Chapter 5.4 - “The Strangers Who Took the Watch”

I. Five Wakes Turning West

Sakura Nagase had never expected to miss being shouted at by Emi.

It was a strange realization.

A little embarrassing, actually.

But there she was, standing in the warm morning sunlight with three cargo pontoons trailing behind her, listening to the sound of the Pacific moving against their hulls and discovering that the absence of one particular Benson-class destroyer had left an unmistakable silence.

There had been no complaints about breakfast.

No arguments over who had taken the last pastry.

No sudden demands to know whether they could accelerate merely because the ocean looked inviting.

Noelle was no longer reminding everyone that antiaircraft ammunition was not an unlimited resource.

Alice was no longer pausing halfway through a conversation because she'd noticed an unusual sound in her acoustic monitoring equipment.

Kagerō wasn't standing near the pontoon railing, quietly admiring the sea.

And Harper wasn't there to look over the formation, fold her arms, and give everyone the reassuring impression that nothing particularly foolish would be allowed to happen without her permission.

Sakura missed all five of them.

Which was ridiculous.

They hadn't even been separated for a full day.

She sighed.

Then looked toward the western horizon.

Summit Key had disappeared behind them hours ago.

So had the five familiar figures who had accompanied her all the way from Horizon Atoll.

Their orders had changed during the stopover.

Once the Summit Key authorities confirmed that a replacement escort could accept responsibility for the next leg, Harper's detachment had been released from Operation Lantern Road. The five girls were to replenish what they required, complete their own departure checks, and return westward to Horizon under an approved routing arrangement.

Kade needed them.

Horizon had suffered enough damage that keeping five capable Keelborn away from its defensive waters for the full trip to Resolute Shoals would have imposed a significant burden.

Sakura understood that.

She had understood it when Harper explained the transfer.

She had understood it when the paperwork arrived.

She had even agreed that it was a sensible arrangement.

Understanding something, however, did not make watching five friends sail away especially pleasant.

The farewell had taken place at Summit Key's eastern service harbor.

Sakura remembered the morning clearly.

The great fortress had been awake before sunrise, its airfield already humming with activity. Cargo vehicles moved between warehouses. Harbor launches crossed the inner channels. Keelborn and conventional warships were departing for their assigned patrol sectors while maintenance crews prepared the next round of arrivals.

Sakura's pontoons had occupied their temporary berth near a broad cargo pier.

Her Senko Maru equipment had passed the required inspections.

The damaged aft protective fitting had received its final acceptance following repair.

The towing connections had been examined, adjusted where necessary, and returned to an approved operating condition.

Fuel and provisions had been replenished.

And the onward sailing clearance was waiting only for the formal escort handoff and final weather review.

She should have been excited.

She was excited.

But then Harper had approached carrying the completed transfer order.

And Sakura had realized that the next part of the journey would belong to different people.

Harper had been the first to speak.

"You're ready."

Sakura had nodded.

"I think so."

The South Dakota-class battleship regarded her.

"Your equipment is ready. Your navigation documents are complete. The cargo pontoons are properly registered. The receiving escort has accepted the transfer."

Sakura smiled faintly.

"You sound very sure."

"I checked."

"Of course you did."

Harper had folded the papers.

Then her expression softened.

"Sakura."

"Yes?"

"You did well."

The transport girl's heart had given a small, unexpected jump.

"Really?"

"Really."

Harper glanced toward the three attached pontoons.

"You kept them under control through a squall and an enemy contact. You didn't exceed your machinery's limits trying to imitate your escorts. You communicated when something was wrong."

She looked back at Sakura.

"That's good seamanship."

Sakura had smiled so hard that her cheeks hurt.

"Thank you."

"Keep doing it."

"I will."

Noelle had arrived next, carrying a neatly folded note containing the latest ammunition and antiaircraft coordination details.

"Give this to your replacement escort commander."

Sakura had accepted it.

"What's in it?"

"Everything I don't trust the previous summaries to describe properly."

Harper had looked mildly offended.

Noelle hadn't noticed.

Or perhaps she'd noticed and considered the distinction irrelevant.

Alice had provided a separate acoustic report.

Not a dramatic document.

Just carefully organized observations concerning the uncertain submerged contact and the coordinated Blackwake destroyer approach.

"I couldn't prove what the underwater contact was," she'd explained, looking a little dissatisfied. "But they should know what I heard."

Sakura had nodded.

"I'll make sure they do."

Then Emi had hugged her.

Without warning.

Hard enough that Sakura had let out a surprised little squeak.

"EMI!"

The destroyer had squeezed tighter.

"Don't let the new people eat all your food!"

Sakura stared.

Then burst out laughing.

"That's your advice?"

"It's important!"

"You were the one eating everything!"

"That's different!"

Alice had started laughing.

Noelle had closed her eyes.

Harper had sighed.

And somewhere behind them, Kagerō had smiled.

Sakura remembered that smile most clearly.

Because Kagerō had once looked at Horizon's people as though every kindness might eventually be withdrawn.

Now she stood among friends.

Not completely at ease.

Not free of everything that had happened under the PCA.

But no longer alone.

When the others began moving toward their departure stations, Kagerō had lingered.

Sakura had turned toward her.

"Something wrong?"

The destroyer shook her head.

"No."

Then, after a moment, she added:

"I wanted to thank you."

Sakura blinked.

"For what?"

Kagerō looked toward the pontoons.

"For letting me come."

The transport girl had stared.

Then shaken her head.

"You were one of my escorts."

"I know."

"And you helped protect us."

"I know."

"Then you don't have to thank me."

Kagerō had smiled faintly.

"I'd still like to."

Sakura had considered that.

Then stepped forward and hugged her.

The destroyer froze.

Just for a moment.

Then returned the embrace.

Neither said very much afterward.

They didn't need to.

Finally, Harper had called the departure.

The five escorts had moved away from the pier.

Their rigging entered the water.

Propulsion units engaged.

Five familiar wakes spread across Summit Key's sheltered approaches.

Sakura had stood beside her first pontoon and watched them turn west.

