TURN 4
There's a moment of lull. The planes are still on the way, but the first wave has stopped dropping bombs and now is just strafing the deck with machineguns, killing the few exposed sailors as they run for cover and/or their AA stations.
You know what I'm going to do. The movement speed isn't unreasonable in and of itself, it just means there's really nothing else for me to do as long as a good reason to abandon my post hasn't arisen yet.
You continue to make your way to #3 turret. You pass yet more people headed to their stations. The number is slowing, though as they arrive at their stations. You spot your way up into the turret just down the passageway. The 1MC crackles to life again. GUN QUARTERS GUN QUARTERS! MAN GUN QUARTERS! SET ANTI AIR CONDITION SWATTER! ALL PERSONNEL NOT ON GUN QUARTERS REMAIN INSIDE THE SKIN OF THE SHIP!
The ship suddenly lurches to port. [5] You are knocked prone by the sudden movement and have thus lost some time as you get back up on your feet.
Status: Fine
Location: Outside Aft Machinery Space, 0-1-241
GQ Station: #3 Turret 0-02-285
Keep repairing people
You move to the next patient. His arm is hanging, as it is literally broken in half and twisted at an odd angle. [10+2=12] You take one look at it and decide that its a bit beyond your skills. You pass the patient along to one of the orthopedics specialist. He grumbles about it, but is otherwise receptive to the patient. A few moments later you hear a scream followed by the quiet cursing of the orthopedics specialist. It is safe to assume the patient passed out from shock.
The other Corpsmen are flooded with new casualties in all manners of emergency. The ones for you are as follows:
- A man with swelling on his left hand
- A man missing an eyeball, wait, nevermind, he still has it in his hand
- A man with his guts being held in by his hand
- A man with heavy bleeding just barely being staunched by a crudely fastened bandage
Choice is yours from here.
GUN QUARTERS GUN QUARTERS! MAN GUN QUARTERS! SET ANTI AIR CONDITION SWATTER! ALL PERSONNEL NOT ON GUN QUARTERS REMAIN INSIDE THE SKIN OF THE SHIP!
The ship suddenly lurches to port! [9+1=10] You manage to stay on your feet, but are staggered slightly. After a moment to regain your composure, you're right back in action.
Status: Fine
Location: Medical 0-2-143
GQ Location: Medical 0-2-143
Patients Treated: 1 Perfect, 1 Missed
Progress to next rank: 1/5 (Awarded at the end of the current engagement)
Given our current options are drowning or burning, I think I'll fill in for the nozzleman. This massive ship should take forever to sink but a fire would kill us all quick, and I'm better suited for muscle work than leadership duty.
You step forth and offer yourself as nozzleman. You hop on the nozzle and await the order to charge the fire. [16] Some rando from your division steps forward and takes up as team lead. For now, there's nothing going on in your section. But you knew well that that can change on a moment's notice.
GUN QUARTERS GUN QUARTERS! MAN GUN QUARTERS! SET ANTI AIR CONDITION SWATTER! ALL PERSONNEL NOT ON GUN QUARTERS REMAIN INSIDE THE SKIN OF THE SHIP!
The ship suddenly lurches to port! [16+2=18] You are more than fine. In fact, your steadfastness is used to quickly stabilize your fire team as you act as their anchor. The rest of the repair locker is not as lucky, some falling on their asses and others stumbling slightly at the huge turn.
Status: Prone
Location: Repair Locker 6A, 2-6-256
GQ Station: Wherever Needed (Currently Nozzleman on #6 Hose Team)
Ignore that potential dragon and keep moving towards my post.
You patently ignore that obvious trick of the eye. Just some effect of the stress of finally being in combat. You make it an additional several feet before anything happens.
GUN QUARTERS GUN QUARTERS! MAN GUN QUARTERS! SET ANTI AIR CONDITION SWATTER! ALL PERSONNEL NOT ON GUN QUARTERS REMAIN INSIDE THE SKIN OF THE SHIP!
The ship suddenly lurches to port! [4+1=5] You stumble and fall, but get up after a moment.
Status: Fine
Location: Passage 2-7-180
GQ Station: #1 Magazine 8-0-90
Phew, time to delegate:
- Sip coffee
- Pray the Captain or XO or literally any senior officer shows up
- Instruct BMOW to pipe gun quarters
- Pay attention to damage control reports from the DC phone talker.
- After the above, pay attention to skies above and order the conn to shift the rudder when the next wave of airplanes approaches their final run.
SIIIIP Good ol' caffeine.
You send a prayer to your deity of choice for the safety and expediency of the CO/XO/literally any more qualified officer than yourself. Your prayer is answered when the XO limps in carrying a random seaman. XO is bleeding heavily, but the enlisted man appears to have died moments before. XO slumps over and one of the petty officers on the bridge starts applying first aid on him. He'll likely make it, but for now, you are the person in charge. The pressure is on.
You instruct the BMOW to pipe out gun quarters. GUNNO from Combat Central has gotten the lead out of his pants and started the announcement for Gun Quarters and AA Condition Swatter. Boats still pipes it, though, out of tradition.
You ask for a status report from Central. "Sir, we have taken six hits. We have two detonations. One in compartment 3-4-135-L, one in compartment 1-4-368-L. Repair lockers 7A and 4 are attacking the fires. They are going to announce the casualties once they fix their announcing circuit. We have reports of another penetration, but the bomb did not detonate, another detonation against the hull, but no damage reported, and two bombs that failed to detonate on the deck, one of which shattered on impact."
As you watch the sky you see the incoming wave of planes. And they do not look happy. Nor do those long looking bombs under some of the planes. You also see a moving smoke trail on the other side of the island. And another. And another. The lookout in the crow's nest reports: "Enemy ships spotted! Counting at least a battlecruiser, 3 battleships and seven armored cruisers. Word inbound from Belleview!" He stops to decode the message flashes from one of the two signal ships between you and the rest of the fleet. "Enemy fleet inbound. Stop. Counting 6 battleships, 7 armored cruisers, at least 15 light cruisers, 5 flat tops, and a fuckton of destroyers. Stop. No submarines spotted. Stop. Moving to reinforce. Stop. ETA 25 minutes. Stop."
The ship continues to turn to port. [12+1=12] You maintain standing, your coffee still in hand, but now staggered a bit. You almost spill a bit of the coffee, but you're fine for now.
Status: Fine (Caffeinated (+1 to Mental)(3/3)
Location: Bridge 4-06-100
GQ Station: Bridge 4-06-100
Successful Commanding Turns: 1
((Once more. If I fucked anything up, please let me know. Things are about to get wild.))