《Weigh Anchor!》


 Chapter 1

    Humanity has always been at odds with the sea. We prospered from its'' riches but also cursed its nature, for it could be a cruel mistress. The ones who worked the vast waters understood this as she held no favorites, so they put all their hopes and dreams into the flimsy boats they built.


    As ancient communities grew, they took to the waters to trade. And as great nations rose inevitably led to conflict. From boats made of reeds to wood to steel, humans have fought upon the waves, and the seas remember.


    41.27482 -71.41669


    Kate Russo closed her eyes in silent prayer. The day on the water had started out beautifully, everything she and her husband had ever dreamed of, even though her family hadn''t been pleased when she accepted the professorship at Endicott College. Too far away from Albany and too close to the ocean and the threat of an Endbringer attack.


    "What would an ocean be without a monster lurking in the dark? It would be like sleep without dreams."


    "What was that, honey?" She heard her husband call out from inside the boat. The sounds of him trying to fix the boat''s engine had long since stopped.


    "Nothing."


    Why did they borrow a boat from her department head? His wife always complained about it, but admittedly, the thrill of a day on the ocean was alluring. Still, she didn''t expect her dreams to turn into a nightmare.


    "Get anyone on the radio?"


    A loud bang from inside the cabin answered her question. Nothing seemed to work, including the only way to call for help.


    "Mommy, I''m bored." Mandy, her six-year-old daughter, complained for about the millionth time.


    "I''m sorry, sweetheart."


    "And my tablet still doesn''t work," she grumbled with a frown. "I wanna watch my shows."


    Smiling, Kate ran her fingers through her child''s long locks. "I think I spied some board games around here."


    Contemplating for a minute, the young girl nodded. "OK, I''m thirsty too."


    "All right, I''ll see if we have any water left."


    A few minutes later, after checking on her husband, she returned with an old copy of Candyland and one of the last water bottles. If they weren''t in trouble before, Kate knew her family would be soon. Sea water wasn''t drinkable, and it was a hot summer day. However, the view of her daughter leaning over the side and speaking to someone brought her up short.


    Mandy wasn''t prone to imaginary friends, so who in the world could it be? "Sweetheart, who are you speaking to?"


    "A mermaid," her child replied with a happy laugh.


    Frowning, Kate nervously approached the end of the boat until she heard a voice call out, "I''m a submarine, not a mermaid."


    Leaning over the side, she found the so-called mermaid smiling up at her.


    "Hi, so I hear that your boat is broken. Permission to come on board to take a look?"


    Pulling herself onboard, revealed a tall, athletic-looking young woman wearing a two-color grey one-piece.


    Kate worried their guest might be a parahuman, but the black lettering along the side of the bathing site askew her fears. "Are you with the Navy?"


    With a wink, the young woman pulled her long white hair into a neat ponytail before pointing out, "See no tail."


    When her daughter pouted and then giggled for the first time since the boat''s engines failed, Kate felt hope.


    Protectorate ENE Headquarters, Brockton Bay


    Emily Piggot, Director of the Parahuman Response Team ENE, also known as the PRT, steel-grey eyes watched as the group of heroes entered the room for the Monday morning staff meeting. They mostly shuffled toward the coffee like zombies from a George Ramero movie. Only the new Ward leader, Triumph, quietly munching on a donut, seemed to be awake.


    "All right, settle down; we have a few things to review this morning, but it shouldn''t take too long. Armsmaster, if you would report on the results of last night''s action between the E88 and the Merchants."


    The armored hero nodded, then began., "At around twenty-two fifteen hundred hours, three vans filled with sixteen members of the E88 attacked a Merchant drug house on Old Adams and 8th Streets west of the docks. Initially, only BBPD were called after shots were fired."


    He looked down at a table passed to him and then continued. "At twenty-two thirty-three, the PRT hotline was contacted as two members of the Merchants, Skidmark and Mush, arrived on the scene. Soon after, Stormtiger, Cricket, and Rune engaged them. BBPD then pulled back, cording off the area. At twenty-two-forty-eight, Miss Militia, Velocity, and the PRT rapid response team arrived, forcing Skidmark and Mush to retreat. Most of the non-powered E88 members and Merchants also retreated at that time. When I arrived with another PRT squad at twenty-three-zero-eight, those that remained retreated, leaving only their dead and wounded."


    Each hero then added their own viewpoints and actions during the altercation in detail. Everyone knew some would be questioned again once the After-Action Reports were turned in and evaluated.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Piggot looked over at her computer, typed a couple of keys, then, with a frown, asked, "Updated casualty figures?"


