Kancolle: Exodus Initiative

Humanity has been betrayed from within. The Fleet Girl Initiative is in the hands of the enemy. The rest of the world has fallen under the rule of the Abyssals and their allies. But there are those who remember what it was like to live free and aren't willing to give in just yet.

Chapter 1:

You and I both remember that day very well.

There was nothing to mark this particular day as anything that we weren't already used to. Maybe the protests and demonstrations against the government and military were slightly larger than usual.

When the major Abyssal offensive showed up on our doorstep, we simply stood by our comrades like we've done for a long time.

But this time was different.

It was in Sasebo when Japan was first alerted to the traitors in their midst.

We were kindly introduced to the depth of their betrayal when we were fired upon by our own ships and Kanmusu.

Why did it have to be that particular day?

"Why are we running?" Murakumo yells. She is angry, we all are.

"You heard the Prime Minister." Akashi says, "We have to run."

A lot of the Kanmusu, or ship girls, on this passenger ship are injured. They won't recover from their wounds unless they receive more supplies, supplies we can't spare.

Only a few ship girls managed to escape the country when the various officers declared their allegiance and all hell broke loose.

The captain of this vessel isn't military, but even this passenger ship has seen combat. Ethan Feuriels, "For Real(s)" or "Fuhrer" depending on your standing with him.

"The crew and I have been listening to the news." Ethan leads the people left standing to a large spacious area that might have been a dining room to be enjoyed in peacetime, but all the windows have metal sheets over them. But there are still nice wooden dining tables and chairs. He has a large laminated world map that he sets down.

"We are here." he circles at a space between Taiwan and Japan with a marker, "We need to decide on a destination."

"Which countries have been taken over?" asks Midway. She had been lucky enough to be on patrol far enough when the attacks happened. Unfortunately, she was far from America, far from home.

"Japan, Korea, Vietnam, United States, India." Ethan crosses out the countries on the map, "Most of Europe. The Abyssals seem to have hit Europe the hardest. A lot of countries are still fighting."

"So much confusion." states Midway.

"I believe that Australia will be the best place to head for now." Ethan says, "At least they're government is still friendly. I just have to call them up and ask if it's alright to take a shipload of Kanmusu into their ports."

"Are we really not fighting?" asks Murakumo.

"Not until we know who is on our side." Ethan says, "Then we can fight with them."

"But Australia is really isolated." Akashi says, "Where could we run from there if the Abyssals come?"

The Prime Minister of Japan made that broadcast telling the nation that we were not to help a government run by Abyssal sympathiser and supporters. We haven't heard from him since.

Just how many people have betrayed us to the Abyssals?

Now there is a new provisional government for Japan. Our nations began to crumble from the inside, from the huge riots and panic. Or from the coups that toppled the leaders from power.

What are we meant to do when we were targeted by our own people?

"Is that okay with you Stalingrad-san?"

I jerk my head up at the mention of my name.

"Sorry," I don't want the responsibility of our survival, "That's fine."

"You didn't hear what we just said." Midway sighs. Akashi then decides to intervene.

"Were it not for you," Please don't compliment me. "none of us would be here. I trust whatever decision you make."

I didn't think Murakumo would be nodding as well. I didn't think she was the type to be grateful for being dragged away from the fight.

"Do we know if we can get through the Philippines and Indonesia without inspection?" I state, "We can take advantage of the confusion and we want as few people to know what is on this ship, especially if those countries might betray us later."

The captain seems to be agreeing.

"We want as few records of our passage as possible," he looks at the map again, "We could try to pass through while everyone is still figuring out what's going on."

He leaves, probably to head to the bridge and plot our course. The four Kanmusu sit down and contemplate the events that have eclipsed the world.

Kanmusu, or ship girls, are ships resurrected from the dead and have returned in human form. And they still possess many of the qualities they had when they were a ship. Some of them have memories from their previous lives as well.

So to resurrect a ship girl takes a serious amount of resources. Someone has to then gather those resources and then complete a summoning ritual.

Ship girls can come from all sorts of nations, but they would prefer to be brought back by their own nation.

Kanmusu wield ship rigging, armaments and equipment that gives them the abilities to float, shoot, sail and all the things they could do in their previous forms.

"There she goes again."

Murakumo doesn't appreciate my daydreaming.

"What do we do when our flagship is incapacitated?" asks Akashi

It seems their conversation has moved on.

