Recap:

Few minutes later she was fished out of the water by the Antietam and found herself confronted by the rest of the ship girls and the new commander of the convoy, Lt Commander Alasdair Miller aboard the USS Antietam.

"We will drop the two Japanese warships at Ominato Guard District for some much needed patching up and repairs, and once we've dropped them off we'll sail with the convoy near the coast, all the way to Fleet Activities Yokosuka, then we will have you reported to the commanding officer of the ship girls stationed here in Japan, and also we got you a pair of coveralls so you can change from that damp and wet dive suit you have." Miller explained to Gato.

"Understood sir, and thank you." Gato then replied to Miller.

"That's not a problem, you saved our assess from that fleet of capital ships that we can't really much do a lot of, I'm just showing you my gratitude as the commander of this convoy." Miller said to Gato and then turning to the rest of the girls also in the room. "For the time being as we sail to Ominato you all stay here in the officer's wardroom and get yourself some coffee or snacks here, or some hot chow down at the mess hall." He told the rest of the girls.

Everyone reacted with a tone of 'Yes sir' or 'Aye sir' as Miller left the wardroom to head back to the bridge. 

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Present time:

After Miller had left the girls, everyone went on their way around the ship, with Northampton taking the two Japanese cruisers on a tour of the Antietam that is currently ferrying them back to Ominato then to Yokosuka, Fletcher along with Johnston took the two Japanese AA destroyers to the mess hall for some hot meal, meanwhile Washington and Helena stayed in the wardroom and both started a small conversation all the while enjoying some hot coffee, meanwhile Intrepid along with Ryuujo to accompany her went to the fan tail of the ship to do some practice runs with her planes.

This left Gato on her lonesome, now changed to the coveralls she was given by LCDR Miller, she then decided to head to the bridge and see what she's missing from the surface warfare community, although she made a mental note to herself if she want to visit the ship's CIC (Combat-Information-Center) do bring some hot coffee for the hard working technicians there, since she knew just by observing her former crew work tirelessly in front of monitors for hours end would be pretty much tiring and any outside disturbances would mean the ire of the tired technicians. Two hours later as she was in the bridge they finally arrived near Ominato and the two badly mauled JMSDF warships were detached from the convoy. 

After the two were detached the three American warships consisting of one Guided Missile Cruiser, and two Guided Missile Destroyers along with the convoy of three ships which are made up of one Bulk carrier, one Container ship, and one Oil Tanker. Finally headed off to Fleet Activities Yokosuka and the merchant ships heading to their ultimate destination of the port in Yokohama, to drop off the much needed supplies that Japan desperately needs.

Two hours later as they were nearing the entrance to Tokyo bay Gato then decided to leave the bridge and get some relaxation time on the officer's wardroom, as she was leaving the ship's bridge making her way to the bridge's exit door, there was a sudden chatter with the ship's internal communication's radio which is coming from the CIC technicians operating the ship's Spy-1 radar, upon hearing the chatter the captain of the ship (LCDR Miller) suddenly spoked. Gato didn't understand any of the chatter since it was all surface warfare gibberish, although she understood the lines of "Unidentified aerial contacts detected at bearing 3-1-0 degrees at their port side, at a range of 20 nautical miles or 37 kilometers away from them." hearing this made her spine tingle in slight fear, she was a submarine after all and subs don't fight aircrafts, actually they hate enemy aircrafts since they don't have any defenses from them apart from sneaking away, but she then remembered she's in a surface ship, and finally Miller announced something.

"Officer of the Deck, sound general quarters!" Miller announced as the OOD turned to the rest of the bridge crew. "Aye captain, Bosun!" The OOD responded. "Bosun mate, aye sir?" The bosun replied. "Sound General Quarters!" The OOD ordered. "Aye sir." The Bosun replied.

The sudden shriek of the bosun's pipe sounded through the ship's 1 main circuit or 1MC with the most feared sentence any Navy sailor could ever hear in his or her career.

"General Quarters! General Quarters! All hands man your battle stations. The route of travel is forward and up to starboard, down and aft to port. Set material condition 'Zebra' throughout the ship. General Quarters General Quarters!" Announced by the bosun as the GQ alarm went off after he finishes his sentence.

https://youtu.be/TyVzeh7rHlM

Gato then ran off to the hangar deck where most of their gear was stowed, as she arrive there she found most of the other girls already geared up, she then opened the locker she requisitioned for her gear, but as she was starting changing to her dive suit, Intrepid walked up to her.