    "Eight dead Merchants, one dead E88 member. Three seriously wounded E88 members and nine Merchants are under guard at Brockton General. A tenth merchant who had OD died in transit. Damage to the buildings and infrastructure around the docks was minimal except for a dry cleaner and a convenience store across the street, which Mush destroyed."


    "Skidmark took this one in the chin; he''s not going to be happy about it," Assault added with a shrug.


    "I don''t expect much retaliation, but I will have Armsmaster update the patrol routes," Piggot replied.


    The villainous, drug-addled Archer''s Bridge Merchants weren''t a real problem compared to the other threats in the city. However, the large amount of money and drugs confiscated was a feather in the cap for those involved.


    "Good work, everyone; I expect all of your AARs on my desk by 1300 hours." The PRT Director then looked at her computer screen again and said, "I also want to make you aware that late yesterday afternoon, the Coast Guard informed us that there was another encounter with a water-powered parahuman."


    "Another Y¨±dachi incident?" Armsmaster asked.


    "Not exactly; according to the report, a young woman named Archerfish rescued a stranded family northeast of Block Island. Unable to repair the boat herself, she requested a tow from the Coast Guard Station at Point Judith."


    "Excuse me, ma''am, Y¨±dachi incident," Triumph interrupted by raising his hand.


    "Last month, an unregistered cargo ship in Ipswich Bay was boarded by a young girl calling herself Y¨±dachi. According to the US Coast Guard, she heard screaming coming from the ship and went to investigate. After subduing thirteen heavily armed sailors, she rescued twenty-seven young women and preteen girls, and three preteen boys being held in the cargo hold."


    "Oh, I read online something about a large human trafficking group being arrested, ma''am, but I wasn''t aware that a parahuman was involved."


    "It''s still under investigation, so that information has not been officially released," Armsmaster added.


    "Doesn''t help that the PRT is in a pissing contest with the Coasties over the whole thing," Assault said with a grin, then dodged his wife''s hand.


    "Well, it appears they aren''t willing to share information over this incident with Archerfish either. Although cryptically, they added that the woman insisted that she wasn''t a parahuman but a submarine."


    "Lovely," Velocity murmured. "Another crazy one."


    "Well, USN Archerfish was a submarine," Triumph added helpfully. "Pretty well known for sinking the Shinano."


    "Shinano?" Miss Militia asked.


    Triumph opened his mouth and closed it when he realized the whole room was staring at him.


    Piggot waved her hand. "Continue, please."


    "Err, yes, ma''am. Shinano was an Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier and the largest ship ever sunk by a submarine. She was a converted Yamato, I think."


    "You seem to know a lot of these ships," Battery said approvingly.


    "Yes, ma''am. My granddad served on the USS Canberra during the war, and my great-uncle worked at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, so it''s a family thing."


    "So, this new parahuman is named after a World War Two submarine," Armsmaster murmured, typing some information on his tablet.


    "Well, Y¨±dachi''s one too?"


    "A submarine?" Miss Militia asked.


    "Well, no, the Y¨±dachi was a Japanese destroyer or maybe a light cruiser," Triumph replied. "I''d have to look it up, but I think she was sunk in one of the Guadalcanal battles."


    "So, we have these ship, parahuman girls running around rescuing people," Assault said cheerfully. "Can''t see that as a bad thing."


    Emily Piggot rubbed her eyes, then turned toward the Ward leader. "Thank you, Triumph. If you can think of anything else, let us know."


    Herbet''s Residence, Brockton Bay


    Annette Rose Herbet yawned. It had been a long day filled with planning meetings within her Department to get them ready for the new college semester. Closing the door to the new condo, she heard her daughter''s laughter coming from the living room, then a long string of Japanese and more laughter.


    "Hi, Mom," Taylor said with a grin, then spun around, showing off her new school uniform. "What do you think?"


    "It''s very cute on you," she replied, then turned to the older woman standing off to the side. "Thank you, Chizue, for taking care of this. I don''t know what I would do without you."


    "Oh, think nothing of it, Annette. With Masaru off to New York for another meeting this week, I wasn''t looking forward to spending the day alone."


    "I wish you would let me pay you."


    "Absolutely not; in fact, I should be paying you, well, Taylor, that is," she motioned to the grinning girl. "She helped me with my lesson plans this afternoon. If I had my way, I''d hire her as my assistant in class. Her Japanese is very good."


    The young girl in question wrapped her arm around her mother''s waist. "I like languages, and it''s fun to practice with you, Mrs. Nakamura."


    The older woman was convinced to stay for dinner and then left, leaving the two to clean up.


