The Destroyermen

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"Mr. Garrett reports a surface target!!" Norman Kutas yelled to the captain. "Bearing one-seven-zero! Range five-five-double-ohh!"
They rushed to the starboard bridgewing and brought up their binoculars. A dark form was taking shape behind them as the squall dispersed. It was bows-on and listing to port. Smoke poured from amidships and slanted downwind. Even at this range, tiny figures were visible on the foredeck, wrestling with a fire hose.
"Ohh my god, Skipper!" Reynolds said. "Its... its Mahan! She's still afloat!"
"Barely," Dirk said, surprised to see the ship as well. "Come about!!"
Walker made a wide, slow turn to avoid having more water pour through her perforated sides. Once pointed at her sister, she sprinted to her. Everyone was at least secretly terrified by the prospect of turning back. But one man dressed in dark khaki, standing on the foredeck, silently cursed the ill luck that showed them Mahan. If they hadn’t seen her, hadn’t known she was there, they could have continued on. That would have salved his conscience—not seeing her—even if he knew she was there. But there she was, in obvious distress and at the moment with no enemy in sight. He fumed. Of course that upstart on the bridge would risk all their lives. He’d been safer in Surabaya! And the way he’d been treated was an outrage! He was an officer, by God, a fighter pilot! And to be forced to perform manual labor—and be physically threatened to do so—alongside common sailors was beyond the pale. Heads would roll for this, he decided. He had friends and he’d remember. Now if they could just go ! But there was Mahan , damn it. They were all going to die for the sake of a ship that was already doomed. He shoved an empty shell casing savagely over the side with his shoe. What Captain Kaufman didn’t realize was that most of the destroyermen on DD-163 wouldn’t have cared if Amagi still stood between them and their sister. They hadn’t expected to last this long, and the deck was stacked against them whether they went back or ran away. They might as well die doing the right thing.

Connie glanced to Isaac and Adrian when they entered the room, then glanced at the bodies and sighed. "I know it's a grim duty, but I need some people to help get the dead out of here to make room for the living. Get some others to help you if you want, but I need the space cleared."
 
"Mr. Garrett reports a surface target!!" Norman Kutas yelled to the captain. "Bearing one-seven-zero! Range five-five-double-ohh!"
They rushed to the starboard bridgewing and brought up their binoculars. A dark form was taking shape behind them as the squall dispersed. It was bows-on and listing to port. Smoke poured from amidships and slanted downwind. Even at this range, tiny figures were visible on the foredeck, wrestling with a fire hose.
"Ohh my god, Skipper!" Reynolds said. "Its... its Mahan! She's still afloat!"
"Barely," Dirk said, surprised to see the ship as well. "Come about!!"
Walker made a wide, slow turn to avoid having more water pour through her perforated sides. Once pointed at her sister, she sprinted to her. Everyone was at least secretly terrified by the prospect of turning back. But one man dressed in dark khaki, standing on the foredeck, silently cursed the ill luck that showed them Mahan. If they hadn’t seen her, hadn’t known she was there, they could have continued on. That would have salved his conscience—not seeing her—even if he knew she was there. But there she was, in obvious distress and at the moment with no enemy in sight. He fumed. Of course that upstart on the bridge would risk all their lives. He’d been safer in Surabaya! And the way he’d been treated was an outrage! He was an officer, by God, a fighter pilot! And to be forced to perform manual labor—and be physically threatened to do so—alongside common sailors was beyond the pale. Heads would roll for this, he decided. He had friends and he’d remember. Now if they could just go ! But there was Mahan , damn it. They were all going to die for the sake of a ship that was already doomed. He shoved an empty shell casing savagely over the side with his shoe. What Captain Kaufman didn’t realize was that most of the destroyermen on DD-163 wouldn’t have cared if Amagi still stood between them and their sister. They hadn’t expected to last this long, and the deck was stacked against them whether they went back or ran away. They might as well die doing the right thing.

