Chapter Nine

Selena reached the location, noticing that half of the Navy fleet was there as well and spotting the Iliad among the ships. "So Taggart is here to watch-probably at Musashi's request." She mused, passing close and noticing him standing outside, coming to a stop and coming out onto her deck. "Hello Captain Taggart," she said calmly, watching him stare at her as she created a light bridge and came across, stepping lightly onto her old ship. He gave her an incredulous look. "Selena Thompson," he said, swallowing. "Can you explain why we were called here?"

"Musashi, the current leader of the Fleet of Fog wishes an audience for the win she thinks is coming. I take it there has ceasefire requested?"

Taggart watched Kongou sweep past on her ship, taking up a central position as the trio stopped nearby before replying. "That's affirmative Thompson. But as soon as this battle is over I have been ordered to take you in as a traitor."

She shot him a cold look. "Then you have a death wish," she said, her cannons coming around and aiming at him. "Are you trying to get everyone here killed? Because that is exactly what will happen the moment you try anything! On whose orders did this come from?"

"The president has called for this."

"So those in power would invoke a war with the Fog over one person?" Selena shook her head. "That's political suicide." She stepped close to him, her mouth by his ear. "I would suggest for the safety of your country you tell them to back down." She spun on her heel, calling over her shoulder. "Watch the battle and you will understand my warning-though I don't know why I bother...must be my human side." The young woman stepped across her light bridge, making it vanish before moving into position. "Stubborn idiot," she growled, entering the ready room and looking at her father. "I think it was a very good thing you got away," she said, explaining about the exchange and watching him sigh. "I had a feeling this would happen," he said, looking at her. "Hopefully you're right and what you show here will allow them to see you are not one to be messed with."

Selena smirked, pulling up screens to the engine room and weapons bay. "How are we looking guys?" she asked, Iori looking up. "Everything's running perfect down here." She said, Shizuka glancing over from the other screen. "You're all loaded Selena," was the reply, Hyuuga grinning up at her. "Thanks guys-keep me updated all right?" she closed the screens, walking onto the bridge and looking at Ray, setting one hand on his shoulder. "You ready for this?" was the quiet question, watching him look up. "Always Ma'am." Came the reply. "And I'll catch you when you fall."

Selena chuckled, walking out onto the deck and waiting as the sun began to rise, Musashi pulling up and glaring at her. "You will fall this day Selena," she said. "Everyone will see that."

"The only thing they'll see is your demise...again." Was the snarky reply. "Your ego is so large that you invited humans here just to give yourself a boost-that's just sad...sad and pathetic."

The Model huffed before moving off and turning around, glancing at the ship that was coaching and starting to rant. "You picked her?! She's going to be on your side all of the way!"

"The only one that is biased here is you Musashi," Kongou said calmly. "I see you haven't changed a bit in 25 years."

Her reply was a glare before aiming her guns at Selena, watching her do the same with a calm expression on her face as her eyes flickered slightly. "This battle is between the ships FFS Musashi and FFS Seleene." Kongou said, her voice amplified. "This will be a Last Ship Standing and the prize is Leadership of the Fog and the title of Fleet Admiral. To the humans watching this day, as well as the Fog ships here, there will be no interference in this battle." She smirked, hearing Taggart start grumbling before continuing. "Selena, are you ready?"

"I am ready Kongou." Was the reply.

"Musashi, are you ready?"

"I am ready Kongou," the other Model replied before muttering, "Ready to get this farce over with, that is."

"Then you may begin." Kongou said, firing her main cannon.

The first shot was by Musashi, who began attacking all out, Selena watching them be stopped by her armor before returning fire, her shots precise as she cycled her weapons, using one set to take her shots out of the air and the other to attack with. "No style, no GRACE!" she yelled, her torpedo bays opening up and firing a massive spread, watching Musashi do the same with most of the shots being taken out by each other. The young woman winced faintly as a few of the torpedoes hit her Armor but managed to look unfazed by the attack. "Is that seriously the best you can do Musashi?" she asked. "I was under the impression this was going to be a challenge, not a slap-fight."

Musashi smirked. "Do you even think I'm giving it my all? After all, I don't want to damage you too much so I can take your ship for myself."

Selena rolled her eyes. "So typical of you Musashi-a Fleet Admiral should have so much more maturity." She gestured, firing a volley of missiles at her opponent. "Plus, they wouldn't hold back over a damned ship!" she brought her secondary batteries around, firing as fast as the guns were able. "Unlike you, I'm not afraid to go for the throat!"