    Annette passed a dirty plate to her daughter, saying, "So, the Coast Guard made an official announcement about a Parahuman rescuing a family stranded on the ocean."


    "Told them I was a submarine; guess they didn''t believe me," Taylor smiled, then shook her head. "I''m just glad that I was in the area visiting one of my cousins; otherwise, the Russo''s next stop would have been Europe. I mean, Coast Guard Safety Inspections are still a thing and free."


    Annette sighed, running her fingers through her daughter''s hair. It had changed again, becoming straighter. She had seen a bit of that change when her daughter returned from summer camp, and it had only become more apparent as the weeks went on.


    "I''m glad you were able to help, but I worry. I will say that both your dad and grandpa would be proud of you. Keeping with the highest traditions of the Navy and all that."


    Taylor leaned her head on her mother''s shoulder. "I miss him too."


    Danny Hebert had been killed in a car accident at the end of the summer last year. He, along with Kurt, a co-worker and family friend, had been on their way back to the dockworkers association from lunch when someone ran a red light.


    She and her daughter lived in their old house for a year, but too many memories and a need to start a new life made Annette look for a place closer to her work. With the insurance money and the proceeds from the house, she bought a somewhat upscale condo. Besides the lack of commute, the schools in the area were much better.


    Taylor gave her mother a look. "It''s still not your fault."


    "I know, sweetie, it''s just the thought of losing you too. Then, of course, blaming myself for sending you off to summer camp."


    "I will say again, still, not your fault. First of all, I wanted to go, which allowed you to move us to the condo without me being underfoot. Secondly, blame whoever was in charge of monitoring the beach. They should have known there would be riptides. Anyway, if I wasn''t there, Sally would most likely have drowned."


    Sally had been a new friend of her daughters made at camp. While spending the day at the beach, the two entered with water only to find themselves dragged off their feet and pulled underwater. Although Taylor insisted she wasn''t a Parahuman, something did happen to her.


    While underwater, she changed into an old World War Two German submarine, taking the form of a young girl named Yuu, or U-511. In that form, she managed to pull her new friend out of the water to safety, saving her life. Thankfully, in the confusion, Taylor managed to slip away and change back.


    "Still worried we''re going to wake up one morning and find the PRT at the door."


    Taylor snorted. "As I told you, I''m not a parahuman, plus I have no plans to sneak out late at night and punch criminals."


    "Only human traffickers," Annette responded dryly.


    Her daughter looked at her, tilted her head, and then said, "Poi?"


    So, I am taking a dip into the wide ocean called Worm. Taylor, being a ship girl, has a different power set than cannon. Of course, I also decided to poke it a bit more and change a few more things around. I''ll be adding more tags as the story progresses.

 Chapter 2

    <div>


    Herbet''s Home, Brockton Bay


    "But why German?" Annette asked quite suddenly at breakfast. "I mean, why did you turn into a U-boat?"


    Taylor finished chewing on a bit of bacon before answering. "Considering where we live, how can you be surprised."


    "Yes, but why not an American submarine? Like the one you can turn into now; what was her name again, Archerfish? Although I do remember my grandmother telling me about the blackouts during the war because of the U-boats. But still, we''re neither German nor Japanese."


    "Perhaps that''s why. I mean, there was a lot of U-boat activity off the east coast during the war," Taylor pondered, then, with a swirl of light, replaced with a short blonde girl who now appeared to have a little bit of Japanese and European features.


    "However, Yuu is both." Dressed in a dark grey and white bathing suit, she announced cheerfully, "Submarine Ro-500 reporting as ordered, formerly U-boat U-511, called Yuu!"


    Annette laughed a little, running her fingers through her daughter''s hair before sitting back with a warm smile and continuing with breakfast.


    "What about Y¨±dachi?"


    Taylor tilted her head, lost in thought. "I don''t know, maybe because the captives were mostly Japanese," she answered first, although she had several sisters.


    "Like your cousin?"


    "Oh, U-853*." Taylor smiled sadly, remembering visiting the wreck. "Although, as Ro, I would consider her my sister. We were both Type IXC submarines, after all. Now, Archerfish has a hundred and twenty sisters."


    "One hundred and twenty, really?"


    "Yep, the Balao class was the largest in the United States Navy," Taylor replied proudly.


    "It''s bad enough that our grocery expenses have increased; I couldn''t imagine feeding that many of you." Anette laughed.


    After she had put away breakfast, she asked, "So, do you still plan on going out this morning?"


    "Yes, please."


    "All right, although I am still not happy, I am very proud of you for helping those people, but please, please try and keep yourself out of harm''s way. Oh, and be back before lunch."