"Gato, that won't be necessary." Intrepid told the sub, "B-but ma'am it's a GQ situation and I need to fulfill my role too!" Gato replied to Intrepid's order. "I know Gato, but the contacts are aerial, and you're a submarine, the problem is you can't do much." She said as she puts her hand on Gato's shoulders. "B-but..." Gato stammered.

"I know honey, but this is an order coming from a superior." Intrepid replied as she tries to reassure Gato. "Then what should I do ma'am, I'm completely useless here, also superior?" Gato replied as she looks at Intrepid in the eye with a confusion all over her face. When suddenly Ryuujo quipped from the other side. "Why don't you help us on the fan tail then? We'll launch our planes from there and you be our spotter and radar, since I know you cold war ships have some very good radar suites." She said as she helps Akizuki with her riggings.

"Well there's that, oh and for the record I'm a Ensign, while Washington is a Petty Officer 1st class which is my Exec for my current fleet, and the others having enlisted grades." She said as she loads her M1903 Springfield. "Wait what? You guys have enlisted and commissioned grades?" Gato asked in confusion. While Ryuujo commented on what Intrepid just told Gato "Yeah that's the weird thing about the American ship girls, you guys actually have Navy ranks, I wish my Government give us as well." Ryuujo said as she leads the other girls out of the hangar bay and onto the fantail.

"We'll discuss the terms of your enlistment later on with the Admiral, for now it's battle stations." She said as she follows Ryuujo onto the fan tail of the Antietam. As Gato re-stowed her gear she was met by the ship's XO, Ensign Adams, if the name written on her NWU and the rank devices on her is correct, "You Gato?" She asked the young woman.

"Aye ma'am, you got the right sub." She replied as she closes and locks her locker door all the while Adams started,"Well the skipper wants me to give you this since you'll be helping our CV's according to him." She said as she hands Gato a binocular and a radio, "What should I use this for?" Gato asked puzzled by the set that Adams just gave her.

"Skipper said since you're a cold war era sub, you might have enhanced eye sight than the others and a better radar suite, so he thinks you'll be a good extra pair of eyes in the sky, so radio us in if you see anything else out there, the radio is set for the bridge so contacting us won't be troublesome." Adams replied. "Guess so, alright thanks Ensign." She replied as she takes the Binocs and radio from Adams's hand.

"No problem, I'll see ya around Gato." Adams replied as she ran off back to the Bridge, as Gato was walking out of the hangar and onto the ship's fantail, she saw the rest of the girls jumping off the side and started to ski on the surface, meanwhile Ryuujo was using her scroll and started to launch her Mitsubishi A5M fighters, while Intrepid is bolting her M1903 and then firing a round onto the air and the said rounds turning to Grumman F6F-3 Hellcats, and with that clip expended Intrepid now loads a fresh clip to her Springfield that is marked 'F4U-1D' with that happening Gato then went to her position with the two carriers.

Meanwhile on the Antietam's bridge

"Sir the crew is in battle stations, what are your orders?" Adams reported and then asking Miller. "Have we made any contact on them yet?" Miller asked referring to the unidentified aerial contacts they have in radar, "Aye sir, but no response." The OOD replied.

"We've asked other channels as well both Naval and Air Force, and they reported that they are not sortieing any aircraft as of the current time, and the Ronald Reagan is still docked in Yokosuka, our radar techs assumed it might be a hostile enemy contact sir." Adams added.

"Start weapons tracking, ready VLS for SM-2MR." Miller ordered.

"Aye aye sir, CIC ready VLS, fire two SM-2MR at tracks designated Echo one and Echo two." Adams responded to Miller and then contacting the CIC. "Tracks designated Echo one and Echo two, are ready, on your command ma'am." The CIC tech responded.

"Sir tracks Echo one and two are ready, your orders?" Adams said as she gets off the radio,  "Yeoman Radio the Benfold and Mustin to engage as well with their own SM-2MR's." He ordered.

"Aye Aye sir." The Yeoman replied as he gets on the radio contacting the two DDG's. "Sir what about the ship girls?" Adams asked Miller as she looks at him for an order.

