Four (7 December)
Oct. 31st, 2020 12:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
drewkittyFour (7 December)
"The only thing worse than a battle lost is a battle won." Arthur Wellesley, 1815
A hospital full of shattered and burnt sailors.
The pride of the Pacific Fleet, USS Arizona, sunk by bombs.
Rescue teams - one of them very odd - frantically working to cut through the hull and save sailors trapped in the wreckage of USS Oklahoma.
And the Japanese had done it.
What occupied his mind was what they had not accomplished.
They had not destroyed Pearl.
They had not wrecked Hickam.
The fleet fuel depot was intact.
Most importantly - most critically - USS Enterprise had been at sea, and was out of harm's way.
And a mere Captain, of a single ship, was passionately arguing to throw her right back in.
If the Admiral had not seen what that one ship could do...
"There are five Japanese carriers. Three are burning. One is undamaged. This is the opportunity to destroy it, and better odds you will not get.
"Also, we may have a helicopter crew in the water."
Men in the water. But in war men die in thousands, and the odd aeroplane's pilots would have to take their chances.
"We will of course escort the carrier."
"You claim to be under my orders. You will do what I order, Captain. Is that understood?"
"Aye aye, Admiral."
The future American Navy might be a very strange organization indeed. But they still knew how to take orders.
That made it his decision.
Grasp the nettle.
"Radio! Message to Enterprise. Enemy carrier group at following coordinates. Engage and destroy immediately. The whole world is watching."
"The only thing worse than a battle lost is a battle won." Arthur Wellesley, 1815
A hospital full of shattered and burnt sailors.
The pride of the Pacific Fleet, USS Arizona, sunk by bombs.
Rescue teams - one of them very odd - frantically working to cut through the hull and save sailors trapped in the wreckage of USS Oklahoma.
And the Japanese had done it.
What occupied his mind was what they had not accomplished.
They had not destroyed Pearl.
They had not wrecked Hickam.
The fleet fuel depot was intact.
Most importantly - most critically - USS Enterprise had been at sea, and was out of harm's way.
And a mere Captain, of a single ship, was passionately arguing to throw her right back in.
If the Admiral had not seen what that one ship could do...
"There are five Japanese carriers. Three are burning. One is undamaged. This is the opportunity to destroy it, and better odds you will not get.
"Also, we may have a helicopter crew in the water."
Men in the water. But in war men die in thousands, and the odd aeroplane's pilots would have to take their chances.
"We will of course escort the carrier."
"You claim to be under my orders. You will do what I order, Captain. Is that understood?"
"Aye aye, Admiral."
The future American Navy might be a very strange organization indeed. But they still knew how to take orders.
That made it his decision.
Grasp the nettle.
"Radio! Message to Enterprise. Enemy carrier group at following coordinates. Engage and destroy immediately. The whole world is watching."
