Commander's Rounds Volume 1

Entry 68: Master of Ceremonies

The commander was meeting with Incomparable. Or rather, she came into his office because she'd had a brainwave that just couldn't wait for him to hear about. "So, commander, I know I'm not quite ready to be put back in action, but I had an idea of how we might make better use of me once I'm cleared to return to duty."

The commander was, at least, open to new ideas. "All right, I'd like to see what you have in mind."

Incomparable placed a drawing on the commander's desk. "Nothing more than improvements to my equipment that would further enhance my strengths."

The commander looked at the drawing. It was a profile view of Incomparable and her rigging, only with a rather substantial addition- specifically, a large, multi-stage booster rocket attached to the back of her rigging and running parallel to the water. The only text on the drawing was the word "FAST" written underneath. The commander looked at the battlecruiser. "You think this will actually help?"

"I don't see how rapid response couldn't help." She was entirely sincere.

The commander raised his eyebrows briefly, and handed the drawing back to Incomparable. He then made a decision that he figured had a not insignificant chance of being regrettable. "...Why don't you take this to Yuubari and Marblehead- They'll be able to see if it's feasible or not with our current technology."

"Yes, commander!" And so Incomparable hurried out to do exactly that. The commander figured they'd either tell the battlecruiser that her idea wouldn't work, or they'd actually find a way to make it work, and he'd have another (absolutely crazy) device in his toolbox for... Whatever problem he'd need a shipgirl traveling at over Mach 4 to solve.

The commander's schedule did at least have him meeting with one of his more grounded battlecruisers, so there was that, at least. While Repulse was reluctant to go against her countrywomen, Hiei seemed to have her own views about the fact that the rebels were around at all. She wasn't angry about it or anything, but she actually volunteered ahead of even her sisters for any action taken against the wayward Kansen.

However, his meeting with Hiei wasn't for some kind of operational planning, nor was it even any kind of mere social call. He was being invited to something special- something he had earned the right to attend.

While the Sakura tea ceremony was used for things like life occasions and also to mark the changing of the seasons, there was also another circumstance in which it could be used, which was to focus their minds on a battle that may be at hand.

However, there was something else the commander knew, which was that Hiei had never used it for this purpose before.

He was dimly aware of the reason why. To many of the warriors of the Sakura Empire, the Sirens that had tried to seize control of all the world were effectively vermin who were undeserving of a dignified life or death, but other Kansen who had rendered long service and fought in deadly battles were foes that were worthy of a certain level of respect. The autonomous hordes of the Sirens could be disposed of without a second thought, and rarely even a first, but challenging other veteran shipgirls to battle was an undertaking that required a certain amount of moral and spiritual focus.

After all, there were few fights that could be as ugly as fights within a family.

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The commander arrived at Hiei's place late in the afternoon, and she greeted him with a deep bow and a smile. He had dressed in a kimono that Houshou made for him after he first came to take command- it was black, with a pattern of tall, rolling waves around the hem and the sleeves. Hiei herself had her own kimono, a subdued purple. "Thank you for gracing us with your honored presence, shikikan-sama."