"Tell the cruisers and destroyers to start forming a defensive circle around the convoy, tell Washington to stick close to the middle as much as possible since we will need her AA firepower at the center, tell the carriers to maintain fighter cover, anything gets passed our missiles will be engaged by them." He said to Adams with a hint of determination to defend the convoy as much as possible.

"Aye sir." Adams responded as she radios the ship girl fleet that is currently attached with them, when suddenly Miller announced "Fire SM-2MR at tracks designated Echo one and Echo two." He ordered, "Aye sir, CIC fire SM-2MR at tracks Echo one and two." He said through the radio.

"Aye sir, firing SM-2MR's." The other end responded as the shriek of the siren onboard letting everyone know that the VLS is about to fire a missile.

At the fantail of the Antietam

As Gato along with Ryuujo and Intrepid were looking out the sky observing the planes doing their patrol over the convoy, the sudden shriek of the siren made the girls look at the rear most VLS tubes of the ship to see it open and suddenly a geyser of flame shoot out of it and suddenly a missile left the tube along with another one from the front VLS tube, along with the Antietam and the accompanying DDG's fired a couple salvo's of SM-2MR SAM's.

"Those are SAM's!, I think the surface ships have a good lock on those abyssal planes!" Intrepid reacted as the Surface to Air Missiles went their way onto their respective targets, as Ryuujo had a slight chuckle, "You Americans sure do know how to set a show." She said as she observes one of her fighter squadrons move to the convoy's edge.

"Neat, I hope all those SAM's shoot them down cause it would be a real bother if the abyssals make it past our first line of defense." Gato remarked as another SM-2MR left the VLS tube heading towards it's target, while Intrepid in a joking manner remarked, "Well it could be worse, for all we know we might be shadowed by an abyssal surface group or a submarine flotilla." 

"Jeez Intrepid-san don't jinx us." Ryuujo replied to Intrepid's statement, when Gato spoke up again "Well that aside, we need to keep our airspace clear of targets since we are escorting some valuable cargo on those three merchant ships." 

"Well you raise a good point there Gato." Intrepid replied as she loads a clip to her Springfield marked 'F6F-3', while Ryuujo replied "Well I guess we better ramp up the fighters even more!" She cheered as she launches another batch of Mitsubishi A5M's.

On the Antietam's bridge

The bridge was a fuss of action with the helmsman doing his job in keeping the ship on course a course heading straight to Kanagawa which host Fleet Activities Yokosuka and Yokohama port, meanwhile the ship's lookout's observing the airspace around the convoy of any aerial threats that might get passed the convoy's outer defenses. Meanwhile there was a sudden call from the CIC alerting the bridge and XO Adams was the first to answer the call.

"Adams, report?" Miller said to his XO. "Sir, report from CIC. Twelve aerial contacts are shot down by our SM-2MR's, the rest are making a hasty retreat southeast of our current position no other signs of enemy contacts in range." Adams replied.

"Well I'll be, the abyssals managed to wuss out of the engagement. Although why? That's not something normal of them though." He said to his fellow officers and men on the bridge, when the radio crackled again with Adams listening in, "Sir it's CIC again, they just reported that a flight of six F/A-18E Super Hornets from NAS Atsugi just arrived to give us air cover as we enter the vicinity of Sagami bay." She reported to Miller.

"Well at least the day's over, Adams call the girls back and we'll fish them out of the water." Miller ordered to Adams. "Aye aye sir." She said as she gets on the radio to contact the ship girls to return to the Antietam.

"Bosun!" Miller shouted, "You bellowed skipper?" The bosun replied. "Release from General Quarters, and someone get into contact with the Benfold and Mustin to do the same." ordered Miller. 

"Aye aye sir." The bosun replied as the flight of six F/A-18E's flew over the convoy and the shriek of the bosun's whistle came on the 1MC and saying "Release from General Quarters." making the men and women in the bridge more relaxed as the feeling of relief came over them.

"Helmsman, reduce speed to 1/4 and someone tell the recovery team to ready themselves on their station to recover the girls." Miller ordered.

"Aye sir, I'll let the recovery team know." She replied as she contacts the team from below decks. 

