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ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish

When King hears one of them say “…good thing we were there to show the Americans how it’s done, eh?” he forgets all about the coffee he had been looking for.

Hiryu watch: Sys 42, Flood 58, Fires 0. Distance to port: 690 miles

Well, the Brits did at least show the Americans how torpedoes are supposed to work! [;)]

.....when dropped from an American designed and built torpedo bomber.

The British designed and built planes were used to show the Japanese how it could work...

[&:]

[:(]

Where is the story?  I have been going through this story while at work.

It's all that's keeping me sane while sitting chained to my desk!

I actually bought this game in part because this story [:(][:(][:(]  (Helps that this is an awesome game, too!)

It's all that's keeping me sane while sitting chained to my desk!

Wrong game[;)]Will achieve exactly the opposite.

March 9, 1943

Location: 600 miles southeast of Tjilitjap
Course: Northwest
Attached to: TF 72
Mission: Air Combat
System Damage: 4
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 458

Orders: Escort damaged carriers to Tjilitjap for emergency repairs

---

Taiki quietly enters the petty officer’s mess. Though luxurious by enlisted men’s standards it is still cramped, like almost every space aboard a destroyer.

Today it is more crowded than usual. Taiki is looking around for somewhere to sit when he is unexpectedly addressed.

“Hey, Takahashi, nice work on the gun the other day.” The speaker is Petty Officer Toshio Aikawa. Next to Shun he is the longest-serving man aboard ship. He is sitting with Shun and several others at the “senior” table, by long tradition reserved for Chiefs and First Class petty officers. No PO2 or PO3 would dare take a seat there except by invitation.

“Thank you, but the credit goes to the men, and maybe to luck,” Taiki says, not entirely comfortable with the attention from men who usually ignore him. Aikawa snorts.

“You make that kind of luck through hard work,” he says, “and you drive those men hard.”

“You should have heard him a couple of days ago,” says another man at the table. “He was giving some of the men hell for setting up a betting pool about the Hiryu. I tell you, after overhearing him I was ready to swear off all gambling myself.”

“That good, eh?” asks another.

“Bet on it,” says the first man, and there is general laughter.

“Sit down, Takahashi,” says Aikawa. Taiki is unsure whether this is a command or an invitation, but either way there can be no thought of refusing. A couple of men obligingly move aside to make room, but the effort runs into a roadblock. Shun remains immobile at the center of the table. Everyone, Aikawa included, pauses and waits for Shun’s verdict.

Shun slowly chews a mouthful of rice and then looks up at Taiki. After a moment he nods slightly and then shifts over a few feet. Taiki sits down and conversation starts up again at the table. Taiki takes some food and listens. Together the men at the table have served over 150 years in the Imperial Navy, and their stories are fascinating.

No one pays particular attention to Taiki, but neither is he ignored if he tries to speak. After a while Taiki realizes that this is because they are simply treating him like one of them. It is a good feeling. He begins to relax, feeling more at home aboard Hibiki than he has in many long months.

---

Hiryu watch: Sys 42, Flood 63, Fires 0. Distance to port: 600 miles

Oh. For heaven's sake. TELL US ALREADY![8|]

ORIGINAL: kaleun

Oh. For heaven's sake. TELL US ALREADY![8|]

Who disturbs our meditation as a pebble disturbs a pond?

This AAR is not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon. Ed G...er, kaleun, you must learn patience. [:)]

Ohm... Ohm... Ohm...

I shall seek the path of wisdom.
Patience comes to those who wait...

A slight nod, a small shift to make space.....and a graduation of sorts has taken place.  High praise for such a new Petty Office, but well deserved.
 
Meanwhile, the Hiryu, continues its slow slide into the deep of the Indian Ocean. 
 
Kaleun....I'll bet you always opened your Christmas presents a week early:).

No; not really, but I do read very fast.[;)]

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish

ORIGINAL: kaleun

Oh. For heaven's sake. TELL US ALREADY![8|]

Who disturbs our meditation as a pebble disturbs a pond?

This AAR is not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon. Ed G...er, kaleun, you must learn patience. [:)]

Absolutely right, Cuttefish! After all, would kaleun yell that during a movie or a play?

BTW, Hiryu's flooding looks pretty bad. I imagine the petty officers on board the Hibiki are having to chase men away from the rails to concentrate on anti-submarine watch.

You guys are no fun.
 
 
 
leaves, closes door...

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish

ORIGINAL: kaleun

Oh. For heaven's sake. TELL US ALREADY![8|]

Who disturbs our meditation as a pebble disturbs a pond?

This AAR is not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon. Ed G...er, kaleun, you must learn patience. [:)]

Ohm... Ohm... Ohm...

More like "Boot to the head!" i think... [:D]

She's going to do an 'Ark Royal' on us and sink in sight of port...

Hiryu watch: Sys 42, Flood 63, Fires 0. Distance to port: 600 miles

The odds makers in Vegas have stopped taking bets on this. [:D]
10 hexes with 63 Flood...not good.

And Admiral King is enraged! This is the best alternate history ever.

March 10, 1943

Location: 480 miles southeast of Tjilitjap
Course: Northwest
Attached to: TF 72
Mission: Air Combat
System Damage: 4
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 443

Orders: Escort damaged carriers to Tjilitjap for emergency repairs

---

Rain has started to fall on the Japanese ships. The wind has picked up, turning the sea choppy. Under ordinary circumstances this would be nothing dangerous, but all eyes turn to the Hiryu, slowly but steadily sinking lower as the waters make further inroads into her hull.

On Hibiki’s bridge Captain Ishii is examining the horizon with his binoculars. Lieutenant Sugiyura comes up beside him.

“What do you think, sir?” asks the torpedo officer. “How bad will it get?” Captain Ishii lowers the binoculars and turns to face him.

“There’s a big storm out there,” he says, ”but the worst of it is well south of us. We are just brushing the fringes. My guess is that it is probably moving northeast, which means this might be as bad as it gets. If we are lucky.”

“We probably deserve some luck,” comments Sugiyura.

“Luck smiles on the prepared” says Ishii. “I have never know it to smile only on the just, or the deserving. If there is some balance somewhere, measuring out equal portions of good luck and bad, I have never observed it.”

“Hm,” says Sugiyura, pondering this. “In that case, sir, all we can do is hope for some good luck and be prepared for some bad,” he says after a moment. Ishii gives him a small smile.

“Words of wisdom,” he says. “We will make a philosopher of you yet, Sugiyura.” Sugiyura smiles back.

“I don’t know about that, Captain,” he answers, “but I will admit that there is something about both being at war and having lots of time that does make a man think. Maybe that is why so many of our great warriors have also been philosophers. Men like Musashi, Jubei, and Yoshimasa.” Captain Ishii looks at him in surprise.

“I think that is exactly right, Lieutenant,” he says. Sugiyura makes a deprecating gesture.

“That’s as deep as my thoughts go,” he says. “I’d still rather blow things up than think about it.”

---

Hiryu watch: Sys 43, Flood 65, Fires 0. Distance to port: 480 miles

480 miles, 65 flood... I'll go with 51,7% of Hiryu making it.[;)]