Against the Tide Imperial: The Struggle for Ceylon (The Usurper's War: An Alternative World War II Book 3)

by James Young

  The British officer's lips pressed into a thin line.

  Not my fault you people have weird names for your ships. I know my way around mythology, but I've never had the urge to name a ship after it.

  "The Unicorn is an aircraft repair vessel," Farmer stated. "She's got a flight deck and she was in the process of ferrying two squadrons of your new P-47s and P-38s to Addu Atoll. Rear Admiral Vian ordered her north to cover the Ark Royal's retreat and provide an additional flight deck for fighters to land on if necessary."

  Case in point. Why would someone name a carrier the Ark Royal?

  "So he's basically serving as bait?" Jacob asked, incredulous at yet another force being offered up as a sacrifice.

  "Not quite, apparently," Farmer replied. "Admiral Vian believed he would be at extreme range from the Japanese carriers this morning and that they would not launch until they found him."

  Farmer looked at the map, visibly overcome by emotion.

  "It would appear that we were quite wrong about Japanese capabilities," he stated after gathering himself. "However, the P-47s joined some P-38s and Beaufighters from Addu and ambushed the strike just as they were getting close to the task force."

  About time something broke our way.

  "There were still casualties among the fleet," Farmer stated, killing Jacob’s smile.

  "How bad?" Jacob asked.

  "The Unicorn took four torpedoes and is likely a loss," Farmer said. "The Illustrious took another. But they report heavy losses among the Japanese strike, and the extra hundred miles they had to fly probably means some of the damaged aircraft aren't going to make it home."

  Jacob nodded.

  "Hopefully our boys made it so there's not a lot of flight decks for the Japanese to land on anyway."

  Farmer looked at his watch.

  "Unless your pilots are extremely accurate or we caught them by surprise, I'm certain the Japanese will be sending a counterattack in this direction," Farmer said. "Their commander would have to be criminally negligent if he sent everything south after only Illustrious knowing this force was about in the Indian Ocean."

  Jacob nodded.

  "Of course, considering I wasn't even aware of the two extra carriers and battleships until they hove over the horizon," Farmer noted, his bitterness very thinly veiled, "I wouldn't blame them for turning and running."

  "Or alternatively calling down whatever carriers are up by Ceylon," Jacob mused. "I really hope it doesn't come to that."

  Farmer laughed bitterly.

  "Sir, the returning aircraft are twenty miles out," Lieutenant Ness stated.

  "Thank you, Lieutenant," Jacob replied. He turned to Farmer and asked, "What's so funny?"

  "When speaking of battlecruisers before World War I, some wag stated they were 'eggshells running around with triphammers,'" Farmer said. "I wonder what that man would say about bloody aircraft carriers, as it seems like things just come down to who gets their bolt off first."

  "You might be onto something," Jacob said after a moment's contemplation. "The Japanese had it all their own way at Hawaii, then again at…"

  "Aircraft attack!"

  The lookout's cry was followed shortly by one of the heavy machine guns mounted amidships opening fire. It was joined a moment later by every other light anti-aircraft weapon on the Houston, then several other ships in the task force as a trio of olive green aircraft came swooping in from the heavy cruiser's port quarter. All three aircraft arrowed towards the nearby Repulse, the red rising suns on their fuselage and wings leaving no doubt about their nationality.

  "Bloody hell," Farmer said just as the leader, then the two wingmen, released their weapons. It was the former's last act, several 40mm guns combining to blow the Japanese torpedo bomber out of the sky. The remaining two torpedo bombers turned hard away, streaking towards the rear of TF 25's formation. Jacob couldn't be sure, but he swore he saw a pair of impacts on the torpedo bomber's fuselage before the aircraft was out of sight.

  "Where in the hell are the fighters?" Jacob asked, voice rising.

  "Sir, Massachusetts is reporting that the CAP got bounced by enemy fighters," the talker replied.

  "Probably busy trying to count heads of the returning flight," Farmer said quietly.

  Well, I can't say I blame them. Probably worried about friends coming back.