 "Aye sir, reducing speed to 1/4." The helmsman responded as he carry out the order. with Miller taking off his flak vest and helmet he then gave a sigh of relief and then announces. "OOD, you have the bridge." Miller signaled as he relinquish control of the ship, back to the OOD.

"Aye sir, I have the bridge." The OOD responded, as Miller begins to exit the bridge with Adams noticing this "Where you heading sir?" She asked the captain.

"Got to do the AAR's and several other reports for the Admiral back in 7th fleet, plus paperwork." He replied with a sigh, with Adams giving a smile off his expense, "Well, I don't envy you skipper. Paperwork has always been the bloodline of the Navy." She laugh as Miller gave a chuckle and left the Bridge heading to his quarters and the convoy heading towards their respective destinations.

Timeskip

At least 45 minutes has passed as the ships enter the harbor on Yokosuka all the while their fighter escorts return to NAS Atsugi and the merchant ships heading to Yokohama and disembarking their cargo, all the while the three Naval vessels dock in Yokosuka and disembarks the ship girls attached to them. As the girls were disembarking each were carrying their riggings and then handing them out to several yard workers which just stowed it in the back of a white unmarked van.

This caused Gato some concern as she was a bit curious where would these men take their valuable and sensitive equipment, so to answer her question she went to Intrepid to ask her, meanwhile Intrepid was chatting with Washington.

"Um Intrepid, where would those yard workers take our equipment?" Gato pointed out as the van drove away. "Oh they are taking them to the ship girl base on the other side of the base." Intrepid replied.

"Don't worry Gato, those guys are trained to be very gentle with our gear, cause if not I'll rip their heads off if they broke my equipment." She said with a giant grin while receiving a gentle slap from Intrepid.

"Don't say such things Washington, for all you could know you might be scaring Gato here." She said to Washington with a small angry face and then looking at Gato while Washington replies "Okay, okay I'm just joking sheesh." She said with a huff as most of the girls board a bus that is gonna take them to the main ship girl base, while Intrepid draws Gato on the side.

With the bus loaded and is now driving away, this left Intrepid and Gato on their own in the yard.

"Well, what now Intrepid?" Gato asks the remaining ship girl with her. "Well we'll be heading over the 7th fleet HQ, I think our Admiral is there currently discussing some issues with the 7th fleet Admiral." Intrepid said with a chuckle.

"Um why is our Admiral having a vivid discussion with the Admiral of 7th fleet?" Gato asked confused. "Well according to what I hear, our Admiral is married to the Admiral in charged of 7th fleet." Intrepid said with a laugh as she and Gato walk towards the 7th Fleet HQ building.

"Well that explains it." Gato replied with a small smile on her face. "Tell me about it, those two just get livid with each other from time to time." Intrepid added.

"Now what's the reason for that though?" Gato said as she glanced at Intrepid, "I think it has something to do about the disposition of the surface ships that 7th fleet has to support us with, but I could be wrong." Intrepid replied as she gave a dismissal wave.

"Ok...... Can you tell me, how successful is the American ship girl program has been this past few months  before my arrival?" Gato asked Intrepid and changing topics.

"Well the program is very successful, we have five active American ship girl bases one of the bases is in here Japan, another one in Midway island for the other forward deployed girls and the submarine fleet, one in Pearl, one in San Diego but they have a detachment on ship girls in Bremerton, and finally Norfolk for the ship girls that served in the Atlantic back in the war." Intrepid recalled as she puts her finger on her chin.

"Wow, could it get better than that?" She said with a smirk.

"Oh it did get better than that, with the success rate of the program and the sheer amount of ship girls the USN possess, we started to aid our foreign allies as well by providing and stationing them with ship girls that used to serve on their navy and a few others. Like Taiwan, and the Philippines. I believe Taiwan got a lot of Destroyers with them, stationed in Tsoying Naval base and a detachment up north at the Keelung Naval Base, for the Philippines the USN has agreed to station several ship girls on the reactivated and leased Subic Bay Naval Base with one Buckley class DE, one Edsall class DE, and three Cannon class DE's, and three carriers one Independence class Light Carrier and two Essex class Fleet Carriers, and finally one Alaska class Large Cruiser to give them more firepower." Intrepid added.

"How much of the oceans are in control of this enemy you say, and what are they called again?" Gato asked Intrepid.

