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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> After Action Reports >> RE: The little ship that could.

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RE: The little ship that could. - 11/29/2013 8:09:13 AM

1275psi

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The convoy carrying Hosho is dead in the middle of the south china sea, so far unmolested.
33rd division has arrived safely in Japan.

Sumutra is being stripped of troops, they flow towards Soerabaya..

In china, the first allied offensive rolls south towards the canton area of china.

japan springs a desperate, but bold inititive to kill it...............

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2731

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/30/2013 9:53:53 PM

1275psi

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extract from shattering the sword, a cantona production.......

It has been a long time since the war in China intruded upon this tale.. But now , with supplies flowing freely across the Burma road, the first offensive in 8 bitter years of war begins

The road and rail link between henghang and Kukong first crosses the great river that sweeps south of Changsha, then follows almost due south a great valley, 40 miles wide for some 80 miles, before slowly climbing through the rugged foot hill country around Kukong.
It is, initially , a valley of rice fields, a great many small villages, unchanged in make up for centries. There are few defensive positions until the hills north of Kukong.

What China fails to notice, in this first offensive, is that directly south of henghang, is another rail and road link, that drives along the southern bank of the river, and then curves south towards central southern china.

On the 15th of November, 5 chinese divisions cross the river south of Henghang, and drive south
On the 21st, they obliterate a regimental out post, and triumphant, press towards Kukong

Japanese reaction, is swift, bold.
5 tank regiments, a mobile infantry regiment, and a recon unit, are immediately sent north and west, up that noted valley in the centre.
Units race towards Kukong
On the 27th, the Japanese armour debouches into the head of the valley, a mere 20 miles south of Henghang, where, too late, another two chinese divisions cross the river to block.
Japanese tanks, compared to the allies, are frail, weak things.
But if your heaviest weapon is a rifle, they are unstoppable

The battle of the 28th is short, sharp, brutal. One any panzer commander of Germany would only nod with satisfaction at.
The chinese divisions are flung back across the river.

Without hesitation, the tanks swing south.
From Kukong, 3 divisions move north

Blitzkrieg has come late to the pacific war.
But it is no less devastating

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2732

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/30/2013 9:59:54 PM

1275psi

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27th November

'truk me, Ogowa, is it just me, or is it truking cold?"

His feet crunch in the light covering of snow as he jumps down from his new fighter.
Ogowa smiles, Diogowa is flapping his arms, beating his body, trying frantically to beat some warmth into his body
"Its cold.........this is Sapporo you know, and winter is coming"

Diogowa looks about the bleak field, the light covering of snow upon the field, the greay skies, the bare trees bordering the field.
Its been a terrible flight, low cloud, fog, heavy winds.
""Does anyone really think the allies are coming here, now?.........with winter coming on?"

Ogowa feels the biting air, the chilling wind on his face, feels his skin already begin to freeze
"No, I don't........truk this, lets get inside"

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2733

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/30/2013 10:06:39 PM

1275psi

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Emily flying boats are huge, they are pretty hard to hide.
Especially in these new days of radar.

But, where there is a way, it will be found

24 liberators strike near ambon, another milk run of powdering the poor isolated barsteds below.
But 25 planes return towards darwin.

Only upon arrival, one stays at altitude, does a great lap of the bay, and gets very, very busy counting.

A single recon mission.
But one whos report flows all the way to the very top of Japans chain of command

'118 ships reported in Darwin"

A mere 6 hours later, the order goes out.
"all, repeat, all non restricted air units are to deploy to southern phillipines.."

herbiesan is rolling his last dice
he is stripping Japan of what ever he can

The celebes sea will be the final stand.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2734

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/30/2013 10:08:35 PM

1275psi

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Kaga, with just 5 destroyers available as escort (and still with 6 system damage), begins her race south from Tokyo harbour.
can the old girl arrive in time to have an effect?

We will try

Full ahead, flank!