Emi waved with both hands.

Alice raised one arm.

Noelle gave a more restrained farewell.

Kagerō looked back.

And Harper, moving at the center of the departing group, offered one final nod.

Then they were gone.

Not lost.

Not missing.

Simply sailing home.

Sakura had reminded herself of that several times.

She reminded herself again now.

Out on the open Pacific, with Summit Key somewhere behind her and Resolute Shoals still far ahead, she looked toward the western horizon.

"Have a safe trip, everyone."

The words disappeared into the wind.

She smiled faintly.

Then turned toward the other wakes surrounding her.

The familiar escort had gone.

But she was not sailing alone.

Far from it.

 

II. Summit Key's Replacement

The new escort had made a memorable first impression.

Mostly because its commander had appeared at Sakura's berth carrying enough paperwork to suggest that she had personally declared war on disorganization.

"Senko Maru?"

Sakura had turned.

"Yes!"

The woman standing before her wore a dark naval uniform with carefully maintained insignia and a coat folded over one arm.

She appeared older than Sakura, although physical age was often a misleading measure among native Keelborn. Her dark hair was secured neatly at the back of her head, and her gray eyes moved over the pontoons with an expression of practical interest.

She wasn't exceptionally tall.

Nor did she possess the overwhelming physical presence of a heavily equipped battleship girl.

But the way she stood made it clear that she was accustomed to giving orders and expecting them to be understood.

"Commander Sera Vell," she introduced herself. "Cleveland-class light cruiser. Summit Key Western Passage Escort Detachment."

Sakura straightened.

"Sakura Nagase, Senko Maru transport! Operation Lantern Road!"

Sera regarded her.

Then nodded.

"Good. I read your reports."

Sakura brightened.

"Oh!"

"All of them."

The transport girl's smile faltered slightly.

"...All of them?"

"Yes."

"Even the—"

"The incident involving the bakery is not included in the operational record."

Sakura went still.

A terrible silence followed.

Then she slowly lowered her face into her hands.

"...Oh, thank goodness."

Sera's mouth twitched.

It was the first indication that the serious-looking cruiser possessed a sense of humor.

A very dry one.

And apparently a dangerous one.

Sakura lowered her hands.

"You're our new escort commander?"

"Yes. My detachment has been assigned responsibility for the passage toward Resolute Shoals, subject to the receiving force assuming local control within the final approach area."

Sakura nodded.

"And everyone from Horizon can go back?"

"Once the handoff is completed and their return orders are validated. Yes."

Sakura smiled.

"That's good."

Sera regarded her for a moment.

Then her expression softened slightly.

"It is."

She opened her folder.

"Before we discuss the route, I need to meet the person responsible for maintaining the tow assemblies."

Sakura raised her hand.

Sera blinked.

"...You?"

"Yes!"

"Personally?"

"Yes."

The cruiser looked toward the pontoons.

Then back at Sakura.

"Interesting."

Sakura tilted her head.

"Is that a problem?"

"Not at all."

Sera closed the folder.

"In fact, that will make the conversation considerably simpler."

She looked down at the nearest coupling assembly.

"Show me."

Sakura's eyes lit up.

And ten minutes later, Commander Sera Vell discovered that asking Senko Maru to explain her transport equipment was a decision best made when one had sufficient time to listen.

 

The first new destroyer introduced herself while Sakura was halfway through explaining the towing load distribution.

"Commander!"

Sera looked up.

A girl with a quick, bright smile was approaching from the adjacent servicing platform.

Her navy jacket was open over a practical uniform, and a few loose strands of chestnut hair had escaped the tie holding the rest behind her head.

She carried a canvas bag over one shoulder.

Sakura immediately noticed that the bag was suspiciously full.

Sera regarded it.

"Linnet."

The girl straightened.

"Ma'am!"

"What is in the bag?"

"Essential supplies."

"Define essential."

The girl hesitated.

"...Food?"

Sera closed her eyes.

Sakura blinked.

Then smiled.

Some things, apparently, were universal.

Linnet turned toward her.

"Oh! You're Senko Maru!"

Sakura nodded.

"Yes! I'm Sakura."

The destroyer's expression brightened.

"Linnet. Gearing-class destroyer."

She extended a hand.

Sakura accepted it.

Linnet shook it enthusiastically.

"Nice to meet you! I heard you came all the way from Horizon."

"That's right."

"With three pontoons?"

"Yes."

"And you went through a Blackwake attack?"

Sakura nodded.

Linnet whistled.

"That's a rough first leg."

"It was a little frightening."

"I bet."

Sera cleared her throat.

Linnet immediately straightened.

"Right. Sorry."

The cruiser regarded her.

"Did you complete your acoustic equipment checks?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Propulsion?"

"Passed."

"Communications?"

"Passed."

"Ammunition inventory?"

"Signed and verified."

Sera nodded.

"Good."

Linnet smiled.

Then looked toward Sakura.

"Do you have a galley?"

Sakura blinked.

"...Yes?"

Linnet's expression became delighted.

Sera slowly covered her eyes with one hand.

Sakura stared between them.

Then began laughing.

She had apparently lost Emi only to be assigned another destroyer who regarded access to food as a major operational consideration.

There were worse developments.

 

The second destroyer was quieter.

Much quieter.

Her name was Odile.

She carried the equipment of a Tribal-class destroyer, with the distinctive arrangement of her naval gun structures secured around a fitted support assembly.

Her hair was dark and cut to a practical length, and she wore a restrained expression that made her seem perpetually occupied with something serious.

She introduced herself in five words.

"Odile. Tribal-class. Close escort."

Then she bowed her head.

Sakura blinked.

"Nice to meet you!"

Odile nodded.

"Likewise."

A pause followed.

Sakura smiled.

Odile remained quiet.

Sakura tilted her head.

"...Um."

"Yes?"

"Is there anything you'd like to ask about the transport?"

Odile considered that.

Then looked toward the pontoons.

"How does the galley stove behave in rough weather?"

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Sakura stared.

Then burst out laughing.

