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Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (6/6/2008 2:17:04 AM)
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March 10, 1944
Location: 550 miles southwest of Iwo Jima
Course: North
Attached to: TF 33
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 302
Orders: Proceed to Osaka
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Riku goes off duty and comes out on deck to get some air. He finds Oizuma standing by the port rail and joins him.
“Hey, Snake Man,” he says. “Looking at something, or just thinking?”
“Hello, Ariga,” says Oizuma, looking up. “Just thinking. There’s something about watching the water go past, it is very soothing.”
“I think that technically we are going past the water,” says Riku, “but I know what you mean. It must be why fountains are so popular in gardens.”
Not far from the ship a fin cuts through the water. Both men get a clear look at the shark before it falls astern, diving down and away from the noisy destroyer.
“Big one,” says Riku. “Four meters, at least.”
“I’ve seen those big blue ones before,” says Oizuma. “What kind of sharks are they?”
Riku shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe Takahashi does, he knows a lot of stuff. Petty Officer Takahashi!” Taiki, who is passing by, strolls over. Both sailors come to attention before Taiki tells them to relax.
“What can I do for you two troublemakers?” Taiki asks.
“Those blue sharks, Petty Officer, do you know what kind they are?” Riku asks.
Taiki shakes his head. “I don’t know anything about sharks,” he says, “except that they eat you if you fall in the water. But I’ll bet that Chief Shun knows. He’s right over there.”
“No need to bother him…” Oizuma says quickly, but it is too late. Taiki already has Shun’s attention. The Chief walks over to the small group and the sailors again come to attention.
“Forgive the interruption, Chief,” says Taiki, “but we have a question about sharks. The big blue sharks, the ones with the large tail fin, what are they called?”
“Blue sharks,” says Shun.
“Yes, Chief Petty Officer Shun, the blue ones,” says Oizuma.
“That’s what they are called, idiot. Blue sharks,” growls Shun.
“Oh,” says Oizuma. “I see.”
Shun steps to the rail and looks down at the ocean before returning his attention to the others. “They are attractive fish,” he says. “All sharks are. Graceful and perfectly suited to their purpose.”
“I never thought of them that way, Chief” admits Taiki. “I did not grow up around the water, as you did. I mostly worry about them eating me if I ever have to go overboard.”
Shun shakes his head. “I have swum with and near sharks many times,” he says. “A man in the water has little to fear from them, unless he is bleeding. Usually.”
“Usually, Chief Shun?” Oizuma asks a little nervously.
Shun grins a wicked grin. “Yes, usually,” he says.
“What is the largest shark you have ever seen, Chief?” Riku asks.
“It was a whale shark, and those are truly harmless,” says Shun. “It was around 12 meters long.” He pauses. “Once, as a boy in the Ryukyus, I found a shark tooth on the beach,” he says. “I took it home and measured it carefully. It was 12 centimeters long, almost 17 centimeters on the diagonal.” He holds his big hands apart to indicate a tooth of truly alarming size.
The others make sounds of amazement. “How big would such a shark be?’ wonders Taiki.
“Big. Very big,” says Shun. He gestures at the ocean. “The waters now beneath our keel are among the deepest in the world, did you know that? No one knows what is down there. The spirits of the ocean guard many secrets. We sailors, we spend our lives on the surface and some make the mistake of thinking they understand the sea. We don’t. Not until the ocean swallows us and takes us down to the depths in her final embrace will we know, but what we learn there we can never tell. The ocean keeps her secrets.”
Shun falls silent for a moment and turns to look back out at the ocean. The others say nothing, not daring to intrude on the big petty officer’s thoughts. After a moment Shun turns back to face them.
“Leave sharks alone and they will probably leave you alone,” he says. “It’s a better deal than you will get from your fellow humans.” He gives Taiki a nod and departs.
After he is gone the others are quiet for a moment, then Oizuma breaks the silence. “I wonder if he knows anything about sea snakes?” he says.
“Let’s ask him another time,” says Riku.
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