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2735

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/30/2013 10:14:31 PM

1275psi

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28th November

Mt fuji slips past, under Ogowa's right wing

Surrounded in clouds, she stands eternal.

Will he ever see it again?
deep, deep in his bones, Ogowa doubts it.
Sapporo is behind, kagoshima ahead. Today, he will traverse the whole length of his land, then tomorrow, undoubtably, south, to the war.

it is good, to see home one last time
Good, to nod towards the eternal, to pay your respects

And to swear, by all that is holy, that no foriegn flag will ever fly upon it.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2736

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/30/2013 10:20:05 PM

1275psi

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'bombs gone"

Long pig strains as he peels the wellington hard into the bank. Sturdy yes, heavy to fly..........crap yes.
Another milkrun

There are rumours of japanese fighters based again near hanoi, but for today, thankfully, the skies are clear.
"5 to go, hey Bigglesworth..........and thats the tour done!"

Bigglesworth glares at him
'Talk like that, is bound to jinxs us, you idiot..just get us home, and keep your eyes peeled"

120 miles to the south, 9 Japanese fighters lie smashed, caught today, by superforts , upon the ground.

Long pig, has not a clue on how lucky he was today..............

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2737

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/2/2013 7:47:26 AM

1275psi

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29 november 1944
10 miles from Amoy, Chinese coast.

Our men on the zuiho would have recongnised the sound immediately.
that ringing, trash can crash of a fish slamming into some hapless hull, that tearing, creaking groaning of baulkheads collapsing,,,,,,,,
Hosho and his men have never heard this sound, but they have now.
Too a man in the crowded compartment, faces go white.
hosho cannot help himself, sphincter tightens, and eyes immediately turn towards the exit, the companion way out of this bloody steel box.

The tannoy breaks into life
"There has been a submarine attack. This ship has not, repeat, not been hit. All soldiers will remain below decks"
What follows is nightmarish.

For an hour, the bangs ring through the hull.

depth charges, but how are they to know?
A million un answered questions...........did they get it?. Who got it?

And what happens if the SS gets them......................

Hosho knows what happens then.

They drown

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2738

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/2/2013 7:56:48 AM

1275psi

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Yokosuka KU-S2 fighter group arrive takao safely.

The base is packed to capacity, not since december 41 have so many planes lined the tarmac.
Okura howeversee's the dark side of this accumulation of attack planes

Too many are refugees from carriers now lying on the ocean floor.
But does it matter now?

The phillipines is two dozen unsinkable carriers.

The men make there way to the mess.
A proper field. proper facilities
A proper place to fight a war.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2739

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/2/2013 8:03:49 AM

1275psi

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The last night

Tomorrow Chiburi sails again.

This is a night that hollywood gets so wrong

The heroes will spend it in passion, in love, in understanding.
She will be brave, he braver
They will talk, they will express the deepest desires , the deepest needs

Its mostly wrong.
Ask those who have been there.

For Hirate, for Okano, the night is long, and mostly painful

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2740

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/2/2013 8:07:50 AM

1275psi

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"Bombs gone!"

Once again Long pig strains at the controls, hauling the Wellington around.

"Fighter!, fighter!"

The fighter MAY kill them.
The look Bigglesworth flashes Long pig just about can.
'I told you, you bloody Jinx!"

And then the bullets begin to strike

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2741

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/3/2013 6:33:32 AM

1275psi

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aaaaaaaaaaaaargh

we have problems
cantona cannot save his turns, and the last one he sent me somehow converted to a RAR file?

Anyone ever seen this, or has any ideas?

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2742

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/3/2013 9:05:07 AM

1275psi

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The big Wellington is banking hard as the fighter goes snarling past her uplifted starboard wing

'Where is it!" yells Long pig
'Keep your bloody shirt on.........#$@!@ he's coming in again"

Long pig dares a look over his right shoulder, the oscar, sleek, deadly, is winging over, parrallel, slicing in..

he moves quickly, hauling the stick hard to starboard, pulling it back at the same time into his belly, and then, in one brutal moment, killing the throttles.

