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Cuttlefish -> RE: Home Again, Home Again (4/17/2007 1:44:19 AM)
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June 16, 1942
Location: 60 miles north-northwest of Tori Shima
Course: North
Attached to: TF 87
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 27
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 197
Orders: Return to Japan for repairs.
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Captain Ishii is seated at the small desk in his cabin, writing a letter. There is a knock at the door.
“Enter,” says Ishii. The door opens to reveal Midshipman Izu. The midshipman steps forward and salutes sharply.
“Sit down, Izu,” says the captain, waving towards to a chair beside the small desk, the only other chair in the cabin. Izu steps over to it and sits down, though his posture remains stiff and he looks uncomfortable.
Captain Ishii leans back and looks at the young man. He notes that Izu’s eyes are bloodshot, and that there are lines around them that were not there before. It gives the young officer a troubled look, almost a haunted look. It is a look that Captain Ishii has seen before.
“I sent for you because I wanted to let you know personally that I am submitting your promotion to Ensign as soon as we reach Kobe,” says the captain. “It should be official before we sail again.”
“Sir, I…” begins Izu, but Captain Ishii holds up a hand.
“No need for thanks,” he says. “You have served this ship well. I am told that your prompt action during the air attack off Wake was vital in sparing us worse damage.” Midshipman Izu takes a deep breath.
“Sir, your words are kind, but I simply did my job. I don’t think…I really don’t believe that I am ready for promotion yet,” he finishes almost desperately. Captain Ishii shakes his head.
“I am the captain of a vessel in the Imperial Japanese Navy,” he says. “I do not speak out of kindness. I can’t afford to be that sentimental. If I think you are ready to be promoted to Ensign than that is the job I think you are capable of doing. That is the job you will have to do, as we must all do what has to be done in this war.”
“Yes sir,” says Midshipman Izu. To Captain Ishii there is a tone of resignation in his voice. The captain leans back again.
“Well” he says conversationally, “at least we will all come out of it with stories to bore our children and grandchildren. For example, have I ever told you about what happened to me at the China Flower warehouse in Shanghai, back when I was an ensign?” Midshipman Izu shakes his head.
“No sir,” he says.
“This was back in 1924,” says Ishii. “Long before the China Incident, of course. As I said I was just an ensign, aboard the Inazuma. The Chinese government was very weak at the time, and we were on patrol in the Yangtze River to help guard Japanese nationals and business interests there.
“We got word that bandits had attacked the China Flower warehouse complex. This was a Japanese company, and we were sent to chase them away. It was fairly routine for the time. Once a Japanese destroyer showed up the bandits would disperse. Anyway, we reached the area and I was part of the boat crew sent to land a dozen naval landing force troops on the dock while Inazuma stood off and looked threatening.
“As I said, all very routine, but this time the bandits did not cooperate. As the troops moved down the dock towards the nearest warehouse rifle fire broke out. One of the soldiers fell.
“I was on the dock with a mooring line when the shooting started. I don’t even remember thinking about it, but the next thing I knew I had picked up the fallen man’s rifle and was moving up the dock with the soldiers, shooting back. As we advanced the man in front of me took a bullet through the neck. I didn’t even know I was covered with his blood until after the battle.
“I led the troops into the warehouse and we killed or drove off all the bandits. I got a promotion out of that. Do you want to know the funny thing about it, though, Izu?” Izu, enthralled by the Captain’s tale, only nods at first, then hastily clears his throat and answers yes.
“The funny thing is that at the time I was not scared at all. It happened too fast. But to this day I sometimes dream about it. The bullets are zipping past me and the neck of the man in front of me explodes in blood and I am always convinced I am about to die. I wake up with my heart pounding after these dreams, and getting back to sleep is always difficult.” He shrugs.
“Well, I’ve doubtless bored you long enough with my old war stories,” he says, and stands. Midshipman Izu stands as well. “Keep up the good work, Izu.”
“Yes sir. Thank you,” says Izu, saluting. Captain Ishii returns the salute crisply and Izu exits, looking thoughtful.
After he departs Captain Ishii sit back down. He rubs his eyes with the thumb and forefinger of one hand, then picks up a pen and returns to his letter.
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