"Someone hit her," says Midway.

"Ow," that punch in the shoulder didn't hurt too much, "What do you want?"

"How do you think we can start to reclaim the world?" That question sounds obnoxious for some reason. No offense to Midway.

"Why are you asking me?" People just leave me alone and keep talking.

"Because we respect you, Stalingrad-san," says Akashi.

"Good for you," I say, "Let me go back to my thoughts."

"Not very sociable is she?" says Murakumo.

Battlecruisers were not popular for long.

They hit fast, dodge fast and apparently die fast too.

It was only after I had come back and become human that I could research the fates that befell ships of my type.

Historical reading is quite morbid but I liked morbid.

I read all about the deaths battlecruisers suffered. I read all about the world wars. I then looked up and wondered why so many stories in fiction make battlecruisers so famous. Especially fiction including space ships. In reality, battlecruisers did not have a great time.

The Russians never built many modern battleships or battlecruisers. I read about how all my sister ships of the Stalingrad-class were cancelled and broken up for scrap when Stalin suddenly died in 1953.

At least I was laid down and launched. Even if my commissioning ceremony was only after they designated me a target ship.

Now I could read all about my previous life, I realised just how lucky I was to have lived as long as I did. Twelve years. Even if half the time I was waiting to be completed, and the other half I was being hit over and over, at least I wasn't destroyed before they could finish my hull.

When I came back, they discussed my death again.

I was no warship. My crews were never warriors. Only weapon inspectors. I never went to war. The only manoeuvres I remember are trying to stay afloat after they tested weapons on me. I have never rushed for anything. The only schedule I obeyed was the next factory quota of ammunition. I never fought in a situation that garnered praise. Never fought in a situation that needed me to kill or be killed at my navy's convenience.

The weapon tests went on for years. Eventually I realised that I was going to die in this same spot I had been hurt in for years.

I saw very few other warships. I remember the ones that were ordered to tow me to site of the weapons testing and those who shot me for target practice.

When I came back, they were already discussing where best to scrap a ship and which ship breakers would be most convenient.

It was only a few days before I received the notice.

I suppose in wartime, the higher-ups have committee meetings all the time so the decision was made fast.

There were official reasons. Like how I didn't match the Russian Federation's needs. I was too maintenance-heavy. I was untested in combat. My service history was unremarkable and unfavourable. They couldn't afford to procure my equipment and then deploy me. Convenience, basically.

Having been summoned in Vladivostok, the navy wanted the best return they could get for the resources it cost to summon me. There were plenty of ship breakers in Asia.

While I waited until specialised ship breakers for Kanmusu could be prepared, I was allowed to go around the area for a little bit.

I won't complain about those few glorious days because it was the only high point of both my lives.

The journey to my death is what saved me when the Abyssals attacked and the inter-fighting began.

As well as having injured ship girls to repair, we also have their equipment to repair.

We just don't have the supplies right now. If the Abyssals attack this ship, it will literally be just Murakumo defending us and the weapons of the passenger ship.

We've got permission. So let's get to a safe port and wait for the storm to pass.

When all the craziness kicked off, I was on board another ship. A ferry just needed to travel down the coast of Eastern Russia.

The only Kanmusu equipment on-board were the ones that had been rejected by the Russians and needed to be more efficiently broken down.

I could only take what I could as the ship went down after being fired upon as we went passed China.

Dear galloping Bolsheviks. I nearly threw away the radio I had because it seemed like every channel had someone needing help.

The only distress call I responded to were the ones that needed a meat shield.

The only things I can remember from my previous life are getting hurt and limping to the target area to test out the range and accuracy of the new missiles we had at the time. Being a target ship is not too far off being a distraction ship.

Some of the Japanese officers were still loyal and they were getting pummelled by those who had been convinced to the Abyssals' side by incentives like power or death.

The Japanese ship girls were probably really surprised to see a Russian battlecruiser all of a sudden.

They were also a little surprised when I just went straight into the opposing Kanmusu and Abyssal fleets and told them to flee.

Getting bombed, shelled and shot at, doesn't hurt after so many years of target practice for the firing squad.

I don't recall how I survived.

But the enemy had just used all their weapons on an unarmed and vulnerable battlecruiser and I kept on going.

While the enemy grasped their controls and triggers, I just clutched onto the only things I had.

The most valuable thing I had was a small little campaign medal I had been given.

