Isaac stood firm as the Siren known as Observer Zero was walked out onto the gangway. Upon seeing Isaac, however, Zero began to shudder as her feet refused to move a single step more.
"Move it. You've behaved this far, don't make me get forceful now." Zeppelin spoke sternly as she and Friedrich practically lifted Zero off the ground by her arms and carried her down the gangway, bringing her to her knees right before Isaac, who looked down at her, the helmet hiding any notable emotion.
"So you're the infamous Observer Zero. The one who ruled Japan with an iron fist, and kept Yukikaze prisoner. I must say, you're shorter than I imagined." Isaac said, his voice being modified to conceal his true, much more tender voice.
Zero knelt, petrified and scared to utter a single word.
"Zeppelin has told me that you wish to surrender. Me personally, I would love to keep you shackled up and use you for information about the rest of your collogues... but I promised someone else that they could do what they want with you. You should know them quite well, after all, you sent her on a suicide mission not two months ago." Isaac said as Vengeance walked over, seemingly drawn in by the crowd. It was only when she was beside Isaac did she see why the crowd had gathered.
"Zero." Vengeance ground out as Isaac's hand kept her from advancing on the prostrated Siren before him.
"We secure the port and keep her with Warspite until the threat from Pearl has passed. Then, she's all yours." Isaac spoke sternly.
"You best not go back on our deal, Apollyon. She's mine. After what she did to Navigator, I will never forgive her." Vengeance spat angrily as she stood behind Isaac as he continued.
"You, Observer Zero, should count yourself very lucky to be knelt here before me, instead of dead on the battlefield, or in the court of your so-called Empress. Because I have made it very clear to Smasher here, that you are to be kept in a state where you can provide me and my fleet information. But... knowing Smasher, and her very calculated way of doing things, she'll probably do what she did with Norfolk... in reverse." Isaac spoke as he shrugged.
"W-what does t-that m-mean?" Zero sputtered out.
"Norfolk was a holographic projection when she was first built and linked to the vessel. But Smasher managed to make her a body to inhabit. But knowing her hatred for you, she'll tear your body away until the only thing keeping your conscious alive is a holographic display projecting your body as it once was." Isaac said as he turned to Vengeance, who smiled sadistically, as if given an idea.
"That's a much better idea than what I had in mind." Vengeance said as Isaac shuddered at the thought of what she had been planning on doing.
Zero squeaked in fear and tried to back off, only to have every available gun in the fleet trained on her head, including Isaac's handgun, the very same one used to kill Oceana.
Zero froze, beginning to sob as she realized that this was her fate, and with Vengeance at the helm, it would not be changed.
"Load her onboard the Warspite. If Warspite can keep Roon in check all the way across the pacific, then I have no doubt that she can keep this one in line as well." Isaac spoke as Friedrich and Roon flanked Zero and pulled her to her feet. She looked to either of them for some form of sympathy, but found Friedrich's stoic expression to be of no help. And turning to her right, Roon's piercing gaze and demonic smile send a fierce chill down the Siren's spine.
The three girls disappeared below deck on the Warspite. As soon as they were gone, Isaac removed his helmet and looked around.
"If any of you see anything amiss, anything at all, even if a pallet of shells that was supposed to be in Warehouse 1 is now in warehouse 3, report it to Odin or myself. With an HVT like this here, we can't be too careful. We have yet to find a method, aside from Friedrich, that can sniff out Explorers. And we didn't bother to screen the port staff when we landed here, so keep our alert level at red and report anything amiss. If you need to investigate, take two others with you, Understood?" Isaac demanded.
"Aye!" A unanimous cry came across the port.
"XIV." A MK2 lurker class siren whispered.
"Speak." XIV spoke as she sat 250 miles from Brisbane.
"Observer Zero has been located. She is being held onboard the vessel named HMS Warspite. Naval records date her vessel surviving both world wars. Battle of Jutland is only one of the battles where her legendary status among the Royal Navy came from." The MK2 Lurker said. The lurker, cloaked by XIV's ability, was sitting only half a mile from the port, sheltered further from view by the bow of the Richthofen.
"Excellent. Mark Warspite as a priority target. We will sink her, and kill Observer from her betrayal to the Empress." XIV spoke.
"When shall we commence the assault?" The MK2 Lurker asked.
"Our faster speed and use of the Mirror sea allowed us to bypass Subject E. We should commence the assault soon so we can set up a defense to ward her off." XIV spoke.
"Shall I attack?" The MK2 Lurker asked.
"Not yet. I want more intel before we attack. Apollyon is still an unknown. We don't even know what he looks like, all we have is that infernal helmet that he wore in the video." XIV said as she remembered the look on Temperance's face as they watched the video.
"Then shall I just observe?" The MK2 Lurker asked.
"Yes. Take a count of the ships, types, weapons, everything. I want to know everything they could possibly throw at us." XIV said as she cut the line.
"You had just make sure this cloak doesn't run out anytime soon..." The MK2 Lurker whispered as she continued observing.
"Enterprise, this feels weird." 2nd LT. Good spoke.
"What's the matter, Lieutenant?" Enterprise asked.