"Well much of the world's oceans are controlled by them, only a few seas and oceans are relatively secured by navies, but the enemy we fight are called 'Abyssals' basically they are evolved deep sea creatures and are very aggressive, they wield both low and high caliber weapons, possibly from the ship wrecks we've lost in the previous century and decades, they will attack anything, like anything both civilian and naval vessels, they managed to bombard parts of some coastal cities globally before being driven back in the open ocean by Navy ships." She replied to Gato's question.

"By the way Intrepid, what's the composition of the ship girls sent to the foreign countries you say?" Gato added another question as they continue to walk to the 7th fleet HQ.

"I believe the Taiwanese got mostly Destroyers and Destroyer Escorts, and then the Philippines being granted the firepower of a decently sized fleet." Intrepid replied as she tries to recall things that just recently happened.

"Wow, never thought the program is this successful that they'll station and transfer some girls to foreign countries, by the way what are the secured bodies of water that humanity controls as of the current date?" Gato remarked and then asking Intrepid another question.

"Well according to what I know, we have relative control of the waters off Midway atoll and Hawaii, 'most' of the U.S west coast, the Atlantic is quite secure thanks to the British and Germans, the North sea is quite secured thanks to the Russians, the Mediterranean is very secured thanks to the efforts of the Italians and French and the Black Sea is literally the safest large scale body of water in the world and it serves as the training grounds for the Russian Navy's ship girl program. The Sea of Japan is relatively secure thanks to the JMSDF and the Russian fleet in Vladivostok and the Koreans, the Taiwan strait and Luzon strait is kept open thanks to the ROC and the Philippine navies. And lastly the Coral sea is relatively secure cause of the ship girls from the British and Australians stationed in Australia securing that sector." She replied.

As the two continued to chat about the state of the world's control of it's oceans, they finally arrived outside of the 7th fleet HQ building, proceeding inside they were met by a number of sailors who all look at them, seeing Intrepid waving them off they all just went back to work, with Intrepid leading Gato to the 7th Fleet Admiral's office.

"So this is the 7th Fleet Admiral's office?" Gato asked as she looks at the door marked 'Vice Admiral Walther Anderson' with Intrepid replying with a solid "yep." they were about knock when suddenly the door opened and revealed a lanky tall girl wearing a type 3 NWU and a red necker chief, Intrepid immediately identified this girl to be the Lexington aircraft carrier Saratoga, but it took Gato a bit of time to know who the woman is, all she knows is that she has the silver bar rank of Lieutenant (Junior Grade).

"Um Intrepid, who is she?" Gato asked Intrepid as Intrepid gave a soft smile, while the other woman just gave a small giggle from Gato's question, but then stated. "I'm the USS Saratoga CV-3, nice to meet you, what's your name little one?" She asked in a womanly manner. 

"U-uhm I'm USS G-Gato SSN-615, a P-Permit class Nuclear Attack Submarine." She stuttered, with Intrepid and Saratoga just laughing it off, and then Saratoga replying.

"Relax Gato, I might be an officer but trust me I won't chew your ass if I have no reason to." She said with a giggle, with Intrepid remarking, "Is it because your too motherly like Langley. or has Lexington rubbed in on you with her big sister appearance and personality?" Intrepid replied with a smug face.

"That's not true! Your so mean Intrepid!" Saratoga replied with a small pout, this cause Intrepid and Gato to laugh it off, but as they were laughing there was a sudden 'ahem' coming from Saratoga's back. Wheeling around and joining on Intrepid's side reveals a woman standing with the rank of Rear Admiral upper half (Two Stars).

"Am I interrupting something?" The woman asked with her Service Khaki bearing the inscription J. Anderson on a nameplate while the other side is a decently sized ribbon rack and on her collar devices two stars denoting her seniority in rank.

"N-No ma'am!" Saratoga replied, while Intrepid "Hello Admiral, how are you?", meanwhile Gato was sweating buckets in front of the officer, which was noticed by the woman, while Intrepid was ignored by the woman since she was far more interested in the American nuclear boat than her own carrier.

