"Baltimore?" Atago asked softly as she shook the older sister of the baltimore class cruisers.
"Hmm? Oh, Atago, it's you." Baltimore said sleepily. The dark circles under her eyes were painfully apparent.
"Come on, You've been stuck in here ever since the last battle." Atago said softly.
"But... my sister." Baltimore said softly as she looked at Bremerton, whose peaceful face had been uncovered and the lost eye covered by an eyepatch.
Atago's ears drooped as she made ready to turn to leave, when Bremerton stirred a bit and looked over at her sister.
"Baltimore? Go, she's been waiting for you. I've been telling you that I'm okay for the last couple days now." Bremerton said as she sat up with Vestal's help.
"But..."
"Go. You've neglected your duties to your ship, your commander, and Atago long enough." Bremerton said firmly.
"Are you going to be okay?" Baltimore asked.
"I'll be fine, sis. I promise." Bremerton said as she looked to Atago.
"Take care of her. She has a hard time coping with things ike this, so she'll need your help." Bremerton said with a smile.
"I will. Are you feeling well? I saw the state of your vessel on the way over. With you out of commission, the bulins haven't gotten to the repairs yet." Atago said.
"I figured that to be the case. But that's alright. I'm awake and getting back on my feet. I'm sure the commander will see fit to have my vessel repaired." Bremerton said with a softer smile than she had given her sister.
"You're right about that, Bremerton." Isaac's voice called from across the room.
"Commander?" Bremerton asked as she pulled back the curtain from her bed and saw Isaac laying in one of the med bay beds.
"Hi." Isaac said as he waved with his good hand.
"Commander?! What happened?" Bremerton asked as Vestal helped her to her feet and walked her to a chair next to Isaac's bed.
"Had a run in with one of our more... physical members of the fleet. Cost me a few days with a broken arm." Isaac said as he lifted his broken arm as high as he could to show her.
"Are you okay?" Bremerton asked.
"It'll take more than this to put me down. We survived the second battle of Australia. Well... most of us." Isaac's voice dropped.
"Most?" Bremerton asked, fearing the worst.
"Queen Elizabeth is no longer with us. She gave her life to save and revive Warspite..." Isaac said as he remembered the short argument that preceded Elizabeth's death in the very room where he now laid.
"I see. And how are you holding up?" Bremerton asked.
"How I'm doing isn't important. You're finally awake. How do you feel?" Isaac asked.
"Well... I only have one good eye. I can't say that I'm as good as you remember me to be." Bremerton admitted.
"Bremerton... you are of the Baltimore class. You are the most powerful cruiser that the Union has, alongside your sister. We'll get you back to fighting strength, that I will promise you." Isaac said as he sat up with the help of Shinano, who had woken up due to the commotion in the medical bay.
"And... I heard something interesting while I was recovering, Commander." Bremerton said as she looked at Isaac.
"And that is?" Isaac asked.
"You have a child on the way." Bremerton said.
"Your intel is correct." Isaac admitted.
"Who's the lucky lady?" Bremerton asked.
Isaac remained silent as Shinano looked at the union cruiser.
"That would be me." Shinano said as she sat up on the bed.
"Wh...wow. Well done, Commander." Bremerton said with a look of surprise on her face.
"What's that reaction for?" Isaac asked.
"Well... Shinano was not who I was expecting to get your first child, Commander. But I can't complain. She is a very pretty woman, so I can almost guarantee that your child will be beautiful." Bremerton said as Shinano and Isaac looked at each other, knowing that they already knew what their daughter looked like.
"Well, no matter what, we will love her unconditionally." Isaac said as Penny and Shinano helped him to his feet.
"Are you alright to be up and about?" Bremerton asked.
"Arizona took care of my arm yesterday, and the pain is more manageable today than it was at first, so I'll get up and free up a bed for anyone who needs it. Besides, a lot has changed since you were under." Isaac said.
"I can only imagine." Bremerton said as she walked with Isaac out of the med bay, followed behind by Shinano, Penny and a still half asleep Arizona who was just getting around to stretching and waking up.