Odile blinked.

"...Was that a strange question?"

"No!"

Sakura shook her head rapidly.

"Not at all!"

She smiled brightly.

"Actually, that's a very good question."

Odile looked relieved.

Sera folded her arms.

Linnet grinned.

"See? I told you she was interesting."

Odile turned.

"You asked about food too."

"Exactly!"

"Not the same question."

"Close enough."

Sera sighed.

Sakura found herself smiling.

The new escorts were certainly different from Harper's group.

But perhaps that wasn't going to be a problem.

 

The final member of the close escort wasn't a Keelborn at all.

At least, not in the same way as the others.

A conventional warship stood at a nearby berth.

A real hull.

Full-sized.

Painted in a weathered naval gray.

Its superstructure carried turning radar equipment, signal fittings, and the compact weapons of a destroyer escort. Depth-charge equipment occupied the stern, while an antisubmarine mortar installation stood near the forward section.

The ship was smaller than the great conventional battleships Sakura had seen at Horizon and Summit Key, but still enormous compared with the individual Keelborn moving around the harbor.

Her name was USS Plover.

A Buckley-class destroyer escort.

And she was very much a ship rather than a girl wearing one.

Sakura stared up at her.

Then smiled.

"Wow."

A woman in naval uniform stood near the gangway.

She had dark hair secured beneath her cap and an expression that suggested she had already endured several difficult conversations before breakfast.

Sera approached.

"Captain."

The woman turned.

"Commander Vell."

They exchanged a brief salute.

Sera indicated Sakura.

"Your transport."

The woman looked toward her.

Then smiled.

"Captain Inez Navarro. USS Plover."

Sakura straightened.

"Sakura Nagase! Senko Maru!"

The captain regarded the three pontoons.

Then looked toward Sakura's rigging.

A small smile appeared.

"So you're the reason my navigation officer has been reviewing towing formations all morning."

Sakura blinked.

"...Sorry?"

The captain laughed.

"Don't apologize. It's his job."

She extended a hand.

Sakura accepted it.

The captain's grip was firm.

"Welcome aboard the route, Sakura."

"Thank you!"

Inez glanced toward Sera.

"She's smaller than I expected."

Sera nodded.

"Her transport isn't."

Sakura flushed.

The captain grinned.

"Fair distinction."

Then she looked back toward the pontoons.

"You're going to give us an interesting passage."

Sakura tilted her head.

"Is that bad?"

"Not necessarily."

Inez smiled.

"Interesting doesn't always mean dangerous."

Sera raised an eyebrow.

The captain sighed.

"Although in our line of work, I admit there's a certain overlap."

Linnet laughed.

Odile shook her head.

And Sakura, standing among four unfamiliar escorts at the enormous fortress of Summit Key, realized that this part of her mission was going to feel very different.

She had left Horizon with friends.

Now she would continue with strangers.

But the strangers were already asking the right questions.

About her equipment.

Her limits.

Her cargo.

Her galley.

And whether the three pontoons could safely survive whatever weather awaited them farther east.

For a transport girl, those were remarkably encouraging beginnings.

III. The Shape of a Different Formation

Now, with Summit Key well astern and open water on every side, Sakura could see why Commander Sera Vell had insisted upon examining every aspect of the towing arrangement before accepting responsibility for the passage.

The formation had been designed around her.

Not around the Cleveland-class cruiser.

Not around the destroyers.

Not even around the conventional destroyer escort that was easily the largest individual vessel traveling with them.

Around Sakura.

Her Senko Maru rigging provided the propulsion and control necessary to move the three integrated pontoons. Their connected structure extended behind her in a long, carefully managed arrangement, with each section responding to her course changes only after the movement traveled through the tow and coupling systems.

A destroyer could change direction with extraordinary speed.

Sakura could not.

A cruiser could adjust its course to pursue a radar contact.

Sakura needed to consider the delayed movement of every pontoon behind her before beginning even a routine alteration.

And USS Plover, despite being a comparatively small conventional warship, had a full-sized hull, an actual bridge crew, and a turning circle determined by the interaction of her rudder, propellers, speed, and displacement.

The escort commander had accounted for all of those differences.

Plover traveled along the convoy's outer port quarter, far enough away that an ordinary course correction wouldn't bring her into the pontoons' swept path. The destroyer escort's sonar and radar provided an additional layer of surveillance, while her conventional crew could maintain continuous watches without requiring every member to remain physically exposed on the water.

Linnet occupied the forward screening sector.

Odile maintained the other side of the close escort, where her position allowed her to respond quickly without crossing Sakura's projected course.

Sera moved between the formation's central and forward sectors as conditions required, coordinating the protective screen through the assigned tactical circuit.

Sakura's job was to hold the agreed transport course and report any change affecting the attached pontoons.

She liked that arrangement.

Very much.

Especially the part where nobody had demanded that she accelerate simply because her equipment appeared capable of moving faster.

The tactical radio clicked.

"Senko Maru, Escort Command. Confirm present towing load and equipment status."

Sakura raised her microphone.

"Escort Command, Senko Maru. Three pontoons attached and accounted for. Tow and coupling indicators normal. Propulsion operating within planned cruising range. No abnormal vibration or load changes."

"Received. Maintain present speed."

"Understood."

There was a short pause.

Then Sera continued.

"One additional question, Sakura."

Sakura blinked.

"Yes?"

"Are you comfortable with the formation?"

The transport girl looked around.

Linnet's Gearing-class equipment moved confidently over the water ahead.

Odile's Tribal-class silhouette remained steady on the opposite side.

The larger shape of Plover traveled beyond them, her bow lifting gently as she met the low Pacific swell.

Sera herself was visible at a distance, the Cleveland-class rigging balanced around her body with the assurance of an experienced cruiser.

Sakura smiled.

"Yes, Commander. The spacing feels good."

"Any concerns about your ability to maneuver?"

"Only that I'd like advance warning for course changes whenever possible. The pontoons don't react as quickly as the escort units."

