A decision is made and the pieces begin to move. Across the globe, the kansen of Azur Lane prepare to mobilize their forces.
I realized something... I've been calling those fake Siren copies 'Pawns' in the past chapters. Yet the destroyer class they employ en masse is also called 'Pawn.'
Why am I bringing this up? Well, I think I need another name for those mimics because having two classes known as 'Pawns' is going to be confusing when both are on the field, err, water.
Azur Lane Base, Kiel
"All right, we're all here." The Commander adjusted his hat and looked around the meeting room. "Thank you all for coming."
Various murmurs of acknowledgement sounded out around the table. The leaders and other high authority figures, along with their own assistants, of the different factions were seated at the table, all of them gathered today for a briefing. The table itself was simple, nothing too fancy. Just a round mahogany table with everyone seated equally around it. Warspite definitely approved of the arrangement even if she didn't say anything about it.
The Eagle Union consisted of Enterprise and Baltimore, the Iron Blood consisted of Bismarck and Gneisenau, the Sakura Empire consisted of Takao and Suzuya, and the Royal Navy consisted of Warspite and London.
"Now that we're settled, let us begin." The Commander passed some papers around to the others. "We've gotten orders to mobilize. To continue with Operation Siren."
Baltimore whistled lowly. "That's pretty serious."
"With the Sirens, it always is." Warspite added.
The Commander shrugged. "I wish they could be more straightforward. With them, it's always showing up here, fighting there, then either sinking or disappearing somewhere else. If only there was a surefire way to just... stop them."
The others agreed. Despite their capability in fighting the Sirens, the shipgirls still struggled to actually stop them in their tracks. Every time one sunk, another would take its place. It was very troublesome, a constant headache to Azur Lane.
"Anyway," the Commander continued, "we'll be reorganizing our fleets. For some, it'll just be returning to home waters. For others, it'll be patrolling these waters while I simultaneously make my rounds to the other bases."
"I see." Warspite put a hand to her chin as London scribbled down some notes. "We'll be sending more forces into the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans."
"More or less. There are already some patrols sent from the other bases, even as we speak, but I would like to add a bit more firepower." The Commander tapped on a panel and brought up a holographic display map from the center of the table, a visual aid for those present as they took in the information.
Bismarck spoke up next. "As much as I'd love to assist personally, I'm afraid I can only spare a few ships. We do not have the luxury of numbers."
Takao nodded in agreement. "It is the same for us. The others and I arriving here was already a stretch, and even then we couldn't spare any capital ships."
"That's why you suggested mandatory transfers and visits." Enterprise pointed out to the Commander. "To not only ease the tension and get us to work together, but to spread our reinforcements more evenly across the world."
"And it's working well so far." He paused to drink some coffee- a splash of cream with no sugar prepared by Mainz- before continuing. "We've been making some progress, sinking their drones, taking out the elites, and knocking out some of their facilities."
"Hnn, those so-called 'weather nodes' of theirs don't look like much but they are always problematic," said Bismarck as she remembered one of the rare times she sailed out of Iron Blood waters. Being surrounded by a literal sea on fire was not pleasant, so she and her fleet had to wait for another fleet led by South Dakota to knock out the troublesome node responsible.
"You look worse for wear. Are you all right?" The Eagle Union battleship asked at the time.
Bismarck most certainly didn't huff as she brushed some soot off her uniform. A knock on the door brought her out of her reverie. Gneisenau looked to the door where her rigging 'sat' at attention, like a guard dog of sorts.
"Kommandant?"
"It's fine, Gneisenau. I'm expecting them." The Commander then called out louder to heard through the door. "Come in."
Gneisenau nodded. "Stand down, Potato."
Potato let out a mechanical growl and shifted away from the door. The sentient rigging 'walked' out of the way as soon as the door opened.
Mainz walked in, followed by Z23 and Z24. She stopped to pet Potato on his metal head. "Aw, you being a good boy, Potato? Good job~"
The metal shark dog thing let out a pleased growl at the affection he received. The two Z-class destroyers also gave him headpats, something that he really enjoyed.
Gneisenau cleared her throat. "Okay, that's enough. You're spoiling him."
"Ah, apologies." Mainz straightened her posture as if she didn't just pet a cute animal. "We figured you lot could use some refreshments."
"Ah, thank you. I've been needing a refill." The Commander smiled as the cruiser placed a pot of coffee on the table.
