A/N: Hello guys, I hope you are all enjoying this story so far. I've put a lot of work into it and I really want to hear back from you. This fandom doesn't have that many stories in it, so we have to nurture it and make it grow, even if its through one shots, or several other things. And Idea is just that, you guys have to be the ones to give it form and shape it to what you want. Even now, I'm glad I wrote this.
So, I must say that for this chapter, I dun goofed. All of my characters are English speakers, mostly because three of them come from Hawaii, one is from Australia, one is from Guam and one is from the Mariana Archipeligo. So I got used to making them speak in English. So when they were to meet up with Gunzou and the blue fleet, they were supposed to speak Japanese. I was going to make all of the Japanese have Japanese quotations so that everyone knew what was what, since I seem to over use Italics a lot. But I ended up writing everything in English with no distinct difference between the two. So let's just pretend they all speak the same language and everyone was speaking it from day one. Except Taco, he doesn't know Japanese even though he's half Japanese himself.
Ehe, that was a thing I guess. I felt like a total ass after I wrote this, but I couldn't go back to change anything as it would take too long, so please bare with me. This is a pretty long chapter with a lot of narrative and exposition, so I hope you like it and if you do, Bootyslap that like and leave me a review. Remember, for every review you give, one battleship is saved from thanatonium charges. Only you can save the Fog.
As a final note, since this is based on the anime, there will be a lot of things that will not be talked about. I only got to chapter four of the manga and I'm in the process of rereading it, so some stuff will be different. There will be a meeting with Yamato soon, because god knows Jonas hates the supreme flagship, he hasn't shown it yet, but he does hate her. I was also thinking of adding relationships into this, but I haven't decided who's gonna be paired up with who, well except for Jonas that is, and no he's not going to be paired up with Yamato, as funny as that would be. Although, her sister Musashi is pretty cute...but that would conflict with several things...and I'm just rambling.
Well...here you go, hope you guys like it...
Arpeggio of Blue Steel
Emerald Eagles
Chapter 7
What everyone thought would turn into a battle actually ended up turning into a game of Cat and Mouse, metaphorically of course. Theta had been waiting to fire at Maya, in fact she had fired several of her thanatonium warheads at her, and yet the Heavy Cruiser hadn't done a single thing, other than adjust her field to absorb the hits. Everyone was waiting on standby, ready to fire if necessary, but so far nothing had happened. Miku swallowed hard, her eyes tracing their course back to Yokosuka. They had been steaming at full speed since Jonas had left and Maya had been following them for just as long. She was slightly faster than the light cruiser, making it a little hard to concentrate. The fact that Shiki and Theta were handling it so well was astounding, then again they were of the Fog, so situations like these meant nothing to her.
Nick cleared his throat, his hand poised on his touch panel, stylus in hand. He licked his lips, brushing a few strands of hair from his eyes. He hadn't been this nervous since the battle against Isuzu. It had been a little difficult then, but Isuzu was taken care of with careful planning, even if it took an hour, but Maya was known to be spontaneous. Her parameters were never fully accurate with what other Fleet of Fog members had seen, so it was next to impossible to figure out just what she was planning.
"So...what exactly are we going to do?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder at Miku. She folded her hands over her lap, trying to remain composed.
"We will continue our heading and make sure we arrive in Yokosuka at the allotted time. It is all we can do." she said.
"What about Maya? We can't keep going with her on our side, it's too dangerous love." Taco said, spinning his chair around to face his captain.
"I know...if Jonas was here, he would know what to do...I don't think I'm fit to be his First Mate anymore."
"Don't say that Miku! You are more than adept at this, you have shown us countless times why we should trust you. I believe we will find a solution to this." Shiki said, giving her friend a bright smile.
"Shiki is right, don't make me go over there and slap you Thunder Tits! Jonas made you First Mate for a goddamn reason, so prove to us that he made the right choice!" Serina snapped angrily, her image at the bottom of the battle screen expanded a bit. She was rapidly typing into her console, maintaining their current speed as much as she could.
"Heavy Cruiser Maya turning about, heading 215!" Chloe cried out, her hand was tightly gripping her headset, her right hand flying over her station as she tried to make sure the information was as accurate as possible.
"Are you serious? She's aiming to ram us then!" Nick cried out, clearly shocked.
"Hard Starboard, we can't let her hit us. Fire all Portside missile tubes!" Miku cried out. Nick smirked and cracked his knuckles, quickly typing in the necessary inputs. He hit the red button with his stylus, the familiar sound of firing warheads filling his ears. The glowing green rockets zoomed toward the enemy ship at a great speed.
"Heavy Cruiser Maya deploying her Klein field. Three of our contacts will impact her Forward Bow!" Chloe said, a smirk on her face. They all watched as the glowing pink ship jerked to the right from the impact, just before her shield absorbed the hit.
"Shiki, activate the forward camera, I want to see if she has a Mental Model." Miku said.
"Roger, camera number 3 engaged." she said, projecting the image onto the battle screen. Her eyes widened a bit when she saw a young girl, who she assumed was Maya, sitting atop the bridge, swinging her feet back and forth, her head bobbing as if she were listening to music.
"Oi, are you serious? She isn't even trying to stop us!" Taco snapped. His eyes widened when he saw all of her forward missile tubes open, just before several missiles were fired at them.