"Understood. You will receive the necessary warning. If the situation requires an immediate maneuver, we'll give you a clear course instruction and adjust the screen around your response."

Sakura felt her shoulders relax.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

A second voice entered the circuit.

"Plover to Senko Maru. Captain Navarro speaking. Our bridge has your transport movement characteristics plotted. We'll maintain clearance during course alterations."

Sakura glanced toward the conventional ship.

"Thank you, Captain."

"No trouble. Please don't feel obliged to maneuver like a destroyer for our benefit. My navigator already has enough reasons to complain."

Sakura laughed.

The captain continued.

"He's a talented man, but I refuse to give him three additional pontoons as an excuse to become unbearable."

Another voice sounded over the circuit.

"Captain, the navigator can hear you."

Inez replied immediately.

"Excellent. Saves me from having to repeat myself."

Linnet's laughter burst through Sakura's headset.

Odile transmitted a weary sigh.

"Escort Command, Tribal. Request permission to record the bridge's excellent morale for future study."

Sera answered with unmistakable dryness.

"Denied. Maintain your watch."

Sakura began laughing.

It startled her a little.

Not because the joke was especially remarkable.

But because she had spent the entire morning wondering whether the new escort would feel strange.

Whether it would be difficult to speak openly with people she barely knew.

Whether she would miss Harper's steady directions so much that every unfamiliar instruction sounded wrong.

Now she was listening to a cruiser commander, two destroyers, and a conventional ship's captain arguing about navigation officers.

The ocean remained dangerous.

The mission remained important.

But the people around her were beginning to sound like people.

And that helped.

 

IV. A Very Necessary Distinction

The first change of course came shortly before midday.

It was small.

A planned alteration to maintain the authorized passage corridor and avoid a region where recent patrol reports had noted uncertain contacts.

Sera gave the warning early.

"All units, Escort Command. Planned course alteration in ten minutes. Senko Maru will initiate the turn on my direction. Maintain assigned separation and do not cross her towing arc."

Sakura reviewed the indicated course.

Then looked toward the three pontoons.

The water was relatively calm.

A long, low swell approached from the south, gently lifting the connected sections in sequence.

She could feel the motion through the tow system.

The first pontoon began rising.

Then the second.

Then the third.

The loads remained consistent.

She checked the propulsion settings and confirmed that nothing needed adjustment before the maneuver.

Ten minutes later, Sera gave the instruction.

"Senko Maru, commence planned alteration."

Sakura answered.

"Commencing turn."

She shifted her control input gradually.

Her rigging responded.

The first pontoon initially continued along its previous course before the change traveled through the connecting structure.

The second followed.

Then the third.

Sakura watched the load indicators carefully.

The equipment remained within its approved operating range.

Her speed decreased slightly during the maneuver.

That was expected.

She resisted the temptation to compensate too aggressively.

The wake behind her began describing a long, gentle curve.

Linnet moved outward to preserve screening distance.

Odile adjusted her own course without approaching the pontoon line.

Plover began a wider turn, her bridge maintaining clear separation while the full-sized hull came around.

Sera observed the formation.

Nobody rushed Sakura.

Nobody demanded an unnecessarily sharp correction.

The convoy simply moved.

Together.

By the time Sakura had settled onto the new course, the formation had adjusted around her.

She checked the equipment again.

All three pontoons aligned properly.

The couplings remained secure.

No abnormal load indications.

No damage.

She raised her radio.

"Escort Command, Senko Maru. Course established. Towing system stable."

"Received. Well executed."

Sakura smiled.

"Thank you!"

A pause followed.

Then Linnet's voice sounded.

"Senko Maru, Gearing. That was smoother than I expected."

Sakura blinked.

"...Thank you?"

"No, I mean it! Those pontoons follow you like ducklings."

Sakura looked over her shoulder.

The three long, integrated sections were moving steadily through her wake.

She considered the comparison.

Then laughed.

"They're a little heavier than ducklings."

"Probably eat less."

"LINNET."

Sera's voice entered the circuit.

"Maintain radio discipline."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Sakura smiled.

Then lowered the microphone.

The turn had been ordinary.

A routine maneuver.

Nothing that would attract much attention in the operational report.

But it was the first time she'd performed it under the new escort's supervision.

And everyone had treated the limitations of her equipment as something to plan around rather than something to complain about.

She appreciated that more than she could easily explain.

 

Around the middle of the afternoon, Sakura received an invitation to speak with Captain Navarro.

Not through a formal conference.

Not over a long-distance command circuit.

The captain simply requested permission to send a small launch across from Plover while the convoy maintained its steady passage.

Sakura checked the conditions.

Then coordinated a safe transfer arrangement.

The launch approached the first pontoon on its sheltered side, where a boarding point had been prepared with appropriate railings and a secured ladder.

Sakura couldn't abandon her transport controls while underway.

But she could receive a visitor.

A few minutes later, Inez Navarro stepped onto the pontoon deck.

She looked around with unmistakable interest.

"Well."

Sakura smiled.

"Welcome aboard!"

The captain glanced toward the connected structure.

Then down the length of the first pontoon.

"This is quite something."

"Thank you!"

Inez approached the nearest cargo access hatch.

"May I?"

"Of course."

Sakura showed her the arrangement.

The cargo spaces.

The secured storage.

The accommodation compartments.

The little galley.

The narrow passageways that allowed the Keelborn escorts to move between sheltered areas during their previous voyage.

The arrangement wasn't luxurious.

It was practical.

The bunks were small.

The galley had limited space.

The sanitation facilities were compact.

Every piece of equipment had to be secured properly before rough weather.

But the pontoons could provide something critically important during a long voyage.

Rest.

A place where an exhausted Keelborn could remove herself from the wind and spray for a while.

A place to eat a hot meal.

A place to sleep.

A place to feel, if only briefly, that she was somewhere other than the middle of a dangerous ocean.

Inez examined the bunks.

Then looked toward Sakura.

"These were used by your Horizon escorts?"

Sakura nodded.

"Yes. We rotated through them."

"How many could rest comfortably?"

Sakura explained the arrangement.