Connie glanced to Isaac and Adrian when they entered the room, then glanced at the bodies and sighed. "I know it's a grim duty, but I need some people to help get the dead out of here to make room for the living. Get some others to help you if you want, but I need the space cleared."
"Burial at sea is the best these men are gonna get." Adrian said to no one in particular as he looked at the bodies. "Come Issac it seems our grim duty is upon us." Adrian walked to the end of the first body and grabbed the leg's while Issac grabbed the shoulders and gently took the body up the stairs and to the edge of the ship, he quietly said a small prayer even though he was not much of a religious man he still knew that these young men had met their god and a prayer would not hurt. After they tossed the first body Adrian looked around for someone to help and low and behold a man in dark khaki standing doing nothing. "Hey you, we need help and you ain't doing anything standing there, come help us." Adrian commanded the man.
 
"Burial at sea is the best these men are gonna get." Adrian said to no one in particular as he looked at the bodies. "Come Issac it seems our grim duty is upon us." Adrian walked to the end of the first body and grabbed the leg's while Issac grabbed the shoulders and gently took the body up the stairs and to the edge of the ship, he quietly said a small prayer even though he was not much of a religious man he still knew that these young men had met their god and a prayer would not hurt. After they tossed the first body Adrian looked around for someone to help and low and behold a man in dark khaki standing doing nothing. "Hey you, we need help and you ain't doing anything standing there, come help us." Adrian commanded the man.
Kaufman looked over at Adrian in a bit of disgust. "Are you kidding me? Now I'm getting ordered around by a fucking Marine SERGEANT?! This is unbelievable, I'm a Lieutenant in the United States Air Force, for god's sake! Ohh, and by the way, bodies float, fuckwads." He pointed to the now-floating corpse of the man that Isaac and Adrian had just tossed over the side. "You gotta weigh them down with something, otherwise they'll just float on the surface and get eaten by the gulls."
 
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Kaufman looked over at Adrian in a bit of disgust. "Are you kidding me? Now I'm getting ordered around by a fucking Marine SERGEANT?! This is unbelievable, I'm a Lieutenant in the United States Air Force, for god's sake! Ohh, and by the way, bodies float, fuckwads." He pointed to the now-floating corpse of the man that Isaac and Adrian had just tossed over the side. "You gotta weigh them down with something, otherwise they'll just float on the surface and get eaten by the gulls."
"Yes you prissy fly boy, I am ordering you to help us and what should I weigh them down with? Hmm maybe I'll toss you on out to so you can keep the gulls away." Adrian stood to his full height about a head taller than the shit stain in front of him. "If you want some type of preferential treatment you should have stayed in Hawaii but you are in the army air core and if you look into the sky you will see their is nothing there for you to shoot at so get working." Adrian had dealt with men like this, men who thought they owned the world but it was just a battle of wills.
 
"Yes you prissy fly boy, I am ordering you to help us and what should I weigh them down with? Hmm maybe I'll toss you on out to so you can keep the gulls away." Adrian stood to his full height about a head taller than the shit stain in front of him. "If you want some type of preferential treatment you should have stayed in Hawaii but you are in the army air core and if you look into the sky you will see their is nothing there for you to shoot at so get working." Adrian had dealt with men like this, men who thought they owned the world but it was just a battle of wills.
They ran down on Mahan and hove to upwind. Norm kept Walker poised about forty yards off the other destroyer's beam. Dirk went onto the bridgewing with a speaking trumpet and stared at the other ship. She looked doomed. She was low by the bow and her forward superstructure was a shattered wreck. Smoke gushed from the ventilation hatches above the aft fireroom and men directed hoses into them. More smoke still wisped from the first two funnels, so the forward fireroom must be okay, but her aft deckhouse and auxiliary conn were wrecked, so her only means of maneuvering was still the exposed steering cables. The number four funnel was gone, probably rolled over the side to clear the deck, and the searchlight tower had fallen across the number one torpedo mount, crumpling the tubes. Men on the amidships deckhouse manned the guns, but everyone else seemed too busy trying to save their ship to even talk to Dirk.

