Legends

Interlude III~ Frenchtimes!

The Naval Base at Brest was as a general rule, not as busy as say Portsmouth or containing nearly as much shenanigans as Yokosuka. Heaven help poor Admiral Goto. That is not to say there were no shenanigans. They were simply more spontaneous and French in character. It was the job of a handful of uniquely qualified officers assigned to specific girls known to cause trouble to, if not prevent mayhem, at least limit the damage. One of these officers was Ensign Elizabeth Cye of the Royal Marines. She'd been in France when the war started and was quickly selected by Admiral Lombard to hold Dunkerque's leash after numerous displays of her impressive calming abilities on the battleships.

Thus it was Elizabeth who was sent to deal with the aftermath of yet another of Dunkerque's nightmares. The battleship had a nasty habit of deploying her rigging while having them. And while she had offered, numerous times, to stay and assist Dunkerque during these moments, the battleship had refused.

"Look at what I did, Elizabeth. You are only human. It could have been you in pieces instead of the drywall." Dunkerque rasped. Indeed what was left of her room was put into a pile, the pieces no larger than a human hand.

A small part of Elizabeth doubted Dunqurke's statement but she pushed it aside. "I know you Dunkerque. You would never hurt me."

"Not willingly." Dunkerque answered, pushing aside a lock of her brown hair and looking at her. "But this was not done willingly. This was me losing control. How would I ever forgive myself if I hurt you?"

Elizabeth smiled, her blue eyes bright even with her own red locks falling between them. "Because it wasn't your fault. Sometimes, in my own nightmares, I break the wall."

"But that's different. You don't have rigging. You can't hurt anyone." Dunkerque protested.

"Tell that to my neighbor. There's a reason I've moved onto the base. She couldn't get her sleep otherwise." Elizabeth said and they both chuckled. "Just tell me what you need. How I can help you?" She rested a hand on Dunkerque's shoulder.

The battleship lifted a hand and reached back to place it on top of hers. "You already are." She assured and nothing was more beautiful to her than Elizabeth's smile.

"Now," said the British ensign with all the characteristics of a professional and yet so gentle at the same time. "Why don't you tell me what this nightmare was about?"

"The same as all the others. Mars el Kebir. I know Teste is still angry at Hood for what that battle caused me but I don't blame her or any of them. I never did."

"I know." Elizabeth smiled. "But something more is troubling you."

"Hood has nightmares about Bismarck and it turned out they weren't entirely unfounded. I know and I'm glad New Jersey and her sisters were able to sink that Abyssal but still, what if..."

"You fear your own demons will return as Abyssal." Elizabeth nodded. "Perhaps they will. We are, after all, still trying to understand the forces that created us. But if they do return you will defeat them. Because you are a kanmusu. And you are not alone."

"Thank you." Dunkerque murmured. "One question Elizabeth?" She asked as her handler prepared to assist with the cleanup.

"Yes dear?"

"Your nightmares, what are they about?"

Elizabeth's beautiful blue eyes darkened and she pursed her lips as she struggled to recollect a time before That Day. But she just couldn't recall anything other than the flames. "Fire." She replied after a moment. "Suppose I should be grateful my worst fear can't materialize as an Abyssal."