She heard the murmuring of some of the other Models, Hiei conversing with her 'student council.' "Is Musashi serious?" was the question. "Not attacking at her full strength because she wants a ship?"

"It is foolish," Myoukou said, staring at the battle and knowing full well at least one of the combatants was paying attention. "Musashi does not understand."

Nachi shook her head. "Selena is very skilled." She intoned. "You can tell she was taught well by those who raised her."

"Skilled nothing," Ashigara shot back, watching the young woman shoot down another cannon blast and grinning as her missiles hit Musashi. "She's not afraid to open up and fight, fight, fight!" She fired her cannons straight up into the air in glee, Kongou appearing on a screen. "Ashigara," she said. "Unless you want to be sunk, I would suggest laying off the cannon fire." She smirked. "Though between you and me, I'm sure Selena appreciates your enthusiasm."

"Sad that Musashi will never learn." Haguro finished as the screen closed.

Selena sent them a smirk. "Do you hear them Musashi?" she taunted, grinning. "Your own student council sees your actions as foolish. Now, stop screwing around and fight me!"

The reply was a scream, the Model looking at her with open eyes full of hatred. "You foolish child," came the guttural reply as she turned, opening her ship and charging her Super-Graviton Cannons, the trio moving behind the human fleet and working in concert to shield them from the coming blast, Aurora staring as her Rear Admiral raised up and opened as well, waiting until the last minute to deploy her massive Mirror-Ring System, absorbing the blast as her bangs flew back, turning herself as the System took the energy it had absorbed and redirected it into her own ship, a golden glow beginning to build within. "Selena is moving her Klein field to protect herself," Yagami said, watching. "Is she going to fire her Super-Graviton Cannon...and overcharge it?" She paused for a moment. "But that means she'll explode from the excess energy. What the hell is she thinking?"

Hikari looked over at her. "I think you're wrong," she said. "I believe Ms. Selena knows exactly what she's doing-you'll see."

Selena switched to the ship comm. "How are we looking guys?" she asked, guiding the Armor to block the shots coming from the other Model whose ship was badly damaged. "Charge has begun," Hyuuga said, looking at her. "You have four and a half minutes before you can fire."

"Rerouting all engine power to..." Iori began to say before Ray cut her off. "Selena! Look out!" he yelled as a photon cannon shot hit the ship, sending her flying across the deck as she managed to protect the vital areas around the SAC with her Klein field, Musashi starting to pound at her and her ship with anything and everything she could muster. "You are nothing," she said in a cold tone. "Not human, not Model...you should not even exist. Don't worry-it will be over soon, especially when I'm done with you!"

The young woman laid there for a moment before trying to get to her feet, only to fall over, one of the Model's missiles finding her hull and she let out a scream, feeling her leg go numb. She ignored the injury for the moment, forcing herself upright, looking at the counter she could see with her visor while managing to block the barrage that came. 'Just a little longer...' she thought, her leg starting to pain her as she collapsed once again. She kept blocking the shots as best she could as the timer finally hit zero, a grin lighting up her face and she staggered to her feet, the sea parting and causing Musashi's ship to hover in midair, an electrical shockwave taking out her engines. The Model scrambled to launch her own Mirror-Ring System, a look of confidence on her face. "You can't win!" she taunted. "Nor will you! This will stop your attack!"

"It would, if I was firing a Super-Graviton Cannon." Came the reply as she raised one hand to her shoulder, her eyes glowing an eerie shade of gold that matched the glow within the ship. "And you're right-it will be over soon; Solar Arc Cannon online and charged-firing anchor lines." She smirked as several anchors dropped into the water, hooking onto the debris in the seabed as she watched Musashi stare in shock. "You know Musashi, you're not worth my time-and you weren't even a flagship. Looks like it's up to me to step in where you failed-goodbye." She watched the target go red on her visor and sound a lock-on tone, bringing her arm down in a slashing motion. "Fire."

There was a deafening roar, the cannon letting loose with a mighty blast that vaporized the ship, Musashi screaming as her nanomaterials and core followed suit before it faded, the Seleene closing back up as the anchors retracted. "It is done," she said, looking up at Kongou as she swayed slightly. "Musashi...is no more."

Her aunt smiled, looking at the remains. "Last ship is standing. The Seleene wins. I now name you, Selena, the Fleet Admiral of the Fog."

