SDFS Maor, Kanmusu of the SDF-Navy.
Naval Yard Cartreffa Island, Settlement.
The Settlement was a small collection of wooden houses, one storey high, but quite homey and airy – they needed it, considering that Cartreffa Island was one of the few parts of the Oileánra-Archipelago, which actually counted as tropical – barely, but still.
And it was a resort for Kanmusu, mostly maintained by the SDF-Navy for their Kanmusu, but the local Installation Type had always made a point out of being there for everyone, even when it was still a pirate harbour.
The wooden houses were quite a lot newer, though, and used by the visitors and inhabitants. This small wooden house was reserved for the Kanmusu of the Maor-Group.
One of them was me, SDFS Maor, tall, short, silver hair and blue eyes, a male Kanmusu, a.k.a. a Shipboy (or Shipman, as some admirers insisted), and while I usually wore a black armour, a reminder of my name, I had swapped it for swimming trunks today.
Today, we would celebrate – on the Day of the Harvest Festival, Selkie-Kanmusu celebrated Lodan Lir and Aranrot, one the God of the Sea and the Rivers, the other the Goddess of the Moon and Stars, both our elements since times eternal. With the New Visayan Islands squabbling with the New Luzon Kingdom, we might soon need to fight and this was the Fleet Command's way of motivating us before it escalated and we would be called to adhere to our duties by the SEA-Treaty and defend our allies.
There was no doubt, that we would do so.
But now, that was in the distant future.
Now, I leaned on the door frame of one of the bedrooms. We had five, one for each Kanmusu, but it seemed as if only I had spent the night alone: SDFS Adhbaile was out support ship, a vessel of the Gabhdán-class, an athletic blonde with purple eyes, but also putting truth to the fact, that she was a supply ship. I knew, that she would wear a white-green competitive one-piece to the beach today, but right now...
...well, Selkie slept naked where they felt safe. And where should she feel safer then in a Naval Yard?
If one thought, that the view was in any way, shape or form stimulating for certain body regions, though, one had to be disappointed: Adhbaile snored lightly and drooled onto her pillow.
That, and she was in the middle of a cuddle pile, our three corvettes snuggling up to her under the light, thin blanket. I was surprised, that our only other lad, SDFS Srublao, his blonde hair ruffled up beyond recognition, his blue eyes closed, had his heads in her arms, his forehead resting against her collarbone, while one of his sisters, SDFS Lahadar, was snuggled up behind him.
Lusachinn, the third corvette, rested on Adhbaile's other side, her arms wrapped around the larger support ship.
It was a little concert of snores.
That was my Maor-Group, my family. Some saw me as the Big Brother, others as the Father, but it was clear, that Adhbaile was the Big Sis of the three corvettes.
I took in the view, then silently decided to make breakfast.
The bedrooms were at a small hallway, which led on one end onto a veranda, on the other into the living room, which had a small kitchen adjacent – certainly enough to make breakfast. Certainly, we needed no sustenance like humans did, but it was a small creature comfort (add in, that we did not get fat) and both cooking and eating were pleasant way to spent the time.
And cooking for a beautiful woman...
As the eggs began to sizzle, I prepared the rest, cutlery and bread and plates, my ears...
Skill Activation: A Warrior's Ears.
...my ears caught sneaky padding of naked feed on the floorboards, most likely one of the girls, which sneaked to the corner, where the hallway met living room. She most likely peeked around the corner, watching, waiting, but why... ah.
Past the living room was the bath room.
“You can run past, I am focussed on the eggs.”, I said without looking up from them.
A moment of silence.
“Thank you.”, Lahadar whispered and then ran.
I smiled. “You're welcome.”
I continued cooking, buttered the bread (wheat bread, unlike the barley bread we usually had in Wembury), put cheese on the table and then looked up. Lahadar peeked out of the bathroom, past a slightly opened door, watching me.
I threw her a wink and turned to the hearth.
She rushed past again.
I resisted the urge to chuckle to myself, but I did smile.
