Cuttlefish
Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007 From: Oregon, USA Status: offline
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July 30, 1942 Location: Kwajalein Course: South by southwest Attached to: TF 79 Mission: Air combat System Damage: 2 Float Damage: 0 Fires: 0 Fuel: 475 Orders: Proceed to the Santa Cruz Islands area. --- Japanese ambitions have met a setback at Wake, but the war goes on. Under cover of darkness three Japanese aircraft carriers depart Kwajalein and head southwest. Other Japanese ships and carriers are en route from different ports to rendezvous with them off the Santa Cruz Islands. And in Japanese waters a small but powerful carrier task force prepares to depart for a raid on American bases and shipping in the Aleutian Islands. Hibiki takes up position in the destroyer screen. By sunrise the task force has already cleared the Marshall Islands and is headed out into the wide reaches of the Central Pacific. --- A bored ensign is sitting behind a desk at 1st Fleet headquarters in Yokohama filing reports. Petty Officer Third Class Taiki Takahashi approaches the desk and snaps a salute. The ensign looks up. “Yes?” he says. Taiki holds up a folded sheet of paper. “Sir, I am supposed to report aboard the destroyer Hibiki. But no one seems to be able to tell me where she is.” The ensign leans back in his chair. “Hibiki is not in Japan right now,” he says. “Yes sir, so I have gathered. But then where is she? I am supposed to report aboard immediately.” The clerk shrugs. “I am afraid I do not know,” he says. “I’d try asking at Commander Hashimoto’s office.” “I did that, sir,” says Taiki. “They told me to ask you.” The ensign looks annoyed. “That is typical,” he says. “They probably know the location of every geisha and every sake distributor in Tokyo, but they can’t keep track of where our warships are. I am very sorry, but I truly do not know where your ship is. Try asking over at DesDiv Six, perhaps they know something.” “I’ve been there too, sir,” says Taiki. “Sir, if I can’t report to my ship won’t I be in violation of orders?” The ensign shrugs. “Possibly. Let me see those orders.” Taiki hands them over. The ensign unfolds the crisply creased paper and scans the document. “No,” he says, “see here, it says to report aboard ‘as soon as possible’. You’re okay, there is a great deal of room for interpretation there.” He folds the orders and hands them back to Taiki. Taiki tucks them away, looking more disconsolate than relieved. “Look,” says the ensign, relenting slightly “you seem like an okay sort. I’ll tell you what. I can find a temporary assignment for you here at headquarters. Sooner or later your ship will be back in Japan, and you can report aboard then.” Taiki shakes his head. “Sir, your offer is more generous than I deserve,” he says. “and I thank you. But those are my friends out there. I can’t let them down like that.” The ensign tilts his head slightly to one side. “You are that determined? Well then. The last I heard Hibiki was in the Central Pacific. That’s a big area, but if I were you I would try and track her down at Kwajalein. At any rate they might know more there. A flying boat makes a weekly run down there, with a stop at Marcus Island. It leaves tomorrow. If they have any room you might perhaps talk them into taking you along.” Taiki brightens. “Thank you, sir!” he says. “I will do as you suggest.” He salutes and hurries off. The ensign looks after him for a moment, then returns to filing reports. ---
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