    Taylor gave her mother a snappy salute and said, "Aye, Aye, Captain!"


    Oishii Groceries, Brockton Bay


    Sixteen-year-old Jenny Aoki yawned as she finished putting the rest of the boxes on the shelf behind her. Her family''s grocery store always opened early on the weekends. It had been her older brother''s responsibility until recently, and now he opened the store with her father during the week.


    "Is everything put away," her mother called out.


    "Yes, Mom."


    "Has Y¨±dachi -sama come by?"


    "No, Baba, not yet," Jenny answered her grandmother, who slipped behind her to sit on a stool and began going through the store''s weekly orders.


    Her grandmother, her dad''s mom, actively helping out at the store had been a pleasant surprise. For the longest time, she remained listless, lost in her own world of grief after losing her husband and home when the island of Kyushu disappeared beneath the waves.


    Being six at the time, Jenny only vaguely remembered their home in Kumamoto Prefecture. And after the Endbringer''s attack, her dad moved the entire family to Brockton Bay after promises of a position at a Mitsubishi plant being built in the area. But that, along with so many other dreams, never came to fruition.


    Recently though, not that anything huge had changed in Brockton Bay, the city pretty much sucked, but her small corner of the world suddenly started to look better. And Jenny was pretty sure that it began at the start of the summer. Now, she couldn''t blame Y¨±dachi; that would be weird, but besides being funny, her appearance one Saturday morning seemed to have started it.


    Grinning like a kid in a candy store, the blonde stocked up on all sorts of snacks, then began asking for things that her mother told her hadn''t existed in a long time. For some reason, her baachan was at the store that day, and the two started to reminisce in Japanese about food and all things Sasebo, where her grandmother had grown up.


    And almost like clockwork, every Saturday morning right after they opened, Y¨±dachi would appear to purchase a hoard of snacks for the week. Sometime afterward, she would sit with her baachan and just talk¡ªunfortunately, most of the time in Japanese, which incentivized her to practice. On one occasion, her grandmother even set up some sort of tea ceremony with the other baachans in the neighborhood.


    "Hmm, Y¨±dachi running late. Is the open sign turned on?" Her mother inquired.


    "Yes, Mom." Jenny grinned; it seemed everyone was looking forward to the teenager''s visit.


    The Docks, Brockton Bay


    It was still morning when the number eighteen bus from John Quincy to 11th Avenue picked up a young Japanese girl south of the docks. Wearing the white summer version of a serafuku or school uniform, the blonde-haired teenager sat near the front of the bus after giving the driver a warm smile and a thank you.


    Although her hair coloring and outfit were slightly out of place, the few bus riders didn''t comment. This was Brockton Bay, so everyone kept to themselves until the new rider pulled out a worn copy of a book, according to its kanji title, was called the ''Pillow Book.''


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    An older woman smiled, then moved over and said something that was missed by the rest of the bus. The young girl replied, and those who understood Japanese could hear them talking about the book and the author, Sei Shonagon''s life in 10th-century Japan.


    That small discussion pulled in several more riders who began reminiscing about their time in school in Japan and what classes they took. A few others asked the girl about her uniform, commenting on how they used to wear something similar.


    By the time Taylor stepped off the bus near a small shopping district, everyone had a smile on their face. The bus riders who sat apart at the start of the journey now congregated together. That feeling would continue to spread throughout the day, and part of the docks felt like a community for the first time in a long while.


    Her morning patrol, at least, that''s what her mother kept calling them, had been uneventful. She just needed to put her keel into the water. It was purely unintentional that she continued to run into people needing her help.


    Sure, Taylor''s job wasn''t to monitor the seaways, but the Coast Guard appreciated the help. The US government had shredded their budget, so the Coasties didn''t have the manpower, much less the fuel, to be going out all the time, which in turn hampered their law enforcement duties and ability to run counterdrug patrols.


    And really, it took little to no effort for Taylor to report what ships were on the water, their speed, location, and time of day, and radio that information to the Coast Guard. If they asked a time or two if she could hunt for a particular ship, no problem, as it was also an excellent way for a submarine to practice her torpedo runs.


    Admittedly, some of her mom''s other concerns were valid. Although she wasn''t exactly worried about her daughter''s safety, especially after Taylor manifested her destroyer rigging. No sane person would want to be on the receiving end of her 12.7 cm naval guns. Instead, her mom wisely pointed out that stopping for snacks as Y¨±dachi might not be the best of ideas since the PRT now knew that name. However, even though her serafuku-style uniform might have been more popular before the war, showing up as Ro wearing a bathing suit would probably be more problematic, much less Yuu.