"Twenty seven contacts! Impact in ten seconds!"
"Shiki, adjust the shield to 20%. Serina I want you to lower us to half speed, we'll try to Port around her and sink her from behind." Miku said.
"That isn't a wise idea, if we lower our speed now, she will just fire her Surface-to Surface system at us and disable us entirely. While I am confident in my hull surviving, I am not confident in lowering our speed in the middle of a battle with a Heavy Cruiser." Theta said firmly.
"Okay, then what do you suggest we do?" the purple haired girl asked. Theta shook her head, not tearing her eyes off her Search System.
"You are the captain, I am merely doing as my previous protocol dictated. I am just saying we should lower our speed, anything else is welcome." she said.
"Can we please get back to the matter at hand here? We're 300 miles from Yokosuka, we need to fucking act now!" Nick snapped angrily, slamming his fists onto his console.
"I'm trying here, we haven't faced anyone as unpredictable as Maya." Miku said.
"We went up against a Resupply Vessel who had two Light Cruisers assisting her and won, we can definitely handle this. Fuck it, I'm flooding the forward tubes and firing thanatonium charges at her." Nick said, typing a new algorithm for the corrosive warheads. The vessel jerked a bit as all eight torpedoes were launched the green glow brightening up as it headed toward its target. Sadly, the Klein field was able to absorb every blow that would have been dealt, making the ship jerk to and fro.
"Man, heavy cruisers are pain in the ass." Taco said.
"She's shifting course again, she's turning due east, bearing 210. It sounds like she's loading everything she has!" Chloe cried out, glaring at her screen with widened eyes.
"Theta, I want you to crash dive right now, Serina half speed, prepare for underwater battle!" Miku said firmly.
"Crash Dive initiated, ballast tanks are being flooded!" Theta said. It wasn't long before the bow of their ship sunk below the waves. Everyone watched as the water was slowly approaching the bridge before engulfing it completely as the ship started diving as far as it could under water. Miku grit her teeth as the vessel started groaning loudly, most likely not used to this sort of strain and pressure. Theta had a pained look on her face, her body was glowing bright green, most likely focusing on keeping herself together.
"This isn't going to work for long, Shiki make contact with Maya. I want to know why she's after us." Miku said.
"Roger, I'll talk to her now." she said, closing her eyes.
Shiki appeared inside the familiar pavilion, seeing it had once again changed slightly. Aside from a few extra chairs being placed around the table, and a few flowers being planted just outside, nothing had changed. She shook her head, glaring at the girl standing at the other end of the pavilion.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" she asked, placing her hands at her waist. Maya grinned, giving her a cutesy smile.
"Me? I'm not doing anything...I was just asked to rescue the crew of the Shimakaze and lock them in my brig. I wasn't expecting you to have more friends." she replied. Shiki sighed, knitting her brows together in annoyance.
"Listen Maya, we have very important things to do and it would be much easier if you weren't trying to ram into us. So please just leave us alone. We aren't doing anything wrong."
"Nope, Kongou said you guys were meanies. You turned my sisters against me, so I have to get revenge for them!" Maya replied. She sat down at the table, grabbing her cup of tea and proceeding to dump several sugar cubes into it. Shiki narrowed her eyes in thought, a grin forming on her lips.
"So, you just want to lock us in your brig? I think that isn't hardly fair. We haven't done anything wrong...have you ever thought of...leaving the Fleet?"
"I am perfectly happy in the Fleet. Kongou is my friend and I would never betray her!" she said happily, taking a sip from her cup, and immediately cringing at the sweetness. Shiki walked up to her, a warm smile on her face.
"I know that, but what if I told you that you can do whatever you wanted whenever you wanted? You can go to foreign places, to foreign lands. Imagine all of the candy, and most importantly the musical instruments...you want to play music right?" she asked, adopted an interested look on her face. Maya frowned, looking at the other girl.
"I want to play music, but I am not leaving Kongou behind. If she leaves, then I might leave as well. But for now, I am happy being her friend."
"I see, that's a shame. I suppose I have no choice but to surrender, stand by while I talk with my crew." she said.
"Yay! Kongou will be so happy!"
Shiki shook her head, glancing at Miku who had been patiently waiting for her reply.
"It seems the the Fast Battleship Kongou has put her up to finding us. She said her mission was to rescue us and put us in her brig. I told her we would surrender."
"What, are you insane?" Nick snapped angrily, glaring at the blonde.
"I wasn't done. Remember those tracers Jonas made, the ones that locked down my system? I have several of those left as well as remote access to their program. All we have to do is surrender to her and once we're on her deck, one of us fires the tracer right at her, I'll take care of the rest." Shiki said.
"I'll say...I can't believe I forgot about those tracers. You have really stepped up to the plate Shiki, I'm proud of you. Alright, let's go with her plan. All stop, shutdown all battle stations. Let's head to the boat deck." Miku said.
"I'll take the shot at her. I have plenty of training with a gun, she wouldn't expect it from me." Chloe said, pulling her gun from her holster. Shiki nodded, handing her a magazine loaded with the special tracers.
"Let's hope this works, I'm dying for an ice cream cone." she said, earning groans from her friends. They waited for Theta to surface before going out onto the boat deck, ignoring all of the water that was slowly draining off the decks. Chloe loaded the special magazine into her gun and placed it behind her back, just as the Heavy Cruiser pulled up to their Port Side. A pink walkway formed between the two ships, where a smiling Maya was already waiting.