"I saw quite a few dud Jap secondary shells rolling around in the lower hull," Isaac said. "We could use those since they aren't of any use to us."
Kaufman was about to snap another remark when he paused, then groaned and decided against it. Something about the water here gave him a bad feeling, and he definitely didn't want Adrian to toss him off the side. "Fine, I'll help, what do want me to do, Mr. Grunt?"
 
They ran down on Mahan and hove to upwind. Norm kept Walker poised about forty yards off the other destroyer's beam. Dirk went onto the bridgewing with a speaking trumpet and stared at the other ship. She looked doomed. She was low by the bow and her forward superstructure was a shattered wreck. Smoke gushed from the ventilation hatches above the aft fireroom and men directed hoses into them. More smoke still wisped from the first two funnels, so the forward fireroom must be okay, but her aft deckhouse and auxiliary conn were wrecked, so her only means of maneuvering was still the exposed steering cables. The number four funnel was gone, probably rolled over the side to clear the deck, and the searchlight tower had fallen across the number one torpedo mount, crumpling the tubes. Men on the amidships deckhouse manned the guns, but everyone else seemed too busy trying to save their ship to even talk to Dirk.

"I saw quite a few dud Jap secondary shells rolling around in the lower hull," Isaac said. "We could use those since they aren't of any use to us."
Kaufman was about to snap another remark when he paused, then groaned and decided against it. Something about the water here gave him a bad feeling, and he definitely didn't want Adrian to toss him off the side. "Fine, I'll help, what do want me to do, Mr. Grunt?"
"Let's go take out some dud shells Mr. Flyboy, and get you a weapon in the event we get boarded of god forbid end up on a Jap held island. Make no mistake we may not agree with each other but when it hits the fan we will be relying on each other." Adrian said as Isaac Kaufman and he walked to the lower hull to deal with the shells but before that they all stopped at an armory where Adrian grabbed more En blocks for his garand while he grabbed two 1911's for his to pilots with him.
 
(Sorry if my replies are slower, just got an xbox one and well it's been eating all my free time.)
 
Isaac and Kaufman followed after Adrian, each taking the pistol that the Marine handed to them and attaching it to their belts, then continued after him into the lower hull to get some of the dud Jap shells to use as weights for the bodies of the fallen destroyermen.

@Dakota K5
(That's alright, if I got something like that or even a PS3/XBOX 360/better computer or something, that'd start absorbing all my free time as well. lol)
 
Isaac and Kaufman followed after Adrian, each taking the pistol that the Marine handed to them and attaching it to their belts, then continued after him into the lower hull to get some of the dud Jap shells to use as weights for the bodies of the fallen destroyermen.

@Dakota K5
(That's alright, if I got something like that or even a PS3/XBOX 360/better computer or something, that'd start absorbing all my free time as well. lol)
They kept their work up until they started to get closer to the Mahan, they knew help would be needed if their were any survivors left to rescue on the Mahan.

(on a side note I am rally enjoying this RP.)
 
They kept their work up until they started to get closer to the Mahan, they knew help would be needed if their were any survivors left to rescue on the Mahan.

(on a side note I am rally enjoying this RP.)
(Yeah, same here, though they've actually been alongside Mahan for a while now. lol)
Eventually they got the bodies of all of Walker's fallen crewmembers out of the wardroom and had them temporarily stowed in the aft deckhouse where they wouldn't be out in the sun. There had only been seven dud Jap shells that they could find in the lower hull, but they were able to gather up some other weights from some of the miscellaneous metal debris that was littering the decks. They were going to hold off on tossing the bodies of their fallen overboard for right now just so that they would be able to do a proper service and burial at sea for them, if they found they had the time. Mahan was in a really bad spot. Captain Miles Atkinson, along with his entire bridge crew, had been killed by the shell that turned Mahan's bridge into the twisted pile of scrap it was now. Lieutenant Brister, her engineering officer, had taken command of what little remained of the ship and her crew. Of almost 120 officers and enlisted aboard her when they departed Surabaya, almost half were dead now, though there were surprisingly few who were wounded. Her steering gear was completely gone, so her only means of maneuvering was for men on the deck to physically pull on the exposed steering cables to move the rudder themselves, though she definitely wasn't going anywhere just yet.