"Here are the cups, cream and sugar, and stirrers if you need them." Z24 placed her stack of items next.
"And tea for those who prefer it." Z23 set down a teapot closer to the Royal Navy side.
The occupants were grateful for the drinks, each of them grabbing a cup for themselves and pouring either coffee or tea.
"We'll be taking our leave now." Z23 made for the exit along with the others. "Unless there's something else you need?"
"Actually, now that you're here, you can sit in and join the discussion if you want." The Commander suggested.
Z24 was quick to refuse. "Thanks but no thanks, this kind of stuff would put me to sleep even if I'm wired up on caffeine. It's just bori- oof!"
"Be respectful." Z23 scolded her sister after elbowing her side. "As for me, I'll have to decline as well. I, um, already have plans."
"You mean hanging out with Aya- oof!" Z24 got elbowed again.
Mainz facepalmed at the destroyer's antics. They were supposed to be older than her, technically.
"Well, I have nothing to really do." Mainz shrugged. "I guess I can stay and listen."
"Ah, wonderful. Here, please have a seat." London pulled up a chair for the newcomer.
Nobody objected as she joined them, and they paid no mind to Z23 pulling Z24 out of the room by the ear, her complaints dying out as the door closed. Enterprise did watch with amusement as she chewed on a ration bar.
"All right." The Commander sipped a fresh cup of coffee. "Let's continue then, shall we? The Northern Parliament and Sardegna Empire have gotten their sectors pretty much locked down, so that gives us some leeway in..."
Time passed as they discussed the important topics. Logistics, fleet formations, and contingency plans.
"So it's decided then." Suzuya twirled her pen around her fingers as she looked over the notes she had written down. "Not only will Enterprise's group accompany us back to the Sakura Empire, shikikan will also be joining along."
"That would be correct." Gneisenau looked to Bismarck. "Have you decided who will go?"
Bismarck mulled it over for a bit, eyes closed as she put a gloved hand to her chin. "Well, you'll need some long range ships. Fortunately, Kommandant, I know just who to suggest. Just don't get them too roughed up, okay? They're still my fellow countrywomen."
"Knowing you, it's probably the same as who I had in mind too." The Commander joked. "I already had a list of who I want to request but I'd still like your input."
"Such a gentleman." Bismarck then cleared her throat. "Anyway, since you're going to the Pacific I believe most, if not all, of these Iron Blood warriors will serve you well." She began counting with her fingers. "I suggest Deutschland, Graf Spee, and Prinz Heinrich. The latter is in Wilhelmshaven so you'll have to make a stop there. Odin will also be a good candidate; she has sufficient speed, armor, and firepower. I think it would also be nice to use this as a chance to give both her and Heinrich more hands-on experience, due to their unique circumstances."
"Huh, almost exactly who I thought of, except with a few destroyers added." The Commander scratched his head. "That is, if you can spare them?"
Bismarck shook her head. "Nein, I'm afraid we'll need them for the Siren subs still lurking about in the Atlantic and the Baltic. Anti-sub warfare isn't exactly my forte, and our Z-class are the most compatible for such a role out of Iron Blood, obviously." She then had an idea. "Actually, why don't you bring Mainz along?"
Mainz, who had been listening with rapt attention and offering some input here and there, perked up at being mentioned. "Ah, not that I'm objecting, but why me?"
"Well, you've been recently fitted with hedgehog launchers, correct? You can fill in for a destroyer, at least until more join with the group. In fact, I can send Z24 with you as well."
"Huh, that's not a bad idea." The Commander turned to look at Mainz. "And this way you even get to gain more experience."
"Well, if you're fine with it, I won't refuse." Mainz kept her excitement down. She didn't want to come off as to eager to prove herself again. "Although, shouldn't we have a senior Iron Blood member with us? No offense to Odin but she seems to focus more on tactics than leading."
Bismarck shared a look with Gneisenau, who merely shrugged. "About that... I know I said we don't have the luxury of numbers, but I believe we have more than enough to keep the Fatherland and the surrounding waters safe. So I'm thinking maybe my sister can go along with Herr Kommandant's task force."
The Commander looked surprised. "Tirpitz? Are you fine with that?"
She waved off his concerns. "Of course, she's actually been eager to sail out more often nowadays. Besides, she probably has more experience than I do on the field."
"All right, if you insist. This is going to be interesting." He muttered while jotting down some notes.