  Jacob watched the Repulse's bow came around in a tight turn to comb the torpedo tracks. He did some quick mental math on where the battlecruiser was likely going to end up and didn’t like the answer.

  "Port ten degrees," Jacob barked.

  Whether those torps hit her or not, we don’t need to be that close.

  There were several anxious moments as the Houston’s bridge crew collectively watched the torpedoes close with the Repulse’s path. The exhalation of breath was audible as the British vessel cleared, furiously signaling to the vessels beyond her about the weapons passing through.

  “Going to be very interesting here in about an hour,” Farmer stated.

  "I agree,” Jacob replied. “It might have been a mistake to put us out here, as the carriers can't maintain a CAP over both us and them."

  "I don't envy that Japanese admiral right now," Farmer stated. "Those two planes that survived are probably warning him he's also got a surface group heading towards him."

  Jacob chewed on the inside of his cheek.

  "Depending on whether he has any cripples, we just became priority target number one."

  Just as Vice Admiral Fletcher intended. I sure hope the carrier boys make it worth it.

  Royal Hawaiian Hotel

  Oahu

  1800 Local (2330 Eastern)

  9 August

  "There better be a very good reason for this, Jo," Patricia Cobb seethed. "I was looking forward to actually going home to start cooking, not heading off to some dance or whatever it is you're dragging me to."

  "I promise this will be totally worth it," Jo replied, doing her best to keep her voice civil while paying the taxi driver.

  "Perhaps I'd be a bit more trusting if you'd tell me what 'it' is," Patricia replied archly as the two women turned towards the massive pink façade of the Royal Hawaiian.

  I could strangle you sometimes, Patricia.

  Jo thanked the doorman as the two of them walked in. She glanced over at Patricia and felt a mild pang of guilt.

  Okay, fine, the fact that your brother and the man you love could both be dead as we speak means I should give some allowances.

  "Blame your brothers," Jo said, looking once more at the message a runner had brought her. "They're the ones who said dinner plans have been changed and we were to meet them here."

  More correctly, it was Nick who told me that the wedding had been moved up two hours. He's lucky that I got the message.

  Agnes and Nick’s plan for notification had apparently started going awry as soon as she’d gotten into the office. Which had led to Nick having to hot foot it out to Ewa and the three brothers getting invited to a higher priority gathering.

  I really hope Agnes is right and Rear Admiral Graham will smooth things over for Nick.

  Jo almost smacked herself at that thought.

  Then again, Nick is a submariner. What is Admiral Dunlap going to do, send him someplace he might get shot at?

  A passing contingent of submariners leered at Jo and Patricia as they walked past. Jo looked back over her shoulder and gave the pair of ensigns fixated on Patricia's backside a withering glare. Both junior officers colored and immediately swept their eyes forward to the amusement of the lieutenant (j.g.) that was shepherding them.

  Men. Or more correctly, men who need to understand there's a difference between a lady and 'lady of the evening.'

  Jo was certain the majority of the local women present were just doing what they considered their patriotic duty to entertain men who might be dead within a month. She was also quite confident that a large number of pros were actually working the establishment.

  I know Vice
Admiral Halsey has bigger fish to fry, but one would think the last thing he'd want was submariners with the clap on patrol.

  Jo stopped at an intersection to look at the hallway signs. Reading quickly, she turned and headed off towards to their destination.

  "Why are we headed away from the restaurant, Jo?" Patricia asked, suspicion hanging off every word. They rounded the corner before Jo could answer, and Patricia's surprised yelp told Jo the vision before them had answered her question.

  Oh my god, Agnes, you are beautiful.

  The bride-to-be stood in a resplendent white gown, her face covered in a pale veil that was obviously a family heirloom of some age. Standing beside her in his dress whites, Rear Admiral Graham had a slightly bemused smile on his face.

  "I take it this would be the Maid of Honor and your future sister-in-law?" he said, seeing the smile crossing Agnes' face.

  "Yes, sir, it is," Agnes replied, her smile growing warmer as Jo stepped forward to take the ring from her. Jo turned back around to see a stricken Patricia still standing with her mouth open, color rising in her cheeks.