    And no, she wasn''t allowed to go as Taylor, especially with all the rumors floating around PHO about the villain Lung. Since arriving in Brockton Bay late last year and fighting the Protectorate to a standstill, his growing presence had made it unsafe for a girl of any age to wander around the docks.


    Humming an old Japanese folk song, she pushed aside her long blonde hair to read over her shopping list. This afternoon, Taylor planned to put together a nice lunch as a thank-you to everyone coming to the condo to help them unpack. The small Asian grocery store she discovered earlier in the summer should hopefully have everything.


    "Although I wonder where I can find Zwiebelkuchen, poi," she murmured.


    "Hey, Hey," a small voice called out on her shoulder.


    Dressed in the Lung''s gang Azn Bad Boys'' red and green colors, three girls had been following her since she got off the bus. They didn''t appear to be particularly confrontational, just somewhat curious. Either way, there was nothing to concern herself with now as there was shopping to do.


    Putting the list away, she nodded to the tiny fairy. "I know; let''s ignore them for now."


    Greeting several people in the streets who recognized her from her weekly visits, she noted the girls were still following when she entered the store.


    "Ohayo, Jenny," Taylor called out.


    "Good morning to you too, Y¨±dachi," the girl replied cheerfully. "Running a little late today."


    Noting the time, she set several packs of dried somen noodles in her basket. "Morning exercise took a little more time than usual."


    The ringing of the bell announced that her stalkers had just entered the shop. Jenny looked nervous, which didn''t bode well, but Taylor continued shopping.


    The youngest of the three suddenly appeared next to her. "Hi, err, good morning. We overheard that your name is Y¨±dachi, right?"


    Taylor, who had been looking for Mentsuyu or soup base, nodded. "That''s right."


    "Cool, can I ask you a question?"


    "Sure, what do you need?"


    With a smile, she pointed to the tallest of the three girls and said, "I''m Keiko, and that''s Ana, and the one with the question is Mei."


    Mei waved a little and asked, "How do you get your hair so blonde? It never turns out right for me."


    Much to her amusement, Taylor found herself in the middle of a hair-dying Q&A. She remembered having a similar discussion with her Aunt Zoe one Halloween when Emma, her best friend at the time, wanted to dye her hair white.


    "I knew I needed a better clarifying shampoo," Mei groaned before picking up a bottle of tsuyu dipping sauce on the shelf.


    "You should see my sister''s hair; it''s very pink," Taylor added with thanks, then placed it along with the scallions and ginger that Ana found into her basket.


    "That''s really cool," Keiko proclaimed while munching on some chocolate-covered Pokey sticks. "We should all dye our hair pink for the Cherry Blossom Festival."


    "You know Sakura Matsuri isn''t until the spring, right," Ana remarked, looking down at Taylor''s shopping list. "I''m surprised your parents allow you to dye your hair, Y¨±dachi. I can guess from your uniform that you don''t go to Winslow."


    "No, I don''t."


    "Wish I didn''t. The place is a shithole," Keiko whined, then looked embarrassed. "Sorry."


    Taylor laughed, waving it away. "Trust me, I heard worse."


    "Ana should be in Arcadia; she''s brilliant." Mia beamed. "Best grades in our year."


    "Yours are pretty good, too; what''s sad is that we can''t even take decent AP classes at Winslow. Mom looked online for some summer enrollment, but they were too expensive," she lamented, obviously frustrated.


    As the four approached the cash register, Taylor said, "Go take a look at what Brockton College offers when you get a chance. If you don''t mind losing your weekends, they are doing an outreach program to the local area high schools. And best of all, it''s free."


    "Really?"


    With a grin, she set down her basket on the counter and reached into the white haversack she had over her shoulder. Pulling out a notebook she left on her captain''s desk, she wrote the information on a page before passing it to Mia.


    "It''s pretty new; they just posted a web page on the college''s website the other day, but you should check it out. Oh, sorry, wrote it in kanji. Is that ok?"


    "That''s fine, Y¨±dachi." After passing the sheet to Ana, Mia asked, "Can you write it in English too?"


    "Sure." Taylor chuckled. "Do you also want a copy, Keiko?"


    "Nope," she said proudly. "School gives me hives."


    "Is that all, Y¨±dachi?" Mrs. Akoi interrupted as she continued to ring up the items in the basket. "What about your snacks, Mia?"


    "I''ll pay for it all," Taylor answered. "They helped me with shopping today."


    &


    "That was surreal," Jenny remarked soon after the group exited the store.