"Another report, Tester." Oceana said.
"Oh? What is it?" Tester asked.
"The humans that we sent out have returned without the explorers. No matter what we ask, they swear it was this "kraken" creature." Oceana said as she pointed to the slightly damaged tug in port.
"Is that the tug we sent them out on?" Tester asked.
"Yes. They managed to contain the flooding and make it back, but there was not a single casualty among the human crew. All of our explorer units have gone offline and are presumed KIA." Oceana said.
"This is beginning to get suspicious. If this creature really attacks anything it comes across, why would it spare humans and only kill off the Explorers?" Tester asked.
"Well, the Explorers were given orders to kill this creature, so if it surfaced to attack the humans, the Explorers may have attacked and drew its attention long enough to lose interest." The Oceana reasoned.
"After decimating our Explorers?" Tester asked skeptically.
"If it killed off its attackers, it may have gone back to the depths to keep away from predators, if this kraken is what we assume it to be." Oceana spoke.
"Well... it certainly does act like a giant squid... but only attacking our forces is what's making me doubt it." Tester said.
"Well, what's the move then, Tester?" The Oceana asked.
"We can't spare any more forces to go and be slaughtered. Lock down the islands. We have to be ready for Apollyon when he arrives. We are the last line of defense before the Sakura Empire. If he gets there... he can grow his fleet to a nearly unstoppable size, as well as get his hands on enough forces to begin an assault on whatever country he sets his sights on next." Tester said.
"Understood. I shall spread the word." The Oceana said
"What the..." Bremerton asked as she stepped into the harsh light of the Australian midday sun.
"Yeah... we may have picked up a couple of new friends." Isaac said as they looked out over the noticeably larger fleet that occupied the port.
"Is that... Enterprise?!" Bremerton asked as she rubbed her good eye.
"It is. It seems that she has received some kind of massive upgrade." Isaac explained.
"And Helena is here?" Bremerton asked.
"A lot of people are here. But that takes a back seat to the orders I have for you." Isaac said as he rested his arm in its sling.
Bremerton stood straighter as she awaited orders.
"Yes sir?" She asked.
"Go see Vengeance. If she can help K-9, and she can help 556, and she can save Nimi. An eye for her should be no problem." Isaac said as he looked at Bremerton.
"Are... you sure?" Bremerton asked.
"You and your sister are going to be needed in coming battles. I need everyone at their best. Take care of you right now, that's an order." Isaac said.
"Yes sir. But... take your own advice too, sir. I can tell... you haven't taken time to grieve, and it's eating away at you behind those kind eyes of yours. Let them help you." Bremerton said as she pointed to the girls waiting for Isaac at the bottom of the gangway. Nimi, Norfolk, Friedrich, Odin and Eagle all awaited Isaac as Shinano and Penny walked him down the gangway.
Isaac looked back to see Arizona assisting Bremerton down the gangway and taking her over to the Vengeance.
"Come, Liebling. Let us help." Nimi said with a smile as Isaac was surrounded by his ever growing family.
"There is much to do. The RAN and Australian Army are requesting an audience." Odin said.
"What's the status of the other ports?" Isaac asked.
"The other ports have been defended at little cost to the troops of Australia. The RAN reports that the drones practically shut down the moment that XIV was dispatched. They want to know what is going on and why the Sirens tried to invade now of all times." Odin said.
"Please brief them. As far as I know, which isn't much, we can either assume it has something to do with us being here, or the fact that Enterprise fought Empress and was thought to be coming here to meet up with us. So ultimately, we are the cause of this failed invasion." Isaac said.
"And the question of K-9 being present within the fleet?" Odin asked.
"Who?" Isaac lied.
"Understood. We shall do our best to keep her concealed until our departure." Odin said as she turned to leave.
"Odin..." Isaac asked.
"Kommandant?" Odin asked in a slightly more formal tone.
Odin didn't get a response, but a hug instead.
"Thank you. All of you." Isaac said as he looked around to all the girls gathered around him.