Next I heard the sleepy shuffling of Lusachinn, looking up at the little girl, who had apparently gone to her room and thrown on a sun dress. A strap was slipping, yes, her hair was a slight mess, yes, but she was sleepy.
She sniffed once, smiled slightly.
“Tea?”, I asked.
She looked at me, smiled and nodded. “Yes, please.”, she said, then added: “Adhbaile sends her regards, by the way. She's letting Srublao sleep until he wakes up.”
“When will that be?”, Lahadar asked, walking into the room. Her hair was not yet finished, but bound back into a long ponytail. She did wear a bikini and a pair of hot pants.
I poured two cups of tea as Lusachinn started to answer.
Then the boy in question gave a loud “Eeep!” as he woke up and realized where he was.
I smiled. “Now, I'd guess.”
The girls chuckled.
Distantly, we could hear the sound of the boy profusely apologizing and our supply ship reassuring him, that it was alright and that all was fine and so on, rinse and repeat, before we heard him stepping out of Adhbaile's room to his own, next to mine.
I smiled, poured myself one cuppa and two more for the lad and for Adhbaile.
It took a few minutes, the eggs sizzling away peacefully, until the lad came out of his room and into the living room. He avoided looking at all of us, his face deep red as he shuffled to his seat past me.
“Srublao.”
The sound of my voice made him stop next to me.
He sweat bullets.
“High five?”, I asked and held my hand out. He turned even more red, knowing, that this was a congratulatory thing, and he slapped his hand into mine. “There ya go. Take a cuppa!”
After he did that, the girls grinning at him and soon involving him into a conversation about something or the other, I turned back to the breakfast.
I must have been so engrossed in my work, that I did not notice someone sneaking up on me, until Adhbaile wrapped her arms around me, putting her chin on my shoulders. I felt her 'fuel tanks' pressing against my back, only the thin fabric of her one-piece separating her skin from mine and her hair brushing against my ear.
I froze.
“Hm...”, Adhbaile made, “That smells wonderful.”
I nodded, blushing lightly. “I... hope it tastes wonderful as well.”
“I am sure of it.”, Adhbaile said and then pecked me on the cheek: “Thank you for cooking!”
“My pleasure.”, I replied and nodded, “Grab a cuppa, breakfast will be ready in a moment.”
She nodded and pecked me on the cheek once more, then departed. I was unaware of the wink, which she gave the two girls, Lahadar suppressed a giggle.
A cuppa in hand, I heard her sitting down at the table and, true to my word, breakfast was ready a few moments later. Serving everything was quite the undertaking, but at least I didn't have to call upon my air complement (although the image was amusing) and I sat down next to Adhbaile, who sat next to Srublao, opposite to the girls.
“Alright then...” I reached out my hands, everyone holding them. “...good appetite.”
Admittedly something we learned from Mona Beag, who had it from the Banphrionsa-Family, but it was a cute gesture as everyone chorused.
“So, everyone hyped for the beach today?”, I asked into the round.
“Yay!”, the three corvettes chorused back.
“But first, Miss LL will hold her Service.”, Adhbaile said, “Today is Harvest and for us Star Festival.”
“Yes...”, all three chorused with less enthusiasm.
Adhbaile smiled. “Don't worry, there will be enough time for fun afterwards. Caja has said, that she'll hold a gunnery competition for your calibre, too.” The three perked up and I looked at her, too. Our support ship nodded. “She told me, that she'd also hold an AA-gunnery competition, but she is unsure of how to do so.” She shrugged and looked at Srublao with a smile. “So I might still need a Champion?”
He blushed, swallowed his bite and then told her: “I'm sorry, Adhbaile, but I am hoping for someone else to ask me...”
“Bruinneall?”, Adhbaile asked gently. He nodded. “Good luck.”
“Thank you.”, the lad said with a gentle smile. “I'll do her proud!”
“Speaking of...”, I said, looking at the two girls, “...have you selected Champions?”
Lusachinn shook her head, but Lahadar nodded: “I got Lapa, she's one of the ships from the Eachtrán!”
I looked at Adhbaile and she at me. “Does she even have guns?”
“A few long eight pounder tollpholls.”, she said with a smile, “She's in the Special Category.”