"Skipper," reported Sandison, the torpedo chief. "Lookout reports something 'screwy' in the water, dead ahead, about two miles. Wait a minute! He thinks it's a submarine!"
"Signal Mahan that we're investigating a possible submarine. SONAR's still out?"
"Yes, sir," came the reply. "The XO had us working on it, but... we might still get it working if--"
"Just put it in your report." More worn-out equipment.
"Sir, Mr. Garrett sees it too, and damned if it don't look like a sub to him," said Kutas. "He says there's debris and people in the water around it. Might be a sub taking on survivors from that Nip can we sank."
"Sound general quarters! All ahead full. Maybe we'll catch 'em on the surface."
Walker's stern bit into the water again and she surged forwards towards her newest target.

"Ohh god, now what?" Isaac groaned as the general quarters alarm blared again and he quickly made his way towards the foredeck.
 
(Yeah, same here, though they've actually been alongside Mahan for a while now. lol)
Eventually they got the bodies of all of Walker's fallen crewmembers out of the wardroom and had them temporarily stowed in the aft deckhouse where they wouldn't be out in the sun. There had only been seven dud Jap shells that they could find in the lower hull, but they were able to gather up some other weights from some of the miscellaneous metal debris that was littering the decks. They were going to hold off on tossing the bodies of their fallen overboard for right now just so that they would be able to do a proper service and burial at sea for them, if they found they had the time. Mahan was in a really bad spot. Captain Miles Atkinson, along with his entire bridge crew, had been killed by the shell that turned Mahan's bridge into the twisted pile of scrap it was now. Lieutenant Brister, her engineering officer, had taken command of what little remained of the ship and her crew. Of almost 120 officers and enlisted aboard her when they departed Surabaya, almost half were dead now, though there were surprisingly few who were wounded. Her steering gear was completely gone, so her only means of maneuvering was for men on the deck to physically pull on the exposed steering cables to move the rudder themselves, though she definitely wasn't going anywhere just yet.

"Skipper," reported Sandison, the torpedo chief. "Lookout reports something 'screwy' in the water, dead ahead, about two miles. Wait a minute! He thinks it's a submarine!"
"Signal Mahan that we're investigating a possible submarine. SONAR's still out?"
"Yes, sir," came the reply. "The XO had us working on it, but... we might still get it working if--"
"Just put it in your report." More worn-out equipment.
"Sir, Mr. Garrett sees it too, and damned if it don't look like a sub to him," said Kutas. "He says there's debris and people in the water around it. Might be a sub taking on survivors from that Nip can we sank."
"Sound general quarters! All ahead full. Maybe we'll catch 'em on the surface."
Walker's stern bit into the water again and she surged forwards towards her newest target.

"Ohh god, now what?" Isaac groaned as the general quarters alarm blared again and he quickly made his way towards the foredeck.
"What ever it is we need to get ready." Adrian said as he and the other two moved to find a place helpful whether that be on a gun, running ammo or getting other sailors to where they need to be. Adrian's mind tugged at him as men ran about this was almost to surreal, the situation that had just put them here was all but forgotten now that these men had a job to do and nothing would stop them in that duty.

(Got bad news sorta, I got a job and am only off on Wednesdays and Thursdays so most of my posts will be on those days.)
 
"What ever it is we need to get ready." Adrian said as he and the other two moved to find a place helpful whether that be on a gun, running ammo or getting other sailors to where they need to be. Adrian's mind tugged at him as men ran about this was almost to surreal, the situation that had just put them here was all but forgotten now that these men l
"What ever it is we need to get ready." Adrian said as he and the other two moved to find a place helpful whether that be on a gun, running ammo or getting other sailors to where they need to be. Adrian's mind tugged at him as men ran about this was almost to surreal, the situation that had just put them here was all but forgotten now that these men had a job to do and nothing would stop them in that duty.

