This a wound self inflicted.

Hirate slams the telegraphs to the stop, rings the bells three times.

Eons, absolutely eans of time passes as the shrieking madness continues, eaons, nearly two seconds pass, before they match his...........YES, we know, yes, you may shut down!

Shut down

he can feel his skin heating, his face drying, the air superheating about him
There is time only to slam the throttles shut, to gather his men, and to get the hell out...............

Two boilers steaming forward, coming down from full power

Now with nowhere to go........

Zuiho lifts all three safties on each of those boilers before they pull the fires.
The whole world, it seems, belongs to the shriek of escaping steam...............



Nagumo takes the message
"Zuiho falling out sir, some problems below."
A mere grunt.

Zuiho does not worry him, she will sort it out, that little ship always does.
its the message recieved less than an hour ago, that fills him with darkness.
Yamamoto is dead. So it is true.
The emperor has , heavens, spoken to the people.
Unheard off..........

"We will fight!"
And he Nagumo, apparently, will now lead it.

Alright. So be it.
His first command then. " captain, this is done. The cruisers have escaped. make course for home"

24/7/43

Shortlands has fallen

Zuiho steams again, again back in units

It has been a long night.

One simple nut, one simple bloody plain nut, that should have been a high tensile nut, has failed on the main steam guard gland follower.
It has failed, carooming across the space, the packing exploding out behind it, the tongues of hell chasing

Hirate, Lurch, the third hand, have done well, shutting down most of the equipment, critically the generator is undamged.
But the main condensate pump has run dry, or something.
Charge examines its smoking ruins, the poor beast stinks of melted metal, of burnt gizzards.
it even looks a little bent
Tan raises an eyebrow........and?

"Dockyard job, whole bloody thing will have to come out.Need a crane .............."
Tan, surprisingly smiles. It could have been worse. Dockyard job..........
Singapore then.

"Tell you what Charge, you can buy me one of those Singapore Chilli crabs ney? I hear they are THE thing..........."
'A dozen beers would be better"
'Both then?"
'Done"

(Zuiho, in one turn goes to 2 ENG damage, 3 system)

24/7/43

Japanese crusers again pound Merauke
55th division contnue North

Hoshos fears of being pounded daily by bombers has not eventuated.
Every day, they try, but every day, the snarl of Tojos and oscars eminate from the skies above.

The bombs fall, but few come anywhere near the great snake of 15th army
Japans airforce is bleeding.
But so is the allied one .

And as long as this continues, there is always hope.

Oh, thank you for kind comments

sorry for the fright!

above disaster happened to myself in the south china sea actually. (but we were drinking coffee [;)])



On purely game not, today south of Lunga, spotted a task force containing at least 2 fleet carriers, 3 CVL.........cantona gains strength every day. Good thing he did not quit after Tarawa defeat ney>?)[:'(]

27/7/43

Zuiho lies along side Singapore.
She has not yet recieved a docking, the mad dash around the Indian ocean has not left her alone in self inflicted damage.
The destroyers, in particular, are screaming for a rest.

The crews, confined to the ships this day, recieved little rest, there is storing ship, fuelling ship.
maintenance, paper wark, the million and one tasks to be done.

That is the easy bit
For once, its the Command who has the hardest task.

herbiesan has flown in.
An angry, wild, dangerous man.

Nagumo regards him nervously across the room.
It matters not, that this room once was British HQ.
What matters, what is THE pressing topic, are those dead men of 4th division.

"Twice Nagumo. Twice you bloody sailors have drowned my men at Port Blair!"
Sir..........

"Shut UP!. I will hear no excuses this time! Get 38th Division to Rangoon, or die!
And then, get what remains of the 4th here!
Do this, or don't come back!"



the silence, as Herbiesan leaves, is deep,

Ngumo turns to his staff officer, pale, trembling.
"Where is the Yamato?"
"Approaching Sabang sir"
'Direct her and her sister to Port Blair."


Let the enemy try to intercept them..............

Over Burma, for the fifth day straight, the fighters snarl and fight.
Like dogs, they go for the throats.
And like many dog fights, abruptly, one breaks.


'From 3rd air div
to
all KI 43 units

Withdraw to Bangkok"


The blood is flowing.
Too fast to staunch and fight at once.

Whew! I thought we were going to lose our favorite CVL!

I'm curious about the bit with Yamamoto dying; I figured you were building him up in case you decided to do a negotiated surrender. I'm curious as to why you so abruptly killed him off?

Hi gridley!

3 reasons

a/ herbiesan is an evil barsted
b/ Yamamoto only man who could have bought a peace, that ain't happening here, this is to the bitter end.............
c/ any one can die..........

28/7/43


Executions must feel like this............
The thought rabbits through Hoshos mind, as he forces his quaking legs, straining muscles into yet another frantic effort

His lungs burn, and the pack feels heavir than ever, the machine gun a great wieght in his left hand.
behind him, the distance still a mere 25 yards, the small bridge, the insignificant creek, the group of huts, the clearing, are receeding behind him as fast as his legs can carry him .

