Talk:AIF/@comment-10905876-20150908045539

-Admiral's day cabin, IKN Lord Pemberton-

Hodston was in his day cabin at the stern of his flagship looking over some intel on German ship movements. As he read about some warships headed to North Africa, he heard a knock.

Hodston: "Enter."

The door opened and a fairly young man in a captains' uniform walked in, throwing a sharp salute to the Fleet Admiral.

Captain: "Captain Lancelot Radford reporting as ordered, sir."

Hodston: "Ah, captain Radford, come, sit down."

Radford: "Sir?"

Hodston gestures to a chair facing him: "Sit, use the chair."

Captain Radford sits, though he is obviously uneasy being so informal around a fleet admiral.

Hodston: "So, you have been in command of the Untamable for a while now right? How do you like her?"

Radford: "Well, umm, she's a fine ship sir."

Hodston: "You've captained the Tiger, the Thomas Zumwalt, and now Untamable. How do they compare to one another? I want your opinion as a captain commanding these ships, all I ever get these days seems to be strategic analysts' take on the fleet."

Radford: "They're all fine ships sir."

Hodston: "Captain, you are taking the diplomatic route to not upset me, yes? While it is generally a good practice to tread with caution around high ranking officers, I want an honest take on these ships from a man who knows them well. Now, speak frankly about these ships."

Radford: "Umm, yes sir. The Zumwalt was a fine ship. Her crew was good, her design sound, and excellent firepower. She was however, a bit cramped for her armament, and often seemed wet forward. I often thought a lengthened Admiral class would be a potent vessel. I got that with the Untamable. She has even better lines, better seakeeping, and still packs a punch like the Zumwalt. Her crew has meshed well, and she is becoming a fine warship. The Tiger however, was quite frankly, a disappointment. Slab sided, under powered, and with a design that couldn't decide weather it was a battlecruiser or a battleship. The was also too bulky, and was distributed oddly. That is my opinion on these ships, sir."

Hodston: "Ha! Very astute captain. You obviously know your ships well. Now, on to the reason you are here. The ''Untamable is going on a circumnavigation of the globe. The first leg of this journey will be taking you through the Panama Canal to the United States. This is to help strengthen US-AIF relations, and you are to visit the naval base at Newport News Virginia. Arrangements have been made for you to meet Rear Admiral Albert Calavicci, and possibly some other USN officers. Then you are going to take your ship south through the Cape of Good Hope, and visit our allies in the west pacific, before a jaunt down to Hybridland, and back to the Home Islands. Any questions, captain?"

Radford: "No sir."

Hodston: "Is the Untamable ready for sea?"

Once the boilers are lit, we can get under weigh within an hour with full engine command. Of course, we have prided ourselves on being able to get the ship moving in ten minuets from a cold start. But that's usually only in emergency situations."

Hodston: "Then I assume you have time. Stay here for dinner, you can have your first officer begin preparations as needed."

Radford: "Thank you sir. I will have commander Harwell make the preparations. She'll be ready for sea by morning."

Hodston: "Good. Now, I don't think I've had fresh ears to tell of my time as captain of the Tiger...."