The captain listened carefully.

Then inspected the securing points and emergency access routes.

"Good."

Sakura blinked.

"Really?"

"Yes."

Inez looked toward the little galley.

"You've given the girls somewhere to recover between watches without requiring them to depend entirely on a larger ship."

She smiled.

"That's useful."

Sakura's face warmed.

"Thank you."

The captain leaned against a support frame.

"May I tell you something?"

Sakura tilted her head.

"Of course."

Inez looked toward the small windows.

Beyond them, the Pacific moved steadily past.

"When you command a conventional ship, it's easy to forget how different the arrangements are for Keelborn."

Sakura listened.

"We have a hull. Compartments. A galley. Medical stores. A crew that rotates through watches. If someone needs sleep, we have places for that."

She nodded toward the pontoon accommodations.

"A destroyer girl might have the fighting capabilities of a warship, but that doesn't mean she has a full-size crew's living facilities surrounding her."

Sakura nodded slowly.

"That's why I wanted the pontoons to have bunks."

Inez smiled.

"Sensible."

A pause followed.

Then Sakura glanced toward the captain.

"Is Plover comfortable?"

Inez raised an eyebrow.

"Comfortable?"

"Yes!"

The captain considered the question.

Then laughed.

"Depends which sailor you ask."

Sakura blinked.

"Really?"

"My engineer would tell you the machinery spaces are too hot. My navigator would complain about his chart table. The galley staff would like more room. And the sailors sleeping closest to certain ventilation equipment have developed rather colorful opinions about its noise."

Sakura giggled.

Inez smiled.

"But she's our ship."

Her expression softened.

"We know her. We know what she can do. We know which sounds mean everything is working properly and which ones mean someone should wake the engineering officer immediately."

Sakura nodded.

"I think I understand."

The captain looked toward the transport rigging.

"I imagine you're learning something similar."

Sakura glanced down.

The towing machinery hummed steadily.

Her three pontoons followed obediently through the swell.

She could feel the movement.

The load.

The slight delay in the way each connected section responded.

She smiled.

"Yes."

Inez nodded.

"Then we're going to get along."

 

V. Three Empty Bunks

That evening, Linnet discovered the galley.

Sakura had expected it.

In fact, she'd been expecting it since their first meeting.

The destroyer arrived aboard the forward pontoon with an expression of enormous anticipation.

Odile came with her.

Sera remained on her assigned watch until the relief arrangements permitted her to step aboard later.

Plover continued maintaining its position outside the formation, its conventional crew rotating through their own watch schedule.

Sakura had prepared a simple meal.

Rice.

Vegetables.

Preserved protein.

A little broth.

Nothing elaborate.

But the galley's compact stove was capable of producing a proper hot dinner while the sea remained cooperative.

Linnet stood in the doorway.

Then slowly inhaled.

"Oh."

Sakura looked up.

"Something wrong?"

The Gearing-class girl shook her head.

"No."

She inhaled again.

Then smiled.

"That smells wonderful."

Sakura laughed.

"Thank you!"

Odile examined the ingredients.

Then the cooking arrangement.

Then Sakura.

"May I help?"

Sakura blinked.

"Of course!"

Odile nodded.

She washed her hands, examined the available utensils, and quietly began assisting.

Within minutes, Sakura discovered that the reserved Tribal-class destroyer was an unexpectedly capable cook.

Very capable.

In fact, Odile seemed to know exactly how much seasoning the broth needed before Sakura had even finished explaining what she'd intended to make.

Sakura watched her.

Then smiled.

"You cook a lot?"

Odile nodded.

"When I can."

Linnet leaned against the counter.

"She never talks about it."

Odile glanced toward her.

"Because you eat everything before anyone asks."

"That's unfair."

"You ate the bread I'd set aside for tomorrow."

"It was good bread."

"It was tomorrow's bread."

"Tomorrow arrived eventually."

Sakura burst out laughing.

Odile sighed.

Linnet grinned.

Then the Gearing-class girl glanced toward the bunks beyond the galley.

"These were your friends' sleeping spaces?"

Sakura nodded.

"Yes."

She indicated the compartments.

"Harper usually rested closest to the forward access. Noelle liked the quieter cabin. Alice kept her equipment organized very carefully."

Her expression warmed.

"And Emi..."

Linnet raised an eyebrow.

"Let me guess."

Sakura laughed.

"She tried to claim whichever bunk was closest to the food."

Linnet looked delighted.

"A woman of excellent judgment."

Odile closed her eyes.

Sakura smiled.

Then looked toward the last compartment.

"Kagerō liked that one."

Her voice softened slightly.

Linnet followed her gaze.

"Who's Kagerō?"

"One of the girls who escorted me from Horizon."

Sakura looked toward the little cabin.

"She's had a difficult time."

Linnet's expression became quieter.

Odile stopped working for a moment.

Sakura considered how much to explain.

Kagerō's history wasn't a casual story for strangers.

Nor was it something she intended to conceal if the information became relevant to operational trust.

The official escort handoff included the necessary records.

But a girl's grief and guilt belonged to her.

Sakura smiled faintly.

"She's a friend."

Linnet nodded.

"Okay."

Then she looked toward the bunks.

"Well, we'll take good care of the place."

Sakura's expression softened.

"Thank you."

Odile returned to the stove.

Then spoke quietly.

"She's not asking us to take their places."

Linnet looked toward her.

Sakura blinked.

Odile glanced back.

"Your friends."

A pause.

"We're simply taking the next watch."

For several seconds, Sakura couldn't answer.

Then she smiled.

A warm, grateful smile.

"Yes."

She nodded.

"That's exactly it."

The Tribal-class girl returned to cooking.

Linnet rubbed the back of her neck.

Then grinned.

"Well, in that case, the next watch had better eat before everything gets cold."

Odile pointed her spoon at her.

"Not until it's ready."

Linnet stopped.

Sakura laughed.

And for the first time since leaving Summit Key, the little pontoon galley began sounding familiar again.

Not because the people were the same.

They weren't.

But because someone was laughing.