  "You've got about five minutes to make a scene, breathe, or get inside, Toots," Sam said, coming up behind them in what was obviously a borrowed dress uniform.

  He looks like some Banana Republic dictator who gets sewn into his uniform. But hail to the chief indeed…

  "You…you…you knew?" Patricia said, looking at her older brother. She was about to say something else, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

  Oh shit.

  Patricia, to Jo’s surprised, opened her eyes and gave a gracious smile.

  "Agnes, let me apologize for my brothers' behavior," Patricia said slowly, her drawl deep as she stepped forward. "This is no proper way to throw you a wedding."

  Rear Admiral Graham, looking confused, stepped to the side as Patricia continued to embrace Agnes.

  "Welcome to the family," Patricia continued. "I assure you, this is not how we usually do things in the Cobbs."

  "These are not normal times," Agnes replied, holding the embrace. "Thank you, and I am sorry for the short notice."

  Patricia nodded, stepping back to glare first at Sam, and then David, who had stepped out of the ballroom in a set of dress whites a half size too small.

  "Mother clearly didn't spend any time training these idiots, as you can see," Patricia stated. "You're marrying the best of the lot, and I look forward to not being as outnumbered. I hope that we will have more time to talk after your vows."

  "I look forward to it," Agnes replied.

  That…that went better than I expected. Not sure they're not both lying through their teeth, but either way that was polished all around.

  "Thank you, Rear Admiral Graham, for doing this," Patricia said, her tone deferential. Jo was shocked to see her roommate's eyes glistening. "I'm going to go take a seat before I make a mess of myself or the bride."

  With that, Patricia walked inside, leaving Sam and David looking at each other, then at their receding sister.

  "I see that her reputation for throwing curveballs is well deserved," Agnes said quietly.

  "You have no idea," Jo stated, then looked at Sam. The eldest Cobb looked like a man who was expecting the tornado to double back and hit his house any second.

  Yep, that tells me we haven't heard the last of this, she's just not going to ruin her brother's wedding day, Jo thought.

  "Let's get this started, gentlemen," Rear Admiral Graham said, smiling. "I think the bride and groom deserve to have as much time as possible together."

  That sounded ominous. I'll have to ask Nick what happened during the maid of honor and groom dance.

  "Aye aye, sir," Sam said, stepping in and making a signal.

  As she walked up the aisle arm and arm with Sam, Jo was pleasantly surprised at the Royal Hawaiian staff members playing of Beethoven. Standing at the front of the ballroom, Nick watched as Jo and his brother moved carefully up the aisle. The room was rather full with members of COMSUBPAC staff, the Plunger's wardroom, and several other officers, sailors, and Marines that Jo did not recognize.

  "I'm about to split a seam," Sam muttered.

  "I was going to ask if maybe you’d had a little too much milk this morning, Sam," Jo chided gently.

  "Ha ha ha," Sam said, patting her arm as they separated.

  It’s also his sense of sarcasm that I missed.

  Jo nodded at the unfamiliar, older chaplain standing ready to perform the ceremony. In contrast to most everyone else present, the man was wearing the blue service dress uniform rather than whites. He gave Jo a small smile and looked as though he was about to speak right as the small brass ensemble started into the "Wedding March."

  Oh, the look on Nick's face.

  Her stomach was full of butterflies as the youngest Cobb was riveted staring toward the ballroom’s open doors. Turning to look herself, Jo watched a group of passing officers look on in awe as Agnes stepped into the room. Glancing over at Sam, Jo was also pleased to see the best man's awestruck expression.

  Every woman deserves to be regarded as a goddess on her wedding day.

  The exchange of vows was relatively quick. Jo recognized the standard Protestant ceremony from the Navy's manual. As the rings were exchanged, she looked past Sam and saw David wiping at his eyes for a brief moment. That started her own burning, as she thought about the last time the Cobb children had all been gathered.

  At this point, Sadie would have been better off just staying here.

  "You may kiss the bride."

  The phrase jolted Jo back to the present, and she watched as Nick leaned in to give Agnes a rather chaste kiss. To the youngest Cobb's shock, his new bride was having none of that, and the room erupted in cheers and catcalls as she dragged him in for a proper kiss.

