----------------GUNNERY PRACTICE------------

Akebono was very unhappy with the fact her sisters were going to be used by some jackass american, and spearheaded the charge. With the boilers at maximum attack she pushed herself over 35 knots. Every few minutes, a little radio message came in with this new carrier telling her a slight course correction or that she was heading in the right direction. Above was the roar of engines, a proof this new carrier kept her promise. The island came in view after a little while, illuminated by a big searchlight seemingly coming from a stationary aerial… thing. Akebono didn't gave that much time, and readied her guns, firing her illumination rounds at the island. Red, green, white, didn't matter much. The trees would probably catch fire anyway. 

Back at the fleet, Enterprise’s helicopter showed her video film of Akebono showering the little island with shellfire. With that, it was a good enough target. Another Hawkeye had sent over to transmit the position back to the group, as well as Akebono hastily making a retreat. 

‘Battleships of Test Section, confirm you have two objects visible at south-south-east’
‘This is Bismarck, I have a target in red labeled “Practice”, stationary at 35 kilometers and one one contact in blue, “Test 8” at 32 kilometers and closing’
‘Roma sees a friend and an Island’
‘Richelieu here, I see our escort and a target!’
‘Yeah yeah, I gotem both on my scope. When can we shoot? Oh shit, radio discipline, I'm Iowa by the way!~’

A collective sigh was drawn before Intrepid turned her mic on. 

‘Let me make it extremely clear, anything marked in blue is a friend. Do not shoot at Blue. Green and red are hostile’
‘Oh c'mon nerd, I know who's a friend and not’
‘Yeah… that's great’ Enterprise began ‘But let's start shooting, Iowa is the most impatient and will begin. Prepare a broadside  red target marked “Practice” and fire on my mark’
‘Yesyesyesyesyeeeees!’

She swung around, pointing all 9 of her 16 inch guns down range, all at high elevation. 

‘Fire!’

Whatever Iowa screamed, it was drowned out by the sound of the guns. Enterprise coughed a little from the cordite in the air and banged her left ear to make it stop ringing. The shells would spend more than a minute in the air at this range, more than enough to ready more guns. 

‘So, who wants to go next?’

Big guns were readied, loaded and pointed at the horizon. They would soon sing. 

The exercise went on for another few hours, with all four ships having emptied more than half their respective munition supplies. Enterprise had filmed the whole thing, and she would show it to Bismarck afterwards, she would write a report on the whole thing, and maybe then Enterprise would be accepted, or something. 

She looked over to the horizon, that now had taken a somewhat lighter shade of dark blue. Maybe she should embrace her ghostly moniker and truly become a creature of the night? After all, this is when she truly had her advantages. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by a Tomcat hitting her landing deck and slowly folding in its wings. Enterprise looked at the seemingly otherworldly plane. Twice the speed of sound? Shoot down enemies over the horizon? She shuddered a little. 

‘I just wanted to say great work to everyone today, Akebono especially for the illumination run. These tactics might get us a huge advantage over these demonic abyssals,and you have been a big help in tipping the scales. Thank you’
‘Wohoooo! Yeah! Goooo Navy!’

How Iowa managed to jump three feet in the air, and shout, with several thousand tons worth of guns and turrets was anyone's guess. At least she seemed happy. 

However, Iowa’s happiness would soon be demolished by a radio transmission that seemed way too to polite and friendly ruin someone's mood. 

‘Test Section lead, this is Yamato, come in’

That name never failed to send shivers down Enterprise’s spine. But they were on the same side now. Allies. Yamato was a friend. 

‘Hello Yamato, this is Test Section Lead, I read you loud and clear’
‘What a good radio you have’
‘Good communication is a must for victory’
‘It is indeed. But I'm afraid we have to set aside the friendly chatter for later. I have to ask to see one of the members of your fleet, it's urgent’
‘Shouldn't be a problem, we're heading for the naval District as we speak. Who do you want to speak to’
‘Iowa’
‘Got it, I'll tell her to head over to you’
‘Thank you. I will be waiting at the docks’

Enterprise flipped a little switch on the radio, and told Iowa about the whole call. Akebono was snickering and grinning like mad about the whole thing, being sure she was in for being yelled at, a lot. If this was the case, Iowa would just stay away from the Eastern District for a few days, but there was something in there that was… different. Somehow. 

