Isaac carried Eldridge down to the docks before setting back down on the concrete.
"If you behave yourself aboard the Eagle, I'll give you a piece of chocolate. Okay?" Isaac asked.
Eldridge nodded happily and held his shirt as he climbed up the gangway and onto the HMS Eagle. They wandered the halls of rhe ship for a few minutes before Isaac found his route. After a few more minutes of walking, they ended up on the flight deck. Eagle was standing at the bow waiting, watching the skies as her spitfire fighters patrolled the island, reporting everything they saw in her book.
"Interesting recon strategy. No wonder you were chosen as part of the defense fleet." Isaac spoke up, startling Eagle a bit.
"Commander! I'm sorry, I didnt see you there." Eagle exclaimed as she snapped her book shut.
"Nothing to report. Aircraft have had nothing on threat radar or visual out to 5NM. If theres anything close by, its deep underwater." Eagle reported, snapping a proper salute.
"Thank you. Recall your fighters. I need your 100% attention. We're gonna address any issues with your hull that could cause us problems on our first sortie." Isaac spoke.
"Understood." Eagle replied simply as her spitfires made a turn for the flight deck. Three squardons landed perfectly and shimmered out of existance.
"How would you go about upgrading your aircraft if I manage to get my hands on say an Avenger or a Barracuda?" Isaac asked.
"It isnt difficult. But it is time consuming. Us carrier girls have to learn the complete inside and out of an airframe in order to properly use it. Then we have to learn formations and tactics to use them. I will admit, a union Avenger wouldn't be a bad replacement for these Albacore." Eagle stated as an archaic biplane simmered into existance.
"If I remember my history, you were laid down in 1918. They havent given you new aircraft besides spitfires?" Isaac asked.
"No, sadly. They said it was to reduce the cost of running so many carriers from our timy island nation. A lot of Royal carriers still use biplanes as scouts and torpedo bombers. Hell, im pretty sure Hermes still uses the Fairey IIID and the Swordfish as her main accompanyment. Both of those planes were outdated in 1919." Eagle spoke passionately.
"I see. And that is a point of hardship for you?" Isaac asked, making a mental note.
"Yes. How can I torpedo anything if my planes are shredded before i get halfway there? Albacores are faster than the swordfish for sure but thats only because its a lighter airframe and a slightly better engine. But calling the Albacores an upgrade from the Swordfish is like saying that yellow cheddar is better than white cheddar because the former is yellow. If that makes sense." Eagle ranted.
"I think i understand. They do the same thing with little variation while their problems remain the same." Isaac said.
"Yes! Thank you! The last commander seemed to have an aesthetic for these old biplanes and would never let me upgrade them. Stating that im more efficent with these and that he would rather allow carriers like Enterprise and Zeppelin to get the more advanced fighters and bombers." Eagle pouted a bit.
"Hey. No need for that. If we can get our hands on something better, even a nakajima, I'll let you have at it. We're up against alien tech that i know is gonna take more than a biplane to destroy." Isaac said.
"I think I like you better already, commander." Eagle stated.
"Thats sweet. But lets get down to brass
tacks. Tell me, is there any repairs needed from when you were laid down in 1915 or when you were converted in 1924?" Isaac asked.
"Not that I can remember, Sir. I was actually built by Chile in 1915 and sold in 1918 to the Royal Navy. My hull is sound and unshakable. The only issues arose during the interwar period. A lot of my crew complained of lack of ventilation to keep areas below deck cool, including munition storage. Other than that, no major issues to report." Eagle stated.
"I'll get the bulins to do some ductwork throughout the ship, try to bleed off some of the air going down to the engines to cool the ship down. After all, You're going to be my head ship, flagship? Whatever the term is for lead ship." Isaac said.
"That would be flagship, sir." Eagle corrected him.
"Thank you. If you'd like, you can send up a squad of fighters to patrol and take a few hours on the beach at the end of the docks. Im sure Omaha and Rodney have made themselves comfortable down there as well." Isaac spoke.
"What will you do?" Eagle asked.
"Get Eldridge into the water as well as bring our last destroyer online. Once i get a once over on her, we'll conviene a meeting to discuss our first sortie, which will involve determining if the Philippines are under Siren control." Isaac said.
"I see. In that case, I'll take my leave. Try not to work too hard, Commander." Eagle said.
"Of course. Go relax, thats an order." Isaac said.
"Yes sir." Eagle laughed as Isaac and Eldridge walked off the flight deck and back down onto the docks.
"Isaac, chocolate." Eldridge spoke as her hands open and shut like she was grabbing the air.
"Okay. I did promise it to you. Here. It comes from a place in Eagle Union called Hershey." Isaac spoke as he gave Eldridge a piece of chocolate the size of half a deck of cards.
"Now then, lets set your hull in the water." Isaac said as he walked to the warehouse, listening to the sound of Eldridge munching on her chocolate. Isaac shook his head.
"You really are just a little girl. If it werent for
the fact that you are the best Anti Submarine boat the world has seen, id be inclined to leave you here with the bulins." Isaac said aloud, earning him a jolt to the leg.
"I'm not child! Just small body. Dont like talking. Like you." Eldridge spoke as Isaac picked himself up off the ground, rubbing the back of his leg where she had jammed one of the live wires into his leg.
"Okay. Okay. Sorry. It's not like i would have known otherwise." Isaac said as he pulled the lever to fill the dry docks.
"Wait she likes me?" Isaac thought to himself, imagining how bad it would look.
"Lets get you anchored in the bay. I have to make a small tweak to the field generator but that doesnt require drydock or the bulins." Isaac spoke. The Eldridge sailed out of drydock and anchored just off the end of one of the piers. Isaac took the last cube from the pouch and placed it on the disk.
"Akashi!" Isaac yelled.
"Nyaa?" A meow could be heard from the back of the warehouse.
"Make sure to complete the process for this last ship. I have some more work to do." Isaac yelled as Akashi acknowledged his order with a sound that Isaac couldnt describe.
Isaac began walking when he saw Eldridge standing with her arms out.
"Up." She demanded.
"Okay. Let's go." Isaac as he picked up the adorable destroyer and went on towards her ship.