Someone else was complaining.

And there was food on the stove.

Far from Horizon, Sakura Nagase felt a small piece of home returning to the place she carried with her.

VI. The Kind of Warning Nobody Wanted

The first indication of trouble came while Sakura was washing the dinner utensils.

It was not an alarm.

Nobody shouted.

No weapons opened fire.

The little galley remained warm, and Linnet was still explaining why Odile's decision to save a portion of the meal for the next watch was an act of unnecessary cruelty.

Then the communication handset crackled.

"Senko Maru, Plover. Bridge watch."

Sakura set down the dishcloth.

She picked up the handset.

"Senko Maru receiving."

"We've picked up an intermittent radar return beyond the southern screening sector. No confirmed classification. Captain Navarro has requested an additional observation period."

Sakura's smile faded.

She glanced toward Linnet.

The destroyer had stopped speaking.

Odile was already setting down her utensils.

Sakura raised the handset again.

"Understood. Do you need me to change course?"

"Negative at present. Maintain the assigned transport heading. Escort Command has been notified."

"Understood."

The circuit clicked.

Sakura looked toward her two guests.

For a brief moment, nobody spoke.

Then Linnet sighed.

"...Well."

Odile nodded toward the doorway.

"We should return to our stations."

Sakura understood immediately.

She didn't ask them to remain.

She didn't suggest that the contact was probably nothing.

They had been assigned to protect the convoy, and an unidentified return beyond the formation deserved attention.

"Of course."

Linnet smiled at her.

"Thanks for dinner."

Sakura nodded.

"You're welcome."

Odile paused beside the doorway.

Then looked back.

"Please secure the galley before resuming any maneuvering."

Sakura blinked.

Then smiled.

"I will."

Odile nodded.

"Good."

The two destroyers departed.

Sakura moved quickly through the little galley, confirming that the stove had been brought to its safe condition and that the utensils, food containers, and remaining provisions were properly secured.

Then she returned to her operating position.

The evening light had become softer.

The Pacific stretched around the convoy in long, gently moving swells.

Sera was already adjusting the screening arrangement.

Linnet's Gearing-class rigging moved away from the pontoon boarding point and returned toward the forward sector.

Odile resumed her assigned position.

Plover remained on the outer quarter, her radar aerial turning steadily above the bridge.

Sakura checked the towing indicators.

All three pontoons remained aligned.

The sea was calm.

The transport systems were functioning normally.

Nothing about the water suggested danger.

That was the unpleasant thing about uncertain contacts.

The ocean didn't necessarily look different when something hostile was hiding beyond the limits of observation.

The tactical circuit opened.

"All Lantern Road units, Escort Command. Maintain present speed and assigned separation. We have an unclassified intermittent surface return outside the southern screen. No hostile identification. Continue observation."

Sakura answered.

"Senko Maru acknowledges. Maintaining transport course."

Plover responded.

"Plover acknowledges. Continuing radar watch."

Linnet reported.

"Gearing acknowledges. Forward sector clear at present."

Odile followed.

"Tribal acknowledges. Maintaining close escort."

Sakura looked south.

The sea was empty.

At least, it appeared empty.

She couldn't see the contact.

She didn't know whether it represented a vessel, a distant weather effect, or something else.

She was not going to invent an answer.

Alice had taught her that much.

After several minutes, Plover reported another observation.

"Escort Command, Plover. Return remains intermittent. No reliable movement solution. We cannot establish whether the indication is a surface vessel."

Sera's answer came promptly.

"Received. Continue monitoring. No approach maneuver authorized."

A short pause followed.

Then the cruiser addressed the convoy.

"Senko Maru, stand by for a possible planned course adjustment. Do not alter course until directed."

Sakura raised her microphone.

"Understood. Standing by."

She looked over her shoulder.

The three pontoons followed steadily.

The first coupling showed normal tension.

The second remained within its expected range.

The third pontoon rose gently on the swell, then settled again.

Sakura considered the loading arrangement.

The cargo currently aboard was important, but it was not yet the specialized restoration machinery waiting at Resolute Shoals.

The pontoons had room reserved for that equipment.

Their securing plans were still provisional.

Their final load distribution would depend upon information she had not yet received.

For now, however, the transport arrangement was stable.

She could make a controlled course alteration if necessary.

She simply needed warning.

Another few minutes passed.

Then Sera transmitted.

"Senko Maru, Escort Command. We'll make a gradual alteration to the approved alternate track. New course follows. Reduce speed to the designated maneuvering setting before commencing."

Sakura checked the direction.

It was a modest adjustment.

Enough to increase their separation from the uncertain return without taking them outside the established passage corridor.

She nodded.

"Senko Maru acknowledges. Reducing speed and preparing the turn."

"Received. Execute when ready."

Sakura waited for the pontoons to settle into the reduced speed.

Then she began the maneuver.

The towing structure responded gradually.

The escort adjusted with her.

Plover opened additional clearance.

Linnet maintained her screening position.

Odile followed the transport's movement without crossing the pontoon line.

Nobody tried to hurry her.

Nobody left the transport behind to investigate a contact that might not even exist.

The entire convoy changed course together.

Ten minutes later, Sakura reported stable alignment.

Sera acknowledged.

Plover continued observing.

The intermittent return did not develop into a confirmed track.

No enemy was identified.

No weapons were fired.

After a further period of observation, the escort commander ordered the convoy to maintain its adjusted passage and continue normal defensive watches.

Sakura let out a slow breath.

Then rested her hands against the controls.

She had been frightened.

Not overwhelmingly.

Not enough to interfere with her work.

But she'd felt that familiar tightening beneath her ribs.

The same unpleasant anticipation that had come before the Blackwake destroyers attacked during the previous passage.

This time, however, there had been no battle.

Only an uncertain report.

A careful assessment.

A change of course.

And the decision to keep moving toward their destination rather than chasing a mystery across the ocean.

Sakura smiled faintly.

Harper would have approved.

She thought so, anyway.

And she was beginning to suspect Sera Vell would have gotten along with her very well.

