September 4th, 1945

× I couldnt sleep last night. I woke at 1 in the morning with my heart racing... × Isaac paused as he heard shuffling behind him before a palm rested on his shoulder.

"What are you doing up so early, commander?" Rodney asked with a tiny smile.

"I couldn't sleep. So i decided I'm gonna update my journal then find the Commander's office to see if there are any documents that I can read to help me lead this fleet better." Isaac spoke as he sat up.

"What are you doing up early?" Isaac asked.

"My radar got a ping about 10 miles outside the open end of the bay. I was going to come wake you to ask for orders." Rodney said.

"Hmm. You have good enough AA to deal with a small force. Would you be up to investigating this alone with me?" Isaac asked.

"If those are your orders, I'll double check the radar and we can be in open water in 5 minutes." Rodney spoke as Isaac felt a hint of unease creeping up his spine.

"We will not fire until we have ascertained
whether or not they are hostile, understand?" Isaac said.

"Understood." Rodney confirmed his orders.

"Go get ready. I'll be out in a minute." Isaac said as he put the finishing touches in his journal entry.

× ... Potential enemy spotted near base. Rodney and I have went to investigate while the rest of the girls sleep. God have mercy on us all. × Isaac finished as he rebound his book before running out after Rodney.

"SitRep, Rodney." Isaac barked as he stepped onto the bridge of the Royal Battleship.

"The subject is still on radar and is moving in a circle pattern. It's either a scout plane or a ship with a jammed gear, if I had to guess." Rodney spoke.

"I see. Preload HE, just in case. Give me a full 180 test of all the guns I can see from here." Isaac said as the hulking turrets on the bow slowly turned left then right.

"Good. I'm glad the bulins did a good job." Isaac said.

"Sir... I wanted to apologize for earlier. Sometimes even I can get annoyed. And with me not knowing you and Eldridge pranking people like always, it really works on the nerves." Rodney spoke as the ship pulled up her anchors as they headed for the open sea. Rodney sounded her horn at the very edge of the bay as to try not to wake the others.

Isaac looked at the radar screen.

"Give me half speed heading at 137 degrees west." Isaac said. The moment he said it he felt the hull shift, quick enough for him to stumble.

"I know that it's your ship and you know your limits, but please remember that I'm on board too." Isaac said as he pulled himself back to the screen.

"Apologies, commander. I'll keep it in mind." Rodney said with a smile.

After about 20 minutes of awkward silence, Isaac brought up a pair of binoculars. He could see a plane circling in the distance.

"It's a float plane. Recon maybe?" Isaac said.

"Wait, let me see." Rodney said as he handed her the binoculars.

"Good heavens, it's I-13's aircraft!" Rodney said.

"I-13? Who is that?" Isaac asked.

"Sakura Submarine Carrier. She was an experimental boat designed to be a pop up aircraft carrier. They build a catapult on her hull and a watertight tube to hold the aircraft. If this plane is here, then, I-13 must be beneath." Rodney explained.

"Try to get her on radio. If that plane is circling, there is something wrong, no recon aircraft would ever attempt to be spotted like this." Isaac said, his unease growing stronger.

"IJN submarine I-13. This is... Commander Isaac aboard the HMS Rodney. If you're out there, please respond." Isaac spoke into the reciever that Rodney had given him.

No response.

"Sakura Aviation Submarine, designation I-13. This is Commander Isaac Garner aboard HMS Rodney. If you are out there, please respond." Isaac repeated, his unease growing to worry.

"Rodney, try hailing the aircraft. If it is recon, it'll be connected to the sub via short range radio." Isaac said.

"Done. Give it a go." Rodney said, her face growing worried too.

"Floatplane originating from Sakura Submarine carrier I-13, please respond." Isaac said before a womans voice came through.

"Please... help... me.." The voice whispered over radio.

"Rodney!" Isaac yelled as he rushed out toward the bow.

Rodney took over the radio.

"This is Rodney, What is wrong?" Rodney asked.

"Torpedo from a drone ship... flooded the hanger of my cute little Seirans. I can't surface anymore. Please help!" I-13 cried.

"Commander!" Rodney yelled.

"SitRep!" Isaac yelled as he scanned the area beneath the floatplane with his binoculars.

"Her aircraft tube has flooded and is preventing her from surfacing. It sounds like a drone ship armed with torpedos got a lucky shot off." Rodney relayed.

"Shit. We don't have a tow crane. Wait..." Isaac began thinking.

"Rodney, you have rescue gear onboard right?" Isaac asked.

"No. What are you planning?" Rodney asked.

"Your anchor winches are strong enough to act as our crane. If we can pull her to the surface via the hole in the steel tube, we can open the hanger and drain it, allowing her to float so we can tow her back to port for repairs." Isaac said.

"I don't know if I should call you crazy or a genius." Rodney spoke as another blip popped up on the Radar.

"We have inbound contact, heading 038 degrees north!" Rodney yelled.

Rodney saw it before she could yell out. A shell impacted the water next to her hull, splashing water up onto the deck.

"We're coming under attack!" Isaac yelled. "Rodney, weapons free, engage the enemy from this location." Isaac yelled as he began fiddling with the manual controls for the winches.