‘Hey Ayanami, you wouldn't know Yamato’s schedule?’
‘You're gonna bail again, coward?’ Akebono cut in
‘If miss Barbed-wire-for-breakfast would calm her tits for a second I could get to my point. I haven't done anything that would deserve a proper lesson for two weeks, especially not something that Yamato would handle personally, at 4 in the morning’
‘...’
‘Unless, of course she's up at this hour anyway, and don't want to embarrass me by doing it in front of half the fleet. So, do you know if she has any reason other than me to be up at this ungodly hour?’
‘Neither Yamato nor Musashi are ever on night patrols. They are some of our most valuable ships, the Admiral would never risk them like that’

Ayanami gave Iowa the answer she really didn't want to get. 

‘Then it's something else. She'd never be up and call to me now unless something serious has happened’

She thought for a second and turned the radio back on. 

‘Enterprise, I'm going to go back to the Eastern District, right now, if you guys are okay?’
‘Go for it, we’ll be alright. Take a destroyer with you’
‘Thanks. See ya later’

Iowa turned to Amagiri with a little grin. 

‘Wanna stretch your legs? I'll race you back’
‘You couldn't  even catch Nowaki, but I'll greet you when you get there~”

They set of with on a wave of roaring engines and billowing smoke. And Bismarck insisting it wouldn't be much of a race. 

‘Amagiri is the fittest destroyer I've seen here, and she's racing a battleship? Laughable’
‘Don't count Iowa out just yet. She's at a light load, not much ammunition, not much fuel because we're so close to home, and her hull is perfectly clean. She can do 35 knots if she really has to’

Enterprise considered asking Intrepid just how she knew Iowa’s hull was perfectly clean, but decided in better taste against it. Unbeknownst to her, Richelieu, Roma and (despite her not wanting to acknowledge it) Bismarck could all back up Intrepid on that Iowa’s hull was indeed smo- err, clean. 

‘Yamato has no administrative responsibilities, correct?’
‘Ugh, stop sounding like a rule book, Bismarck’ Akebono hissed ‘She doesn't do any paper stuff, and she has no real reason to be down at the docks during this time, other than to tan the bimbo’s backside’
‘A bit of respect wouldn't hurt. Had Lebrecht Maass or Max Schultz said that they would be on kitchen duty for three days’
‘A bit of silence wouldn't hurt’
‘I would like to refrain from recommending disciplinary actions to Takao, but your behavior is simply unacceptable at the moment’
‘Okay, okay, I'll tell it to her face next time’
‘If you prefer Iowa to take action instead of Takao, that is your choice. But be silent for now’
‘Grr…’

Bismarck shook her head. Akebono was truly an odd bird. While she had an very rude and  condescending tone, bordering to verbally abusive, she was very diligent, dutiful and generally one of the top performers of her class. To further add to the confusion, she would often volunteer for special tasks, just like earlier, to spare her sisters that burden. Very strange. 

The western district approached, Bismarck’s watch reading a few minutes before half past 4. There would be no point sleeping just an hour before her usual wakeup at 05:45 so she could start working at 06:00. Naturally, Richelieu and Roma had a different view of things and saw this as an excellent opportunity to turning off the alarm clock altogether and sleep until noon. Then again, what else could you expect from France and Italy?

To her surprise, She found Prinz Eugen already awake with… someone new. A new cruiser who seemingly suffered from an identity crisis had simply turned up at the naval district. Light cruiser? Aviation cruiser? Anti-air cruiser? Whatever she felt like being at the moment, she was polite despite looking rather carefree. 

The two German ships helped the new arrival to get settled into a room of her own before going to meet the Admiral. And had she gone half an hour earlier, she might have caught a glimpse of what happened in the docks with the arrival of one small and one very large ship. 

‘No one… told me you were that fast!’
‘Haha, I'm full of surprises. Let's see if our friend is here!’
‘Yamato-san said she would wait in the docks’

Amagiri’s language which was usually a touch relaxed for a Japanese fleetgirl changed for the more formal in the presence of a superior. Iowa did not share that quality. 

‘Yeah, there she is! Hello Yummy!’
‘Iowa, I'm pleased you could come with haste. Amagiri-chan, check your equipment and head to bed as soon as you can’
‘Yes, understood!’