"Liebling? What's this all about? Are you alright?" Nimi asked.
"I... I just want you all to know that I love all of you. And no matter what happens, that will never change." Isaac said.
"Dear Husband... I can tell there is something more. Is this about... her?" Friedrich asked.
Isaac nodded as he finally allowed a tear to fall.
"Her?" Eagle asked.
"How have you not noticed?" Odin asked as she craned her neck to look at Eagle.
"I've been helping with the wounded. My flight deck is being used for more space for less severe injuries so we don't take up the port. What happened?" Eagle asked.
"You will... defer to Warspite for all further orders that you would have for Elizabeth." Isaac said as he tried to pull himself together.
"Where is Elizabeth?" Eagle asked.
Isaac avoided her gaze.
"Her Majesty has passed in the line of duty, and it is solely my fault." Warspite said as she came up from behind them.
"What?" Eagle asked.
"Her Majesty sacrificed her life so that I could live. Queen Elizabeth is dead." Warspite said as Eagle's shoulders dropped and the shine left her eyes.
"Oh... now I know what this is about..." Eagle said as she turned a sympathetic look at Isaac before walking over to him and hugging him softly. A few seconds of failing to compose herself later, she then buried her face in his neck and cried over the loss of Elizabeth.
"Commander, I understand now might not be the best time, but I have someone who needs to talk to you." Warspite said as the girls turned to see Roon standing behind Warspite. Friedrich was the first to react and got in Roon's face.
"So, you're the one who has injured my Dear Husband?" Friedrich asked in a deceptively calm tone.
"Friedrich, that's enough. This injury was my fault and mine alone. Roon was just acting on instinct." Isaac said.
"Dear husband, she broke your arm through your armor. Instinct or not, she is dangerous." Friedrich said.
"And if you have forgotten, you are an sixty-five thousand ton battleship capable of untold destruction. Every single one of you is dangerous, well aside from Mutsuki at this point in time as she doesn't have her vessel. But I know that her mama makes up for her lack of danger in spades. My point is, we can't cast out Roon just because of a misstep made in the heat of the moment." Isaac said.
Friedrich sighed and smiled at him.
"Always kind and gentle, even now. This is why we all love you, dear husband." Friedrich said.
"Roon, you have something to say?" Isaac asked.
"Yes, Kommandant. I would like to apologize for my behavior in the post battle. My actions directly led to your injuries as I was the one that caused them, and I am ready for my punishment." Roon said as she closed her eyes.
"I see. Apology accepted. And as punishment... work on that temper a little more. You have a healthy anger. And a drive to eliminate the enemy down to the last man. Why would I punish that? You have the tools here, and you have me and Warspite in your corner. We'll rebuild your vessel and get you ready for war... well... more so than you already are. Your actions during this battle were not overlooked. Three battleships taken out without a single main battery at your disposal, and landing the final blow on XIV alongside Friedrich and Azuma. That alone is worth a medal of honor back in the Union. And then taking out the spy that infiltrated the crew of the Missouri? Nimitz will have plenty of praise for you as well. Good work, little lady. I hope to see you in league with our big hitters once we get you seaworthy." Isaac said.
"I won't let you down, Kommandant!" Roon said as she ran forward, causing everyone but Isaac to flinch as she gave him a hug. Isaac prepared himself for another week in the med bay but was surprised that Roon seemed to dial in her strength just enough to give him the perfect hug.
"You would have loved my mother, Roon." Isaac whispered as he relaxed visibly in her hold.
"Thank you for this second chance, Kommandant. I won't let you down. I promise on my life and my honor as a cruiser of Ironblood." Roon said as she stepped back, leaving Isaac longing for just a few more seconds of the hug he had received.
"Alright, we all have orders, let's go." Isaac said as Penny and Shinano followed Isaac towards the Missouri as Odin went to fill in the RAN and Army with MacArthur. Friedrich and Nimi comforted Eagle further as she dried her tears and began talking with Warspite about the death of Queen Elizabeth.