(Got bad news sorta, I got a job and am only off on Wednesdays and Thursdays so most of my posts will be on those days.)
had a job to do and nothing would stop them in that duty.

(Got bad news sorta, I got a job and am only off on Wednesdays and Thursdays so most of my posts will be on those days.)
"Surface action bow!" shouted Garrett over the comm. "Estimate range two-two-double-ohh! Target is stationary! Match pointers!" Fire control was still a mess, but it was back online. He watched a dark shape, barely on the surface, like a flooded-down submarine, ease slowly through ta group of men in the water. He didn't feel good about firing on helpless men, even if they were the enemy, but her was about to give the order when a strange thought occurred. He leaned over the speaking tube without taking the binoculars from his eyes. “Skipper, something’s not right.”
Dirk snatched the headset from his talker and spoke into it. “What do you mean?”
“Sir, something is screwy. The sub’s moving a little, but there’s no conning tower. And the men in the water seem to be trying to get away from it. I see splashing. There’re not many men, sir, just a few, but they look . . . upset.”
For several moments, as they drew closer to the object, no one said anything. “Skipper . . . ? Do you think it’s one of our boats? Maybe that’s why the Japs don’t want to get aboard. I’ve heard they won’t surrender.”
“I don’t think so, Greg. I’m looking at it too. It doesn’t look like any sub I ever saw. We have quite a few boats out here, but none look like that.”
Reynolds was in the crow’s nest and his voice suddenly crackled on the line. “Holy shit . . . Sir! That’s not a sub. It’s a great big stinkin’ fish!”
Garret blinked. He’d seen a submarine because he expected to see a submarine. As soon as Reynolds spoke, he realized the young seaman was right. "Jesus Christ! Skipper, it is a fish, or a whale or something and it's... I think it's eating those Japs!"
"Commence firing!!"
"Aye, aye, sir! Gun number one, range is now, ah, one-four-five-ohh! Match pointers! Commence firing!" He was so distracted by... whatever was swimming lazily about, snatching the struggling sailors, he didn't press the salvo buzzer. The gun on the foredeck boomed anyway, and a split second later a geyser erupted a little beyond the target.
"Gun one, correction! Down sixty, three rounds, resume firing!" Three shells slammed out just as fast as the breech was opened and another round was loaded. A tight group of waterspouts erupted on and around the creature; a tinge of red intermingled with the spray. The thing heaved itself from the water and in the gathering gloom Isaac got an impression of a long, pointed flipper, like a right whale. But he also saw an elongated, tooth-studded snout like a crocodile's, snapping viciously at the spume as the beast slapped back into the sea. Two more large flippers churned the surface and propelled the monster beneath the waves.
"God a'mighty..." Isaac said, looking to Adrian and hoping he'd confirm that he hadn't just seen that... thing.

(That's alright, congrats on the job, though!)
 