The little destroyer jogged off, leaving the two bigger ships alone. 

‘Iowa, you must understand this is very important. I implore you to answer truthfully’
‘Yeah, sure, absolutely. What's going on?’
‘Are you aware of anything happening to Musashi after your visit yesterday?’
‘Uhh, no? We got some food, talked a bit, mostly me explaing stuff and then she was off to speak to you’
‘And this is the truth?’
‘I swear on the stars and stripes I'm carrying’
‘Good. Are you aware of any reason for her to get hurt afterwards?’

Venom slowly filled Yamato’s voice. The thing with being the biggest kid on the block was you never had to threaten anyone, people knew when you are serious. Yamato was very serious’

‘No, no I don't. I wouldn't do that to her’
‘You say this, all while knowing the risks ok lying to me. I will trust you’
‘I promise I wouldn't wanna hurt her. I have some damn sense of self preservation. Look, i’ve seen you get angry once, I’m in no rush having that on me’
‘I see. Then I will tell you, in confidence for the time being, that something has happened to my dear sister’
‘Hm?’
‘Woke up wincing in pain, coughed up seawater and then said her skin felt as if it was burning up’
‘The hell… Is she okay?’
‘She’s currently in the repair docks for her damage, a very bad abdominal cut among other things. I want to give her a bucket’
‘And you gave her one?’
‘No, I would need the Admiral’s authorization?’
‘Right. By the way, she wasn't wearing her rigging, was she?’
‘No, she was in her bed’
‘Let’s find the rigging, see what that looks like’

Yamato took Iowa down to the big concrete building in the docks. Strangely, it was full of smoke, and the last door showed signs of damage. Both of them kept their rigging in one room. As they entered, Musashi’s was wrecked. There was a gigantic hole between the number 2 and 3 turret, bending and twisting the entire hull. The turrets themselves had been popped out of their mountings. Signs pointed to a catastrophic explosion deep in, maybe a boiler or a magazine, but that damage was so severe it was almost impossible to tell.

‘What the hell…’
‘This must be sabotage. Whoever did this…’
‘Take it easy, both doors were locked, and to this one, only three have the key, right? That’s just you, Musashi and the Admiral. Right?’
‘...So it is. Iowa, I think you must leave now. I wouldn’t want to wear your colors here in about half an hour. I’ll speak to the Admiral. Keep your head down and ears open’
‘Yeah, alright. Once again, I swear to god i didn’t do this’
‘You know there are no gods here. Now go’

Iowa didn't waste any time getting far, far away from the Eastern District. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. 

Well back at the western district, it was quiet save the soft banging of a hand against metal. Enterprise’s left boot wouldn't detach from the propulsion unit. To their shock, the metal was untreated and had actually started rusting, and wouldn't come off with anything else than a hammer and a swift kick. Enterprise also got her first taste of Bauxite, some sort of space magic wonder food that would somehow replenish her lost planes.

They were both very tired at this point and headed back to their room. As usual, Saratoga has taken little Gambier bay as a hug pillow, with Intrepid softly snoring above, which meant Iowa and Enterprise both had a bed on their own.

‘Hey, E?’
‘Yeah?’
‘Tomorrow is gonna be shit’
‘Why?’
‘Someone, or something screwed up Musashi. Badly’
‘What? What happened?’
She started throwing up seawater, and then had injuries all out of nowhere. Her rigging was badly damaged too’
‘How so?’
‘Does it matter?’
‘Might do’

Iowa rolled her eyes back but patiently tried to recall Musashi’s wounds and damages. Enterprise listened closely, and then sat down with pen and paper she found on the table. She did a quick and dirty sketch of the battleship, trying to get as many of the damages as possible. After a little while they both arrived at about the same conclusion. This very much resembled the damages she had when her steel hull sunk in 1944. To Enterprise, this wasn’t a big deal, but Iowa went to bed feeling genuinely uneasy. Did this have something to do with their trip to LA? Musashi was the first sunken ship she had taken along. Intrepid had gone there a few times, but she was afloat still. Was this some connection to her past? Or present, maybe some other world.

Iowa had more questions than answers, but her lack of sleep was starting to take its toll, and she was soon in her own bed. But something struck her. Something from a few days ago.

