The Prince Of Wales

Chapter 19: Repulse

Two brown haired individuals hesitated at the entrance to the corridor. They both looked intently into the expansive room before them. Neither of them could take their eyes off the sleeping girl who still remained.

"Commander. Are you coming?" Her fellow British destroyer asked somewhat impatiently. She waved her arms for added effect.

The man she had addressed was largely physically unmoved, as his gaze on the sleeping F class destroyer was not distracted by the loud inquiry of the J class destroyer. However, the R class battlecruiser stood at her fellow brunette's side wasn't so steadfast in her gaze or her stillness. She turned to look at the purple haired girl and simply nodded.

She was greeted by a smile in agreement, and turned her attention to the officer next to her. "Don't worry commander," the woman said in her rather high pitched voice. "I'm sure Fortune will be fine," she reassured him.

He didn't move, but he did speak in response. "I suppose," he said slowly, still unsure.

"She needs her rest, and we have work to do," she replied in an ever so slightly more forceful tone.

Riley MacLean gave one last long look at HMS Fortune. "Alright," he said and turned to face the woman beside him. "I'll need to lead you to the other end of the base," he said and took her hand.

"Okay," she responded slowly.

He then quickly removed his hand. "I'm sorry Repulse. I should have asked," he apologized briskly.

"It's okay," Repulse responded. "You noticed, and I could tell your apology was sincere," she said and winked at him.

At that, Riley couldn't help but smile back at the Battlecruiser, and the pair of them walked down the long hallway, side by side.

They walked the full length of the long corridor and eventually came to its end. Repulse examined the room that lay in front of them. A large, two part desk with two chairs behind it, a filing cabinet, a two person couch, a coffee table, a door, and the entrance to another hallway dotted the room.

"Are we to proceed through that door?" Repulse asked the commander.

He shook his head and pointed towards the other hallway, "This way," he said and nodded in the direction before the two of them started off.

Their walk down the majority of the hallway was largely uneventful. The pair had trekked a majority of the way down the corridor before Repulse decided to try to spark up some semblance of a conversation. "Commander," she began in a rather calm manner. "Am I permitted to know your last name?" She stated in a manner somewhat close to that of a formal request.

"I don't see why not," the officer responded in a rather earnest manner.

At this response, Repulse seemed slightly taken aback. Even with the brief change in her demeanor, she kept her stride the same.

The commander opened his mouth to speak before he thought better of what his initial response was going to be. "Is that," he finally replied rather slowly, "surprising?"

"It's a bit strange in a sense," Repulse began. "But I'm sure the details would be too boring," she said rather briskly.

"If you say so," Riley responded calmly and shrugged. "I haven't actually told you my last name yet, and for that I apologize," he spoke in a respectful manner. "My last name is MacLean."

Repulse smiled for the first time in more than a minute. "Then it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Commander MacLean," she said in a very formal tone.

He took note of that sudden turn in tone, but he dismissed as the respect offered to his position. "Agreed," he smiled back as the end of the hallway was closing in on them.