"Alright humans, come aboard. No funny business will be tolerated on this vessel, we will be setting course for Kongou. She's gonna be so happy I caught you guys!" she cried loudly, hands above her head. Everyone slowly started walking across the walkway, ignoring the fact that they were several meters above the water. Nick was the first one onto Maya's deck. He instantly felt unnerved, especially with Maya's peppy tone. He glanced around, noticing all of the Photon Cannon's and Particle Guns had yet to move. This girl hadn't bothered aiming her weapons at them. Serina followed after him, with Taco and Shiki closely after. Theta jumped aboard, followed by Chloe, the redheaded Mental Model crossed her arms, her previous seriousness leaving her face.
"Alright, what the hell is this bullshit about putting us in the brig? We aren't pirates." she said.
"Sorry, that's classified information. I'll have to tow your hull back with me, but we should be making it before sundown." she said happily, raising her mooring arms, aiming them toward Theta's hull. Chloe subtly nodded to her friends, reaching for her gun.
"You know Jonas is going to be mad at you right Maya? Do you remember what he did to Isuzu? He'll do that to you." Shiki said.
"Don't worry, my meanie older sister had it coming after merging with a Light Cruiser. She disgraces us Takao-class ships. Even older sister Takao disgraced us. I'm like a princess, maybe I should name myself Princess Maya!" she exclaimed.
"I don't think so, Princess Maya doesn't suit you." Chloe said, a smirk on her face. Maya turned to her, a reply already formed in her mind when she felt something slam into her forehead. Her eyes widened in shock as she became completely still.
"What...what are you doing you meanies?" she cried loudly.
"Shiki, do it." Miku said. Shiki's rings expanded, and Maya watched as all of her weapon systems were deactivated. She opened up her specs, only to see a screen depicting all of her compartments slowly being shut down, even her engine was shutdown. She grit her teeth, trying to crack the tracer that was remotely hacking into her, only for her to fail.
"Okay then, this is how it's going to work. You are going to be our prisoner. Don't even try to take off that tracer, because if you do it will deliver a mild but effective shock to your system. You are now our prisoner, and don't even bother trying to contact help, I shut down your access to the Transit Comm System, so you can't do anything." Shiki said.
"Excellent work Shiki, this idea of yours was a success. Theta, prepare to tow Maya with us, we will continue our course to Yokosuka. We've wasted enough time as it is."
"Aye captain." Theta said.
"Wait...I have a better idea. I am fully in control of Maya's ship, how about we split up. I'll act as the Flagship and you follow behind me into Port. We'll use Maya's firepower to take down Kirishima and Haruna." Shiki said.
"Okay...that will work out perfectly. Taco, I want you to go with Shiki aboard Maya's hull, you'll be in charge of armament. I'm also entrusting you to be the captain of this vessel so make the right calls."
"You can count on me." Taco said, giving Miku a salute.
"What? How come he gets to be the captain? I've been on this Fleet longer than he has!" Nick snapped, glaring at the woman before him. She wave him a warm smile, puffing her chest out a bit, something that made him blush.
"I need you with me Nick, I trust your judgment when it comes to armament, so you'll be in charge of deploying everything and ensuring Jonas is safe. Can I count on you?" she asked, giving him a wink. He nodded dumbly, earning a groan from Serina.
"Fine, whatever can we move? We're eating shit here and it's already past noon." the blue haired girl snapped.
"Fine, all hands to station, Shiki sever our contacts with Maya. I'll let you get ahead of us."
"Roger that. Come on you, I'll be keeping a close eye on you." she said, dragging Maya away. The brunette started crying loudly, gripping onto the railing.
"No, I'm to young to go to prison!"
"Chloe, shoot a backup tracer to her Conning Tower, just in case." Miku said.
"Understood."
Chloe took aim at the large structure located above the bridge, firing a single round into it. The tracer opened up, latching itself onto the large antenna that was slowly spinning in circles. With that, the crew headed back onto the Theta, hoping to get back on schedule.
Xxx
It was only 4:34PM when Jonas and Isuzu were finally allowed to land in Yokosuka's harbor. It had been a hard time trying to convince the port authority that they were friendly, but when everyone had learned of them being associated with the Fog, all of the defenses had been triggered. He and Isuzu had been met with the Navy, who had been pointing their weapons right at them as they got off the float plane. Thankfully, one of the crew members from the 401 was able to clear up the situation.
He was a young man, of seventeen years of age. He was wearing a soft tan colored sweater, with a turtle neck collar that had a zipper on it. He was wearing a light colored pair of jeans and a pair of formal oxford shoes. He had a lean build and was rather tall, almost taller than Jonas. The only thing he didn't understand was the reason behind the helmet he was wearing. After a few minutes, the Navy lowered their guns, allowing Jonas to release the breath he was holding. The young man walked up to him, giving him a bow.
"You must be Jonas Rongil, captain of the Shimakaze correct?" he asked.
"Indeed I am. It's nice to meet you...um..."
"Oribe Sou, I am the First Mate on the 401's crew." he said, holding his hand out. Jonas nodded, accepting his gesture.