‘Hey, E, you sleeping?’
‘Not yet’
‘Sorry, but we need to do something, c’mon’
‘What? Now?’
‘Yeah, now. Go go go’
 
Iowa threw on some particularly lazy looking clothes, a “college shirt” and “sweatpants”. Enterprise borrowed another set of lazy clothes, sadly they also said “USS IOWA, BB-61” on them which she wasn’t too happy about. The two hurried over to the workshop.

‘What are we even doing here?’
‘Trust me on this, please’

There were some pieces left over that they hadn’t figured out what they did before, but Iowa had a bit of an eureka moment in bed, and was fairly certain what it would assemble into. A cubic structure, with some vague attempt at an antenna on top became a hat, or a helmet. It wasn’t uncommon for ships to have some kind of headpiece, but this one was particularly big and boxy, and somehow it wouldn’t fall off. Another benefit was that it was crammed full with vacuum tubes which formed Enterprise’s main search radar. But more importantly, as long Enterprise was wearing said headpiece, Iowa could get a signal in her “phone”. It took a little explaining to the wonders of the iPhone, and the hundreds of tinder notifications. But more importantly, a few news apps.

‘So… that device is a computer?’
‘Yeah’
‘And a phone?’
‘Mhm’
‘And a newspaper’
‘Eyup’
‘And a place for dating’
‘Sorta’
‘And-’
‘It does a bit of everything. But for now, I’m having the “newspaper” search for some specific news. I hope it’s unnecessary and I’m wrong, but…’
‘Yeah. Wanna be prepared’

Iowa fiddled a little with her phone. Enterprise had absolutely no idea how that was. But that wasn’t exactly the most curious part about the fair-haired battleship. But the curiosity in question was a little difficult to ask, since it turned out Enterprise was a bit of a prude.

‘Say, Iowa...’
‘Yeah?’
‘You have uhh… dropped a bit of hits so to say’
‘What about?’
‘A-and I’ve spoken to a few of the others here’
‘What about? You goin’ anywhere with this’
‘You uhh, h-have a bit of a reputation’

Iowa chuckled a little and looked up at the obviously embarrassed and blushing Enterprise. This sent Iowa laughing. Hard

‘Ahahah, you’re all red! Ya damn prude’
‘Hrmpf…’
‘Look at it from my shoes, alright? I’m sure the admiral has some fancy ass plan for us, but there ain’t no sharing from that office, alright?’
‘I’ve never met this admiral’
‘Whatever. But there gotta be something in there for us? What does the guns, and the bombs, and the planes and the torpedoes mean if we can’t have a little fun?’
‘Fun?’
‘Yeah, and I promise you I have the most fun in the whole district. And before someone calls me “Immature” or “A teenager”, remember those are terms that boring people use for those who have more fun’

Iowa winked a little and turned around for her room. The big carrier stood dumbfounded, not quite sure what that was. But time waited for no one, and she soon had found her way back to bed. What the hell did Iowa even mean there, anyway?

Not that many hours later, the sun rose over the eastern district. The news of Musashi’s incident reached everyone, as an announcement over the speaker system at breakfast. Fleetgirls were told to be vigilant, and keep their eyes open for anything suspicious. At the end of a very long table sat the ten destroyers of the Ayanami-class. Four of them looked at each other, all wanting to say the same thing, but no one dared say it. Not after they went back to their room to get a change of clothes, not in the locker room, not during their PE and not in the class after. Not until lunch did Amagiri sit down next to Ayanami and Ushio to bring that up.

‘Hey. Uhm, so-’
‘What is it?’
‘I need you to be serious for a minute. You heard what the Admiral said about Musashi. “Keep our eyes on anything suspicious”, huh? And the big carrier yesterday wasn’t suspicious?’
‘Enterprise... I really thought we would be able to sink her. She was the only carrier they had when I went under’
‘Hrmpf’

Akebono cleared her throat, put her food tray next to Amagiri and sat down

‘If none of you do it, i will when we’re done with training today’

Ayanami and Ushio looked down in their food, poking a little at it to avoid eye contact. Amagiri turned to the side to clean her glasses with her blouse. 

