Isaac straightened from leaning on the bow railing of the Rodney. He stretched his legs out, finally able to move without trouble. He walked down the deck, inspecting the repair job done to Rodney's battle damage from her skirmish earlier that morning.
"Those bulins really are something. It's like there was never any damage to begin with." Isaac thought aloud as he went back to the captains quarters to retrieve his things.
Isaac found his journal and his old clothes, that were hanging from a pipe that bisected the ceiling.
"I guess I'll head to the old commanders building. Maybe I can read up on how to be an effective leader." Isaac thought to himself.
He collected his clothes and Journal before walking back out onto the main deck. He could see several of the girls relaxing on the beach, while others sat on the benches,
soaking in the sun.
"I should move quick so they don't see me. I don't want to disturb their relaxation. Tomorrow is a big day." Isaac said as his wishes were immediately dashed the moment he touched solid ground.
"Isaac. Up" Eldridge spoke as she ran to him from the end of the dock.
"Were you down here waiting for me?" Isaac asked as he rubbed her head.
Eldridge nodded and held out her hands.
"I'm going to do some boring stuff. You sure you want to come with?" Isaac asked.
Eldridge thought for a second and nodded.
"Keep Isaac company." Eldridge said as she opted to grab his hand.
"Okay. We're headed to the command building. I'm gonna see if the last commander left anything to help me be a better commander." Isaac said.
"Last commander okay... Isaac better." Eldridge said after a moment of contemplation.
"Hmm? I'm already better? I doubt that." Isaac said modestly.
Eldridge held his hand as she guided him to the command building, located a bit up the hill behind the dorm. Isaac opened the door. It swung silently open for a door that been subjected to the elements for almost a month.
"Door probably has really good seals. No rust on the hinges. Just as well maintained as the dorms when I found them." Isaac said.
"Commander strict. Want everything clean." Eldridge said.
"A clean freak huh? Well, while im not that strict, i still would like to keep this base tidy. It promotes efficiency. And efficiency promotes success." Isaac said as he walked further into the building. It didn't take him long to find the commander's office.
"He clearly spent more time and money here than he did anywhere else." Isaac said as he looked around at the very elegant office in front of him. A dark oak desk with gold fixtures. A silver chandelier with quartz diffusers. Books from all over the world. And a bottle of scotch on the desk that Isaac knew had to be worth well over $3,000.
"1926 vintage? Guy had some expensive tastes." Isaac said as he approached the desk. He found several drawers, one of which was locked with a beefy padlock.
"Oh? This looks promising. Top secret intel? Battle formations? Locations of fleets?" Isaac asked as he looked at Eldridge.
"Think you can melt it?" Isaac asked as sparks emitted from Eldridges live wires. She held both ends to the lock and concentrated. About a minute later, the lock body fell to the floor, smoldering the wood for a few seconds before Isaac doused it in some whater he found in a glass decanter on the desk.
"Let's see what we got in here. A journal. That might be useful. And a couple of ... jewelry boxes?" Isaac asked curiously. He opened the journal and began reading.
"...Monogamy is what i have been taught from a young age. That is was wrong to have more than one wife. These girls however, do not seem to be bothered by the concept of polygamy and in fact push for it. I'll try to keep my intentions pure. But some of these destroyers are really gunning for me. And the Sakura 1st fleet carrier, Akagi. She is more than a bit intense..." Isaac saw as he scanned the pages.
"So you can marry these girls? I mean, I would too. From the sounds of some of them, they are beauty incarnate." Isaac spoke to himself, earning him a kick in the shin from
Eldridge.
"I'm an adult too." She pouted angrily.
"I know that. I know that." Isaac said in an attempt to appease her.
Eldridge huffed and walked out of the room.
"She doesnt like me like that ... does she?" Isaac asked as he kept reading.
" ... I sent my beloved out with the sortie fleet today. I wish i could have gone with. But duty calls here. It seems the war is coming to a close, so more of the Red Axis have joined our cause. Most of our sorties are against drone ships south of the base. I hope she makes it back ... " Isaac read. He kept flipping through the journal. He found a page dated the 10th.