"It's nice to meet you Sou, you can call me Jonas. This young lady here happens to be my ship's Flight Deck operator. She is the Mental Model of the Heavy Cruiser Isuzu, who joined our fleet not long ago." he said. Isuzu bowed formally, her hair covering her eyes.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I hope we can become friends in the future."
"Indeed, currently me and the rest of the crew are overseeing the resupply of our vessel. The captain took off to handle some business in town." Sou said.
"Yes, we have a designated meeting place. We also brought some armament for your ship. One of them is an F-15 Eagle currently in pod form, I require you to take it aboard the 401. We also brought extra missile pods and an extra thanatonium warhead. If we had more room, we would have brought more." he said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"No no, we appreciate you bringing us the extra warhead, it makes us that much more confident in battle. Currently we only have six thanatonium warheads, so even if it's an extra one, we greatly appreciate it. However, I don't understand what the plane is for."
"It's something we are testing out. Our friend Tohka has information on various specifications for Fleet of Fog vessels, and it so happened that she has information on the armament of the USS George Washington, and American Fleet of Fog ship." Isuzu said firmly.
"I see...alright, I shall have them loaded into our vessel as soon as we can."
"There is another reason why we came here alone, but it isn't something I can say out loud. Isuzu, project the message to his tablet." Jonas said. She nodded and opened her specs, startling a few of the Navy members a bit, some even rose their weapons at her. Various things appeared on Sou's screen and he looked startled, at least that's what Jonas assumed. He looked back at Jonas, a new degree of seriousness in his voice.
"Are you certain this will happen?" he asked.
"Positive...it's thanks to them that Shimakaze foundered. The rest of my crew are steaming here as we speak, we require only that you distract them with the frontal assault, we'll handle the rest." he said, giving him a smirk.
"Alright, I'll relay this to the rest of the crew. I'm sure the Captain is aware of this?" he asked.
"I sent the information to Iona when we arrived here, we are going to discuss this matter right now. We have a few hours before the estimated arrival, so we'll leave everything to you. Isuzu, let's go."
"Roger." she said, following closely after Jonas as he headed out of the docks, the Navy kept aiming their guns at them, but finally stopped after they disappeared from sight.
"This is an interesting city. It seems most of this area had been evacuated during the time after the war, but in the recent years, there's been a modest increase in residency and commerce." Isuzu noted, glancing at the information she was collecting. Jonas nodded, glancing at the wall that kept Yokosuka safe.
"It seems that wall is the reason. People wouldn't dare live near the ocean if it meant being at risk from the Fog, but now that the wall is in place, they feel safe. People love the sea after all." He said.
"But it seems illogical don't you think? Wouldn't you want to be away from all of this? Especially with the Fleet of Fog being dangerous?" Isuzu asked. Jonas rolled his eyes.
"That's just the way it is Suzy, people will always love the sea. It fascinated us for hundreds of years, and it still does. We've explored more areas of the moon than we have of the ocean floor. I believe, when we become friends with the Fog, we can use their help to explore every last corner of this world. The Surveillance submarines would be ideal to explore these areas, as they are stronger than anything man could have ever made."
"Still...I suppose I just don't understand yet." she said, closing her window. He chuckled, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"But you will, that's the beauty of it. We as humans have the ability to adapt to things. While it takes a long time, we have what it takes, if the Fog learns to adapt in the way that humans can, then everything will open up, every door will lead to adventure. Who knows, we may even be able to explore space with Fog technology, settle new planets, bring other races together. It's my dream to explore the possibilities of what we can do. We were put on this planet for a reason, we just have to figure out why." Jonas said firmly. Isuzu smiled, a light blush appearing on her face.
"I like that a lot about you Captain. You have a way to express yourself that not many do. You took action and became what you are today...if you let me, then I will gladly help you achieve that dream of yours."
"I appreciate it Suzy, it means a lot to me."
"Why do you keep calling me Suzy?" she asked curiously, earning a smile from him.
"My cousin, her name was Susan. When we were crossing into Russia seven years ago, we were attacked by a Light Cruiser. She and my grandmother ended up being victims of that attack. Your name, Isuzu sounds sort of like Suzy, so I gave you that as a nickname."
"A nickname?" she asked, brows furrowed. She opened up her search briefly, looking the term up.
"Hmm...a nickname is used between people as a shortened version of their name, usually used to show close friendship...I like it...Suzy...I think I'll keep using that as my name." she said firmly.
"We're almost to our meeting place, but first we need to make a pit stop." he said, changing his direction a bit, heading toward a nearby flower shop. Isuzu watched him curiously, walking up behind him. She heard Jonas and the woman speaking briefly, before she handed him a bouquet of flowers. He handed her the money, thanking her for the flowers before turning around.
"What are the flowers for Captain?" she asked.
"We're going to a special place. You see, when humans die, they are buried in places called cemeteries. We'll be going to a large Memorial ground where many people who fought in the war are buried. I thought it would be nice to bring them an offering." he said, gesturing to the flowers.
"But...they are all deceased right? What would flowers serve to do if their already gone?" she asked curiously. He sighed, not really knowing how to answer that. He hummed to himself, looking at the rapidly reddening sky.
"Hmm...it's like this...people say that when you die, you don't actually "Die" rather your soul stays behind. While their physical bodies are gone, their souls are always there. If you bring them flowers, it will make them happy, and their souls can finally be at peace."