‘Yeah, thought so. Always me. Ech, it's a shitty Admiral anyway…’

The four finished their meal in silence, and then headed for their next classes. Takao was different today, her eyes were different, her way of walking, moving. It was all different. Akebono wouldn't admit it as long as there was air in her lungs, but she hugely admired Takao, and tried to look at her smallest move to see why she did that. To learn from the best. And Akebono could tell she had something else that “how to screen bigger ships with AA fire” on her mind. 

Class ended and Takao gave the Destroyers some pages to read until next class. Akebono had already read the pages, and could recite anything in them by heart. Not that she would admit that, since she had read most of it by herself, at night. 

‘You okay, Akebono?’

She looked behind her, where Ushio stood with a hint of worry in her eyes. 

‘I don't need your help. I'll be back to the room later’

With a determined step and a forced carefree expression, Akebono set course for the Admiral’s office. She was infamous in the naval district for her attitude and history of verbal abuse. Truth be, she could appreciate the efforts pretty much all fleetgirls in the Naval district, and only outright despised a few of them, Iowa most notably. Now, the Admiral was another issue entirely. Akebono did not have a high opinion of the Admiral. She felt this supposed “leader” had failed most of that tasks that had been carried out. Especially a too offensive use of carriers. That american one that wasn’t Saratoga, whatever her name was, was saved from certain doom by the bimbo. If your plan involves Iowa actually being useful, you’ve messed up. That’s what Akebono thought anyway. And that was just one example. Half of the damn fleet carriers had had a close call the last years. Hell, Ise once came back to port with empty magazines for her 14 inch guns, and not a single plane left. That’s too damn close for an asset as valuable as a 35 000 ton hybrid carrier. Eugh.

She had soon arrived at the office with a familiar figure sitting outside witha notebook in her hands.

‘Hello Akebono’
‘Kongõ’

Akebono wasn’t really sure about Kongõ. While she did work, talked sense into the shitty Admiral and had probably saved the life of several fleetgirls. On the other hand, she was whimsical, loud, obnoxious and had waaaay too much energy. And she liked the Admiral.

‘What are you up to?’
‘You want to speak with the Admiral voluntarily?’
‘That’s a problem?’
‘No, shouldn’t be, if it’s something important’
‘...’
‘You wouldn’t come her otherwise, got it’

Kongõ tapped the door a few times

‘Yes?’
‘It’s Akebono here, she wish to speak to you’

There was a silence from the office. A heavy, tired silence. If they would have put an ear to the door, they would have heard a heavy, tired sigh.

‘You two can come in’

Kongõ opened the doors, seeing her beloved Admiral being buried by papers. Luckily the dark rings under the eyes had gone away, after strong encouragement from Kongo to stay in bed. Yeah, her beloved Admiral was in a much better condition now after a few days rest.

‘Akebono, pleased to see you here’
‘No you’re not. I cause you trouble and more work, and you just want to hear what i have to say’
‘Quite the contrary. All the ships in the naval district are equ-’

The Admiral turned to the side where Kongõ sat with eyes that were half crazy and half “Watch what you say or blood will flow”.
‘Ehem, I cherish all the ships in the naval district, you included. And you happen to be a consistent top performer. So I’ll repeat myself, once. Akebono, I’m pleased to meet you’
‘Shitty, lying admiral…’

Her words were barely audible, but they both heard. The Admiral never let the smile fade, but Kongõ took it seriously

‘Akebono, I ask you for the sake of your well being and continued sleep schedule to address a superior as is proper. I will not ask again’
‘Easy, Kongõ, let’s listen to what she has to say’
‘Yeah, if she doesn-’

Akebono looked into Kongõ’s eyes, and stared into an abyss. A deep, horrifying and hostile abyss. She saw it and refrained from another snarky remark.

‘It’s about Musashi. I just wanna make sure you’ve checked in with the new American carrier’

Both Kongõ and the Admiral suddenly changed expression. Akebono had definatly piqued their interests.

‘New? Do you mean Gambier bay?’
‘No, no, she’s been here a while, the big one’
‘Intrepid and Saratoga have both been here longer than Gambier Bay’
‘No, not that either! The giant cow, like, bigger than Yamato! Her name was E-something, I forgot what’
‘I was unaware we had a new carrier’
‘Oh riiight, that’s what i was gonna tell you!’

And now the old Kongõ was back, with a carefree and scatterbrained mind

‘New girl is here, Enterprise!’