"Oh, you must be that Submarine that I heard about from Miller." She said as she looks at Gato and offers her hand. "That's right ma'am, USS Gato SSN-615 at your service!" Gato replied as she took the woman's hand and shook it. "Good to hear, I'm Rear Admiral Julianne Anderson, the definitive Commanding Officer of the American ship girls stationed in Japan." She said as she and Gato shook hands with her, and then adding. "For once I'm glad to see a new face." She said as she closes the door behind her and with the girls begin to walk out of the 7th Fleet HQ, this took them about four minutes to navigate through the building and reaching the parking apron with her guiding the girls on her requisitioned Humvee and they began to drive to the ship girl base in Yokosuka.

 "So, how did you get here Gato I heard from Lt. Commander Miller that you found them fighting an Abyssal surface group?" She asked the submarine while she starts the humvee. "Well that's right Admiral, I was found in the vicinity of the area of that convoy, is it not normal?" Gato replied and then asking with Saratoga quipping in.

"Well I'm aware that the summoning device is in San Diego and not in Japan. That's at least for us Americans." she said as they begin to leave the base's parking lot, with Admiral Anderson announcing.

"So Gato, are you willing to serve your country and Navy again?" She asked the submarine as she drives off the gate.

"Well, there is a reason why I'm here." Gato replied, with Admiral Anderson giving a smile. "Yeah you're right there Gato, the ship girls always have a reason to comeback, tell you what once we arrive in my office we'll do the paperwork for your enlistment in the navy." She said as she continues to drive the Humvee back to the ship girl base.

"By the way Admiral, how come Saratoga and Intrepid have commissioned ranks?" Gato said as she glances to Saratoga and Intrepid. with Saratoga replying first "Well, the ranks are what we got based on the experience and merit we have through the months of our service in the navy, I got to LT(JG) thanks to my exploits in defending Pearl." She commented. Meanwhile Intrepid adding her own story.

"Me being an Ensign is the reward for my actions in the battle off Midway island during Pacific Trident, when the Abyssals tried to shell the island so it wouldn't be operable." She recalled. With Gato giving a whistle and Admiral Anderson giving a chuckle.

"Well once you are enlisted back in the Navy you'll automatically get the rate of Seaman since you just prove your combat effectiveness in that battle, rank advancements would be made through your performance and Merit through FITREP of course." She said as she drives the Humvee.

"I wonder what would happen to me in a couple months." Gato quietly remarked, but was heard by Intrepid who ensures her. "Don't worry Gato, in a few months you'll be a vital part of the fleet and a key asset, remember you are more different to us, well technologically speaking." Intrepid replied, but with Saratoga quipping in. 

"What makes you say that?" Saratoga asked with her eyebrows raised, this cause Admiral Anderson to laugh and explain why.

"That's because Intrepid would have the ability to receive her SCB-27C and SCB-125 refit, the same way as R&D is trying with Hornet, and Midway back in San Diego." Admiral Anderson said laughing, as Intrepid joins in. With Saratoga just confused to hell on what does it implies.

"So that would mean?" Saratoga asked, with Intrepid answering back. "That would mean if it's successful the SCB-125 refitted Essex's has the ability to sport Cold War era aircrafts and weapons." Intrepid stating and with Gato piecing it together, "And Midway along with her sister ships would be able to sport planes like F/A-18A Hornets." She said as she piece together what it actually means.

"You got that right Gato, you got that right." Admiral Anderson replying along with a sound of agreement from Intrepid as they continue the relatively short drive to the ship girl base in Yokosuka.

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Word Count: 4, 907 Words

A/N: Yo guys it's me again, hope you guys like the first chapter of this story, sorry it took me a while to update it, it's not that easy to come up with a solid plot for it, but nonetheless it's here and I hope you guys enjoy it, also you notice the new writing format? That's right I'll be transitioning to a new format starting today. Also should I go back and revise the prologue to match chapter 1's writing format, vote on yes or no.

Yes, Revise the prologue!

No, Don't revise the prologue!

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So it will be from this;

Character: "[Character sentence]." [Character action].

For an Example I will use one of Intrepid's lines in Kancolle:

Intrepid: "Hi Honey, how are you doing?" She said to the Admiral in greeting.

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To this;

"[Character sentence].", [Character action]. [Then any other additional things]

For an Example I will be using the same one but in a different format:

"Hi Honey, how are you doing?" Intrepid asked the Admiral with enthusiasm, with the Admiral replying "I'm alright Intrepid, just busy with the amount of paperwork that chain has passed on to me." The Admiral replied to the question.