Things happen fast,
the two planes perform a scissor movement, the violent action of the great bomber catching the fighter pilot by surprise, it flashes, roaring mere feet above, the wellingtomns front turret spraying wildly after it.

The beast stalls.

the right wing plunges down, the nose whips around flinging the crew hard against straps, the world spins....
'ONE!"
"Two!
Three!"
the world is rising fast.......
Engines bellow..............to unstall, one must first, parodoxically dive even steeper, to restore flow over the wings

he grunts as opposite rudder goes boots, sink, kitchen, all in..........and now they both are hauling her back.........

'A bit of $%#@! warning next time mate!."bigglesworth grunts. holy crap!"

The bomber recovers, creaking, groaning, that scream of tortured airframe, recovers a hundred feet up...........

"Crew!, all ok?"...........

They come in.........."Aye..........minus my lunch ..........."

The bomber climbs again, Longpig swinging her wide and low over the jungle, now over the ocean

The fighters (there were 4, and they kill 3 in this lovely ambush) are no where to be seen

Long pig turns to Bigglesworth, sweat streaming, eyes wide.
Wide and angry

THERE IS NO TRUKING WAY I AM EVER< EVER GOING TO LET MY SELF BE SHOT DOWN AGAIN!"

Bigglesworth grins

"Ahmen to that friend, Ahmen!"

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2743

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/3/2013 1:09:10 PM

Crackaces

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quote:

ORIGINAL: 1275psi

aaaaaaaaaaaaargh

we have problems
cantona cannot save his turns, and the last one he sent me somehow converted to a RAR file?

Anyone ever seen this, or has any ideas?

What is the email service? I have observed files automatically being compressed when they are too large for the email service.

_____________________________

"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know. It's what we know for sure that just ain't so"

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2744

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/4/2013 2:29:45 AM

kaleun

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quote:

The beast stalls.

the right wing plunges down, the nose whips around flinging the crew hard against straps, the world spins....
'ONE!"
"Two!
Three!"
the world is rising fast.......
Engines bellow..............to unstall, one must first, parodoxically dive even steeper, to restore flow over the wings

he grunts as opposite rudder goes boots, sink, kitchen, all in..........and now they both are hauling her back.........

The first time I went up in a small plane (C-152 N511L) the pilot my "friend" took us up to 7000 ft to demonstrate a stall. The little airplane instead went into a full spin, just like you described.

By the time he got it out of the spin we were at 1000 ft

I'd almost forgotten it, until I read this.

_____________________________

Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
Sun Tzu

(in reply to Crackaces)

Post #: 2745

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/4/2013 7:13:22 AM

1275psi

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Hi kaluen!

I loved spinning in the days i flew.............

November 30

Bombing, bombing, bombing.
Trace the flights from Timor, from darwin, from Ambon, and one would draw a fan, , one that spreads its deadly shade throughout a huge segment of the empire.

Today, the bombs fall, and fall.

But the enemy does not move

Kaga nears legaspi.
The last fighter bomber unit settles into their final positions.

Every day now, a bonus.
The tankers are hauling gas, oil and arse!

(in reply to kaleun)

Post #: 2746

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/4/2013 9:03:49 AM

1275psi

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Hirate hesitates for but a moment as he crosses Chiburi's gangway.
It is before dawn, cold, but still

The lights reflect on the calm bay, just near her stern, ripples in the water, a school of minnows using the hull for shelter.
Another moment, all who have sailed the seas know.
When Hirate crosses that gangway, a unseen bridge also is crossed
Now, on the shore, he can pretend he is a civilian, can pretend, in a way, that he is still free.
Cross it, and he will be subtly, but inescapeably, captured.

Those hidden Mistresses, the sea, the ship, will wrap invisible chains about him.