After an audible facepalm, the Admiral thanked Akebono for her time and asked to be along with Kongõ

‘Kongõ…’
‘Yes, honey?’
‘Is it that we have THE Grey Ghost here in the district, and you haven’t told me?’
‘I was gonna! Anyway, Bismarck has made a report on the gunnery practice yesterday, and that battle where Hiei got super accuracy or something’
‘Oh for gods sake, Kongõ. You need to tell me these things, it’s your job, your du-’
‘My Duty is to keep the Admiral is a fighting condition. Now you can read Bismarck’s report on the matter, while I make us lunch. Because you wanna eat with your dearest fleetgirl, riiiiight, Admiral?’

The Admiral realized the choices given was either a lunch with Kongõ if the answer was yes, or certain death if the answer was no

‘Yes Kongõ, I’d liked to have lunch’

30 000 tons of battleship cheerfully walked out of the office, with bounce in her step, a happy song in her mouth and a bright and shining sun in her smile. The Admiral sighed and opened Bismarck’s report. It was as usual, incredibly dry, on the point and factual. Very Bismarck.

But with that, no one else in the whole naval district the Admiral would believe writing this. 40 kilometer hits, at night? Against a stationary target, sure but the ranges were incredible. And the accuracy. Richelieu had landed more than three quarters of her shots fired at 28 km against the island. Very, very interesting. And this also explained the incredible accuracy of Musashi, Hiei, Mutsu and Ise a few nights ago. 

The things Bismarck wrote almost seemed outlandish. Aircraft carrying incredibly powerful radars, doing twice the speed of sound. And “profound weakening effect” on destroyers while on “afterburner”.

However, the report concluded with Bismarck’s lack of trust for Enterprise, with words such as “Uncertain identity”, “Unsure of abilities and how to use them” but most worryingly “Loyalty cannot be guaranteed”. Which wasn’t to say she was a traitor, but it was still very unpleasant to read Bismarck’s report. 

A test of loyalty was something the Admiral detested deeply, but at the end of the day, there could be no question marks. Enterprise had to be brought in for a talk. 

Kongõ came back a while later and exchanged a few words with her beloved Admiral. She wanted to be present when Enterprise was here, for “keeping notes”. That’s was the official reason. The Admiral knew there were a few others but decided not to question it. No good would come of it.

And so, not long after, the Admiral had radio’d out a request to Bismarck in the western Naval district about sending over this new mystery carrier.

Bismarck, sat ever predictable at her desk, and received the radio message instantly. The not-so-instant was trying to get the Americans out of bed. Iowa groaned and reminded Bismarck that the Geneva convention forbade one to inflict unnecessary suffering on enemy combatants. The german growled, but remained professional, and simply informed her business was about Enterprise, and how the Admiral wanted to see her.

This was one of the few things that would actually get Iowa flying out of bed, and causing everyone else less prude than her to avert their eyes. But she was nothing if not effective. Enterprise was out of her bed, cleaned (and not in saltwater this time) and for the first time this week, had her hair brushed. 

After the getting ready process and some motivational words from Iowa, Intrepid gave her a little notebook, and slid it into her chest pocket.

‘If the Admiral asks you about planes, read from that, it has most of what you need’
‘Okay… I think I got it’

It all went so fast. Enterprise was asleep half an hour ago, and now she was dressed, briefed and motivated and headed for the Eastern district. Iowa was with her, walking along but she didn’t say anything. They just looked around. “Keep your eyes forwards” Iowa said. But Enterprise couldn’t not look at them. Lots of fleetgirls. She didn’t recognize them. It was faces and uniforms she had never seen before.

That one girl, white and blue uniform, fair hair, and green-yellow eyes. Enterprise had never seen her before, never heard her say a word. But she knew it was Kinusaga. That one, by the fence was Mikuma. The cheerful little girl in purple and white was Naganami. Why did she know this. And that over there was a light carrier. Zuiho.

‘E, you’re all pale, what’s going on?’
‘Some of them, I know who they are. I’ve never seen them, but I know where they are’
‘Alright, just take it easy. Just walk along with me. We’ll be there soon’

Enterprise had to really concentrate to keep herself looking forwards and not anything else. When Enterprise finally had arrived at the Admirals office, she was feeling uneasy and light headed.

‘Come on, Enterprise. We’re here. Time to do your thing’