 

VII. The Cruiser Who Preferred Questions

Sera came aboard the first pontoon after the evening watch arrangements were confirmed.

The transfer was completed in calm conditions, with Sakura maintaining the steady passage while the assisting crew secured the boarding arrangement.

The Cleveland-class girl removed her gloves after stepping onto the deck.

Then she looked toward Sakura.

"How are your couplings?"

Sakura smiled.

"All normal."

"Any unusual movement during the alteration?"

"No. The first pontoon followed correctly, and the loads through the remaining connections stayed within their approved ranges."

Sera nodded.

"Good."

She looked toward the aft sections.

Then back at Sakura.

"May I see the latest readings?"

"Of course!"

Sakura retrieved the records.

The cruiser examined them carefully.

She didn't appear to be searching for a mistake.

Instead, she seemed to be learning how Sakura's machinery behaved under actual operating conditions.

After a few minutes, she returned the report.

"That looks satisfactory."

Sakura brightened.

"Thank you!"

Sera rested her hands against the railing.

For a while, she watched the Pacific.

Then she asked:

"Are you comfortable with the new escort?"

Sakura blinked.

"...Yes."

The cruiser glanced toward her.

"That's an acceptable answer. You can give me a less polite one if you have concerns."

Sakura smiled.

"No, really. Everyone's been very helpful."

Sera nodded.

"Linnet can be enthusiastic."

Sakura laughed.

"She reminds me of Emi."

"Who?"

"One of my original escorts."

"Ah."

Sakura smiled.

"She's a Benson-class destroyer. She likes food."

Sera looked toward the galley.

Then closed her eyes.

"...Of course."

The transport girl giggled.

The cruiser continued.

"And Odile?"

"She's very nice."

Sera raised an eyebrow.

"Nice?"

"Yes!"

A pause.

"She's also a really good cook."

For the first time that evening, Sera laughed.

Not loudly.

Not for very long.

But with unmistakable amusement.

"That she is."

Sakura grinned.

The cruiser looked toward the horizon.

Then her expression became thoughtful.

"You've handled the transfer well."

Sakura blinked.

"The transfer?"

"Changing escorts."

"Oh."

The transport girl looked down.

For a moment, she considered pretending that the change hadn't bothered her.

Then she decided against it.

"I miss them."

Sera nodded.

"I thought you might."

Sakura looked toward the west.

"Harper, Noelle, Alice, Emi, and Kagerō."

She spoke the names slowly.

Each belonged to someone whose habits she'd begun knowing almost as well as the sounds of her own equipment.

She smiled faintly.

"They were my friends before we left Horizon."

"And still are," Sera answered.

Sakura turned.

The cruiser looked at her.

"Being relieved from escort duty doesn't change that."

Sakura smiled.

"No."

A pause.

"You're right."

Sera returned her attention to the sea.

"Their orders send them home because Horizon needs its defenders. Our orders bring us here because the route to Resolute needs its own protection."

She looked toward the three pontoons.

"That's how a convoy network should work. We don't ask one group to protect every mile if there are suitable forces available to share the responsibility."

Sakura nodded.

"I understand."

The cruiser continued.

"But there's another reason I wanted to speak with you."

Sakura straightened.

"Yes?"

Sera looked at her seriously.

"You're the person operating the transport."

Sakura blinked.

"...Yes."

"That makes you responsible for telling me what it can and cannot safely do."

The transport girl listened.

"If I order a maneuver you know will overload those connections, I want you to tell me."

Sakura stared.

Sera continued.

"If your propulsion equipment begins behaving abnormally, I want the report immediately. If the sea becomes unsuitable for the pontoons, I need to know before something fails."

She folded her arms.

"And if you need a slower speed, we adjust the schedule."

Sakura hesitated.

"But you're the escort commander."

"Yes."

"Doesn't that mean I should follow your orders?"

"It means you should follow lawful and safe orders within the operation's command structure."

Sera's expression remained serious.

"It doesn't mean you should remain silent when you know something I don't."

Sakura considered that.

The cruiser looked toward her machinery.

"I know Cleveland-class equipment. I know convoy protection. I know how to manage a screening force."

A pause.

"But I don't know your transport as well as you do."

For a moment, Sakura didn't speak.

Then she smiled.

A small smile at first.

Then a wider one.

"Okay."

Sera raised an eyebrow.

"Okay?"

"Yes."

Sakura straightened.

"I'll tell you."

The cruiser nodded.

"Good."

Sakura looked toward the pontoons.

Then added:

"And I'll take care of the transport."

Sera smiled faintly.

"That's what I'm counting on."

 

VIII. The Parts Still Waiting

Later that night, Sakura returned to the little cabin she had claimed aboard the first pontoon.

The convoy continued moving beneath a darkening sky.

The sea remained moderate.

The towing system hummed steadily.

Through the cabin window, she could occasionally see the light of one of the escort units moving at its assigned distance.

She set a small folder on the table.

Inside were the latest papers concerning the equipment reserved at Resolute Shoals.

The Pendant interface.

The coupling manifold.

The control modules.

Associated fittings and technical documentation.

There were preliminary estimates.

A few diagrams.

Questions from Hana.

Responses from the depot.

And several empty spaces where final measurements and transfer authorizations still belonged.

Sakura opened the folder.

Then took out her pencil.

She began reviewing the loading plan.

The heaviest components would need appropriate positions within the pontoons.

Sensitive equipment would require protection from shock and moisture.

Anything with strict handling limitations would need its packaging verified before loading.

She couldn't simply stack the crates wherever there happened to be room.

Nor could she assume that the material would arrive in the same condition if the pontoons encountered rough weather during the return voyage.

The outbound passage was only part of the job.

Getting the equipment home safely would require another set of decisions.

Another set of inspections.

Another escort arrangement.

Another long stretch of Pacific water.

Sakura looked toward the window.

Then down at the page.

She drew a small box around one of the pending measurements.

Final packed mass required.

Another note followed.

Confirm securing method with Mei.

Then:

Provide Hana with the complete handling documents.

She hesitated.