"Surface action bow!" shouted Garrett over the comm. "Estimate range two-two-double-ohh! Target is stationary! Match pointers!" Fire control was still a mess, but it was back online. He watched a dark shape, barely on the surface, like a flooded-down submarine, ease slowly through ta group of men in the water. He didn't feel good about firing on helpless men, even if they were the enemy, but her was about to give the order when a strange thought occurred. He leaned over the speaking tube without taking the binoculars from his eyes. “Skipper, something’s not right.”
Dirk snatched the headset from his talker and spoke into it. “What do you mean?”
“Sir, something is screwy. The sub’s moving a little, but there’s no conning tower. And the men in the water seem to be trying to get away from it. I see splashing. There’re not many men, sir, just a few, but they look . . . upset.”
For several moments, as they drew closer to the object, no one said anything. “Skipper . . . ? Do you think it’s one of our boats? Maybe that’s why the Japs don’t want to get aboard. I’ve heard they won’t surrender.”
“I don’t think so, Greg. I’m looking at it too. It doesn’t look like any sub I ever saw. We have quite a few boats out here, but none look like that.”
Reynolds was in the crow’s nest and his voice suddenly crackled on the line. “Holy shit . . . Sir! That’s not a sub. It’s a great big stinkin’ fish!”
Garret blinked. He’d seen a submarine because he expected to see a submarine. As soon as Reynolds spoke, he realized the young seaman was right. "Jesus Christ! Skipper, it is a fish, or a whale or something and it's... I think it's eating those Japs!"
"Commence firing!!"
"Aye, aye, sir! Gun number one, range is now, ah, one-four-five-ohh! Match pointers! Commence firing!" He was so distracted by... whatever was swimming lazily about, snatching the struggling sailors, he didn't press the salvo buzzer. The gun on the foredeck boomed anyway, and a split second later a geyser erupted a little beyond the target.
"Gun one, correction! Down sixty, three rounds, resume firing!" Three shells slammed out just as fast as the breech was opened and another round was loaded. A tight group of waterspouts erupted on and around the creature; a tinge of red intermingled with the spray. The thing heaved itself from the water and in the gathering gloom Isaac got an impression of a long, pointed flipper, like a right whale. But he also saw an elongated, tooth-studded snout like a crocodile's, snapping viciously at the spume as the beast slapped back into the sea. Two more large flippers churned the surface and propelled the monster beneath the waves.
"God a'mighty..." Isaac said, looking to Adrian and hoping he'd confirm that he hadn't just seen that... thing.

(That's alright, congrats on the job, though!)
"Yep." Adrian said to Isaac's unasked question. "That was what you saw and yes it was eating the japs, no I don't know what it was." Adrian said to all the questions he thought were about to be asked. "Well at least it's not a jap battleship and that means our shells will kill it...I hope." Adrian just sat against the rails of the ship, he got a shocked look from Isaac. "Look none of us will be able to harm that thing with rifles or pistols so i'm gonna rest and I suggest you two do the same." He said addressing both Isaac and Kaufman.
 
"Yep." Adrian said to Isaac's unasked question. "That was what you saw and yes it was eating the japs, no I don't know what it was." Adrian said to all the questions he thought were about to be asked. "Well at least it's not a jap battleship and that means our shells will kill it...I hope." Adrian just sat against the rails of the ship, he got a shocked look from Isaac. "Look none of us will be able to harm that thing with rifles or pistols so i'm gonna rest and I suggest you two do the same." He said addressing both Isaac and Kaufman.
As they drew near the few remaining men, clinging desperately to floating debris, the surface of the sea churned again with hundreds of silvery shapes schooling around the survivors. Isaac and the others watched in horror as the fish struck. They looked like tuna, but acted like piranha. They were close enough now that one could hear the screams of agony.
"All back two-thirds! Right ten degrees rudder!" Dirk yelled. He leaned through the shattered window and shouted at the foredeck below. "Boats! Get those men out of the water NOW!!" He looked at Kutas and spoke in a more normal tone. "Rudder amidships, all stop. Keep them in our lee." He looked down from the port bridgewing as Isaac did the same on the deck below. The sea churned with a horrifying frenzy that reminded the pilot of an old reel he'd once seen of a cow carcass thrown into the Amazon. He'd been fascinated as he watched the voracious fish reduce the carcass to a mere skeleton within moments. Now he fought to control his stomach as hundreds of much larger fish attacked the struggling Japanese in much the same fashion. What were they? He was no expert in marine life by any means, but he'd never seen such a thing. By the expressions on the faces of the other men, neither had anyone else. Only Chief Fiske seemed immune to the shock. He went about his task with a single-minded efficiency that Isaac could only envy, as though huge sea monsters and man-eating fish lurked in the water every day. Which they did, but not like this.
"Come on you maggots!" the bosun roared. "I need a cargo net, ropes, and ladders secured to the deck and thrown over the side and I need it done NOW! Come on, Horn, move your goddamn feet before I toss you out there to deal with those things yourself! You!" he pointed to Isaac and Adrian. "I don't want any bystanders, only workers! You may not be part of this crew or even Navy, but you're on MY deck and I give the orders here, so get your sorry asses moving!"
 
