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[:D] Excellent!

Chasing one's ship across the expanse of the Pacific can be a most grueling event.  The great Tokyo, Marcus, Kwajalein, Truk, ? circuit.  Wow.  I wonder if this is how the IJN actually matched sailors to ships????
 
Also, I wonder at the wisdom of placing a newly minted Petty Officer in with a crew that he once shared his shore leave and deepest secrets with.   Hummmmm, ordering those men about, a la, Chief Shun, will not come naturally. 

ORIGINAL: princep01

Chasing one's ship across the expanse of the Pacific can be a most grueling event.  The great Tokyo, Marcus, Kwajalein, Truk, ? circuit.  Wow.  I wonder if this is how the IJN actually matched sailors to ships????

Also, I wonder at the wisdom of placing a newly minted Petty Officer in with a crew that he once shared his shore leave and deepest secrets with.   Hummmmm, ordering those men about, a la, Chief Shun, will not come naturally. 

Its...what do they call it....poetic license. Besides, maybe Taiki will actually grow a pair. [:D]

Manning a gun position on a balky plane, at least they don't want him to navigate.

ORIGINAL: tocaff

Manning a gun position on a balky plane, at least they don't want him to navigate.

At least its not an Army bomber. [:D]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

ORIGINAL: tocaff

Manning a gun position on a balky plane, at least they don't want him to navigate.

At least its not an Army bomber. [:D]

If it had been, they'd only take him along as ballast, or possibly payload... [:'(]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo


At least its not an Army bomber. [:D]

If it had been, they'd only take him along as ballast, or possibly payload... [:'(]

Hmmm. Didn't they call the G4M "the flying lighter" because so much of it was taken up by fuel tanks? And didn't Yamamoto buy the farm in one?

August 2, 1942

Location: 350 miles southwest of Nauru Island
Course: Southwest
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 3
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 353

Orders: Proceed to the Santa Cruz Islands area.

---

The mountainous islands of Truk are a sharp contrast to the almost flat islands of Kwajalein. The place is equally busy, however. In the anchorage a dozen freighters and tankers are loading or unloading cargo. Warships swing at anchor, and a column of patrol craft is heading out on an anti-submarine sweep.

Taiki Takahashi is speaking to Commander Hiranuma, in command of the harbor facilities at Truk. He is the fourth person to whom Taiki has explained his quest, and the first to listen with any real sympathy.

“I don’t know a thing,” Hiranuma tells Taiki, “except that our carriers are all at sea, no one knows where. Your ship might be down around Noumea. It might also be in the Indian Ocean, approaching San Francisco, or visiting Port Arthur.”

“I understand, sir” says Taiki. “But Noumea is the best information I have. Do you know of a way I can get there?” Hiranuma thinks for a minute.

“We send a resupply convoy down there every two weeks or so. The next one is scheduled to leave in…let’s see…seven days. There’s a minelayer tender leaving for Gadarukanaru the day after tomorrow. That would get you part way, but I don’t know how you’d get to Noumea from there.” Taiki’s shoulders slump a little.

“Well, it seems I must wait. Thank you for your help, sir.”

“I’ll let you know if I hear anything,” says Hiranuma. “Who knows, the Hibiki might even turn up here. If nothing happens before then I’ll make sure you are on the convoy to Noumea next week.” Taiki thanks him once again, then salutes and departs.

August 3, 1942

Location: 200 miles north of Ndeni
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 3
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Proceed to the Santa Cruz Islands area.

---

Hibiki and the rest of the task force reach the rendezvous point north of the Santa Cruz islands and discover friendly ships already waiting for them. Six fuel-laden tankers are present, escorted by four destroyers. Their mission is to keep the carrier task force refueled and ready to move in any direction should enemy ships be detected.

The destroyers of the carrier group are ordered to refuel. Hibiki takes her turn and tops off her tanks alongside Nihon Maru. The refueling goes without incident, and Hibiki resumes her place in the screen. The first of what may be many long days of waiting begins.

August 4, 1942

Location: 200 miles north of Ndeni
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 3
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 442

Orders: Hold position and wait.

August 5, 1942

Location: 200 miles north of Ndeni
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 3
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 411

Orders: Hold position and wait.

---

On the bridge of the Hibiki:

Chief Torpedo Officer Sugiyura: Hello, Lieutenant. I am ready to relieve you, sir.

Lieutenant Miharu: Very good. You have the bridge, Sugiyura.

Sugiyura: Yes sir. Has everything been quiet?

Lieutentant Miharu: Yes. No sign of any submarines, no reports of any enemy ships moving anywhere. It’s just us and the fish out here at the moment.

Sugiyura: Hm. Too bad.