I don't even know why I was given such a decoration. But in those days that I had to look around, people realised I was a Kanmusu and asked me who I was. 'Stalingrad' I said. 'What a prestigious name' I was told.

And then one veteran came up to me and discussed how he remembered that city. That battle.

We swapped war stories. Well, he shared his stories and I only had what I had read. Then he insisted that I should take something befitting the defender of Russia in this war now.

"Please take this." I didn't earn that! Take that back!

"Don't just give this to me!"

"Well," he looked slightly aggrieved, "My father doesn't need this rusted medal in particular. Well anymore at least. It wasn't his favourite anyway."

"Your father would be spinning in his grave, comrade."

"You should have something before you go to fight the Abyssals."

I didn't have the heart to refuse.

"I won't be around much longer."

"Why?"

"The navy says I'm too expensive to keep."

"Too expensive? That's what they said all those years ago. Yet Russia is still here today because the price is never too high for the free heroes of the world."

"What's that alarm?"

Murakumo, that alarm means we're in danger.

"This is the captain," the speakers on the ship boomed, "Abyssal and Vietnamese aircraft have been sighted on a course that brings them near us. We could use some help."

"I'll go and distract them again." I stand up from the table.

No one complains this time. Not anymore. And the enemy won't be able to ignore a target like an undefended Kanmusu.

What is the point of emotions when they're going to die with you anyway?

The new Prime Minister of Japan savoured the power of his position.

The woman seated across the desk smiled.

"You still have to answer to us, cult preacher," she said.

"I know how these things work," he was still going to be the most powerful human in Japan, "I do what you say and get to do as much as you want."

The woman drops her smile and lets him see the amount of violence she is willing to visit on him if he does the wrong thing.

"I'm glad we're in agreement," she murmurs and looks at the military parade going on outside the window.

The parade doesn't look too special, until you realise that all of the soldiers are marching past the bodies of the politicians that refused to cooperate or were not controllable.

"I have no intention of fighting you," he and the new cabinet will look after Japan.

I don't want to take too much because the others will need it more than me.

I only need to lead them away and take the hits. I only need enough to move and die.

This time the dying will be faster and easier and cheaper. They'll kill me or I'll scuttle myself if they try to take me.

I won't take anything more. I also left behind the little medal in my room, one of the many cabins the ship has for holidaying passengers. Someone will find it when they check my belongings.

'For the Defence of Stalingrad.'

The captain and the crew salute me before I go over the side. Then the captain tells me which way the enemy is and which radio frequency I should be tuned to.

I reach the decks with my improvised rigging.

I turn around and salute the poorly armed passenger ship that has found itself in a warzone. At least it fights better than me.

I don't see anyone else to farewell so I cast off.

"How could they?" Hood shakes her fist at the small British jets mixed in with the equally small Abyssal fliers.

"Run," the destroyer ship girl Hyperion is already up to her waist and sinking further into the water, "You can't take on all of the British navy."

"Run where?" Hood demands, and she regrets for shouting at a dying friend, "Sorry. But where?"

"Get anyone who's on our side and run," Hyperion coughs up blood, "A battlecruiser can run and fight again. You can harass the enemy, but not here."

And Hyperion disappears under the water.

Two flights of Harrier jump jets. Illustrious, that traitor.

"I'll be back again," Hood turns away from the British Isles, from home.

The woman has left the office of the new Prime Minister.

Her phone has a new alert. The woman pulls the phone out of her blazer and checks it. They were working on finding out who was on the Abyssal side and who hadn't been accounted for.

A new capital ship has been sighted fleeing with several other Kanmusu near Japan. No one could identify this new capital ship.

Well it was early days yet. They still needed to complete occupying the nations and their governments. Then they would have to look the records of who had moved where.

Some of the Kanmusu not on the Abyssals' side that hadn't been killed or captured already were fleeing. They could run, but they would not pose a threat in such numbers.

"Oh hell," said Nimitz.

She was being chased by most of the escorts that she had happily been sailing with just a few moments ago.

Then the Abyssals started showing up on radar.

"Uh, guys," Nimitz pointed at the distant shapes, "Could we please fight the real enemy?"

There was no way she could outrun her own escort ships, but they had gunned down their own and that was enough to get Nimitz running.

"Sorry," said Sampson, an Arleigh Burke-class, "Orders."

They were not fighting the Abyssals? What?

And then Nimitz felt her escorting ships overtaking and surrounding her.