"I've tried contacting my beloved girls for hours after that blinding light erupted from the east. This base is able to cover a large portion of the surrounding area and i never allow a sortie to go outside radio range without me there. I fear the worst..." Isaac stopped reading for a second.
"So when Akashi told me that the commander left a defense fleet here, i had assumed he had went with everyone else. It seems that she didnt know he had stayed here." Isaac said as he kept reading.
" ... It is true. I checked the docks and the defense fleet has disappeared. I checked the base and found only cubes. I tried to bring one of them back but it seems that whatever that light is, it's affecting the cubes. Our Kansen have been wiped off the face of the earth. My beloved kansen out in the sea are gone. Those that have returned home are probably gone too." Isaac read that day's entry.
"So he was here after the superweapon went off." Isaac said as he flipped to the next day. The 11th.
"This is it. My final entry. I have done everything i can to keep the pain away but it just wont stop. The girls i wedded are gone. And my command falls on deaf ears. I can see no more purpose in life. The sirens have won. I can see drone ships passing the island to claim dominion over the seas, confirming what I already know. There is no hope for humanity. I have failed everyone. Goodbye. And to anyone reading this. I hope you have better luck." Isaac read as he looked around. The window was unlocked but had blown shut after 20 days of pacific wind.
"No. He didn't." Isaac said as he climbed through the window and ran towards the edge of the cliff that the building sat upon. Next to a large oak tree sat a neatly folded commander's uniform and cap, weighed down by a saber and a sidearm. At the bottom of the cliff, Isaac could confirm a reddish hue on the rocks below. Isaac tore his eyes away and kneeled.
"Another soldier lost to the war for freedom." Isaac said as he stood and gave as good of a salute as he could.
"I will take up the mantle. I will complete your mission. I dont have the training, but I have
the will to fight, and the Kansen by my side. Rest now soldier. Your fight is over." Isaac said as tears streamed down his face. He picked up the uniform, saber and sidearm. He carried it back to the building and sat it all on the desk.
Isaac spotted a button on the desk labeled PA. He pressed it and heard speakers come to life outside.
"All Kansen on base. Man your ships. We leave for the Philippines as soon as possible. We will carry on the late Commander's work, and free this world from the siren's shackles." Isaac spoke, hearing his voice echo over the island.
Eldridge poked her head in.
"Get to your ship. We have a war to delcare."
Isaac said as he tightened his jacket.
Isaac met everyone down at the docks.
"Why the sudden change of heart, Kommandant?" Nimi asked.
"The previous commander is dead. I found his note in his journal. And reading it made me realize that we can't sit idly by and take our time. The sirens think they have seen the best of humanity. Well, I say let's give em the worst." Isaac said as he walked towards The Eagle.
"As you command, sir." Nimi said with a salute.
Isaac climbed aboard the Eagle and made straight for the bridge.
"Are we moving out, sir?" Eagle asked.
"Yes. We have seemed to have lost our sence of urgency over the past few days. But every moment that we waste is another moment humanity suffers. So screw waiting. The bulins packed the galley and we are ready to launch." Isaac said. Eagle handed him the radio reciever she had tuned to the fleet.
"Then issue your orders, commander." Eagle spoke.
"All ships, ahead full and form up around Eldridge. Make haste towards the Philippines!" Isaac said into the reciever.
Without a moment's delay, Rodney, Eldridge, Nimi, Akashi and Eagle all set sail, forming up as soon as they left the cove of the island.
"3 squardrons of Spitfires in the air as short, medium, and long range recon. Can you handle that?" Isaac asked.
"Easy. We will have eyes in the sky in two mintues, sir." Eagle replied as Isaac could see spitfires shimmering into existance on the runway.
"Launch." Isaac spoke as the first squardon took to the skies.
× We left the base today for the Philippines. We are 4 combat ships strong. If we can get to our destination, we may just have a chance at saving the world. × Isaac wrote as he smiled, looking out over the infinite blue sea.