The sad part, thinks Hirate, as he crosses onto the cold deck, nods to the even colder quartermaster, is a large part of him welcomes those hidden chains.
Almost seeks them

For many, to serve the ship, the sea, is a service that fullfills life itself.

he makes his way to the small galley, puts the kettle on.
two other seamen join him, quiet "goodmornings", the clatter of cutlery, the sipping of liquids.
But mostly silence

And then, as ever, with the sun still to rise, to work

The engine room is cold.

Flashup of a diesel space lacks completely the romance of steam. There is no long slow buildup to the climax, no steady rises of pressure, no step by upward step towards the goal.

No. Its open this, open that, confirm this, confirm that.
Then, the intake of breathe, and the crossed fingers...........

At 7 am, Hirate pulls the start lever

The port diesel, the bitch of the pair, hesitates, jerks, then rolls, clattering a little (that distict noise of injectors working in a non firing cylinder), then, with a satisfactory roar, she takes life

The starboard, the barsted, behaves, starting today with out hesitation.

Chiburi, for today, is good.

Hirate will run the engines for about 15 minutes, then shut them down until Chiburi sails at 10 am.
It will be a short trip, barely a thousand yards into the bay.
Captain Ukagi shouts a few orders, the anchor splashes down, and Chiburi slips back into silence, the generators rumble her only sign of life.

Not a clue on her next mission, she is, in fact, almost alone in the harbour.

Hirate will catch some sleep, as, apparently will most of the crew.

Okano goes fishing, and wonders what they are waiting for.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2747

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/6/2013 9:06:04 AM

1275psi

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Chiburi lies still at anchor, the day brilliantly still, the bay a mirror.
There is a saying Japanese sailors work a eight day week, and Hitate and Okano great the new day fully prpared to spend it drilling, drilling, and drilling some more.
But as the morning drags on, only inactivity fills the day.

The two men find themselves on the stern, both staring towards the distant shore. With care, they can delude themselves that they can see home

Small groups of the crew occasionally gather together, but nobody speaks to them.

Of the Charge, of the Captain, there is no sign.

Around noon, a small barge pulls alongside, a small burst of activity as the crew bring on the stores being delivered.
Hirate passes a box to Okano. "I think I know where we are headed my friend"
"About the only bloody place we haven't been to"

The boxes are heavy

Marked quite clearly, "Winter clothing"

But soon that small break in the day soon passes.

Chiburi lies quietly, and eventually the sun sets.

The next boat arrives after dark.
It slides alogside quietly, and five men climb onboard

Kemphati.
No, deeper than that
Herbiesans own personal guards.
Dressed darkly, a thin, whip hard major leading them
Captain Ugaki greets them with a curt nod. Silently they head towards the bridge.

Hirate and Ogano are in the engineroom when then Major enters. Strangely, Ugaki is with him
"Who are these men?" the question snaps across the space 'They are not of the original selections!"

Ugaki answers. His face, pale suddenly 'Ahh, replacements we aquired in Manilla......"
"They cannot stay, you must remove them.............."

The major approaches Hirate."We are you from , scarred one?"
'Hiyo, before that Zuiho"

I see..........and., did you say Zuiho?"
"Yes sir"

Silence fiils the space. Hirate cannot grasp exactly what is happening about him, but something, something very important, apparently is

"Did you know a pilot by the name of Uto?"

'yes sir, herbiesans son"
'you knew him then?"
'I did his laundry sir"
"is that all?"
"he once helped me, I, I called him a friend"

The major nods, turns to Ugaki.
'I find this acceptable. They can stay captain. Be ready for the delivery shortly. In the meantimne, Chuburi is to remain silent"

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2748

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/7/2013 4:29:54 AM

1275psi

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December2nd

A deep fog creeps across hiroshima bay

deep in the night, another barge pulls alongside Chiburi, and again Captain Ugaki and a select number of sailors greet the new vessel

Hirate, Okano do not see it, a message comes down the voice pipe, 'You will stay on watch until relieved"
This, truth to be told, is annoying, its nearly 4 am, and they have all but finished the watch

As the only machinery running is the generator, and a compressor, LS Toyoda has disapeared, totally unmissed.
Both have taken a severe dislike to him, a feeling shared, apparently.