"Heh, Arizona is gonna be happy about this." Baltimore snickered.
"Hmm, I bet." Enterprise grinned at her cruiser companion.
"So along with the Eagle and Sakura forces, there's me, Tirpitz, Z24, Odin, the Deutschland sisters, and possibly Prinz Heinrich." Mainz counted in her head. "Seven of us from Iron Blood."
"Well, the issue now is making a stop at Wilhelmshaven." The Commander pointed at the map. "See, we're here in Kiel and the closest route we can take is the Kiel Canal." He stood up so he can lean slightly closer and trace his finger down a path. "But it ends up at Brunsbüttel, so we'd still have to sail through the North Sea a bit more East then Southeast to get to Wilhelmshaven."
"Yes, that would take a bit of time," said Takao, "but it is the only way."
"Yeah, it's a bit of a pain having to pass through the locks. It'll probably take about eight hours or so, depending on the traffic." Enterprise drank another cup of coffee as she remembered how she and the others got to Kiel in the first place. Fortunately, they didn't need to sail all their ships through; the Eagle Union all just hitched a ride on Cleveland's hull instead.
"Ah, actually..." London raised her hand to get everyone's attention. "There is another way, one that could take half the time to get to Wilhelmshaven. Maybe even quicker, including traffic."
"Oh, what did you have in mind?" The Commander asked.
"Well, Your Excellency, it's how Warspite, Centaur, and I got here in the first place." London explained with a smile. "We can just drive there."
Silence reigned in the room.
"Oh, I had almost forgotten about that." Warspite mused out loud.
Royal Isles
A lone woman walked along a grassy hill, humming quietly and basking in the morning sun. It was still a bit cloudy but not enough to make it look too dreary, something the she was grateful for. Feeling gloomy was never a good thing, obviously.
A gentle breeze blew through, causing the woman to hug her jacket to herself a bit tighter at the slight cold. It caused the grass to wave about, almost looking like she was in a sea of green, and it brought along the faint scent of the actual sea from the coast.
It was a familiar scent to her and everyone else just like her, and it brought about a sense of nostalgia to the scenery around her. After all, they were basically born to sail on the sea. They lived by the sea and, inevitably, died by the sea.
A small smile tugged on her lips as she approached her destination before sitting herself down, paying no heed to the ensuing grass stains on her clothes. She would clean up later.
It was a small stone monument, one that she and her sister put together in private. While they did visit the official memorials from time to time, sometimes they preferred something quieter and away from public eyes.
"Good morning, sister." Queen Elizabeth sat cross legged while carefully setting a sheathed sword- the late Valiant's sword- on her lap. It was a memento she carried with her regularly along with her own scepter. "I brought some tea again, your favorite. Don't worry, Sirius isn't here to prepare it this time." She chuckled at her small joke, one that would have made Valiant smile as well.
"Anyway, I have some good news. The Commander and Warspite have informed me that Azur Lane is making a move." She elegantly poured out two cups of tea from the portable set she brought with her. "Which means our sister and the others will be returning home soon. We of the Royal Navy have our own people to mobilize as well."
Queen Elizabeth took a sip of tea before continuing. "Speaking of the Commander, it appears his recent Priority Research has born fruition. A new Iron Blood cruiser has joined our ranks, so that should be interesting to see. You know how they are, stubborn and hard-headed like their faction title. Then again, aren't we all in some way?"
She wasn't sure how much time passed as she sat there. It was something she did once in a while, visiting her late sister's monument. Sometimes either Queen Elizabeth or Warspite would go alone, other times they would make the trek together.
It wasn't until she heard the faint steps crunching on grass behind her did she check her internal clock.
"Your Majesty." Belfast curtsied as she addressed her faction leader. "Breakfast is almost ready. I hope you haven't drank too much tea? It's not good for you on an empty stomach."
"Ah, Belfast. Don't worry, it was just a few sips. Besides, we're made of sterner stuff." Queen Elizabeth dusted some stray grass off her legs. "Do tell, who prepared breakfast this time?"
Belfast's lips curled into a smile. "It was Dido today. She tried really hard, so I believe you'll enjoy it."
"Of course, I'll be sure to compliment the chef." The petite battleship stood up with an unladylike yawn and stretched her arms above her head. "Well, come along, Belfast. The Head Maid needs to eat too, yes?"