"So...it would be the same as a Fog vessel who lost her physical ship, and her core is in the bottom of the ocean, longing to be rescued. She'll be forever in the murky depths, and then finally she gets what she wants and is finally happy about it?" she asked, ending her statement with a question. Jonas chuckled, quietly opening the gate to the large memorial ground.
"Something like that."
He slowly headed toward the back of the memorial, briefly greeting the few people that were paying their respects. He passed by a young woman who was crying her eyes out, being hugged by her son, who was dressed in a Naval uniform. He stopped briefly, grabbing three of the sunflowers from his bouquet. He walked over to the grave the woman was standing at and placed the flowers on top of it, along with the other ones that had been left there. She looked at him oddly for a second before giving him a smile.
He didn't say anything, not wanting to ruin the moment. During something like this, there was no need to exchange words. Isuzu took everything to memory, wanting to save this for later, surely Shiki would know what he had accomplished by doing that. Finally, they reached the end of the memorial, where two people were standing, facing the large Granite stone, listing the names of all those lost during the war. He took a deep breath, steeling his nerves.
"So, we finally meet face to face. Chihaya Gunzou." he said firmly, catching the young man's attention. He fully turned around, looking directly at him. Iona was also looking closely at him, expecting him to do something. Gunzou held his hand out to her, keeping her calm.
"Jonas Rongil...a pleasure to finally see you. I was expecting someone...taller." he said, a smirk on his face.
"I was expecting someone more casual and not so stiff." he replied back. Both of them shared a laugh. Jonas set the flowers down before the large grave stone and turned around, formally greeting his fellow captain.
"I've been wanting to speak with you like this for awhile now. So glad it's finally happened. This is my friend, and Flight Deck Manager of my vessel, her name is Isuzu." he said.
"Nice to meet you. This is Iona, she's the Mental Model of the 401." Gunzou said, introducing his friend. Jonas held his hand out to her, and she looked it oddly for a few seconds, before shaking it.
"It is nice to meet you, Jonas Rongil. I hope we can become friends in the future." she said firmly. He smiled, giving her a nod.
"Well...now that we have met, there are some things I would like to discuss. First and foremost, our situation. As you know, Kirishima and Haruna are responsible for attacking us this morning, but I didn't fully finish what happened. It seemed that as they left, they started steaming directly here. They plan to intercept and destroy the 401 while she's in port."
"You're certain?" Gunzou asked.
"100% certain. We've already ran simulations and in each one, both vessels arrive at eight PM and start firing at the defense barrier. As such we have already planned most of what we will be doing. I have given your first mate all of the information and he should be sharing it with your crew at this moment. Iona has this information as well correct?" he asked, glancing at the girl, who gave him a nod.
"I received Isuzu's message earlier today, but did not explain in detail the contents. I wanted to have further information on the matter, so I waited for you to arrive." she said.
"Alright, I want to look at all of this information. So let's all return to the ship." Gunzou said, just as they were about to leave, the sounds of footsteps echoed through the area. Jonas turned around in time to see several soldiers, dressed in Combat ACUs holding assault rifles at them. He grit his teeth, letting out an annoyed sigh.
"Well...this wasn't in the simulation." he said with a chuckle.
"It's the army...most likely here for us." Gunzou said firmly.
"No...I think both of us are wanted by them right now." Jonas said. A single man, dressed in a black suit walked forward, standing in front of the armed men.
"Chihaya Gunzou, Jonas Rongil, both of your are requested to accompany me. Certain individuals wish to have an audience with you." the man said. Isuzu opened up her rings, forming a vibrant yellow orb in her hand. Jonas placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head.
"Not here, it wouldn't be good to disturb the dead." he said. She nodded, letting the field disappear, her specs disappearing as well.
"Fine...we shall join you. I'm assuming there's a reason for this?" Gunzou asked. Iona was standing before him, ready to attack if necessary, a determined look in her eye, something that Jonas found extremely adorable.
"There is, but the two of you must accompany us. Jonas Rongil, a US Government official has been called in to deal with you." the man said.
"Oh? This is new...I'd like to meet the man who has the gonads to capture me. This is going to be interesting." he said with a grin.
Being lead to a new place by armed men wasn't exactly what Jonas called a fun experience, especially when those men are from the army and have the barrel of an M-16A1 pointed directly at your face. Thankfully, he was wearing his Klein field generator, something that they weren't even aware of. By the time they reached the city, it was completely dark. They had been taken to a small restaurant in town, that was by the ocean.
"Just a restaurant on a hill huh? I better get the best French experience they can muster, or they'll get some bad reviews from me." Jonas muttered, making Gunzou chuckle quietly. Jonas kept his eye out, just in case something else was about to happen, though he knew they had very little time to waste, especially if the Fast Battleships were currently on their way.
"Oi, do you sense them yet?" he whispered, catching Isuzu's attention. She closed her eyes, looking at all of the information without actually accessing any of it. She shook her head, giving him a frown.
"Sorry Captain, nothing yet." she replied.
"The rest of your crew members have already been assembled here. Please make your way in." the man said, as two more soldiers opened the doors to the outdoor patio.