Ahead, jungle.
But that is not important, what is, what is surely now a matter of life or death, is to get as far away from that bridge as he possibly can.
Hosho knows nothing about bombers, and bombing, but even an idiot can tell, that that bridge is the only real landmark in 40 miles of here.
A landmark the rapidly growing louder drone of the bombers drawing like flies to a carcass.

There is no cover. No where to hide.
The blade must fall, and soon.


he runs, they all run , in silence, just the grunts, the pants, the thud of 100's of pairs of boots.
The tropical stillness, the sweat, the strain, the gasp for air

The growing drone

There are no fighters aloft, none today, none yesterday.
The drone is now a deep , deep growl,............and the bombs fall.

They run faster, the shrieks, growing, growing.........close, far too close to the bridge, they fling themselves down.
Odly, Hosho finds himself praying for allied accuracy...........
KAHBANG!!, KAHBANG!!! KAHBANG!!!
The earth bucks, slams into his face, shaking , shuddering as giants pound it.
The blasts slam into them, over them

A man screams, and screams
is it him?
it may well be
Dust, flames, the bombs shriek down, and he grinds into Mother earth, praying, begging, sobbing.
Dirt crashes over him, a tree lands near him, more screams, KAHBANG!< BANG!< BANG!< KA< BANG!


Japan has lost the control of the air "temporarily" over Burma

55th division, begins to pay the blood price.

There, you fooled me. I thought that you killed Yamamoto off in the story because he got killed in the game.

Zuiho slides into the dock

There is nothing subtle about this today.
No defuelling, no de ammunitioning. as soon as the dock begins to lower , as soon as her bum touches, settles onto the blocks, the work begins
She has been given 24 hours
24 hrs, and then back to the war.

And now, less than 24 hrs after going into dock, Zuiho is sliding out again.

Four fat and very ugly tugs take her in hand, and move her down the roads, where she anchors
There is still much to do.
There is some time however, for much has changed in the last 24 hrs.



Kato takes in the harbour roads, and contemplates what is no longer here.
The fleet carriers are gone, Nagumo has re fuelled, and sped out again. His last words still circulate in katos mind.
They stir excitement, and not a little apprehension.

"Sorry Kato, one last mission. Pull it off, and you can meet Taiho in Truk. She is nearly ready......"
One last mission.
One last mission, but not today.
Nagumo has left but six destroyers in Singapore, and three are still in dock. Six is barely enough. To sail with only three, suicide. By last reports, some seven Bukas lurk below the surface of the straights.
With luck, they can remain there, they will make the Indian oceon via batavia this time.
But they must go soon.


Below decks, Hidaka scowls. The memorandum in his hand speaks volumes for all that is wrong with this war.
'Due to unforseen circumstances, your expected Conversion to the new TBD, has been delayed..........."

Unforseen circumstances.........
Why, with this bloody nation, is it always unforseen circumstances............


In the ready room, Ogawa, Diogawa and Uto are deep in conversation.
"Is it true Uto?"
"From the mouth of 22nd Flotilla himself"

Silence.
"Surely not a dozen a day?" Diogawa, plainly, does not believe the news
Uto grimaces "On some days, many more"
Ogawa's voice is hard. "Alright then. If the Army airforce is "broken' as you suggest in Burma, more the reason for us being here. Either our pilots are no good, or their planes are too many, or too good. I, for one, think this might finally do some good"

"Good?"
"yes good. sorry to say this Uto, but your father, our 'beloved' herbiesan, is an idiot for not advancing new fighters. How old is the KI 43 anyway?!"
All nod heads in agreement "too old"

'yes, too old, but like everything it seems, Bushido will carry us through............"


"And Bushido is bull............."






Charges gang, as usual, work.
there is a shiny new Condensate pump to fit, to set to work
There are boilers to light, systems to flash
New plate work to paint
Few care today, for most hearts are light.
Zuiho has recieved mail.



"To Father

I have no idea where you are, or when you will get this.
But it does not matter, for at the moment, I am safe.
I am in Japan, in training command, whipping stupid boys into shape.
They are going to return me to my old squadron at some point, but not just yet!

I think I saw your ship a few months ago, you were making far too much smoke!
So, I am good, here is the news from home.......................




...............your son
Fuchida

30/7/43


It is a well worn routine now.

Kato is busy with paperwork in his cabin. It is still a sparse room, reflecting the man. Yet , this evening, it is a pleasant place. The cabin is just aft and Port of the bridge, the door is open, only a curtain protecting his privacy. His porthole is open, and a sweet breeze is entering. The sun is beginning to set, and the singapore haze is thickening nicely.
200 yards away, battle ship Heie slowly slips past, he light flashing.
Kato does not need to read it, he has the guts of the message in front of him now.

