An Overlooked " Obvious" Thing...

In America, Washington State, Seattle region...

Later...

Janson Smythe, the US Marshal sighed softly in exasperation and glanced at the door that he'd used to get out of what seemed to him the constant DAMP weather this blasted state seemed to be cursed with. He much preferred the drier environs of his birth state of Texas, but due to circumstances and opportunity, he'd chosen to settle down here in Washington state.

It had been an overcast and rainy day, which was par for the course. But after getting informed of just WHAT had caused this emergency conference (emergency Teleconference if you included a rather put out Japanese admiral and a distraught shipgirl by the name of Saratoga on the widescreen TV) to take place? He'd much rather be stuck out in the damp, trying to track yet ANOTHER false lead which inadvertently turned out to merely be the Essex-class Carrier, Shangri La!!

Why all the false alarms should be due to that particular shipgirl was beyond Smythe's ability to comprehend. It shouldn't be beyond their ability to at least keep track of her and keep that in mind when tracking leads, right? RIGHT?!

Smythe almost envied the Deputy he'd sworn in practically on day ONE when he and the other Federal agents got roped up into this mess! While as abrasive as sandpaper when around "Dan" or the shipgirl Nashville, but Smythe had been impressed enough with her resume and past accomplishments in her time as a private investigator to keep her on and act as a buffer between shipgirl, former boyfriend, and a large swath of the federal agents who were "getting tired of her shit".

Yes, it was worth the headache. God knew that they needed boots on the ground for THIS operation. The Navy had been going at it EXTREMELY wrong and Smythe DID hope that the Navy admirals who'd handicapped the operation by initially keeping it "in house" got SOMETHING for their troubles. He would have even something that would ruin them if it wasn't for the rather blood-covered reason of how disastrous yet another change in leadership in the Navy would be for America's war with the Abyssals!

Yes, he was almost jealous of the PI right now for one simple fact: she was out chasing leads and he was HERE!

That said as an aside, he hoped that Murray and Nashville didn't get scapegoated. Murray had suggested bringing in other federal agencies into the fold before getting shot down. That and he WAS trying to make the best of things in this shitshow. Nashville? Well, she was hard working. Ernest. And being a shipgirl pretty much meant that if she got sidelined, that was one less asset America needed to fight the Abyssals. Nothing like that should happen, but try to tell that to panicky voters and Congress if this should come to light. Or come out the wrong way at least later on here.

"Wh-what?!" FBI Agent Bryce stuttered. "What did you just say? I could have sworn you said that the Abyssal had called Saratoga and spoke with her? In Japan for Christ's sake?!"

Mutters of shock and exasperation were heard throughout the room at this latest bombshell. Smythe had to agree with it all and also agree that Operation Absolute Railway was indeed looking more and more cursed as time went on here.

He should have stayed down in Texas. At least the weather was drier than here...

"Yes, you did hear that," a young and brash junior FBI Agent pipped in before reaching for something that he SHOULD NOT have on his person for security reasons while in conferences of such nature. "Google! Where is Shipgirl Sarat....?"

"Come with me now Penderson," Agent Bryce interrupts, grabbing the phone from the younger man. "We already know that can be done and while we all know you like to be seen as the smartest person in the room you do NOT bring cellphones or other communication devices into high-security conference calls!"

"Warned you about that guy," I muttered to Bryce as he dragged the protesting agent out of the room. "Way too much brains and not enough common sense for his own good"

Muttering something under his breath about his superiors dragging their feet about this now a rather glaring obvious hole in keeping Saratoga's location from the wrong eyes, Bryce shakes his head and slams the door hard after both FBI agents leave the room.

Smythe had broached the idea that Saratoga's location (and the Japanese's base contact information) was easily accessed online. Oh, Abyssal skills with computers were supposed to be zero, but then Abyssals like Trinitite had been all full of surprises.

"I would humbly suggest we continue and bring them up to speed after they return," Murray coughs, bringing the others back to business. From the look of things, the two FBI agents might be at it for a while so best not waste time. Time was apparently running out for them all faster than they'd believed and hoped.

"Looking like Trinitite is learning 'how to human' quickly here," Smythe joked flatly to himself AND to a room at large. Being louder than he'd intended on being, the room laughed back mirthlessly.

"Oops," sighed Smythe softly, slinking lower slightly in his seat out of slight shame for being too loud.