  "That's just a downpayment for tonight, Mr. Cobb," Agnes whispered fiercely. Jo fought to keep a smirk off her face as Nick grew flush with embarrassment. That brought about a few catcalls from the Plunger’s gathered contingent. Scanning their faces, Jo realized something.

  Where is Nick’s commander?

  Even with the apparent bad blood from Plunger’s return, it seemed odd for Commander Emerson to be missing.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Lieutenant and Mrs. Nicholas Cobb."

  As the last of the guests finished moving through the receiving line and were ushered out of the room by Royal Hawaiian staff, Jo finally had a moment to turn and look sideways at the rest of the wedding party. Taking a last glance around the room to make sure no one was in ear shot, Jo waited until Patricia came back in the room to ask the question that was on everyone's mind.

  "So, what gives on the time change?"

  Nick and Agnes looked at each other, then back at them.

  "I've got orders again," Nick said. "The Amberjack's XO came down with blood clots and word got to headquarters this afternoon. I leave via plane for Midway in three days."

  "That sounds like a good reason," David said, eyes wide.

  "Try not to break this submarine," Sam added.

  "Thanks guys, I love you too,” Nick said, rolling his eyes. He glanced at his watch. "I'd love to stay and chat, but we have to be out of this room in ten minutes or they're going to fine Rear Admiral Graham."

  "Wait, what?" Jo asked.

  "He told them to treat him no different than they would anyone else asking to borrow the room," Agnes said with a laugh. "So they didn't remind him that it was his own Chief of Staff who had rented it for the next two weeks."

  Jo saw Nick and Agnes share a moment's look.

  I think someone is wanting to hurry up and get the wedding night started. I don't blame them.

  "I guess we better get out of here also," Sam said, glancing at his watch as well. "We managed to beg out of dinner with a four star, but were told to arrive for an officer's call no later than twenty hundred."

  "Wait, four-star?" Patricia asked, realizing that no one else seemed surprised. "What are you talking about?
"

  I am so freakin’ dead.

  "We had the pleasure of making the new fleet commander's acquaintance this morning," David said. He quickly ran through what had transpired at Ewa field.

  "That's where Major Haynes is right now," Sam finished.

  "Well, if you'll excuse us," Nick said, squeezing Agnes' hand and gesturing at a tall, thin civilian standing in the doorway with a clip board. "I'm not going to be responsible for our boss losing $75, and I believe I owe my wife a dance."

  Mattress dancing, maybe. Jo tried to ignore the slight bit of jealousy behind the thought.

  The gathered group quickly moved out of the room, Patricia and Jo both giving Agnes and Nick one last embrace before the couple rushed off. Patricia then hugged both of the twins, the pair looking particularly nervous at how well their sister was taking things. Giving one last anxious look at Jo, the two men moved off to get changed back into their khakis.

  "Am I really so terrible?" Patricia asked quietly as soon as her brothers were out of sight. Jo turned to look at her roommate. Before she could speak, Patricia continued. "I mean, it appears everyone knew that my brother was getting married except for me."

  Jo's stomach flip flopped at the bitterness in Patricia's voice.

  "Patricia, you are not terrible," she said simply. "I've only known since this morning."

  As soon as the words left her mouth, Jo realized the mistake she had made.

  "Oh. Just this morning," Patricia said quietly, lip quivering. "I think, Jo, I shall be going home to read."

  "Patricia, I…"

  "Don't wait up for me at the cab," Patricia stated. "I need some time to think, and a walk to clear my head.

  "Patricia!" Jo protested, but the other woman was already turning to leave.

  I better let her cool off before I go home.

  She considered the Cobb family’s current living arrangements and winced.

  It's going to be even worse when Sam and David get away from the officer call back at Pearl.

  I.J.N.S. Akagi

  0945 Local (0015 Eastern)

  Northern Indian Ocean

  10 August

  Vice Admiral Yamaguchi wanted to both vomit and wildly punch the hatch leading back into the Akagi's bridge as Rear Admiral Kaku spoke.