Long Live Japan

Shore Leave

Izuku POV

Year 2501

It's a nice, quiet day on the Planet Musutafu. I sit outside in full dress blues, peacefully enjoying the sunlight with my spouse on my lap, the sleep finally leaving our eyes. The afternoon sky reflected puddles of recently fallen rainwater, the hopping of frogs and the occasional breaching of worms admitted as much. The Empire has peace. I'm but 23 years old and I have a wife, a stable career and a nice house on my homeworld. My mother and sister live in the city, I visit regularly. Frankly not enough. I'm usually dry dock or deployed for months at a time, my last tour lasted 9 months straight. This will be my fifth tour. I hope it's not my last. The great expanse feels like it's getting more dangerous every year. The fleets are mobilizing, something is about to go down. Something big.

My job is simple, but vital for smooth communication and coordination. I work for the Navy as an AI maintenance. Basically, each fleet has an Admiral and an AI assisting that admiral. My job is to make sure that the AI can keep up with ship updates and fleet formations. But frankly, I never wanted that job. I want to be an actual Admiral, commanding ships, protecting the empire. All I need is a recommendation to take the Naval Aptitude exams. If I pass with a score of over 50 or under 70, I'll likely be an Officer such as First Class Engineer, Communication Specialist or if I'm lucky, a Captain. But if get 80 and above, I have a chance of becoming a fully-fledged Admiral or maybe a Rear or Vice Admiral. Hell, if I do well enough, I might be accepted onto the Admiralty Board. It's our government, the combined military and political collective of all Fleet Admirals in the Empire of Japan.

Each of the 120+ officers board on the governs a fleet. There are five types of fleets. The Civilian Fleet deals with Trade Route Protection, quelling local disputes and in some cases, rebellions. Patrol Fleets see little action since they are small and nimble, perfect to survey an area of space. The Defense Fleet guards high-value targets across the Empire, such as planets, stations and the like. Heavy Fleets are absolute forces of destruction. Only 15 are in service, used as mostly deterrents and piracy suppression. They are constantly being resupplied and in active combat because they defend us from the League Of Pirates, a paramilitary criminal organization in the Exodus Systems. The Exodus Systems are on the very edge of Imperial Space and are the only ones who have defied us and survived.

I serve in a Heavy Fleet, aboard a Reaper-class Battleship dubbed the UA Night Eye under Rear Admiral Mirai Sasaki. He's a stoic and cautious man who only answers to his Admiral, Fleet Admiral Toshinori Yagi. He's a legend in the navy, someone to look up to and be proud of. I want to be just like him, maybe even better. Either way, today I ship out, it's the end of my two-week shore leave. The rear fleet of Yagi's Armada stopped here for repairs and supplies. Apparently, our good Admiral got ambushed out in the Exodus Beta Cluster and now we have to go support him. The League has been switching from guerrilla hit and runs to firefights of week-long attrition. From 200 main ships to 130 in the amount of time is commendable, a testament to Yagi's prowess. Any other officer wouldn't have lasted 2-3 days at best.

Even so, I don't think I'll come back home. I mean, the rear contingent is only 2 Reaper-class battleships, 3 Marathon-class cruisers and a few Paris-class and Charon-class frigates. Don't get me wrong, we can do damage but we lack the same raw power as the main fleet would. All and all, we're mostly equivalent to a recon fleet, small, fast and expendable. Hell, if I was in the main contingent, I'd have served on Yagi's flagship, the All Might. Unlike most ships, the Talion-class Battlecruiser doesn't have a gun... It is the gun. It can cleanly punch a slug through most armouring and has excellent forward fire support.

"I have to get moving, Melissa," I said to the daine on my lap. Our eyes met, a sad void peering into my soul. Distraught hands gently caressed my face, a quivering lip whimpering in denial. The distant humming of shuttles and frigates coming from space made her all the more uneasy. My cold, uncalloused hands rubber her slightly inflated stomach gently. I want to come home to them.

Life isn't fair. I'm being sent to certain death and all I'd get is a KIA certificate and if I'm lucky, a burial with full military honors. At least I'll go down with the ship. "I'll be waiting. And so will Junior." She kissed my cheek and hopped off. Damn it, I love this woman.

...

It took an hour but we arrived at the Imperial Docks, South East of the main city. It was a large, shield city which housed a port for martial vessels only. There waiting was my mother and sister. Eri's smile is definitely something to come back to, it's straight from one of those inspirational magazines or whatever she reads nowadays. Lonely, broken girl learns to live like a normal person. Good stuff. "Bro! Hey, can I come with you this time?" She asked, hugging my legs tightly. Melissa and I chuckled while mother just stood there with a grin. "Eri, we've been over this," I said, trying to jog her memory. "Yeah, I know but... Fine." She pouted. Poor thing. "Mom says your doing well in school. Keeping going and I'll definitely take you." I reassured, reigniting her joyous spirit. She jumped up and down like a spring, this one.

"Y'know, ships are fun and all but remember, if the empire has needs for you elsewhere, you'll go. Right?" Added my mother. She's been quite... apprehensive about my military service. My dad was an officer, a Captain to be specific. He died protecting n outer colony aboard his ship back in '91 last year. 10 ships and their crew died that day.

Melissa held onto my arm and stared up at me. "Your mother has a point, dear." She supported. I'm getting hit from both flanks. "Yeah yeah," I muttered. "It's not that bad."

"Really now, babe?"

"Yeah... What could go wrong?"

Words 1084

Posted 1/6/2021