The four slowly walked into the patio, being greeted with the rest of the 401's crew. Jonas had only met Sou, but now he had been able to see the rest of Gunzou's team, his closest friends and battle ready sailors. All of them were teenagers, much like his own crew. It made him frown a bit. They lived in a world where teenagers had to become adults and take the responsibility that the adults couldn't even handle anymore. Gunzou stiffened a bit, when he saw the man standing at the edge of the patio.
"You...Kita Ryoukan." he said firmly, catching the man's attention.
"Chihaya Gunzou...good of you to come." he said firmly. The man looked to be in his early to late fifties, with light gray black hair. He had a stern look on his face, and a thick gray beard. He was looking at them with hardened eyes. His suit was firmly pressed, white formal shirt, with a matching tie. He also wore black slacks and polished leather shoes. Everything about him screamed "Government Bigwig" and that was what made Jonas uncomfortable. He swallowed hard and looked around the table, spotting four empty seats. The man gestured to them and they proceeded to sit down. Jonas ended up sitting next to Kyouhei, the weapons manager of the 401. He briefly exchanged hellos with everyone, before remaining silent.
"Captain, are you alright? I detect a moderate increase in your heart rate." Isuzu said, glancing at him with a worried look on her face.
"Jonas Rongil, it is a pleasure to meet you. We have heard of your exploits as well as those from the 401. My name is Kita Ryoukan, I'm a national diet member here in Japan." the man said, taking his seat.
"Good to meet you I guess. Your goon told me there was someone from America here for me? I would like to see who Uncle Sam sent." he said, leaning back into his seat. One of the waiters placed a plate filled with food in front of him, along with an empty wine glass, which was instantly filled with rich red wine.
"Well, you won't have to wait long, I've already arrived."
Glancing to the door, they all saw another man, dressed in a fine navy blue suit. He was rather tall, being nearly six feet in height. He had dark colored hair, slicked with gel to one side of his head, his face was free of blemishes and facial hair, but you could still see his age. His suit was a dark navy blue in color, and on the lapel was a small pin with the American flag on it. He was wearing dark blue slacks and black leather boots. He walked slowly toward the table, taking the seat across from Jonas, who had a smirk on his face.
"Well well, if it isn't my scumbag uncle. What a pleasurable surprise, say..how did you make it to Japan without dying?" Jonas asked curiously, leaning forward in his seat.
"That is none of your concern. Right now, I am not your Uncle, I am FBI Agent Thomas Rongil, and as of now, you and your crew are under arrest." the man said firmly. Jonas glanced at him, breaking into a short laugh. He grabbed his wine glass and took a sip from it. He honestly hated wine, but it did add a nice effect to the ambiance.
"Under arrest you say? My that's such a bold claim. Here we are, in a modest restaurant, surrounded by nice company with a very delicious wine, and you have the audacity to place me under arrest. Pardon me, but shouldn't we let Ryoukan take care of his business with Gunzou first?" he asked. The man grit his teeth giving him a nod.
"Very well." he said. Jonas glanced around, seeing the stern faces of the people next to him, though Gunzou seemed rather amused by what was going on. Ryoukan cleared his throat.
"Is that girl the Mental Model of the 401?" he asked firmly. It seemed as if he wasn't too sure of how to ask the question.
"Iona...her name is Iona, and yes...she is the Mental Model of our vessel." Gunzou said.
"She looks indistinguishable from any other human." he said. The glare on Iona's face was vacant, but Jonas was sure the girl was getting pissed off. Shiki was much the same way at times, often times seeing a blank look on her face meant that she was trying very hard to hide her emotions.
"Did you force us to come here just so you can stare at her?" Gunzou asked curiously. The man chuckled, glancing back at him with a firm look on his face.
"Sadly, I didn't come here to enjoy my dinner and glance a pretty dolls. I came here for another thing entirely, would you be so kind as to return 401 to the government?" he asked. Jonas's eyes widened a bit.
"I see you weren't aware of their situation Jonas." Thomas said, glancing at his nephew.
"I was not, we only arrived today." he said, taking another sip of his wine. He had taken only a single piece from his steak, which he admit was good, but was too focused on other things to truly eat his meal. Kyouhei however had already eaten most of his meal, making the girl across from him shake her head.
"Unfortunately, we cannot do that. We are in the midst of an important mission." Gunzou replied calmly, his hands folded in front of him on the table.
"Do you mean the mission from Kamikage? That will not be an issue."
"I must apologize. But since we have already accepted the mission, we have a responsibility to see it through to the end." he replied, glancing at the man with hardened eyes. Jonas finished his wine and flagged the waiter, which came over to his side. Rather than fill his glass, Jonas took the bottle from him and sent him on his way. Isuzu watched him curiously, having finished all of her food already.
"What...this is getting interesting." he whispered, taking a swig from the bottle.
"Responsibility eh? That isn't a word normally heard come from the mouth of a grown man. Despite our communication troubles, we still heard about I-401's various exploits. In these last two years, you have not only dealt with the Fog, but also dealt many blows to their fleet. Your actions have very much interested me." Ryoukan said, completely ignoring Jonas. Kyouhei chuckled, placing his hands behind his head.
"Hey man, we're just a stingy delivery boat." he said happily. The girl across from him scowled and sent a firm kick to his foot, causing him to yelp in pain.
"It is this very reason that I have come to believe that your fates cannot be left in the hands of 401. Not when her existence is synonymous with danger." he said.
"Danger? From Iona?" Gunzou asked, adopting an angered look on his face.