“Good luck to her, then.”, I said with a smile. We would later find out, that the Special Category had maybe half a dozen Kanmusu in it. “And do you have an eye on someone, Lusachinn?”
“Nah, I don't want to. Those, who I know and participate in the gunnery competitions, either have their eyes on someone already, while the rest I do not know.” She shrugged. “I guess, I was too late.”
“Hm...”, Adhbaile made, “...if you say so...”
“What are you going to do? Aside from attending the competition, of course?”, I asked with a smile.
Lusachinn was the first to answer: “I want to go into the forest with the girls of the Seventh Corvettes!”
“Nice.”, Adhbaile said and turned to me.
“Kyra, Xezal and Yara invited for a drink among the carriers.”, I said and shrugged, “I wanted to go. Coming along?”
Adhbaile thought for a moment. “I might come later, but the problem is... I'm not a carrier.” I nodded slowly. She petted me onto the shoulder. “Don't worry, I'll find something fun to do. And if not, I'll go fishing.”
“That's right, the big fish grilling Caja planned for the evening...”
And from there, the conversation twisted and turned to different things, ebbed and flowed, while we ate and once that was done, I did the dishes with Srublao – the girls were putting on the finishing touches on their hair and makeup and clothes and everything.
The lad asked me in a low voice for help. He looked about twelve, the woman he crushed on looked twice as old, but funnily enough, Bruineall was commissioned in 2019, Srublao in 2018, so technically, he was older... Kanmusu were weird, when it came to age and apparent age.
At least he didn't crush on Old Lady Rhi – small blessings.
Once we were done with that, and the girls finished with their preparations, we met at the door, going to the beach together. Adhbaile looked very beautiful, her hair flowing in the wind...
...especially in the breeze at the beach.
It was next to the Pontoon Harbour and ashore from the Settlement. The hulls of many, many ships could sit in the bay, not only warships, but also civilian vessels, and while some were there, the majority of present Kanmusu had left their hulls back home, but not their riggings.
My rigging was in the warehouses by the harbour, but my hull was in Wembury.
The Pontoon Harbour was, as the name suggested, a harbour with quays and berths settled on pontoons, with some warehouses and an old crane providing harbour installations – despite being a Naval Yard, Cartreffa Island was not exactly build up.
The pale, silver-haired installation type received everyone with open arms and was officially neutral. And while she was quite impressive, both in strength and in abilities, she was only one woman and had needed help in fixing the local temple to Lodan Lir and Aranrot – we had rushed to her aid and as someone had the idea, the celebration for the refurbished temple was turned into a general celebration with invitations to everyone.
There were a few groups of garden tables and garden chairs scattered over the beach, as well as beach chairs, a long bar to be manned by a few volunteers stood at the ready as well... and the grill, for fish of many different variations, which the yachts had brought along. Speaking of, the dark-skinned pointy-eared form of Aurelia, the Kanmusu belonging to the famous Kyrenaian Yacht, stood with us as well.
And this party was, what would happen after the small service on the beach.
SDFS Lodan Lir, the Rhiannon-II, was a brunette woman wearing a dark blue and white dress. She was a fully accredited Priestess of Lodan Lir, so she was allowed to hold this service. She stood in the water, knee deep, Maighdean and SDFS ARC-26 Rona (or just Rona) as her helpers in this service.
It was a small ceremony, thanking Lodan Lir (the deity this time) for calm seas, thanking Aranrot for her Little Guiding Lights, and offering a small incense offering, as it was custom. A little boat, brought out by SDFS Ladra, with three incense sticks (one each for those working on the sea, for those working with the sea and for those working below the sea), was lit and softly pushed out into the little bay, where it would burn for a while.
We lowered our heads, those of the Free Lands in religious reverence, others out of politeness. Some might speak little prayers, some might wait with bated breath until the ceremony was over so they could get to the party, but it took a minute or two until it was finished.
And then, SDFS Lodan Lir turned around to us, a wide, shit-eating grin on her lips as she put her hands to her mouth and yelled: “Let's get this party startin'!”
