Isaac and Belfast walked onto the bridge of the Norfolk to find Nimi talking with Norfolk.
"How goes it?" Isaac asked, noticing the fleet had dropped anchor nearly five miles off the coast of Palau.
"Odin ordered the fleet to drop anchor outside of coastal battery range on the off chance that this island is not as hospitable as we think." Nimi spoke.
"I see. Good call. Has Jager departed for his mission?" Isaac asked.
"No. Odin was waiting for your order there." Norfolk said as she pointed to the ME-155A sitting on the deck of the Enterprise, heading a group of Skyraiders that had already spooled their engines.
"Enterprise?" Isaac asked into the receiver.
"I've been waiting for you, Commander. What's the word?" Enterprise asked.
"Go ahead with the scouting mission. Have Jager launch his fighter then follow him up with your Skyraiders. I don't want him targeted if this island is hostile, so keep an eye out and take out any AA that opens fire." Isaac ordered.
"Understood, Commander." Enterprise spoke as Isaac watched Jager's fighter get launched off the flight deck faster than he had seen before.
Isaac watched as Jager's plane caught the wind and climbed rapidly, using the excess momentum from being launched off the flight deck to ascend far above normal carrier-borne aircraft.
"Norfolk, have the bulins dissected the tech on the Enterprise's hull?" Isaac asked, refusing to take his eyes off Jager's craft until it had been joined by the other planes.
"They have. Apparently they have learned that the device that she uses to rapidly launch aircraft is a more advanced version of the steam catapults used on the Intrepid and other Essex class carriers. Hence the faster launch speed of a heavier aircraft, such as Jager's ME-155A." Norfolk explained.
"And the power source?" Isaac asked.
"Apparently… Enterprise uses the same elements… that made up the atomic bombs." Norfolk said with a worried look.
"She uses that kind of power?!" Isaac asked.
"Isaac." Zero's voice came as Zero appeared in front of them.
"Zero? Do you have something on the matter?" Isaac asked.
"I do. I have seen Enterprise's hull before." Zero spoke.
"What do you mean?" Nimi asked.
"Nimi, Norfolk. The two of you take five out on deck. I need to speak in private with Zero." Isaac said.
"Keeping secrets isn't good, Isaac." Norfolk said.
Isaac looked at Zero and sighed.
"Go ahead, Zero. But you three must keep this quiet. We may have Sirens in the fleet, but we can't let this kind of intel get out." Isaac said.
"Understood, Liebling." Nimi said as she, Belfast, and Norfolk all nodded.
"Enterprise, the Kansen of CV-6, was the most influential carrier of the second World War… in 97% of all timelines that the Sirens have invaded. But… the Union, after the war, has renamed several vessels in her honor, as an ode to her service during the bloodiest conflict in human history…" Zero started.
"This we know." Isaac said.
"What you don't know is that this hull that Enterprise currently commands is one from thirty years in the future, had the Sirens had not invaded. The age of Nuclear technology begins after the bombing of Japan. Enterprise CVN-65, as she is now known, is a product of thirty years of Nuclear development. In other timelines, nuclear material, such as uranium or plutonium have been used as fuel sources for so-called nuclear reactors. These reactors provide the energy needed to fuel a carrier of that size." Zero explained.
"I see. So that's how she's able to power everything on that vessel, including those… AA guns?" Isaac spoke curiously.
"Phalanx Close in Weapon System. It is the Union's answer to more sophisticated aircraft that we have seen in the 1970's." Zero explained.
"Do you know of them?" Isaac asked.
"Yes. Capable of a fire rate between 3,000 and 4,500 rounds per minute out to a maximum range of 5 nautical miles, give or take." Zero spoke.
"No wonder she was able to fend off those missiles in Australia… with that kind of fire, I'd be hard pressed to get anything more than a high altitude bomb through that…" Isaac said.
"Agreed. Empress sought to enslave her and station her in the Union as an impenetrable defense. But according to what little intel I gathered, Enterprise broke her control after the retrofit and turned on Empress. Now she fights for you… and in this Era… she is fully capable of guarding this fleet up to 95% against any aircraft fielded by the Strategist Class Siren Carriers. Whereas your usual fleet, sans Enterprise, would only be protected up to 45%" Zero explained.
"So you're saying that Enterprise comprises 50% of my AA power?!" Isaac asked.