The watch drags on. From aft, muted sounds of the boat, of the crane, shouts and commands

Suddenly Hirate leaps to his feet.
'Help me up Okano..." he points to the old fashioned ventilator flaps at the top of the space.

A few minutes later, he is hanging grimly on, feet dangling
"What do you see?"

Two big heavy crates. Bloody heavy crates by the looks of it, and, crap.......soldiers, there are more guns down aft than what you would see at the front..........

He jumps back down 'I wonder whats in those crates Okano?"
Okano frowns.'trouble, I would say. Bloody trouble"

At dawn, hidden from any prying eyes by the fog, rising sun limp on her mast, Chiburi sails from Hiroshima bay.

The soldiers, quiet, dark, hard men, a dozen in number, remain onboard.

The two crates vanish into Ugaki's cabin.

Chiburi rejoins the war. For the next two weeks at least, she is going to do all she can to avoid it.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2749

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/7/2013 4:33:10 AM

1275psi

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herbiesan greets the Major at dawn.

'And all went well Major?"

"The packages are safely aboard sir. Ugaki can be trusted i am sure"

Ah, Ugaki, old revolutionary friend. Such a shame that such loyal service must be rewarded with death.
But needs must.

"Thankyou Major, you will be suitably rewarded, as promised"

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2750

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/7/2013 4:43:45 AM

1275psi

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Kaga refuels near legaspi, she will penetrate the san bernado straight tonight, and at full power, make for manilla.

The tanks charge south down the great valley towards Kukong, and seal the trap. Tomoorow, the first deliberate attacks on the 4 chinese corps trapped here.
The allies have flung P51's, and a great many warhawks into the battle, the japanese zeros, and elderly Sonias and ida's.
This battle is beginning to show alarming signs of dragging in units willy nilly.

In cambodia, boldness is about to be rewarded

A tank regiment has slipped across the river near Ubon, eastern cambodia, now, undetected, it has raced west, tomorrow, Nakhon Richasima will be captured, cutting the supply lines to the british in northern cambodia.
Encouraged, japan has launched an offensive in easten cambodia, objectives, Nakhon Richasima , Ayuthia, maybe even bangkok.
The allies have flung huge numbers towards malaya, now to strike!

japan cannot achieve a victory in malaysia, cambodia, Thialand. This is known. But better to fight there than Hong kong, Hanoi, China, yes?
Better to have the british chase their bloody tails, than ours.
Better to die in the attack, than defending a hole.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2751

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/7/2013 4:47:24 AM

1275psi

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Two escorts are sunk defending Hoshos convoy, another white knuckle night of cracking depth charges, clanging thuds of hits, and tonight, the rattle of guns, the whine of shells as a ss fights her last on the surface.

But the convoy remains untouched, tomorrow, gods willing, kagoshima.

Hosho has been five years from home.
Will it be as he remembers it?

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2752

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/8/2013 6:47:01 AM

1275psi

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December 3rd, 1944

herbiesan considers the map.

malaya, still Japans, Chumphon holding.
A fast transport landing behind the enemy lines at Prachuap Khiri, Khan.........that will cause some troubles. A bonus with the transports getting away.
Cambodia, thialand, still ours, and now, 3 divisions on the offensive......

The oil, still flowing from the DEI, and Ambon the furtherest thrust.

Truk, still functioning, and even a transport getting into Entiwetok.

The empire still holds.

Where will it come?, the thrust must , must be decisive on his behalf.......

I look to my air commanders

"And nothing, you see nothing?"

"Sir, we have search planes at truk, the marianas, marcus, from parishimo all the way to Northern Japan. There are no gaps, and the oceans remain empty"

"Even in the North?". Rumours of sightings, here,.........

"A Myrt struck a DE at Attu island, some ASW shipping sighting. No major contacts "
"And the shipping near Timor?

"It waxes and wanes.......CVE's , for sure, but..............."