Selena smiled weakly before falling back, expecting to hit the deck but instead landed in someone's arms, Ray's face appearing in her line of vision that was already beginning to darken. "Ray..." she said weakly, reaching up and feeling him take her hand. "I told you I'd catch you when you fell," he replied as he watched her fall into unconsciousness. "Selena?" he asked, his voice full of worry, changing his hold on her hand and checking for a pulse at her wrist before touching her neck, the Iliad coming forward after the shield that had protected them had been lifted. "It's time for her to come with us," Captain Taggart said, moving to climb aboard the Seleene. "No," a guttural voice said, the young man glaring at him while holding her protectively to his body. "You will not touch her-try it and I will see to it you join Musashi."

"Stand down Parker-that's an order. Besides, the ship's not going to listen to you."

The glare became openly hostile, the ship's guns all turning to aim at the captain, Ray watching him stare in shock. "I said you will not touch her. The only orders I follow come from her." He looked down at the woman in his arms, his gaze softening before he looked up. "She is Fleet Admiral now-that makes me her Second-in-Command, meaning I outrank you. Also, as you can see, the ship does listen to me." He watched Kongou jump down, allowing her to take her niece inside before standing tall, staring down the other man. "Take your fleet and leave." He said in a commanding tone, eyes narrowed. "I give you a chance to keep those with you alive by retreating-if you do not you will be destroyed. That is not what the Fleet Admiral wishes to happen. Do you want the deaths of all those who came here to be on your head-do you really want that dishonor?" He folded his arms, hearing the Models speak among themselves before Hiei came forward. "I would suggest listening." She said. "The rest of us would not be so...inclined to let you all leave unscathed-if at all-but we will follow the Admiral's wishes."

Taggart glared at them before turning. "This isn't over Admiral Parker," he said snidely over his shoulder. "I will take her in at some point." He turned to his men as he got to the bridge. "Get us out of here," he snapped. "Back to base-I have a report to make."

The Fleet of Fog watched them leave, Ray heading for the Seleene's infirmary and finding Selena hooked up to monitors, Hyuuga attaching an IV to her. "It's a supplement I have used on her before Sir," she said, noticing the look he gave her. "I didn't have enough to make it very strong, but it should help stabilize her energy until we reach a port."

He opened a window. "Aurora, what is the closest Fog base to our location that would have the facilities to help her?" he asked.

"That would be Havana in Cuba, Admiral," she said formally.

"Lead the way there, it seems the Seleene knows what to do." He replied. "And make sure all those there are aware that Selena's family and friends are not to be harmed-no ifs, ands or buts."

"Right away Sir."

The young man closed the window before going over, gently removing Selena's left shoe and stocking before checking her leg, moving it carefully and splinting it, tending to the other cuts and bruises she had received in the battle, Hyuuga helping him. "We didn't know much about how the body of a halfling like her was-we had to figure it out and learn as we went. I was her 'doctor' whenever something happened. Her bones are partly composed of nanomaterials, as is the rest of her, so she rebounds fairly quickly from what we've seen."

Ray nodded. "Thank you Hyuuga," he said, having calmed a bit. "And drop the formalities for now-it's not needed between us." He thought for a moment. "I can hear Selena saying the same thing." They both said at same time, chuckling weakly as he reached out to stroke her hair that was out of its braid, noticing his shoulder boards shift to those of a full Admiral and shrugging before dragging over a chair, sitting down and taking her free hand, running his thumb over the top of it. The Model finished up and left the room to give them some privacy, shutting the door behind her and shaking her head to those in the hall. "Give him some time all right." She said quietly before walking off.

In the room, the young man watched over Selena. "Don't give up Selena-we don't want to give Musashi a belated victory."

(A.N.: I'll be honest-I had a hard time getting through the battle for a while-even with my co-writer's help. I'm pretty satisfied how it turned out however-I wanted something to showcase the hatred and jealousy that not only Musashi had for Selena, but to show that Taggart wasn't a man likely to back down unless forced. As for how Ray controlled the ship? Think about the little chips he and Selena have on their necks-they're neural and link them directly with the Seleene [Selena only needed it for some minor things with the ship, hers enhances her reflexes and skills since the ship is already linked to her while Ray's is more to help him keep the ship running well.] As for the SAC, it might be a little lore breaking that it's not affected by Musashi's Mirror-Ring System, but the weapon was basically technology that was built into the ship and forgotten for 25 years. For what Selena pulled with her own MRS-basically using Musashi's SGC attack to jump-start the SAC's charge? My theory is that if the MRS can redirect energy that it has absorbed outward, it could also be refocused to provide a boost of power for a ship if done properly. I'm really only planning on the SAC being used at critical points-due to the somewhat long charge up that it has it's not as practical as using the Seleene's SGC for normal combat, plus the strain the Solar Arc puts on Selena-she may bounce back quickly but not quick enough to use it regularly)