The massive 16 inch gun batteries turned to port, aiming directly at the source of the incoming fire. As more shells whizzed overhead, Isaac could hear Rodney loading AP. A spinechilling chuckle could be heard as all 9 guns opened up. Isaac was about to return to working the winches when he realized that Rodney was standing right next to him with a smile on her face.

"Keep working, Commander. I'll teach these bastards not to mess with me." Rodney said, her innocent smile not leaving her face for a second.

"She is insane!" Isaac thought to himself.

Isaac hit a button and both winces began slowly lowering the anchors into the water. Out in the water above where I-13 was, a large torpedo like object floated to the surface. Isaac picked up the reciever on the bow.

"I-13, did that object come from you?" Isaac asked.

"Yes. I found one of the decommissioned Kaitan torpedos in one of the storage compartments. It has an oxygen tank. I figured that since youre up there dropping anchors, you must be trying something to pull me up." I-13 said, her voice slowly becoming calm.

"I'll take it then. We'll have you up in no time. Are you able to open the doors of that tube so we can drain it the moment you surface?" Isaac asked.

"Yes. Opening the doors now." I-13 said as air bubbles seeped up from beneath the waves.

"Rodney, you're in charge until I get back. Eliminate all hostile targets by any means necessary without moving your hull." Isaac said as he stepped onto the railing, stripping his jacket and boots.

"Understood. Let's hurry. As much as I enjoy this, we need to get her home." Rodney said as Isaac plunged into the pacific.

"Holy hell, it's cold!" Isaac's mind screamed. He swam to the Kaitan torpedo turned amateur submarine. He placed the tube in his mouth and was surprised to feel air filling his lungs. He found wire on the floor of the torpedo, originally intended for trying it to rigging or for loading. With a quick look at the controls, Isaac sank below the waves and headed for I-13.

Sure enough, the anchors were right were Isaac needed them to be, using the wire he had collected, he pulled both anchors into the hole made by the torpedo detonation on I-13. After several minutes of ensuring everything would hold. Isaac parked the Kaitan in the tube and disembarked, taking one last breath before heading towards the hatch that had opened for him. Once inside, the hatch closed and the water was forced out, allowing him to breathe again. The inner door opened and he dropped into the submarine, greeted immediately by I-13 herself.

"Hello, stranger. You must be Shikikan Isaac." I-13 spoke.

"You'd... be correct." Isaac spoke through deep breaths as the sounds of guns above them slowly became less and less.

"Shall I radio Rodney-san?" I-13 asked.

"Yes. Tell her the anchors are secure and to raise anchor as soon as the threat is eliminated." Isaac said as he sat against the wall.

"Are you okay, Shikikan? Your face is really pale." I-13 asked.

"Humans aren't meant for the cold like this." Isaac said.

"I don't have extra clothes, sorry. But I can do this." I-13 said as she hugged him close.

"She is so warm." Isaac thought as he sat there. The final shells were fired before Isaac felt the sub lurch and begin it's journey to the surface. After a tense few minutes, I-13 stood up.

"We are on the surface. You should disembark and head to the Rodney. I'll hook up my tow line." I-13 spoke. Isaac absentmindely rubbed her head, ruffling her blue hair.

"I have questions for you when we return to base." Isaac said as he wandered to the ladder.

"And I will answer them, Shikikan." I-13 said as Isaac left the submarine. The sight he was greeted to was grim and could only be described as horrifying. Several drone ships sat burning and sinking around Rodney. Her hull was punched with holes and scorched with burns.

"Jesus..." Isaac thought as he found his voice.

"Rodney?" Isaac yelled.

"Yes~~?" Rodney yelled as she looked over the bow.

"Could you send down a ladder... I can't fly." Isaac said as a rope ladder was thrown from the bow. He climbed it and collapsed on deck. He was freezing in the cold night air.

"We'll handle everything, sir. There are clean clothes in the captains quarters." Rodney spoke as Isaac stood and walked towards the command tower.

"Looks like we will have to postpone the sortie. Repairs need to be made." Isaac thought as he found his way into the captains quarters. He quickly dried off and changed before he felt the ship start moving. They had begun towing I-13 back to port.

Isaac sat by the baseboard heater and dosed off. Their night time antics wore him out enough to finally put him to sleep.

Isaac woke several hours later to the sensation of someone nudging his arm. He opened his eyes, only to see he was now laying in the bed that took up most of the captain's quarters aboard HMS Rodney.

"Buli?" A familiar voice could be heard.

"What happened and where am I?" Isaac asked.

"You're onboard the HMS Rodney. Currently you are in the captain's quarters. I was sent to inform you that Miss I-13 has been repaired to optimal working order and Rodney's battle damage has been dealt with. I am to relay your orders to the fleet so you may continue to rest." The bulin explained.

"I see. What time is it?" Isaac asked as he sat up slowly.

"1356 hours, sir." The bulin replied.

"I've been out for 12 hours?!" Isaac exclaimed.

"Yes. Your orders, sir." The bulin deadpanned.

"Tell everyone to stand down. With last night stirring the action around base, we need time to let it settle. Besides. I need to ask I-13 a few questions." Isaac said.

"Could you send her here?" Isaac asked as his body refused to leave the warmth of the bed.

"As you wish, buli." The bulin said as it ran to give his orders.

× We saved I-13 today... at the cost of postponing our sortie for another day. Tomorrow we head for Davao. × Isaac writes before waiting for I-13.