The pencil rested against the paper.

For a moment, she thought about the eleven Pendants waiting at Horizon.

She hadn't known every girl whose life had been lost during the Blackwake attack.

Some she'd met.

Others she'd only seen in the harbor.

A few she'd known mostly through other people's stories.

But they had been real.

They had eaten in the mess hall.

Worked along the piers.

Argued.

Laughed.

Sailed.

And died.

Sakura looked toward the folder.

Nobody had promised that the equipment from Resolute Shoals would bring them back.

Kade had been very careful about that.

So had Hana.

So had Dr. Holt.

It was possible that the components would not solve the problem.

Possible that restoring the Respite Bath would require more work than anyone currently understood.

Possible that even a repaired machine would prove unable to accomplish what Horizon hoped.

Sakura knew all of that.

But the parts were real.

They existed.

They were reserved.

And she could carry them.

That was enough to keep going.

She lowered her pencil.

Then smiled faintly.

"I'll get you there."

The words were quiet.

Addressed to the paperwork, perhaps.

Or the equipment she had not yet seen.

Or the girls whose Pendants were waiting on the other side of the ocean.

Sakura wasn't entirely sure.

Then the radio sounded.

"Senko Maru, Escort Command. Evening status check."

She reached for the handset.

"Senko Maru receiving. All three pontoons stable. No abnormal loading indications. Maintaining assigned course."

"Received. Our next formal position report is being prepared. We'll continue under the adjusted route through the night."

"Understood."

A short pause followed.

Then Sera spoke again.

"Sakura."

The transport girl blinked.

"Yes?"

"Thank you for the dinner arrangements. Linnet has been talking about them for the last twenty minutes."

Sakura burst out laughing.

"Really?"

"Unfortunately."

The transport girl smiled.

"You're very welcome."

Another pause.

Then Sera added:

"Get some rest when your watch rotation permits. We'll maintain the screen."

Sakura looked toward the dark window.

Beyond it, the Pacific stretched away in every direction.

The night felt enormous.

But there were lights moving across it.

Friendly lights.

People assigned to keep watch.

People who had only met her recently, yet were already making sure she had somewhere safe to sleep.

Sakura smiled.

"Thank you, Commander."

"Good night, Sakura."

"Good night."

The circuit closed.

Sakura placed the handset down.

Then returned the folder to its proper place.

 

IX. The Next Watch

The night watches continued without incident.

Plover's radar and sonar teams maintained their assigned surveillance.

Linnet rotated between observation and rest according to the escort plan.

Odile checked the close screening sector before returning briefly to the pontoon accommodations.

Sera remained responsible for the formation, consulting the reports from the other units and the available regional intelligence as the convoy continued east.

No further reliable contact developed from the intermittent return encountered earlier.

Nobody claimed that meant the sea was safe.

Only that they had nothing additional to report.

The convoy maintained its course.

Sakura slept for part of her authorized rest period, waking once when the swell changed enough to shift the pontoons slightly against their usual motion.

She sat up.

Listened.

Checked the nearest indicators.

Everything was normal.

She settled back beneath the blanket.

For a moment, she missed Emi's voice.

Then she heard footsteps in the passageway.

A quiet conversation.

Odile reminding Linnet that the galley was closed until morning.

Linnet objecting that she'd only been looking for water.

Odile asking why the water apparently required opening the food cupboard.

Sakura smiled into her pillow.

Perhaps the ocean wasn't going to be quite as lonely as she'd feared.

 

By dawn, the sky was turning pale behind the convoy.

The water shimmered with the first light of another Pacific morning.

Sakura returned to her operating position after breakfast.

Her equipment was ready.

The pontoons remained connected.

The escort occupied its assigned sectors.

And the route ahead stretched toward Resolute Shoals, still distant, still unseen.

Linnet's cheerful voice entered the circuit.

"Morning, Senko Maru! Sleep well?"

Sakura raised her microphone.

"Very well, thank you!"

"Good! Because Odile says she's making breakfast again tomorrow, and apparently I'm not allowed near the galley until then."

Sakura laughed.

"That's probably for the best."

"You're supposed to be on my side!"

Odile answered over the circuit.

"The food cupboard disagrees."

Sakura giggled.

Then Sera's voice cut through the conversation.

"Escort units, maintain radio discipline. We have another position report to submit."

Linnet sighed audibly.

"Yes, ma'am."

Plover's captain joined the circuit.

"Escort Command, Plover. Bridge watch confirms assigned station. Navigation and engineering normal."

Sakura looked across the sea.

The conventional destroyer escort traveled steadily along the outer quarter.

Odile maintained the closer screening sector.

Linnet moved ahead.

Sera's Cleveland-class rigging was visible beyond the first pontoon's projected course.

Different people.

Different equipment.

Different habits.

But one formation.

Sakura smiled.

Then raised her radio.

"Escort Command, Senko Maru. Three pontoons secure. Propulsion normal. Ready to continue."

Sera answered immediately.

"Received, Sakura. Maintain course."

"Understood."

The transport girl lowered the microphone.

She looked toward the eastern horizon.

Resolute Shoals was still far away.

Mei Takahara's reserved components remained in their depot.

Hana was waiting at Horizon.

Kade was waiting.

So were the girls who still had people hoping to see them again.

Sakura rested her hands against the controls.

The machinery hummed beneath her.

Three pontoons followed in her wake.

And around her, four new escorts carried the watch that five old friends had handed over at Summit Key.

She couldn't know what the rest of the passage would bring.

She couldn't promise that the sea would remain kind.

But she was beginning to trust the people around her.

That was a start.

Sakura smiled toward the sunrise.

"All right."

Her Senko Maru rigging carried her onward.

"Let's go."

The convoy continued east.

Behind it lay Summit Key and the route back toward Horizon.

Ahead waited Resolute Shoals, its great naval facilities, and the machinery that might someday give eleven lost girls a chance to return.

Between them stretched the Pacific.

Beautiful.

Indifferent.

And far too large for Sakura to cross alone.

Fortunately, she no longer had to.