Lieutenant Miharu: Curb your impatience, Sugiyura. We may be out here for weeks.

Sugiyura: *sighs* I know. I fear I am not by nature a patient man.

Lieutenant Miharu: Think of it as a shogi match, or a duel between swordsmen if you will. The first one to make a rash move will be severely punished by his opponent.

Sugiyura: These are matters for Admirals to decide. I am a simple man, Lieutenant. I launch torpedoes at things and blow them up.

Lieutenant Miharu: *smiles* May you have targets soon, Sugiyura.

August 6, 1942

Location: 200 miles north of Ndeni
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 3
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 380

Orders: Hold position and wait.

---

In the late afternoon another Japanese task force enters the rendezvous area north of the Santa Cruz islands. This force consists of three light carriers under a strong escort. They refuel, then move off to take up position about 30 miles to the southwest.

Everything remains quiet. The Japanese ships wait under the hot equatorial sun for the Allies to make a move. While they are not sending out any radio transmissions themselves, Hibiki and the other ships pick up enough radio messages from the west to get the impression that things are not going well for the Australians at Gili Gili. Whether this will translate into any action on the part of the Allies is as yet anybody’s guess.

Excellent!

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish

August 6, 1942

Location: 200 miles north of Ndeni
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 3
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 380

Orders: Hold position and wait.

The trouble is that time is not on the side of the Japanese Empire. While the Sons of the Emperor burn fuel at sea, Uncle Sam is building ships.

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

The trouble is that time is not on the side of the Japanese Empire. While the Sons of the Emperor burn fuel at sea, Uncle Sam is building ships.

We have one vote for invading San Francisco. Anyone else? [:D]

August 7, 1942

Location: 100 miles west of Reef Island
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 3
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 342

Orders: Hold position and wait.

---

From the diary of Petty Officer Third Class Taiki Takahashi:

If one has to be stuck waiting someplace, there are worse places than Dublon Island. It is quite nice here. There are beautiful lagoons overhung with palm trees and streams cascading down steep rocky slopes that are covered with foliage and tropical flowers. There are good things to eat, too, lots of coconut and fresh pineapple and fish. I could be stuck waiting in worse places.

But still, I’m stuck waiting. No word yet on the whereabouts of Hibiki. I can take some slow transports to Noumea in a couple of days, but they will take days to get there and who knows if Hibiki will be there when I arrive? I’m not sure what to do.

So it is nice here, but I have rarely been so bored. Wherever the rest of the crew are, they must be having a more exciting time than I am…

---

“We are shifting position a bit,” Captain Ishii informs his helmsman. “Set course south bearing 15 degrees to port. Engine room, speed 22 knots.”

“Has the enemy been spotted?” asks Lieutenant Miharu. Captain Ishii shakes his head.

“Not that I know of,” Ishii replies. “We are supposed to take up new a new position a bit to the south, I would guess to be in better position to quickly intercept any convoys bound for Nanomea. If we had information of enemy movements our pace would be a bit less leisurely.”

“I see. Very exciting,” says Lieutenant Miharu.

August 8, 1942

Location: 100 miles west of Reef Island
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 3
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 443

Orders: Hold position and wait.

---

“Ah, there you are, Takahashi,” says Commander Hiranuma. “I have some good news for you today.”

“Good morning, sir,” says Taiki. “If I may ask, what is the good news?”

“Follow me,” says Hiranuma. He leads Taiki out of the building and down to the waterfront. Once there he points at an aircraft carrier sitting out in the anchorage. It had not been there yesterday. “The new aircraft carrier Hiyo. I do not know where it is going, but it and its escorts seem to be headed wherever your destroyer is. I have already spoken to the captain, and you are expected aboard.” Taiki smiles.

“Sir, thank you very much. Your have put too much time and effort into helping me, but I greatly appreciate it.” Hiranuma dismisses him with a wave.

“Think nothing of it. Good luck out there, Petty Officer.” Taiki salutes and hurries off to collect his duffel.

Now, thats getting a lift in style!!

I dunno. Despite it's appearent tendancy to attract bombs, I think he'd be safer on Hibiki. Hibiki does after all, have an appearant tendancy to at least SURVIVE bombs.

Hiyo on the other hand, is not only a bomb magnet, but also one very large gas-can with a propensity to explode, which does not lend itself to the "survive" part.

Good luck Taki!
-F-

(just a side note since the Hibiki is everyones favorite destroyer..in my newest game, the one I am doing the AAR on, the Hibiki hit Dutch Submarine KXI twice on Dec. 9th. as a side-side note, I hired a new part time secretary this week and her name is Hibiki..which is an extremely uncommon name here)