After leaving the Admiral quietly at his workstation, Captain Harada finally returned and waited respectfully at his side. “Have you seen enough, or would you care to see more?”
Yamamoto turned to him, with an almost leaden slowness. The renowned leader was not a big man, only five feet three inches tall, and now he seemed smaller yet, as if weighed down by all he had seen, carrying it on his shoulders like a shroud in black and white. He rubbed his brow. Feeling the same dark mood that had fallen on him just after the successful, yet abortive attack on Pearl Harbor. They were going to lose this war, he knew. It was only a matter of time. Hiryu was already gone, Akagi and Kaga in the dry docks for upgrades. Mutsu had been pummeled by a ship they had never even seen, Mizuchi, the demon of the sea. Something warned him that if he ordered a major operation up north to secure that flank of the Empire again, that unseen demon would wreak havoc, and exact a terrible cost.
Could it also be a ship from the future, as Harada suggests? If so, what chance have we against its terrible weapons? Even as he thought that, he realized the answer to his fears was right beneath his feet. The Java operation had been rudely upset by the rage of nature, and then this strange ship and crew appeared, and with the most preposterous and outrageous story he had ever heard, but with a ship that dazzled him with its incredible capabilities, equipment and weapons.
“Admiral,” said Harada, “I urge you to find a way to seek terms with the Americans—now, while we still have the navy mostly intact. Even if that means we must concede certain territories we have already taken, would not peace under those conditions be infinitely more preferable than the war you were just looking at, especially considering the outcome. Seek terms, sir. Get the best deal you can for Japan while we still hold the advantage.”
“Your incredible story aside,” said Yamamoto, “what you say makes a good deal of sense. But realize that such decisions may not be entirely up to me. Tojo commands the Army, and I do not expect that he will wish to relinquish any of the territories this offensive has seized, or even consider what you are suggesting.”
“What about the Emperor, sir. You could go to Emperor Hirohito and make a direct appeal. If he could be persuaded, Tojo might be forced to comply with his wishes.”
“Perhaps…” The image of a child burned in the searing fires of Hiroshima was the last he had seen, and it lingered on the screen, haunting him. He stood up slowly, looked around the room, seeing nothing on this ship that in any way looked like the other ships in the fleet he commanded. It did, indeed, appear as though it had been built in another world.
“I have asked you to accept an impossible story,” said Harada. “I have tried your patience, or perhaps even courted death in what I came here to do. Yet in those images you have just clearly seen my motive. I urge you to strongly consider what we have proposed.”
“I will do this,” said Yamamoto, “but it seems your First Officer has other ideas.”
“I will deal with him privately, sir. That is my concern.”
“Very well… Captain Harada, I hope you realize the difficulties in what you ask. Suppose I do manage to convince the Emperor of the folly in continuing this war. Suppose he orders Tojo to find a way to negotiate terms? Then we have others to convince, the British, The Siberians, the Americans. They will demand we give back every territory they once possessed, and then Japan will be returned to the state it was in before the war. We struck south for a reason, to secure the oil and resources our Empire needs to survive. The American embargo had much to do with our decision to strike them at Pearl Harbor, even if it does seem misguided in light of the things I have seen here.”
“That is what we must negotiate, a lifting of that embargo to allow Japan free access to those resources. Yet instead of seizing them by force, we will purchase them from the Dutch.”
“That may sound reasonable, but realize that many men have died in this war. The Army, and our own SNLF Naval troops have taken a very hard line, particularly in China.”
“That is another problem. China fights Japan now, and our presence there comes to no good. It sews the seeds of enmity for decades, even to my time. China will be torn by a terrible civil war after we leave, and the government that arises will be very austere and oppressive at the outset. Then, ironically, China becomes a major world power, with a massive economy and industrial capacity even exceeding that of the United States. Their navy has nearly 700 ships by 2021, while we have barely 150. Their vast population sees over 600 million men fit for active service, and another 20 million men reaching military age every year. No nation on earth could ever invade or occupy China again, and in my time, they are the ones seeking to use that navy to expand their grasp of vital natural resources.”
“It never ends,” said Yamamoto sadly.
“Unfortunately, the war we were facing in my time was far more serious. The terrible weapons that ended this war will threaten to destroy the entire world, civilization itself. If that could be prevented somehow… If a way could be found to make amends with China.”
Yamamoto smiled, then his face seemed lifeless and forlorn. “Does your library record an incident at the city of Nanking?”
“It does.”
“Then you know what the army did there…. I think it will be very difficult for the Chinese to forgive or forget. Captain, should I attempt to do what you ask, and fail to secure the cooperation necessary to achieve peace, then what? We will be forced to walk the road we have already chosen. Will your ship and crew fight for Japan, or for the enemy that became your friend and ally?”
“Sir, we were in the process of trying to answer that question among ourselves. This mission, to try and reach you with this proposal, was the first option put forward.”
“I see… And what other options did you consider?”
“Burning this ship, and marooning ourselves on some isolated place. That was one possible choice that entered my mind, yet my First Officer argued strongly that we had the ability to affect the outcome of this war—not only with Takami, but with the knowledge we possessed in this library. Coming here like this was a risky thing to do. Your Chief of Staff had his hand on the hilt of his sword all too often when we told you who we really were. Then we learned of this Russian ship, and when I realized what this vessel might be, and who its Captain might be, I felt very conflicted. The Russians, you see, were our enemies in my time as well. You say there was already an engagement fought with this Russian ship, and you have seen the results. Be very careful, Admiral, very cautious. If that ship is the battlecruiser Kirov, it is extremely dangerous, with an array of ship killing missiles that you could not oppose. Do not send another task force north to confront this ship. Your losses will be very heavy, and I doubt you will ever see the enemy that inflicts this harm.”
“What about this ship, Takami? Your First Officer suggested we should fight together to vanquish this foe. Would you be willing to do this if so ordered? For that matter, are you willing to concede authority over the deployment of this ship to me, as Admiral of the Combined Fleet, or do you anticipate attempting to operate independently?”
Now Harada shrugged. He had not yet thought all this through, but he knew he had to give Yamamoto something here in exchange for all he was asking of this man.
“It was our faith in you that led me to choose this option and take the risk in coming here like this. Revealing the information I have just shown you was also a very great risk. Telling you I know the hour and day of your death was a daring thing to do, and I beg your pardon if I have offended you. Yet decisions are for both Captains and Admirals to make, in spite of Ugaki’s opinion, so I will make one here and now. Sir, I would be honored to serve under your command.”