Belfast bowed her head. "Very well, Your Majesty."
"You can just call me Elizabeth here. Or Liz, doesn't really bother me."
"...Right. Very well, Elizabeth."
The pair shared a smile before looking back at the monument, paying their silent respects.
"Farewell, Valiant. Until next time." Queen Elizabeth gave a small wave.
Sakura Empire
Two women walked along a stone path, the numerous cherry blossom petals scattering around them. It was around afternoon and there were some cicadas chirping, adding to to the ambiance.
With a quick glance, one could easily tell that they were not ordinary women. The dead giveaway was their fox ears and nine fox tails each, although one had brown fur and the other had white fur. The one with brown fur had long brunette hair and wore an elegant purple kimono. The one with white fur had shorter white hair, just about shoulder length, and wore a simple white kimono. Despite their beautiful and gentle appearance, they were two of the most powerful beings in the islands.
"So, Kaga, did you hear?" Amagi held her usual parasol above her brown fox ears, the petals lightly falling atop it as she idly twirled it about. "Shikikan and the others are making their move soon."
Kaga took a moment to shake her fluffy white tails about, scattering some petals that got stuck on her fur. "Yes, I heard. Which means we should be preparing as well."
"Fufufu, isn't that what you've always been doing though, hmm?" Amagi giggled melodically at the carrier's serious tone. She always was the humorless one out of all of them.
Kaga did try, even before Akagi's passing, but she just wasn't really a sociable one. The most she did was join that Polaris band out of respect to her sister, even if they weren't technically related. Cleveland and the others didn't mind, and it certainly helped with the grieving and mourning of a fallen ally.
"Yes, but will all that training be enough?" Kaga caught a petal between two fingertips. "I certainly believe so. And if I fall, so be it. Our people will keep fighting to the end."
"Don't be so morbid, Kaga. Look, we're here now. Say hello to Akagi." The battlecruiser put a comforting hand on Kaga's shoulder as they slowed to a stop before a tombstone. "She wouldn't want you to pout like that, it ruins your cute face."
"Amagiii..." The white fox blushed at the compliment but didn't complain any further. They were more than just allies and friends, they were like family to each other.
Speaking of family...
"Ah, aneue." Tosa had also arrived, her similarly white hair and fur also covered in some stray petals. "You're here. You too, Amagi."
Kaga addressed her true sister with a nod. "Good to see you up and about. But shouldn't you be resting?"
The battleship kitsune flexed her left shoulder. "It'll heal. Besides, Akagi is family too." She also held a small sketchpad in her right hand. "And I didn't want to miss the view. The scenery is too beautiful not to draw."
"Of course, the more the merrier." Amagi gestured for Tosa to join them. "We can pay our respects together, I'm sure my little sister, sniff, wouldn't mind."
The two white kitsune said nothing, just wordlessly joining the brunette at her sides. They didn't mind how Amagi's voice nearly cracked; she was Akagi's older sister after all, and sometimes she felt like she let her younger sister down. Fortunately, Kaga was there to share their grief at the time, and later Tosa would help get them back on their feet with assistance from the other members of the fleet.
"Tosa," Kaga said quietly, "are you really all right?"
The two had given Amagi some space after a while. Now Tosa was idly sketching the scenery of cherry blossoms before her while Kaga simply stood by her side.
"Hai, aneue." One of Tosa's ears twitched in slight annoyance. "I'm just as strong as you, remember?"
"I never doubted your skills, sister." Kaga shifted closer to her. "I was just... worried, is all."
The younger sister sighed but didn't complain. One of her tails brushed against Kaga's, a small gesture of affection. "I made sure to punish the offender with overwhelming force, if that pleases you."
"I'm sure you did." Kaga cracked a rare fanged smile. "It's as you say before battle, 'crush any contender.' Also, umm, can I see what you're drawing?"
Tosa's eyes widened just a fraction in surprise. "Ah, sure. But not yet, I don't want to show an unfinished product."
"Hai, hai, I can wait. I'm fairly patient..."
Tosa raised an eyebrow in doubt.
"...I think. Don't give me that look."
Changed the perspective a bit here. Yes, the main character is mainly Mainz (get it?) but I feel like the others deserve some attention too.
Decided to include Tosa because I finally got her recently on rate-up about a week or so ago.
Translator's note:
Aneue is like an archaic form of addressing your older sister in Japanese. Aniue is for your older brother.