As they drew near the few remaining men, clinging desperately to floating debris, the surface of the sea churned again with hundreds of silvery shapes schooling around the survivors. Isaac and the others watched in horror as the fish struck. They looked like tuna, but acted like piranha. They were close enough now that one could hear the screams of agony.
"All back two-thirds! Right ten degrees rudder!" Dirk yelled. He leaned through the shattered window and shouted at the foredeck below. "Boats! Get those men out of the water NOW!!" He looked at Kutas and spoke in a more normal tone. "Rudder amidships, all stop. Keep them in our lee." He looked down from the port bridgewing as Isaac did the same on the deck below. The sea churned with a horrifying frenzy that reminded the pilot of an old reel he'd once seen of a cow carcass thrown into the Amazon. He'd been fascinated as he watched the voracious fish reduce the carcass to a mere skeleton within moments. Now he fought to control his stomach as hundreds of much larger fish attacked the struggling Japanese in much the same fashion. What were they? He was no expert in marine life by any means, but he'd never seen such a thing. By the expressions on the faces of the other men, neither had anyone else. Only Chief Fiske seemed immune to the shock. He went about his task with a single-minded efficiency that Isaac could only envy, as though huge sea monsters and man-eating fish lurked in the water every day. Which they did, but not like this.
"Come on you maggots!" the bosun roared. "I need a cargo net, ropes, and ladders secured to the deck and thrown over the side and I need it done NOW! Come on, Horn, move your goddamn feet before I toss you out there to deal with those things yourself! You!" he pointed to Isaac and Adrian. "I don't want any bystanders, only workers! You may not be part of this crew or even Navy, but you're on MY deck and I give the orders here, so get your sorry asses moving!"
Adrian grabbed his rifle off his back, he noticed these fish were getting near the surface of the water to attack the japs and he would be able to use that. He took aim ignoring the shouts of surprise and distress and squeezed the trigger sending a 30-06 round into one of the fish before it was able to rip into another jap. The thing turned off as blood poured out of it's wound while several of it's kind attacked it as it was bleeding. He fired more rounds drawing the school of these fish off the japs sailors in the water and onto the other wounded fish. "Get them out I only got so much ammo." Adrian said as he loaded in another clip into his Garand.
 
Adrian grabbed his rifle off his back, he noticed these fish were getting near the surface of the water to attack the japs and he would be able to use that. He took aim ignoring the shouts of surprise and distress and squeezed the trigger sending a 30-06 round into one of the fish before it was able to rip into another jap. The thing turned off as blood poured out of it's wound while several of it's kind attacked it as it was bleeding. He fired more rounds drawing the school of these fish off the japs sailors in the water and onto the other wounded fish. "Get them out I only got so much ammo." Adrian said as he loaded in another clip into his Garand.
In spite of Gray's efficiency and Adrian's shooting, before the bosun could assemble a party to throw lines to the survivors, there was no one left to save. A froth of flashing fins and teeth marked the spot where the last swimmer had disappeared. The rest of the swarm began to disperse or snatch tiny morsels drifting here and there. Alone upon the gently rolling sea, an overturned lifeboat bobbed with two forms precariously balanced. One seemed unconscious, and the other hovered over the first with a split and badly gnawed oar in his hands. He now regarded the Americans with inscrutable Asian eyes. His stoic face hadn't changed expression since he had battled the carnivorous fish and the submarine-sized cross between a whale and a crocodile. We're just different enemies, Dirk thought. "Anyone here speak Japanese?" he hollered out over the foredeck, hoping to get a positive response.
 