    Mia and her friends were a year behind her and had been less than friendly since entering Winslow. But today, it felt like the last year had never happened. It was too bad they couldn''t stay, but it was nice that Mia and the others said they would walk Yudachi back to the bus stop.


    "What do you have there, Baba?"


    The blonde had handed her grandmother a framed photo before leaving. Now, she sat on her stool, running her hand over it.


    "Come look at your Ojiisan."


    "Oh, is that Itsuki? He''s so young," her mom gushed with a watery smile. "Very handsome, just like his son."


    Jenny frowned in confusion before moving over to take a look. "Why did Y¨±dachi have a picture of Grandad?"


    "Why wouldn''t she," her grandmother responded matter-of-factly.


    In the photo was a group of Japanese officers dressed in black uniforms sitting on the bow of a ship. Jenny didn''t remember what her grandfather looked like, but picking him out was easy. However, she struggled with the kanji when determining the ship''s name.


    "It''s the Shigure," Jenny''s mom said as if reading her mind, then asked quietly, "Hiroto said his dad''s ship sank?"


    "Early in forty-five. Itsuki caught the mumps while on leave, so he was quarantined back in Kure when it happened."


    Jenny ran her thumb over the photo, still not understanding why Y¨±dachi would have such a photo, but perhaps it didn''t matter. Although both older women continued to speak with tears in their eyes, she was thankful for her visit.

 Chapter 3

    Boat Graveyard, Brockton Bay


    Deep underwater, U-511 silently moved about the wreck of the Saint Margaret, a six-hundred-foot Dutch Panamax container ship that blocked the main channel of Brockton Bay. Taylor could feel that the ship''s spirit was sleeping, but it was a troubled one as her end came at the hands of her own beloved crew.


    Like most coastal cities, Brockton Bay faced economic hardship due to the attacks from the seaborne Endbringer Levithan. As insurance rates went up, less cargo was being shipped, and fewer ships needed repair, the financial problems worsened. Eventually, with their livelihoods at risk, the citizens took to the streets as many companies either shut their doors or moved away. In the middle of one such riot, a group of sailors scuttled the Saint Margaret in the middle of the Bay''s entrance. Blocking the other ships from leaving ensured that their owners were left with nothing. And although smaller channels were still somewhat navigable, that single action of spite managed to end Brockton Bay''s two-hundred-year-old maritime industry.


    After finding the wreck upright, in one piece, and in somewhat good condition, plans began to form in Taylor''s head. After lovingly pressing a hand on the ship''s hull, she began a cursory search for any external damage. The seacocks had obviously been opened to allow water into the ship. However, it appeared that the use of explosives seemed to have sealed the deal. Unfortunately, not much could be seen below the silt level, so she made plans to enter the ship.


    Surfacing, her crew quickly manned the anti-aircraft guns while lookouts scanned both air and sea. Finding herself alone, Taylor swam to the ship''s aftercastle, which still stood high above the waterline. Unlike other wrecks in the Bay closer to shore, the Saint Margaret had not been the target of looters, so its hatches were still sealed shut. And one found on the port side was easily opened. Although time and the weather would have made it quite difficult normally, U-511 had powerful engines and made quick work of it.


    But it was not a submarine in the form of a girl who stepped through the hatch, but a tall, Mediterranean-looking, black-haired young woman. Dressed in a dark blue boilersuit, Taylor reached into her hull and placed a baseball cap on her head. Making sure the tool belt that also appeared was firmly in place, she made her way to the heart of the ship, its bridge.


    And it was a mess.


    Instruments were damaged from what looked like hammers, and several small fires had ruined even more. Circling about the room, she placed her hand on one of the bulkheads and whispered, "Come on, sweetheart, lend me your secrets."


    Repair ships like USN Vulcan had their own type of magic, and the Saint Margaret schematics and other related documents appeared as Taylor pulled her hand away. Setting the stack on a table, she began summoning her crew and sorting them into work parties.


    She still didn''t quite understand what exactly happened after the riptide grabbed her at summer camp. Unfortunately, she instinctively took a deep breath once under, filling her lungs with water. Surprisingly, upon opening her eyes, Taylor found herself standing on a calm sea surrounded by more water with no land in sight. Was this the afterlife? Strange, no one told her it would be so wet. However, the ocean breeze soothed her soul, and she began sailing toward destinations unknown. But as wonderful as it felt, it still left her unhappy. What would happen to her mother, Sally, and even the city her father had worked so hard to save?