"Indeed, she is of the Fog. It won't be long before she gets out of hand, all the more reason for you to relinquish command of her to highly trained individuals who are legitimate soldiers, wouldn't you agree?" he asked.
"Let me stop you right there boss. Don't you know that you can't use regular military tactics against the Fog?" Jonas asked, glancing at the man.
"I am aware of this sure." the man said.
"Jonas, I must ask you to remain silent. You have no business getting involved in their matters." Thomas said.
"First off, shut the fuck up. You have no control over me, second I am getting involved because this man is outright saying Iona will attack everyone. If she hasn't attacked us now and willingly allowed herself to be put in your dry docks? Then why would she attack now?" Jonas asked firmly, glaring at the two men. He took a sip from his wine, setting the bottle down beside him.
"Further more, it matters not if trained individuals come aboard her ship. She will not listen to them, as they are not her crew. Gunzou is her captain, these people are her crew. She listens to them and them alone. Sorry, but in any scenario, placing foreign people on the 401 will only lead to destruction, from the Fog, or from another power." he said.
"How can you say that she isn't going to turn on us, how can you even trust her? Her core is in the grips of a monster. This mental model may very well be our end." Ryoukan said.
"Trust you say? I mean no disrespect, but I disagree. Isn't it you, the ones who had accomplished nothing in the seven years after the Great Naval Battle, who we should not trust? Official Military training is completely ineffective against the Fleet of Fog. Do you still not understand that? Besides, I can't trust a man who calls Iona a Monster."
"Do you like that doll so much?" the man said through grit teeth, he was visibly trying to hold back his anger.
"Stop calling her a doll! We aren't dolls, we are living breathing people!" Isuzu snapped, slamming her fist against the table in anger. The man only tapped his empty wine glass with his spoon, summoning various soldiers, all aiming their guns at their heads.
"I didn't want it to come to this, but you have left us no choice." Ryoukan said firmly, glaring at everyone on the table.
"Well, as we say in America, bravo! You have shown us the extent of your military power, but that doesn't mean the size of your dick is big." Jonas said, leaning in his chair. He was blushing a bit, an after effect from drinking all that wine. He tipped the bottle up and started gulping down the last of the wine, much to the shock of those around him. He slammed the empty bottle onto the table, a smirk on his face.
"So, what do you plan to do here? Take Gunzou's keys, arrest the lot of them and charge them with treason? Under what grounds? Under what jurisdiction? Sure they stole a sub that was under military surveillance, but didn't you know that he was offered complete ownership of the vessel by that other man, Kamikage was it?" he asked.
"Jonas, you are making a fool of yourself. Behave yourself this instant or I will be using force." Thomas said.
"Calm down Uncle Thomas, why don't we have a little chat. I heard many things from you from my grandmother. Apparently it was you who talked my mother into sending us to Russia. Is that how you got here? Using the bridge that the Fog took out seven years ago? I lost my grandmother that day, your daughter died in that attack, yet here you are gallivanting around in a fancy suit, pretending to be an FBI agent when you know the continental United States can't do jack shit in our current world. Ah, but you aren't here just for a lively chat are you?" he asked, a smirk on his face.
"I do not know what you are talking about. Before communications were lost, the Island state of Hawaii issued a capture for several fugitives which had signed a contract with the Fleet of Fog. You left with sensitive information about our remaining fleet." he said.
"Is that what they told you? That I had stolen sensitive files...I can tell you now, that is a load of horse shit. But you know what I did take with me, a Fleet of Fog Union Core. A union core that was planted in the center of my chest as part of an experiment known only as Project Daze. Apparently, 300 children between the ages of six and sixteen were captured and put under these trials, to make a hybrid mental model and human. Only one person survived, me. That Union core is keeping me alive, and works in tandem with two processors installed into my brain. You say I betrayed our nation, but the ones who betrayed the nation was you and those bastards in Hawaii. Did you know human experimentation is against the law?" he asked curiously.
"What are you talking about? All of this is bull crap." Thomas asked, clearly distressed. Jonas snapped his fingers, and Isuzu opened up her specs, showing all of the information that Tohka had been able to gather from Hawaii's servers.
"None of this is bullcrap dear uncle. All of this, is classified information, that one of my crew members was able to salvage with the aid of the vessels in my fleet. My crew isn't aware of this, but if they were, I think they would have bombed that place to high heaven. Even better, apparently the President doesn't know of this, so how do you think he would react if I walked into the capital building in New York city and showed him these files? Not very happy I would assume. Better yet, one of these has your signature and your approval. An email which was sent years before the Fog fully gained control of the oceans. No matter how you slice it, you can't control what I do. So it would be best if you call off the guns to my friends heads, or you will be sorry." glancing at the two government officials.
"Oi, is all this stuff true?" Kyouhei asked curiously, glancing at Jonas, who gave him a nod.
"Hyuuga confirmed this for me. There is indeed a Fleet of Fog union core within my body, acting as my heart. It is also keeping me alive currently." he said firmly. Thomas grit his teeth, about to say something when two loud explosions rung from the outer wall. Everyone turned their attention to it, seeing two large plumes of smoke slowly rising. The alarm system suddenly turned on, loud alarms blaring in the area. Jonas sighed, pinching his eyes together.
"Shit, they got here earlier than I thought." he said.
