Against the Tide Imperial: The Struggle for Ceylon (The Usurper's War: An Alternative World War II B by James Young (story reading txt) 📕

"What are you doing?!" Wavell asked. "Are you mad?"

Yamaguchi looked at Nara. The Japanese Army officer was regarding him with a newfound respect.

"For too long, your nation and the United States has treated ours as if we were second class or somehow subservient to yours," Yamaguchi said. "Now one of your officers, nominally an ally, has deigned to arrive in our operational area and tried to tell us what we were going to do as if we are somehow servants."

Yamaguchi looked at Boyd's body. Flies were already starting to alight on the corpse. As Yamaguchi watched, the man's breeches began to darken as his bowels released.

I am half tempted to leave you there to rot, symbolic of your Empire and its ability to dictate terms to anyone.

"Now, unless you wish to be the second general officer who dies for either of the two monarchs you both served, I strongly suggest we conclude these proceedings," Yamaguchi said. "My patience wears thin. Let us begin with discussing the condition your men will leave the port facilities in."

U.S.S. Yorktown

Sydney Harbor

1225 Local (2225 Eastern)

18 August (17 August)

"One thing about the Australians, they're always happy to see us," Charles shouted over the din of the ship's whistles and horns as the Yorktown entered the Sydney Harbor channel. The carrier's crew was manning the vessel's rails as she moved through the channel, with most of the available shoreline filled with joyful, waving Australians.

It makes me think of Pearl.

Eric felt a wave of homesickness wash over him.

"I'd be happy to see someone too if they were all that stood between me and annihilation," Lieutenant Commander Brigante observed. His arm in a sling, VB-11's face was also visibly pockmarked from the shards of glass that had been blasted backwards from his canopy taking a direct hit.

Couple milliseconds sooner and that 25mm shell would have taken his head clean off. It’s been a week since we put paid to that Soryu-class carrier and I can only just now look at his face without staring.

Eric glanced to where the squadron’s enlisted stood and looked at Constanza and the young man standing beside him with his head wrapped in gauze.

Brigante is lucky he didn’t lose another gunner. Would have had to become a fighter pilot because no one would fly with him at that point.

"I can almost taste the beer," a pilot called out.

“And the perfume!” another responded, drawing whoops and whistles from his comrades.

"I think I want to go find someplace far away from the rest of these idiots," Charles murmured beside him. "I don't want to just drink my troubles away. Not enough beer in all of Australia for that."

Helluva battle.

Eric could only nod in assent as he once again thought about what they’d done over the last few days. The USN was referring to the engagement as the Battle of the Laccadive Sea, while the Royal Navy was referring to it as the Second Battle of the Maldives. Whatever it was called, Eric just knew many of the young men he'd left Hawaii with were either confirmed dead or 'missing' somewhere over the vast Indian Ocean.

"You know, Eric, you look like you're sorry we're still alive," Charles observed. Eric could see his former wingman was concerned, and he tried to force a smile that was nowhere near authentic.

"I just hope it was worth it," Eric rasped. "Might be having to box up way too much stuff this past week."

Lots of letter writing going to happen.

Sam and David had included a personal note with each set of property they’d boxed up. Eric had thought that was a particularly kind touch and made it a family tradition when boxing up dead men’s effects. Charles had helped once he’d realize what Eric was doing.

Man is going to fit in real well with the family, Eric thought. That is, whenever we get the Hell back to Pearl.

"We creamed at least two of their carriers," Charles said. "Didn't lose any of ours."

Well, depends on your definition of 'ours.’

Eric looked across Sydney Harbor towards Cockatoo Island. The Illustrious was in place, having managed to limp into Sydney under her own power earlier that day. The Ark Royal was not so fortunate, and had been towed to the Maldives pending arrival of a Royal Navy or American repair vessel. Vice Admiral Fletcher, with Admiral Hart's vehement backing, had believed it highly unlikely the carrier would survive a journey from the Maldives to Australia while under tow.

The Commonwealth forces started with five carriers, if one counts Unicorn. They ended the battle with one and a half. It's been awhile since I've read my Greek classics, but some guy named Pyrrhus comes to mind.

"There goes the Houston," someone noted. Eric jerked his head around at that comment, almost breaking ranks to get a proper look at the heavy cruiser as she passed the Yorktown heading out of Sydney Harbor.

"Lucky bastards," Brigante stated.

"What?!" Eric asked, turning to look at his squadron commander, then back at the departing heavy cruiser.

"Not enough dock space here, even with the floating dry docks," Brigante replied. "They did a quick patch job on her, then got her out of the way so they could put the Illustrious in the dock."

As he watched the Houston pass by with her own crew lining the decks to cheer at the Yorktown, Eric had decidedly mixed feelings.

On one hand I avoid having an awkward conversation with some officer about how I think I love his daughter.

He shook his head at that thought.

Then again, who knows whether there's actually any conversation to have given the lack of letters.

"Cobb, you look like you're seeing a ghost," Brigante noted. "I mean, she's heading back to Pearl, not Tokyo."

"Without an escort, looks like," Charles noted grimly. He gave Eric a knowing look of concern.

"Yeah, not enough tin