Weapons of choice

The blank looks he received told him they hadn't boned up on their American history before accepting their postings.

"Look, I harbor no doubts about your dependability, but you can expect a lot of shit from the locals. Not so much you and your guys, Ivanov. But then, like you say, you'll have your own problems. We can sort this out properly when we have more time, but I want you to personally get around to your people and tell them to keep their heads down. Especially when we get to Pearl Harbor, or Brisbane, or the West Coast."

"We don't know where we're going yet?" asked Ivanov.

"We don't know much about anything," Kolhammer conceded. "Commander Judge has pulled together a list of the personnel you'll need to contact. Forget about your other duties until you've done this."

Sub-Lieutenant Miyazaki coughed, and spoke in a halting voice. "And what am I to do, Admiral? How do we hide a Nemesis cruiser?"

Kolhammer propped himself against his desk. The Europeans seemed almost as interested in his answer as the Japanese officer. He worked a kink out of his neck and sighed.

"The next few days won't be easy, but as long as my command remains intact I am responsible for your welfare and security. I won't allow it to be compromised. Is there anything you need, by the way?' asked Kolhammer. "Medical supplies or personnel?"

"I'm afraid our casualties were mostly killed in action," said Miyazaki. "Indeed, I have organized for our surplus medical supplies to be taken off for distribution to those vessels more in need. I understand the Kandahar is running low on burn gel and vat skin."

"Thank you, Lieutenant. That's much appreciated. I'll see to it that your generosity is acknowledged."

Miyazaki seemed truly affronted by the proposition, becoming animated for the first time in their encounter.

"That will not be necessary," he insisted. "It is not a gesture!"

"I understand that, Maseo," said Kolhammer, gently and deliberately choosing the informal, intimate form of address. "I also asked you about personnel. Being blunt about it, I had a reason. You've lost all of your senior officers. I've had significant casualties on the Leyte Gulf. We're going to lose that ship in the next few hours. It would help smooth things over with the locals if you accepted Captain Anderson and a small cadre of American officers as replacements for your casualties."

Miyazaki was silent. Kolhammer could see the effort play out on the young man's face, as he wrestled with conflicting demands and desires.

"I don't mean to be insulting, Lieutenant. But we don't have a lot of time. On the other hand we do have a shitload of resentment and fear and outright loathing to contend with. I'm going to have my hands full keeping your crew out of a prison camp."

He could see that Miyazaki was about to leap to the defense of his men. Holding up one hand, he plowed on. "I know. It's not fair. But that's just tough shit. I know that you've slaved your CI to the Clinton. I've told Spruance that, but it means nothing to him. He won't rest easy until he sees an American in charge of that ship."

"A black woman?" scoffed Miyazaki. "You think that will please him?"

Kolhammer smiled weakly. "Well, he can't have everything his own way, can he."

He felt real sympathy for the youngster. His behavior during the battle had been entirely proper and courageous. Under different circumstances it would have earned him a medal. Instead, he stood implicitly accused of being untrustworthy and dishonorable. Of lacking giri. There weren't many worse insults you could hand a Japanese fighting man, but Kolhammer had no choice. He remained motionless, perched on the arm of the couch, frantically searching for a way that Miyazaki might save face. He was thus a little startled that it was Captain Muller who was provoked into an outburst.

The German, who looked like he was chewing on something sour, barked out, "This is a lot of bullshit for nothing, Herr Admiral."

Miyazaki looked as if he was grateful for the distraction. Kolhammer chose to ignore the lack of deference.

"No, it is not bullshit, Captain. We've killed a lot of men tonight. Widowed thousands of women. Taken fathers and sons and brothers from Christ only knows how many people. And we've done Yamamoto's work for him, destroying the American Pacific Fleet. We arrived in company with a Japanese warship, and we have dozens of enemy aliens serving on our own ships. It won't matter a damn that we lost a lot of good men and women, too. There's going to be some very powerful people demanding that we all be locked up. And you men are the first ones they'll come for."

Ivanov smiled frostily. "And what will you do about this Hoover, some kind of secret policeman, yes? Will you turn him away when he comes?"

Kolhammer put down his coffee and regarded all three of them with a level gaze.