"The simulation did predict a 45% probability rate of early arrival, how shall I proceed?" Isuzu asked.
"We shall away further orders from the captain." he said, glancing at Gunzou, who gave him a nod.
"Sou, is the resupply ready?" he asked.
"All armaments and supplies ready and accounted for."
"Iori, status on engine and hull?"
"All systems are ready to go." the girl replied, a grin on her face.
"Kyouhei, how is our armament?"
"Fire systems are engaged and everything is nominal. We are set to go."
"Alright, Iona over ride the dock's system and launch the vessel." Gunzou said.
"Roger." she replied, bright blue rings appearing around her. Jonas stood up from his stretching his sore limbs. One of the soldiers aimed his gun at him.
"Don't move!" he snapped.
"Let him go...he has us by the balls boys, we can't do anything about it." Thomas said, a pissed off look on his face. Jonas smiled and tapped the man's nose with the tip of his finger.
"Glad you see things my way." he said.
"This is an attack by the Fleet of Fog." Ryoukan said firmly, glaring at Gunzou, who gave him a nod.
"As I thought." he replied. Everyone let out a sudden gasp as the 401 breached the water, landing only a few feet away from the railing. Ryoukan started at the vessel in awe, not believing what he saw seeing.
"Don't make a single move. Stop!" the soldiers cried out, about to fire their weapons when several lasers were aimed right at them. Iona glanced at them, an emotionless look on her face.
"I wouldn't move if I we're you. You will get hurt, and it will probably hurt a lot." she said. The men froze in place, not knowing what to do.
"All crew board the ship, get to your stations." Gunzou said.
"Isuzu, once they have launched the vessel I want you to engage the system for the F-15, launch it before they dive. I will distract Kirishima and Haruna and await further orders." Jonas said, glancing at his friend.
"Understood, the Sea Hawk is ready to go." she said firmly.
"Chihaya Gunzou, Jonas Rongil...what are you planning to do?" Ryoukan asked, glancing at the two young men.
"What do you mean?" Gunzou asked.
"The Power of I-401, no...of the Fog. It will quite possibly determine the fate of our future world. Depending on the circumstance. Are you fully aware of that?" he asked.
"I don't know what will happen in the future, but I do know that my future will be apart of it it. If there is a way to use this power to make a difference, then I will use it, to see where it takes me."
"Even if it brings you an early death?" the man asked.
"If it was decided by my will, then I have no qualms with it." he replied.
"Same here, I want to see everything this world has to offer, above and below the water. I want to make friends with the Fog, to find a way to co-exist. We can help each other learn and grow together. We can explore new territory, travel far distances and make great advances. In my dream, our world is enriched by the communication and friendship we make with each and every Fleet of Fog member." Jonas said, almost poetically, surprising many of the soldiers around them.
"You are neither human nor Fog, can you said without certainty that your dream will come true?" Ryoukan asked.
"I am what I am because of the friends I have. It matters not if I'm human or if I'm part of the Fog. I was put on this Earth to do a great many things, I will work hard toward my future, even if I have to shed every single drop of blood, sweat and tears in my body on the face of the earth, I will achieve it." he said firmly.
"Hmm...tell me 401, what is the purpose of yourself and your brethren? Is it to gain dominion over this planet? To rule with an iron fist and drive humans to extinction?" he asked.
"I do not know, I am a weapon. I only follow Gunzou's orders...but today I have come to realize, that I exist so that Gunzou can live." she replied, making the man go wide eyed. Jonas gave her a smile.
"Well said. If you excuse us, we have business to attend to." Jonas said, walking toward the glowing blue stairs that would lead onto 401's hull. Once on the deck, he looked around, quite amazed at what he was seeing.
"My first time on a submarine...it's so cool." he said.
"No time to gawk. Get in the plane, we will begin the launch shortly. Are you sure you don't want me to pilot it?" she asked.
"I'm alright. I've never flown a plane drunk, but I'm sure I can manage." he said, climbing onto the wing of the plane. He got into the pilot seat, and started going over his pre-flight checks. Isuzu began checking the plane as well, handing Jonas one of the bluetooth devices that had been created.
"With this, you'll be in constant communications with me and the rest of the crew. I received a message from Miku, they are a few miles behind schedule but will be arriving in twenty minutes." she nodded. Jonas glanced at Gunzou, giving him a nod.
"Can you hold them off for 20 minutes?" he asked.
"Easily...Good luck out there Jonas...and thanks, everything went a bit smoother with you here."
"No problem, we captains have to stick together. Isuzu, I want you to follow Gunzou's orders to the letter. Focus on the plane, but also provide Iona with extra power should she need it, it's gonna be a long battle." he said.
"Aye captain. It might be a long battle, but we'll pull a win." she said, giving him a wink. He nodded firmly. It wasn't long before the ship pulled away from the restaurant and started slowly turning, aiming to face the wall. Three more explosions rung through the area, and large sections of the wall took a tumble to the waters below. Jonas took a deep breath and flicked the switch, turning the engine on. Flicking another switch, he engaged the portable Klein field, the glowing green shield bathing over him and the plane.
"Kirishima, Haruna...you've messed with the wrong Captain." he muttered under his breath. He felt the launcher start to move, picking up speed, he pulled the lever up just as he reached the end of the deck and pull up high into the air. The battle had just begun...
