Isaac arrived on the docks only to be met by Patty and Australia.
"Hello girls." Isaac said, tipping his hat.
"Commander, remember what you said... before the battle?" Patty asked.
"I said a lot of things. Could you remind me what you specifically remember?" Isaac asked.
"K-9" Patty said.
"Oh yes. You had said that the RAN wasn't repairing her or giving her the material to repair herself. I promised we would collect her." Isaac said.
"Well... I was going to leave it until you were ready, but it seems the timeline has shifted." Australia said as Patty began to tear up.
"This cannot be good." Isaac said.
"I'm hearing from the intelligence boys that K-9 is slated for the breakers. They want to finish what mother nature could not." Australia said.
"Well, that just doesn't work for me. How soon can we be there?" Isaac asked as he whistled over towards the Bulins near the dry dock. Kashino came running over as well.
"Commander? What can we do for you?" One of the bulins asked.
"First. You have been chosen to represent the remaining bulins in this fleet, and any more that should come. Here." Isaac said as he put his cap on the Bulin's head.
"Really?" The bulin asked as she adjusted the cap.
"Yes. We need a head repair bulin. Also, It is easier for me to address you than to try and find your sisters and decipher who is who since you all look the same." Isaac said.
"I could see how that could get confusing. But please don't call me head bulin... She earned her rest." The bulin said softly.
"How about... chief?" Isaac suggested.
"I can work with that, Commander." Chief said.
"Excellent. Chief, I need you to requisition a jeep from the transport ship. If they refuse, pick it up and carry it, I don't care. We have a new assignment." Isaac said.
"Right away, Commander." Chief said as she gave a small salute with her new cap.
"What mission are we partaking in, Shikikan?" Kashino asked.
"Rescue." Isaac said as he looked at Patty.
"I'll prepare right away!" Kashino said as Isaac grabbed her arm.
"Hold your horses. They may not be the nicest people to Kansens, but the RAN is still a valuable asset to us. We cannot kill them. We have to do this diplomatically. And then, if all else fails... I have a backup." Isaac said as the sound of tires screeching alerted them to Chief pulling around the Jeep.
"Hop in, losers!" Chief said with a small laugh.
"That is the only time you'll ever get to call me that you little grease monkey." Isaac said as he sat in the front as Patty, Australia and Kashino all piled in the back.
Isaac picked up the radio receiver in the jeep.
"Odin, do you copy?" Isaac asked.
"Loud and clear, where are you off to?" Odin asked.
"To try my hand at diplomacy. We have a sub to save." Isaac said.
"I shall prep the subs and Laffey to be ready should you need them." Odin said as she cut the line.
"Alright, Chief. Full ahead. Follow Patty's directions." Isaac said as Chief slammed her foot on the gas, sending them flying out of the port.
"Alright Roon. You ready to behave yourself?" Warspite asked as she walked to the cell door.
Roon growled angrily but did not say anything.
"We are going to see a new Commander. Surely he will have a use for you." Warspite said coldly.
"A Kommandant? I haven't had one... in quite some time." Roon said, remembering back to her short time sailing the seas with a commander. The thought made her smile.
"I wonder what he will be like." Roon said as she thought to herself.
"I don't want to have to restrain you, but if you attempt anything, I will be forced to immobilize you completely until we reach him." Warspite said.
Roon looked at Warspite with a look that shook the old battle wagon to her core.
"I will serve this Kommandant. A purpose. War. Battle. Let me out, and we'll be under way." Roon said as her rigging slowly came into view.
"Roon. I mean it. No funny business. You play straight with me, I'll play straight with you. You, Kitakaze, and I are preparing to head under way now. Can I trust you not to do anything rash?" Warspite asked.
"Just get me to my Kommandant. My guns crave orders." Roon said as Warspite slowly opened the door to her cell with her rigging active.
"Come. We'll be traveling onboard my vessel. Kitakaze will be our escort." Warspite said as the cream haired destroyer appeared outside the cell.
"All preparations have been made. Our window is closing." Kitakaze said quietly.
"Roon. Come." Warspite said as Roon walked forward out of the cell, her rigging coming mere millimeters from Warspite's face, seemingly sniffing her before snapping its jaws at the air.
"Ugh... smells of tea." Roon scoffed as she walked down the hall and towards the docks.
"This is going to be a long voyage." Warspite said softly as she and Kitakaze walked down the hall, following Roon at a distance.
"Ya ain't takin my hull, ya damn bastards!" A shorter girl wearing a bloodied shirt and shorts said angrily.
"Look. It's been decided. We don't have a choice. RAN Command has ordered your hull to be cannibalized for the remaining subs. You're already unfit for sea travel. Just let it happen." A RAN dock worker said.
"I don't care! You left me here! YOU LEFT ME HERE TO DIE!" K-9 cried as she flailed, trying to keep the workers back.
"You've lost a leg, and you've lost an arm. You can't stop it, even if you wanted to." The worker said.
"You'd honestly pick on her like that?" A voice came from behind them.
"And who are you?" The worker asked.
"Admiral Isaac Garner of Azur Lane. I'm here to requisition that submarine." Isaac said, causing a tear to form in K-9's eye.
"Sorry Admiral, this Sub is still property of the RAN. She won't be going anywhere but the breakers. Orders come from up top." The worker said.
"So you're just going to break up this sub? With a Kansen attached to it? Look at her! You've left her sit here for god knows how long. She has rusted so far that she's lost a leg and an arm due to the 'care' of your superiors." Isaac said sternly.
"Those are our orders. We can't disobey." The worker said as Patty, Australia and Chief all step out of the jeep to stand with Isaac.
"P...Patty?" K-9 asked.
"I told you I'd come back for you." Patty said tearfully.
"And... Australia?" K-9 asked.
"You came after my time... but I know the pain of being scuttled. I refuse to allow my sisters to face that fate ever again." Australia said.
"We can't allow you to take her or the vessel. We'll let her say goodbye to you, but tomorrow, she's fodder for the breakers." The worker said as he rounded up the other workers and left the beach.
Isaac watched intently as the men left in their trucks.
"Is this really it? Tell me you have something more than letting me die." K-9 said as Patty went to the stricken sub and held her.
"I have an idea." Isaac said as he turned to Australia.
"Radio Laffey. Get her here along with the Kashino. We have 24 hours to get what's left of K-9 onto floats and get her stowed away in Brisbane. The RAN doesn't have many people there, and I can stonewall their communication with the higher ups." Isaac said.
"On it." Australia said as she walked to the jeep.
"K-9. Prepare as best you can for departure. We're getting you out of here." Isaac said as K-9 began to cry.