"If not more. I have not gathered enough intel on your fighting style to offer a more detailed analysis." Zero said.
"I guess not." Isaac said as he looked at the Enterprise.
"What did you say your name was, Hell-Jumper?" Gangut asked on her vessel where she sat with Ben.
"Ben. What's with the Hell-Jumper bit?" Ben asked.
"Well, you seem like you've been around a bit. And from what I hear from Comrade Garner, you were at the invasion of Normandy, described as literal hell from those who were there." Gangut spoke.
"You're not wrong. While I came in by boat, most of the men from my barge didn't even make it out of the gate. Those machine gun nests… they opened up the moment the gates dropped, slaughtering the men who I was supposed to care for." Ben explained.
"That sounds much like the offensive of Stalingrad. Men fell left and right fighting for mere inches. And while we were victorious… We lost many good comrades." Gangut said as she took a swig of her vodka.
"Mind sharing some of that?" Ben asked as he extended a hand.
"Sure. Sharing is what we do, Comrade." Gangut said as she handed the bottle to Ben, taking that moment to slide over next to him.
"A bit close, eh?" Ben asked.
"What? Not into women older than yourself?" Gangut asked.
"Not a problem for me, but I was under the assumption that you were more combat oriented." Ben said.
"I am… but that doesn't mean that I am a heartless warrior." Gangut spoke as she pulled the neck of her coat to the side.
"So I see… but I am already involved with a woman, you see." Ben spoke.
"So?" Gangut asked.
"So? It is not proper for a man to have multiple wives, at least not in the Union." Ben said.
"Are you in the Union, Comrade? Gangut asked.
"Not currently, but my values are deeply steeped in the Union teachings." Ben said.
Gangut pouted a bit before walking to her radio and adjusting the frequency.
"California, was it?" Gangut asked.
"Hi hi! What's up, Gangut?" California asked.
"Is it true what I hear? That you're involved with Ben?" Gangut asked.
"Did he say that?" California asked.
"He did." Gangut confirmed.
"Then I guess that's the case. Why do you ask?" California asked.
"Mind if I borrow him?" Gangut whispered into the receiver.
"I don't mind sharing him, Gangut. You know how we Kansen operate." California assured her.
"I just figured I'd ask, my friend." Gangut said before turning her eyes to Ben.
"I don't think I like that look…" Ben said.
"She said it's alright, and that she will not be upset should we… hang out for a while." Gangut said as she returned to Ben's side.
"What made you even consider this?" Ben asked, drinking more from the bottle he was given.
"Well, the fight we were in where you saved me from that explorer made it hard for me not to notice. And your selfless demeanor speaks to my ideals, where we are a collective, not an individual. You don't fight to seek glory, but to protect your comrades and the people you fight for. How can a woman not desire a man who meets her standards?" Gangut asked.
"But surely a woman like yourself would have a lover back home, no?" Ben asked.
"Nyet. Most of the men from my country do not have the fight that you have… and those that do… are dead." Gangut spoke as she slowly approached Ben with her hand.
"But…" Ben was stopped by a finger to his lips.
"I have permission from your little fling, and I have given you a considerable amount of my own special vodka that I received from Avrora. Would you really turn this down?" Gangut asked, raising the leg of her uniform to reveal the soft pale skin of her toned legs.
Ben gulped.
"Well… If Cali doesn't mind… I could hang around here for a bit." Ben said as Gangut smiled.
"хороший мальчик.¹" Gangut muttered under her breath as she took Ben by the hand and led him below deck on her vessel.
"I can see them." Tirpitz said.
"That would be them. That massive carrier proves it, my Lady." U-47 spoke.
"Shall we hail them?" Eugen asked.
"Yes. We must let them know we have arrived." Tirpitz said as Illustrious walked onto the main deck beside her.
"We have finally made it to the Pacific Front, huh Tirpy?" Illustrious asked as she laid a hand on Tirpitz's shoulder.
"That we have, Illustrious. And please do not call me that in front of the Kommandant." Tirpitz asked with a healthy blush.
Tirpitz and her fleet continued forward, approaching Isaac's fleet, slowing slightly as Eugen patched through a hail.
"Kommandant Garner? This is Prinz Eugen of the Ironblood Navy. Come in."
¹ The term used by Gangut translates to "good boy" in English, my source being google translate.