Lucilla--NaNoWriMo2014

Chapter Eighteen

Having passed their information to the Allies with the help of the partisans, Mark and Lucilla pedalled their bycycles toward Santa Maria del Cedro, which was some twenty miles to the north.

After they arrived, they set themselves up to lie on the beach.  There is an art to changing into swim suits during the day without beach house facilities.  Mark took one of their large towels from their bicycle panniers.  He then anchored their umbellas to their bikes while he held a towel around Lucilla.  She then removed her blouse and bra.  Then she put on her halter top.  Then she went to work removing her underwear and riding skirt.  Once that was accomplished, she was fully dressed to swim.

Then Mark handed his towel to Lucilla for her to hold for him.  He then removed his shirt, then his trousers, and underwear.  Then in a matter of minutes he was all suited up for a swim.  But they were not at the beach at Santa Maria del Cedro in order to swim.

During their break, Lucilla took out cheese and summer sausage with dark bread.  She insisted on wine mixed with water and other ingredients to sweeten it.  It was something she was found of doing since her childhood in Rome.

Mark took their one pair of binoculars to check out passing ships.  While they would count the merchant ships and estimate their cargo capacity, Mark and Lucilla were first interested in types of warships passing to and from Naples during the next few hours.

Rather than look only at the ships at sea, Mark and Lucilla wanted to look like tourists having a good time.  So they checked out men and women on the beach, and now and then would gaze at the shops up from the beaches.  To their rear on one their right side was a thick wooded area.

"There is a destroyer, Lucilla with four guns similar in caliber to the German eighty-eight milimeter gun.  Its guns are effective against other destroyers, Patrol Boats, merchant ships, submarines, soldiers on the shore, and they can be elevated to shoot flak, exploding ammunition against air planes if they are engaged far away."  Mark handed the binoculars to Lucilla.  She made mental notes.

"They may be deadly to you or me, but they look beatiful, far more beautiful than the Trireems of my father's navy.  The grapling ramps were effective but ugly to look at.  Only the bows of our ships were fitted with iron rammers."

"A destroyer can still ram other ships.  Even submarines in the Pacific Ocean have rammed Japanese ships with effectiveness.  But it is easier to blow them out of the water from a distance over the horizon."

"Mark, ships can fire projectiles and sink enemy ships they cannot see?"

"Yes, if they have radar.  But the ship passing before us has no signs of radar antennas."  Mark drew a radar antenna in the sand for Lucilla.

"Thank you, Mark."  Lucilla leaned over and kissed him.  "I love to kiss you, my lovely.  After all, don't we have to look like lovers enjoying themselves?"

"We are lovers, Lucy, enjoying ourselves."  He reached up and pulled her to him. "They enjoyed brief affection, but then got back to observing.

"Wow!" Mark said, "there is an aircraft carrier.  It is not much bigger than our old Aircraft Carrier by the name of The Langely, but it ought to be able to transport some fifty of their standard Italian bi-planes.  By themselves, they are nothing like the Japanese carriers in the Pacific when our  smaller naval task force devastated them near Midway island last summer."

"Mark," Lucilla said, after he handed her the binoculars, "There are guns mounted on the sides of the carrier.  What are they for?"

"They can be used to defend against other planes, and support troops if they dare to get close enough to shore if it is safe for them."