    It was then that Taylor realized that she was no longer alone. Sailing next to her was a cute blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl dressed in a dark grey swimsuit, matching jacket, and a cap with 511 on it. And when their two eyes met, understood that she was being given a choice to continue sailing off to wherever the ocean would lead, Or. But she wanted to go back, to help; reaching out, consequences be damned, the two girls held hands, and Taylor Anne Herbert became more.


    "The damage is not too bad, so what do you think?" she questioned a group of her fairy officers after spending most of the morning crawling over the wreck.


    "Hey, hey, hey!"


    "I agree, the hull damage isn''t as bad as the Kearny''s," she chuckled, then looked thoughtful. "This might be doable."


    Stepping outside, Taylor stared at the shore but through the eyes of a ship''s spirit. There was a dark miasma that covered the city, and not just the Boat Graveyard. It was not as overwhelming as when she first came back from summer camp, true, but it was still there.


    As the repair ship Vulcan, with a crew of over a thousand and the knowledge behind it, she was more than capable of repairing the Saint Margaret, raising her, and towing her out to sea. But then what? What would happen if suddenly everyone woke one morning to find the ship had disappeared?


    The PRT would automatically assume it was the action of a parahuman, some new tinker, obviously. The various gangs would start searching for this person, making the docks even more dangerous. If she did it by herself, would it actually change anything? But Taylor wanted to help her father''s city, and opening Lords Port would be good not just for Brockton Bay but the state as well. And the ship¡¯s spirit sleeping beneath her in fevered dreams begged for it as if the sins of her crew were her own.


    "Guten Tag Onkel, how are you today?"


    In a small flash of light, U-511 now stood on the bridge, with a phone in hand, giggling at the light chuckle on the other end.


    Kurt and his wife, Lacey, were family friends from way back. After her dad¡¯s death, Kurt had taken his place at the DWA, making him the perfect person to contact to perhaps accomplish her goal another way.


    "I take it that you''re done for the day and looking for me to take you to a certain restaurant for lunch?"


    "Of course, Onkel, and I know you like their Currywurst." Yuu''s voice then became less playful. "Can you also see if my mom and Lacey can join us? I have a proposition that I want to run past the three of you."


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Dock Workers Association Compound, Brockton Bay


    Warehouse 18 was packed a week later, filled with twenty or so dockworkers and two members from a local salvage company. They were all there for a presentation that would be given by the familiar young woman who stood off to the front of the room looking over her notes.


    The girl Vulcan had been in and out of docks for most of the summer, helping with an odd job if needed. But mainly, she had been repairing the warehouse''s interior and building a pool filled with strange chemicals. And if anyone guessed her real name, they kept it to themselves. Even after Danny Herbert''s death, the dockworkers were fiercely loyal to him. It also didn''t hurt that Kurt, who had almost been left paralyzed from the wreck, was walking again, although with a cane.


    Rumors had it that she made faces anytime they interacted, annoyed that she or someone she knew wouldn''t be allowed to heal him further. But everyone agreed that any hint of miraculous healing would cause the PRT to take a closer look at what was happening at the docks.


    "So, you''re still annoyed at our little Taylor''s trip?" Lacy leaned over and whispered to Annette. "You do know that even with people volunteering their time, this endeavor is not going to be without cost."


    "Yes, and no. I mean, all her arguments are sound. It would be a bad idea, even if she were positive that she could do all of the work herself. The PRT is too quick to jump at anything that smells like a Parahuman. And I''m already uncomfortable with her going out to the sound."


    "At least she doesn''t sneak out of the house and punch gang members."


    Annette nodded. "There is that, but what I didn''t expect her to do was disappear for most of a week and then reappear with a hoard of Spanish gold. And how she knew where to find it is beyond me."


    Lacey tilted her head. "She said it was a gift."


    "No doubt," she noted. "But this affinity she has with the sea. It''s difficult to understand. And I worry. Her eyes look so old sometimes."


    Nodding, the other woman slipped her arm around Annette. "So, is Taylor looking forward to school."


    That caused a snort. "Another thing that''s going to be tough for my daughter. Did you know she has memories of attending at least three different Naval Academies? But she needs to go and socialize with people her own age. Except for phone calls with her friend from summer camp, she''s isolated herself, although perhaps for a good reason. Still, I''m proud of her, especially how she handled the whole Emma thing¡ªpoor girl. It''s amazing that instead of lashing out or something equally destructive, Taylor came to me with her concerns."


    ¡°From what Zoe said the other night, her husband is also going to therapy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but Alan is still in the doghouse. He made a mess of it. Going to be tough for all of them, though; Emma has always been a fragile little thing.¡±


    ¡°And that daughter of yours has a backbone made of steel,¡± Lacy added as the young girl stepped forward and began her presentation.