In spite of Gray's efficiency and Adrian's shooting, before the bosun could assemble a party to throw lines to the survivors, there was no one left to save. A froth of flashing fins and teeth marked the spot where the last swimmer had disappeared. The rest of the swarm began to disperse or snatch tiny morsels drifting here and there. Alone upon the gently rolling sea, an overturned lifeboat bobbed with two forms precariously balanced. One seemed unconscious, and the other hovered over the first with a split and badly gnawed oar in his hands. He now regarded the Americans with inscrutable Asian eyes. His stoic face hadn't changed expression since he had battled the carnivorous fish and the submarine-sized cross between a whale and a crocodile. We're just different enemies, Dirk thought. "Anyone here speak Japanese?" he hollered out over the foredeck, hoping to get a positive response.
Adrian raised his hand. "I know enough to communicate with the man." Adrian said to Dirk's question, He walked to the edge of the boat and looked down at the Japanese sailor who was conscious. (I'm going to use underlined text to indicate if a conversation on my side is in another language if that's agreeable with you.) "You seem to be in a bad situation down there sailor and your friend is in worse shape, their is no honor in letting your fellow die passed out rather than in combat so why don't you let us get you two on board and while I can't promise much I will make sure you are both treated humanly." Adrian said to the man as his lifeboat seemed to be on it's last legs.

(Found a work around so that I can post more often then just Wednesdays and Thursdays.)
 
Adrian raised his hand. "I know enough to communicate with the man." Adrian said to Dirk's question, He walked to the edge of the boat and looked down at the Japanese sailor who was conscious. (I'm going to use underlined text to indicate if a conversation on my side is in another language if that's agreeable with you.) "You seem to be in a bad situation down there sailor and your friend is in worse shape, their is no honor in letting your fellow die passed out rather than in combat so why don't you let us get you two on board and while I can't promise much I will make sure you are both treated humanly." Adrian said to the man as his lifeboat seemed to be on it's last legs.

(Found a work around so that I can post more often then just Wednesdays and Thursdays.)
(Yeah, that'll work pretty well.)

"No!" the Jap shouted, his terror likely fueling irrational stubbornness. "I won't... can't surrender! Especially not to Americans!" He glanced down at the man sitting beside him, then back up at Adrian and still held his oar in a white-knuckled death grip.
 
(Yeah, that'll work pretty well.)

"No!" the Jap shouted, his terror likely fueling irrational stubbornness. "I won't... can't surrender! Especially not to Americans!" He glanced down at the man sitting beside him, then back up at Adrian and still held his oar in a white-knuckled death grip.
"Do you really think that your emperor will save you? You and your island nation have already lost the war, for every man you give we have five, for every ship we have ten more being built and for every bullet I expend their are millions more being made. My nation has the industrial might to win the war by merely out producing you, I bet you get letters from home telling of food cuts for civilian diets while we have no such problem so use your head and think rather than acting out of blind faith and surrender to live and grow old, with a family and children you can be proud of as you watch them grow and start their own families and lives. Please I am begging you do not surrender for my sake, your sake or your leaders sake but for your children's, born or unborn's sake." Adrian said as he started into the man's eyes.
 
"Do you really think that your emperor will save you? You and your island nation have already lost the war, for every man you give we have five, for every ship we have ten more being built and for every bullet I expend their are millions more being made. My nation has the industrial might to win the war by merely out producing you, I bet you get letters from home telling of food cuts for civilian diets while we have no such problem so use your head and think rather than acting out of blind faith and surrender to live and grow old, with a family and children you can be proud of as you watch them grow and start their own families and lives. Please I am begging you do not surrender for my sake, your sake or your leaders sake but for your children's, born or unborn's sake." Adrian said as he started into the man's eyes.
"But... but, if I surrender..." the young Jap started. "...I will bring great dishonor upon myself and my family... they and my ancestors would be so ashamed..." He was quiet for a moment, looking around at the lethal water around him, then down at his unconscious officer beside him, before looking back up at Adrian with a noticeably softer expression. He sighed heavily, having realized the glaring truth in Adrian's words. "...alright... I surrender..." he said, tossing the oar down and grabbing the rope that was thrown to him and holding tightly onto it, the lifeboat, and his unconscious comrade as Fiske's deck apes started carefully pulling him in towards Walker. "I am doing this so you can 'rescue' my superior officer since he cannot decide for himself right now and I'd rather see him live, but if I am taken captive I would request that should I decide I want to honorably take my own life afterwards that you let me."
 
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