The enemy simply seems un willing to do anything offensive, except, bomb, bomb, bomb the rubble he has bombed for the weeks past.
I am flumuxed.

But the oil still flows, the fuel still flows.

There is, of course, one last thing to ponder. We have not seen a B-29 for months..........

Stepping outside of the game here.
Its december 44, and this game must now go into 45
I suspect,but as described, see a direct attack on the Home islands as Cantona's only chance.

How will I tackle it?, if it comes.?

Not how one would think

Nothing, not a vessel,(excluding the fast transport ships) not a plane, not a unit (3 sentais excepted, the elites ones), will be re deployed from present positions in the south.
Why?

Oil, Fuel.
As long as these flow, the war can continue
I think cantona will try for the Northern islands, I think the weather will help, and these islands will need a good effort to take, and to supply. I think he will try then, and only then, for the DEI, thinking I must respond to his thrust.

I hope so, and I hope to hand him one last defeat, then, the fleet will turn north

Just wish he would do something!!!

For interest sake, there is buggar all HI reserve, barely a million tons of fuel, only 350000 tons of oil , and shortages of supply everywhere in the empire.
But aircraft production powers on.

Hosho, 15th army arrives safely in Kagoshima, and goes into rest camp. It is desperately needed.
112th division arrives from Korea

In China, the thrust towards canton by the chinese is halted at Kukong, but other thrusts are going to cause no end of trouble.

One thing for sure, there is no way he will reach Tokyo before mid 45, in fact, this game may well go to the very, very finish.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2753

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/8/2013 5:24:06 PM

kaleun

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Awesome play.

_____________________________

Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
Sun Tzu

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 2754

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/9/2013 9:11:02 AM

1275psi

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Thank you kaleun

The blow must fall soon, Cantona is dropping hints.

December 6th
Sea of Japan

Chiburi bounces across the swells, her bow rising, plunging, the spray, breakers crashing across her bow, swirling about her forward gun, streaming out her scuppers.

She is making heavy weather of it.
It is cold, a mere 3 degrees, and the wind bites.

Captain Ugaki stares as best he can through the screens, the windscreen wipers failing utterly to combat the sea and rain.
For the hundreth time he glares at the helmsman, he wants to curse him, needs to curse him, recongnises the futility, the man is doing the best he can.

For the hundreth time, his thoughts turn to the two crates swallowing up all the spare space in his cabin. Then he thinks of the two soldiers guarding the door.and grins.
A better color green he has not seen for a long, long time..

But those crates.........so much wieght. If they should break free.

Water crashes against the bridge, snapping his attention back
"helmsman!, the course!"

two days to sapporo, then, even further north.
And for sure, into weather that would make this stuff appear like a mill pond.

(in reply to kaleun)

Post #: 2755

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/9/2013 9:18:53 AM

1275psi

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The hall is packed, the murmer of 5000 men and women awaiting his word.

This is the moment Herbiesan lives for. The Dias, the crowd, the speech, the chance to wield real power just with his spoken word.

"The president, that small little man, says he is coming soon...........he is like a wife of years and years, full of promises, full of maybe tomorrows, maybe if you waits, it will be very specials............., well Mr president, we are still waiting. We are still here, we are getting, how shall we say it, a little cynical?
Promises, promises!............well, let me return one of our own.
There is not enough blood, not enough in all your armies, in all your ships, in all your planes, that we will spill while you try to fullfill your "promises"!

Japan will never surrender!, Never!, never, never!"

Ah, the roar....they roar with approval.

Poor people. Poor , poor, Japanese people..............Oh we will spill blood.............so much blood.

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Post #: 2756

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/10/2013 8:11:05 AM

1275psi

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December 7th

Three years to the day since Japan tackled the cage the Imperialists tried to imprison them into.
Three years, and the jailors still try

But this is one man who will never submit to the cage again.

The reports are good. The insurance package has reached sapporo. Ugaki will find a way.