Captain Nishida Masao (a right aggressive pug of a man) will lead this little thrust.
Hiei, Shoho, themselves, cl Tatsuta , but a mere 4 destroyers, will sail via Batavia, and enter the Indian ocean.

Four destroyers. Not nearly enough.
The Musashi TF has been attacked three times now, sinking two ss, the waters around and to Port Blair are crawling........

But orders are orders..........


For now, even from here, Kato can feel and follow his ship preparing.
The No smoking pipes, the stink of fuel oil,
Tan with his fuel barge..
The final calls for last mail
The sound of the elevators, the gentle rumble of birds being spotted.
Hidaka getting ready........

Other noises.
The increased traffic outside his door, the constant clatter of the signal lamps, the orders drifting from the bridge....

And now, as darkness claims zuiho, below him, the rise of the blower screams, and later still, the gentle movements.
Tan testing main engines..........

The final calls for the boat parties, bringing the last of the children home.
"Do you hear there...........action stations will be called for 2200 hrs'......

The pile of paper is finished with.
2150 hrs.

Only four destroyers............

Carefully, Kato dons his uniform, ensures its immaculate look remains.
'maybe this time, my friends, we will strike'

He carefully closes the porthole.
An action that always has designated to his mind, the bridge between safety, and the peril of the open sea.
He strides out, and enters the bridge.
All are in position, all, it is immediately clear, are correct.
The XO salutes
"Zuiho ready for sea sir"

Kato nods. This he already knew. This , after all, is Zuiho. When has she not be ready?

"very good, inform Hiei. Standby the windlass. Slow ahead both, port ten"

And so, as per routine, zuiho again goes to war.

Only four destroyers.
Only four.

Cue in the theme from Victory at Sea.

How many Allied SS have been sunk? It certainly appears that your opponent concentrates them at certain chokepoints...

Have to get back on ss kills

cantona is simply brilliant at ss warfare, its his speciality.
I count ten ss around singapore, the straight, palembang area, the rest in solomon area

he specialises in reading intell, and picking of AKs unloading, especially those single, or little ship convoys you have to use to keep small bases going.

Weeezzz hates him, we duzz,




31/7/43
Nagumo reads the signal, and for the first time in a long time, feels a sense of satisfaction.
'38div unloading rangoon'

So far, so good.
Light carriers, and two battle wagons, swanning about Port blair, while KB races back towards New Britain.
If they can arrive undetected...............


There is a massive force, the largest the Americans have ever gathered, south of Milne bay.
Its intentions?
Impossible to tell

But whether it was targeted to Lae, or even Rabual, he needed to be North of new Britain when they did.
Not for anything has he resisted upgrading to new fighters .
They have the range
And if luck goes with them, he intends to strike, with out the allies being able to hit back.

The tide may have turned. the Americans may be attacking.
Let them
let them.
They Call him cautious. they say he is too old.
They say he still does not know carrier warfare.
To hell with them all.
Let them come.
And let he, Nagumo, show them how to fight.,

Zuiho steams due south, Hiei leading, the four paltry destroyers fanned out ahead of the small column.
The sea is that deep, deep blue, calm, mirror calm, and the ships wakes cream in long, long trails across it.
The heat, once again , is stifling,, that oppressive tropical humidity that bears you down, saps your energy.

Her flight deck shimmers in the heat.

Three kates, 6 zeros are working from her decks today, the kates departing for the south west, searching the Batavia straight, the zeros working CAP.
There is no chance of an enemy air attack.........or is there?
Hidaka has been surprised too many times in this war.
It would not surprise him to find the Essex itself at batavia, the way this war has been fought.
So, aloft his pilots go.
They are better behaved after a period in the air anyway.

Hiei provides the ASW patrol, the little pete circling, circling.
His task is easier today, no submarine will remain undetected for long in these conditions.

It is the night ahead that fills all with unease.
But so far, so good.

Charge has got his pump going, fuel and water are good.
No enemy contacts, a clear sky, calm seas.

Hard to believe there's a war on.

1/8/43

Zuiho arribes batavia at dusk.
A large ugly plank of a vessel is shepererd alongside by an equally ugly tug.
Soon the stink of fuel oil fills the air.

Zuiho does not even reduce her machinery state, she maintains her watches, continues her routines.
Before dawn, the small task force has re fuelled, and once again, she bites into the Indian swells.

Things instantly improve (for most) onboard, the breeze is brisk, the swells, moderate as they are, cream and whip refreshing spray down her decks. As many doors as can be are opened, and temperatures become more tolerable.
It makes the work easier.

The work, of course, is getting birds into the air.

As dawn breaks, the search planes go out.
Anticipation, excitement even, stalls her decks.
What will they find?
Easy prey, or something more vicious.

It doesn't matter. From Kato down, all feel this: its way past time for meaningful action.