    Special Slices Pizzeria, Brockton Bay


    Even with the work being done on the Saint Margaret, Taylors'' various patrols, and getting ready to start a new school, the two made sure to spend time with one another. Often, Annette would take her daughter to work, and while she sat through various Departmental meetings, Taylor would wander around the school¡¯s library. With the cafeteria still closed for the summer, the two would then head downtown and pick out various restaurants to try for lunch.


    Unfortunately, at one particular intersection, a truck shot through a red light, plowing into several cars just as the two were stepping out of a pizzeria. Taylor turned toward her mother, who stood in shock, memories of her husband''s death flashing before her eyes.


    But Annette would not allow someone else to suffer what she had gone through. Grabbing her daughter''s hand, who was a half-step away from helping, said, ¡°Go!¡±


    Now dressed in the blue and white uniform of a British Navy nurse, Taylor strode into the street reaching the closest vehicle, which, after smashing into two cars, had spun off and slammed into a parked car.


    ¡°Make way, please,¡± she commanded as she approached the truck. Her crisp London accent could be heard by everyone.


    However, there was little she could do for the driver or actually try.


    ¡°Get away, or I''ll sue,¡± the middle-aged man screamed, then started banging on the steering wheel with both hands.


    ¡°No need for obscenities; a no thank you would suffice,¡± she said politely, turning away.


    ¡°Oh, a nurse,¡± someone called out, seeing the red cross on her uniform, letting her by.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Taylor smiled, then leaned down, taking a good look at the second driver''s injuries. ¡°Shh, don¡¯t move, luv. Let me check.¡±


    Grabbing her head with one hand, the woman kept reaching for her seatbelt with the other while trying to turn around at the same time.


    ¡°Katie, are you OK?¡± She called out franticly.


    The nurse smiled at the young girl in the back of the car, safe in her car seat, who stared at her wide-eyed. Taylor already knew the toddler suffered no injuries.


    ¡°She is doing just fine, Mum. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Shannon and my head hurts.¡±


    ¡°Well, let''s take a look, shall we.¡±


    The head wound looked worse than it actually was, most likely from hitting the top of the car. The small contusion was quickly healed, and the soft skin damage, which would have left her miserable the next day, was taken care of as well.


    ¡°All right, Shannon,¡± Taylor said, the smile not leaving her face. Reaching over, she unbuckled the woman¡¯s car seat. ¡°Looks like just a wee bump on the head.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I should see a doctor?¡±


    ¡°A second opinion never hurts.¡±


    The woman gave her a grateful smile. ¡°I¡¯ll see how I feel in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Jolly good. Well, take care of your daughter. I need to check the other cars.¡±


    The thankful woman grabbed her hand, which Taylor squeezed, then began to walk toward the last vehicle in the accident. But the two occupants looked fine. They were currently speaking to a police officer while another passed behind her to speak to Shannon, who now stood outside her car with Katie in hand.


    Another member of Brockton Bay¡¯s finest approached her then. ¡°Excuse me, can I ask you a few questions?¡±


    ¡°Of course; how many I be of assistance?¡±


    ¡°I was told that you did some first aid on the driver of the green car?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, although she has relatively minor injuries, I do recommend that she see a doctor to make sure there are no other issues.¡±


    ¡°Did you happen to see what caused the accident?¡±


    Taylor nodded. ¡°I did. The red truck over there went through the intersection and struck the two cars behind me. It then spun around and impacted that small blue car. Although truthfully, I am not positive what color the light was at the time.¡±


    The Policeman wrote down a few notes, then asked, ¡°Can I have your name, please?¡±


    ¡°Of course, good sir, it''s Newfoundland.¡±


    ¡°Just Newfoundland?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s my name,¡± Taylor insisted.


    ¡°Are you a Parahuman?¡± The policeman wondered.


    ¡°Oh, heavens no,¡± she responded, sounding amused.


    ¡°All right, I see that you¡¯re a nurse. Do you work at Brockton Bay General?¡±


    Taylor had to smile, as she was well aware that her uniform was some eighty years out of date and from the wrong country. ¡°No, I am not stationed here in this lovely city. I was simply passing through and decided to render some assistance.¡±


    ¡°Not stationed here. OK, thank you for your help.¡±


    Knowing she was dismissed and not wanting to be dragged into anything else, Taylor disappeared into the crowds only to reappear minutes later across the street beside her mother.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s fine, only bumps and bruises,¡± Taylor whispered, trying to reassure her mother.


    ¡°Good.¡± Annette took a deep breath and then smiled. ¡°Good. All right then, enough fun for one day.¡±