The president today made a sprach I see.............the first of the last great blows have begun...........

But nothing to report, all remains quiet...........

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Post #: 2757

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/10/2013 8:30:32 AM

1275psi

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Chiburi slips into sapporro at dawn.
She comes alongside, and refuels. By midday she has sailed again. She sails, heading North again.

Ahead the weather is dark, the sky grey. It begins to snow, and the wind begins to rise.
And it begins to get cold.
Very cold.

Hirate enters the engineroom, Okano grins.
"Cold enough?"
The weather, or the company?"
Okano's grin vanishes.

At Sapporro, Hirate had, apparently made a mistake. Even as the gangway had been secured, he had begun to cross, keen to sample the fuel before bringing the fuel hose aboard.
One of the soldiers, dark, silent, and heavily armed, had stepped into his way.

"Out of thw way you oath, I am going to refuel"
No answer, except the loud, distinct cocking of the gun.

"He's Ok", Ugaki called down from the bridge............and Chiburi gets re fuelled

But now, in the din of the engineroom, Hirate still cannot shake the feeling.

"I really think, Okano, that he would have shot me if I'd gone down that gangway"
'Oh, don't be stupid"

Except, of course, Okano thinks, what are the guards guarding?, those crates, or them?

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Post #: 2758

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/11/2013 7:44:22 AM

1275psi

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8th of December 44

And this, of course, the nub of it.

The enemy is coming.
You know this, because, perversly, he has told you he is.
But , still, you do not know where.

The search planes are out there, but today, nothing.

The nub:, you want to do something, anything.
You want to, goddam it, act!

But you must not. You must hold your nerve. You must hold to the plan.

You are in command
You must act as one.

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Post #: 2759

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/14/2013 4:33:56 AM

1275psi

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December 11th 1944

'Stop both engines"

Ukagi straightens from the voice pipe, then moves to the main broadcast. For a moment he hesitates. Up until this very moment, right now, he can say his honour is unblemished. But take this step.........

But he must, no?. The revolution must go on. If not in Japan, why not here?
he glances towards the Charge.
'All still clear sir"
Good.
Other than the Charge, The bridge is deserted. Ugaki has brought her into this snowswept bay himself. The crew, to the last man, ordered below decks.

"Special boats party, to your station"

About them, the forests brood , quiet.
There could be 100000 russians aiming at them right now, or none.

Soon, he must find out.

"Hold her here charge, and wish me luck"

he moves towards the bridge wing. The Charges arm reaches out, holds him, and his face is close, and dark.
"I hope this is for the revolution my friend, and not just for ourselves......."
'I have followed herbiesan since the very beginning...he will reward us for this"

The Charges hand loosens its grip. "I hope so, for the two of us"

The four soldiers, the Captain, the two crates, fill the ships boat to the brim. But the bay is mirror calm. Quietly they motor over the black waters, touch gently on the pebble shore.

It takes all five of them to carry each crate ashore, they are more than heavy.

Like an apparition, the rusian soldiers slide out from the forests dark soldiers.
Ten men, and one civilian.

Rifles rise, on both sides
"Captain Ugaki?' His Japanese is crude, but good enough
"Hiei"
"rovasski, and the password is second try"
Ugki smiles, motions to his men to lower their weapons

'Herbiesan sends his package, as promised"

Rovasski nods........but still motions to one of his men, who produces a crow bar, and with a struggle, loosens a crate lid.

The gold glitters.

There is a lot of it.
Ugaki finally drags his eyes from the crate..........."Sometimes revolutions need more than guns and blood"
Rovasski nods. "dah, and this will buy a lot of it"
He abruptly extends his hand.'We will see you again, I think?"

"If the war goes badly, yes, I think"

The smile Rovasski gives is one one gives to a dying patient, whilst they plan their next Christmas.........
'Victory is only one more battle away, yes?"

Ugaki does not answer.

An hour later, in gathering fog and falling snow, Chiburi begins her trip for home.

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Post #: 2760

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