Cuttlefish
Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
Status: offline
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January 8, 1944
Location: 100 miles southwest of Enitwetok
Course: Northwest
Attached to: TF 9
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 2
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 425
Orders: Escort Yamato back to Japan
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Riku is preparing to sack out for the evening when Chief Petty Officer Shun appears in the doorway. He steps inside the narrow machine space and stands quietly, gazing at Riku.
Shiro, who is rigging his hammock, looks at Shun and then looks at Riku. He nudges Oizuma, who looks up and takes in the tableau. Yoshitaka and Shoji are seated on the floor playing cards, and they too look up.
“You know, I feel like having some tea,” says Shiro. “There might be some in the mess.”
“That’s a good idea,” says Yoshitake as he stands. “I will join you.” Oizuma and Shoji quickly decide they want some tea as well. One by one they file out, leaving Shun and Riku alone.
“We will talk,” Shun says. Riku swallows and nods. Shun walks forward until he is a few paces from Riku, then he stops and crosses his arms.
“I have given much thought these last few months to the matter of you and my daughter,” Shun continues. The Chief’s low voice is almost expressionless; Riku knows this means the man is tense and keeping himself under tight control. “Long ago you swore an oath not to speak her name or to try and contact her. This you have kept.”
Riku nods. “Yes, Chief Petty Officer,“ he says.
“When we set out from Mako more than two years ago you were a waste of space,” Shun says. “Yet since meeting my daughter you have worked hard, lived honorably, and served this ship well.” He pauses. “Perhaps she saw something in you that I did not,” he admits.
“I was a different person then,” Riku admits uncomfortably. “I have changed, I think.”
Shun grunts. “She loves you,” he says. “If I ordered her to marry someone else she would do so. She is a good daughter. But you love her as well and if you work as hard to care for her as you have to win her you will make a good husband.” He turns and paces a little. “I could wish it was someone other than a sailor. I was at sea when my wife became ill, and by the time I even heard about it she was gone.” Riku remains silent.
“But this war will not end soon,” continues Shun. “All men worthy of the name will be fighting in defense of Japan. And there is this, I do not know what will happen to her if I am killed. Her grandmother is old. Her uncle in Osaka is a good man, but he has problems and worries of his own.” Shun stops pacing and once again faces Riku.
“But I will stop going on like an old man and get to the point,” he says. “We will be in Japan soon. I release you from your oath. I wish for the two of you to meet and talk – properly supervised, of course. After that, well, we will see what happens.”
Emotion crashes through Riku like a wave and he fights to maintain his self-control. “Chief Shun,” he says, voice strained. “I…thank you. You will not regret this, I swear it.”
Shun looks down. “We will see,” he says. “Whatever happens, this has dragged on long enough. It is time to move on to whatever happens next.”
“Yes, Chief,” Riku says.
“We will speak more of this when we get to Japan,” states Shun. He turns abruptly and leaves. Riku wonders briefly what it cost a man like Shun to come in here and say those things to him. Then he tries to say her name.
At first he can’t do it. He has locked that name from passing his lips for almost twenty months and for a moment he actually can’t make himself say it out loud.
“Nanami,” he finally whispers. Speaking the name breaks down what is left of his self control. He staggers back against a bulkhead, then slides slowly down until he is seated on the floor.
“Nanami,” he says one more time, then he buries his head in his arms and weeps.
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