"We just walked right out of Pearl... there's no chasing fleet anywhere. This doesn't feel right." 2nd Lt. Good spoke.
"Hmm. You have a point. Empress isn't the kind to let someone like me just walk away. But if she isn't coming for me, then she must be going for where we are headed." Enterprise spoke calmly.
"So they're attacking Australia?" 2nd Lt. Good asked.
"Possibly, and they could already be there. They are able to move quicker through the use of Mirror seas. Whereas, we will only be there in about six days, possibly after the action has ended." Enterprise deduced.
"So... we could possibly lose here?" 2nd Lt. Good queried.
"Not in the slightest." Enterprise affirmed.
"You seem to have a lot of confidence in this guy." 2nd Lt. Good spoke.
"Maybe so, but he is known by reputation by our enemies. So hopefully he can hold out until I get in range to launch my fighters to assist." Enterprise spoke as she and 2nd Lt. Good looked out to the open ocean in front of them.
Isaac walked over to the Drydocks to inspect the pristine Queen Elizabeth hull that had been rebuilt through the power of the cubes.
"How does it feel, Elizabeth?" Isaac asked.
"Like it should, Commoner. It's been a while since she has had a fresh coat of paint. So it feels good, like a day at the spa." Elizabeth said with a smile.
"Good. And how is Texas coming along?" Isaac asked as he looked and saw the Texas, unchanged and sitting in drydock.
"She is planning out her new hull. She has to imagine it and then impart that image on the cubes. So she is making sure it all will work before setting the design in stone... or steel in this case." Elizabeth said.
"I see. Well, shall we launch your ship? Roon needs her vessel rebuilt so she can take Bremerton's place in formation. Then we need to put Australia in to give her a catapult for her aircraft." Isaac said.
"You truly are a kind soul, Commoner. It's upsetting that even after all your work in the war, you are still treated so poorly by those in the union." Elizabeth said as she looked around, checking to see that nobody was watching before sliding her hand into his.
Isaac looked down in mild shock.
"Don't... don't think anything weird! I just... wanted to know what it felt like." Elizabeth stammered.
"I see... and the reason you're still holding my hand?" Isaac asked after several long seconds.
"Because, obviously, I like the way it feels, so I will continue to do so as long as I like." Elizabeth spoke in her royal tone.
"I see. As you wish, 'your majesty'." Isaac said with a small smirk.
Unknown to either of them Warspite and Bel were watching them from across the port.
"Has her majesty been like this the whole time?" Warspite asked.
"Ever since she arrived. She wasn't lying when she said she had a deep connection with the Master. I find it cute." Belfast said.
"Huh... well, either way... keep an eye on them." Warspite said solemnly.
"You seem off, Warspite. Is something troubling you?" Belfast asked.
"Yes... I sense something amiss, but I cannot see it. I feel like I'm being watched, and that battle approaches once more." Warspite said.
"Well, we are the only free fleet in the world, we're bound to have eyes on us." Belfast spoke.
"Yes. But I have a feeling... I won't be making it out of this one. Please, should I fall in battle... take care of Her Majesty for me." Warspite said as she turned her eyes to the head maid.
"I will consider it an order from the Queen herself, Warspite. I shall see it done should such an event come to pass." Belfast said as they returned to watching Isaac and Elizabeth.
"This feeling comes after years of fighting, Bel... Something bad is coming, and it isn't whatever the Commander thinks." Warspite said.
"Should I inform Norfolk to sound the alarm?" Bel asked.
"Yes. Please. Something is screaming at me, telling me that we are in great danger. Like the enemy is right on top of us, yet, we're here lazing about." Warspite said as she began looking around frantically before narrowing her focus on Pennsylvania's bow.
"Shit... did she see me?!" The MK2 Lurker asked herself as she peeked around the bow of the Pennsylvania, locking eyes with Warspite as she watched a maid run across the port towards the Norfolk.
"That's his command ship... SHIT! I've been had!" The MK2 Lurker spoke before opening a frequency to XIV.
"What is it now?" XIV asked.
"I think I've been had." The MK2 Lurker spoke as she watched Warspite slowly walk towards the edge of the docks right in front of her.
"How? My cloaking should still be in effect." XIV spoke, her voice one of confusion.
"I don't know. I've kept at least a foot away from their hulls to keep them from feeling me, and I haven't made a sound. It's like... she sensed me here." The MK2 Lurker whispered as Warspite activated her rigging and looked around the bow of the Pennsylvania.
"Understood. I shall begin moving the fleet towards Brisbane. Can you escape?" XIV asked as the sounds of the port siren began to blare, followed by a volley from Warspite's rigging and static.
"Shit, they've found our spy. Alright, all units, move out. We assault Brisbane." XIV spoke as the massive invasion fleet began to advance as her carriers launched their aircraft.
"ALL HANDS, PREPARE FOR BATTLE!" Warspite yelled from the bow of the Pennsylvania, using the Receiver there to transmit to the port, throwing the port into a flurry of girls running for their vessels to prepare for the battle to come, one that would go down in history as The Battle of Australia.