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Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (2/29/2008 5:38:06 AM)
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November 11, 1943
Location: 175 miles north-northeast of Nauru Island
Course: South
Attached to: TF 4
Mission: Air Combat
System Damage: 1
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 405
Orders: Engage enemy forces attacking the New Hebrides
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“I can never catch him at it,” grumbles Lieutenant Kuwaki to Lieutenant Miharu. “I can smell it sometimes, but he’s always careful to never be quite drunk enough that I can prove anything. But it does affect his duties. Worse, I fear it makes me appear foolish, that a man in my section can keep getting away with it as he does.”
Lieutenant Miharu smiles. “Seaman Moshizuki is not very bright, but he is one of the those fellows with a certain kind of genius when it comes to one particular thing. In his case, that thing is drinking.”
“What I don’t understand,” says Kuwaki, “is how he gets the stuff. He hasn’t been granted leave since being arrested back in Okayama last summer. But he must have a large supply somewhere.”
“As I said,” says the ship’s executive officer, “he is good at what he does. Well, Lieutenant, I agree that this could turn into a discipline problem. If you and Petty Officer Aikawa are baffled, though, I think we have to bring in expert help to solve this mystery.”
“I had hoped to avoid involving the Captain in this,” says Kuwaki.
“Not the Captain,” agrees Miharu. “There is a saying in the West, ‘set a thief to catch a thief’. I think there is a man aboard who can help us.”
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Seaman Moshizuki’s duty station is one of the aft 25mm AA mounts. Later that afternoon, while the gun crews are holding drills, Lieutenants Miharu and Kuwaki follow Chief Engineer Sakati on an inspection tour below decks.
“…and then there was a man aboard Haruna, back when I was an ensign, who kept his stash in a modified 14” shell,” Sakati is saying. “Is this where he bunks?” They have reached a small storage locker below the aft deckhouse and above the fuel tanks. Several hammocks and pallets are neatly bundled to one side.
“Yes sir,” says Kuwaki. Both he and Lieutenant Miharu watch as Sakati ducks into the room. The engineer stands there for a moment, his head moving from side to side, and then he suddenly pounces on a sea bag. He rummages in it for a second, then pulls out a bottle of sake.
“That’s not it,” he mutters, and replaces the bottle. He pokes around for another moment. “Not here,” he says finally. “Hm, follow me.” The other two officers follow him out and then down a companionway.
“How did you know that bottle was there?” Kuwaki asks as they go.
“I smelled it,” says Sakati. “Should have known better, though. Your man is drinking whiskey.”
They end up in the aft ammunition storage and handling room. Sakati looks around. “This is my bet,” he says. “His duties bring him here often, correct?” Kuwaki nods. Sakati walks around, carefully checking the deck plates. “Ah, here we are,” he says. He motions the other two over.
“Look at the nuts there,” he says. “They are shinier than the others.” He pulls a socket wrench out of a pocket and kneels. There are eight nuts to remove, and Sakati begins to do so.
“That’s a lot of work,” comments Kuwaki.
“Never underestimate the cunning of the drinking man, lad,” comments Sakati. “I have known men who were too lazy to turn over in bed tear down and rebuild a bulkhead just to make a good hiding spot for their liquor.” He finishes with the last nut and lifts the deck plate. He sets it down to one side with a metallic clang and then peers into the space revealed. “Ah,” he says.
The other two officers come over and peer down. Nestled between two pipes is a crate. It is surrounded by blankets to provide padding and ensure silence. Sakati reaches into the crate and brings out a bottle, one of nine full ones still inside. There are three empties as well.
“Rot gut,” says Sakati in disgust. The other two remove the crate and Sakati begins replacing the deck plate.
“Are you going to tell him?” Lieutenant Miharu asks Kuwaki. The gunnery officer smiles.
“No, let it be a surprise for him,” he says. “Thank you, Mr. Sakati. Would you like to keep a bottle or two for your services?”
“No thank you,” says Sakati. “As an officer and the leading drinking man aboard ship I have a standard to maintain. It would hurt my reputation to be seen with this stuff.”
“Then over the side it goes,” says Lieutenant Miharu.
“Maybe the enemy will find it,” says Kuwaki. “It could be our secret weapon.”
“If the Americans find it, maybe,” says Sakati. “The British wouldn’t touch it.”
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