"Pardon me for interrupting but . . .Google and 'how to human'?" Saratoga interrupts, shaking her head and looking directly at Smythe through the screen (or as much as modern technology allowed).

"Google is a search engine tool most people nowadays use to look up information," the Japanese admiral answered, looking at Saratoga as he answers her question in fairly good English before turning back towards the conference call. "But I have not heard of this 'how to human' business. Care to explain please?"

Names were not asked for here by any of the parties. The US marshall had spoken with the others in the previous conference calls enough about various topics of concern to forgo that. And they knew each other enough by now for other reasons.

A tone of command was in that question but Smythe obliged all the same. Best not to let ego get in the way of things and the question (while commanding) was hardly something to get upset about here!

"Yes, that is a term online enthusiast like myself on the subject of shipgirls use to describe how shipgirls know how to conduct themselves amongst humanity while on and off duty," Smythe says after standing up to be heard clearly. The fact he had been known back in the office as a Kanmusu enthusiast was the final reason why he'd been tasked over others. "In Kanmusu cases, they take cues from their fairies who are somehow in some way represent their dead, departed crew"

Smythe gave a quick glance over towards Nashville before turning quickly back to the screen with the Japanese admiral. No need to tell of what basically was Smythe not (quiet) chewing out the female private investigator when questioning just why Nashville did what she did at bars while off duty. It had been yet another dig at Nashville's character which Smythe had explained the intricacies of Kanmusu life, ending up with it was how old-time Navy sailors had unwound after a cruise and stop being such a bigot over it.

It was getting old and while it had finally caused her to quit, it was too late to salvage any kind of warm relationships between the private investigator and Nashville.

No need to air dirty laundry.

"In the case of Abyssals it came to light when we interrogated the captured pilots from our wayward Wo-class that this is NOT the case," the marshall continued. "Beyond certain set skills, they seem to have for their function due to job title and certain things like damage control and the naval things of that nature? There really isn't much to them beyond a general cluelessness"

That one part where the interrogator had tried to dig into the part about Saratoga being a "lover" that Trinitite was searching for had been eye-opening (and downright embarrassing) for the US marshall to witness, honestly after Nashville had translated all the "Heys" from the fairy folk.

The fairies had no clue about anything involving the subject beyond what one might learn from watching the wildlife back on the Bikini Atoll. But it had (if only for Smythe) begin to give him the idea that while not a "Lover" in the sexual sense, there was "love" involved. As in the kind of love a child has for their parent.

"It means that Trinitite is not getting her social cues in how to behave in a human manner from her crew," Smythe finishes. "She apparently is learning how to blend in with humanity by direct learning and luck. Which I have a question to ask about here but want to ask it at the end of this briefing from you in Japan, sir"

With no objections to that and a thank you from the admiral for the explanation, the briefing on what had unfolded, including the last part about Trinitite revealing in passing that she'd been using a cellphone to contact Saratoga. Smythe was a bit surprised that the Japanese had been able to use their office phones to transfer the call to Saratoga's cellphone. His office telephone system didn't have that ability, being able to only transfer between office landline phones in the network. Then again, the office equipment had been behind the times in certain areas...

"Sir," Saratoga turns after telling of the very last detail of her answer to Trinitite's questioning her on why continue serving the 'Firebringers'. The way that Trinitite had reacted--the hesitation instead of outright zealous rejection-- just MIGHT be useful if played right. "Again requesting permission to take Emergency Leave back to Washington to help in tracking down my daugt . . .Wo-E6: 'Caisson'"

"I'll consider it after this conference call is done and we'll discuss it," the Admiral answered after giving the shipgirl a long look. Turning back to the people on the other side of the screen, he finishes. "Now, anything else to add before we end here? You?"

Smythe stands after nobody else raises any concerns. One thing about this whole business HAD been bothering him.

NO! It was not whether or not the location of the pay as you go/burner cellphone could be traced. And it HAD to be one, considering that IF the phonecall had been by cellphone the Abyssal had no credit history of her own, so only a cash-only basis (or a paid credit card basis to add a level of confusion for an investigation like he'd seen in a manhunt in the past) was possible.

Ordinary people could not trace the physical location of the cellphone, but telecos do it all the time and could be required by law enforcement to share that data.

Not that it would help, since Smythe had the feeling that as what the fate of the particular cellphone in question was either the usual in those who are wishing to avoid detection (removing the battery and the wide-area dispersal of disposal of a swiftly destroyed phone). Or in this case, considering what shipgirls he'd researched being capable of EATING steel and drinking fuel oil? Consumption.

No, that might be useful in showing whether Trin was still in Washington state (and maybe even in-town as theory suggested) but not Trinitite's current location.

However, it could be possible to track down where the cellphone was purchased! By one website called Quora had stated something he'd found VERY interesting when the subject had been necessary to broach in prior manhunts. He'd seen it on the outside by the techies, so reading had been . . .enlightening.

(Author's Note: as quoted from Quora:

"Maybe they can then ‘trace it back’ to where you bought it. Even if that is too much hassle, when you bought the phone, even if you paid cash for it, almost certainly the cashier in the store scanned it and possibly they scanned not just its UPC code, but also its unique IMEI/ESN number code too. Even if they didn’t, the company that supplied the phones to the retailer perhaps has a record of the IMEIs of the phones they sold to each particular store.")

So, maybe they could at least track Trinitite down by where she usually shopped for things? Maybe this was the break they so very much needed, and without the nuclear option of bringing Saratoga back and risking her safety?

That said?

"Before we go here I just wanted to know for my own edification something," Smyth coughed, looking around the room as some groaned aloud at those words.

They still remembered the needless, and in reflection, silly concern he'd raised when he had asked about whether or not Trinitite's fairy pilots could somehow tame mundane birds to fly on, since their entire air wing had been wrecked by Nashville's shelling. The answer had been no, but the panic of the very idea the very birds could be some kind of Abyssal spy had kept people up at night until that had been determined, thank YOU!

"I know that it was said that the 'fodder' Abyssals appear to lose combat effectiveness skills compared to what they displayed before when re-summoned to different Abyssal fleets," Smythe began, looking over at Murray in particular over that factoid he'd shared with the marshal. "Theory being that whatever skills the Abyssal crew learned in life before was lost in the re-summoning for whatever reason. But what about personal skills that an Abyssal like Trinitite is learning right now while hiding among us humans? Would that be lost if she should die and she gets re-summoned by an Abyssal Princess out at sea somewhere?"

He smirked to himself. It wasn't as if he had been the only one to ask this question. It was an obvious question which he just wanted to know for his own needs and pleasure to posting to his online website after this was all done.

Ah, if it was allowed of course...

You could have heard a pin drop for a few seconds.

***

Later, back in Japan...

The Admiral sighed and rubbed at his headache the . . . .concerns that the marshall had caused by that question.

In the end, Saratoga not only gotten her Emergency leave approved in record time to get back to America. Not only that, she'd not even been allowed to pack her clothing as they'd practically stuffed her on the nearest (and fastest) jet fighter. They were going to do a marathon flight from one side of the ocean to the other by military jet plane (with the occasional aircraft carrier) to get her there D*MN quickly!!

And basically F*CK the other Japanese carriers about training until this mess was sorted out!! Something that while not especially appreciated by the admiral, he would and could well understand the reasons why this was happening!

And as for the future of whatever shall happen to the wayward Wo-class? Capture alive at all costs.

One observant Abyssal Princess noticing how knowledgeable Trinitite is on "how to human" would be an utter disaster for humans as far as countering Abyssal infiltration!!

"What else could happen today?" he sighed, sipping at the bourbon he'd poured himself to calm himself before signaling his shipgirl secretary to go over all the pending business that had been put on hold up until now.

"Admiral," his shipgirl secretary calls from the doorway. "I was just informed that we seemed to have had two accidental Summoning in the Pool somehow we only found out about now. We have them in guest quarters right now under escort before we get them folded into the ranks, but they're still somewhat out of it from the Summoning.

"They appear to be American Essex class aircraft carriers of somewhat odd design who call themselves Firestorm and Hypocenter. . "

The admiral's eyes grow wide right before he finds himself swallowing his drink down the wrong pipe.

Then he finds himself coughing and sneezing said drink out his nose, which is not rather pleasant at all...

He recognized those names from prior briefings on the business surrounding Saratoga and her Abyssal daughter. When Saratoga had been the Jellyfish Princess, she'd named her entire fleet after various things related to "the fire". Two names in particular besides Trinitite had come up...

And he'd just HAD to open his stupid mouth and ask Murphey what else could happen?

1. Really?!

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