(Tyler Island - February 18, 2027)
Some time had passed...
Even after the sudden disappearance of the portals, there was not much in the way of a celebration. The lucky few personnel watched as the surviving fighter planes returned from their emergency sorties. A portion of the base's transport planes and helicopters were being prepared to aid the nearby areas with soldiers and available supplies.
After the landings, the Reapers disembarked from their battle-scarred planes and entered the headquarters. Inside, today's events had changed the dynamics of the base. Some were soldiers of the Osean Army heading out. Others were officers, fellow pilots and their crew.
In front of them was a familiar brown-haired, female pilot with a jacket.
"Milla!" Elize ran excitedly towards the Gnome Squadron's number two. She also gave out a hug of relief. "You're back!"
"Hehe. Sorry, I had to take a little detour." She replied with a warm smile.
"What happened?" Ben inquired.
"On my way here, the electrics, controls… some slowly gone kaput. I had to wrestle the plane and make an emergency landing at another airport." Milla gave a brief explanation. "My limbs are killing me from all this."
"Oh, sorry." Elize backed away a bit. "What matters is that you are alright."
"Thanks, guys. By the way, every last fighter pilot here is being called for an important debriefing." A notice was given.
"Must be from what happened today. Milla, thanks for the heads-up." Motier thanked her.
"Welcome, sir." The Gnome pilot then resumed her duties.
Within a large room, the pilots almost crowded the area. While they waited for their officers to preside over the meeting, many were talking to each other in a more somber tone. Finally the assigned officer came inside after several minutes.
"Is everyone here? Alright everyone, settle down." The weary yet authoritative voice reached the ears of the pilots. "I said settle down, everyone!"
The room fell silent. All eyes were on the officer and the screen behind him showing a map of the Usean continent in its entirety.
"Alright, let's begin the briefing." A sigh was made. "As a lot of you are aware, early today unknown portals have appeared out of thin air at multiple locations, launching attacks using a large quantity of air and sea assets with unknown weaponry. And it's not just the Usean continent that suffered."
The map expanded to include the entire world. Dots were placed at multiple points, indicating that the sightings and attacks were extensive. Gasps were aired by the pilots, horrified by what they saw.
"My God…" One exclaimed.
"I know what you are feeling, so do I. We're not entirely sure and currently no one claimed responsibility for the attacks, but based on available intel, it is possible they are of extraterrestrial origin. Here's something a little weirder as well: we also received reports that the enemy had employed weaponized girls as part of their naval forces." The mention of the words 'weaponized girls' has caught most of the pilots by surprise.
A picture of such an entity was also shown on the screen, taken during the attack at Anchorhead. To the Reapers, it was the same girl that survived the battle.
"'Weaponized girls'?" One pilot shouted. "That's insane!"
"I wish that were the case, but it's true. We saw her with our own eyes." Elize responded. "She even fired laser beams at us."
"Settle down, pilots." The officer requested.
"Yes, sir." The pilots complied and returned to their seats.
"I know all of you are weirded out, I understand. But considering what they did today, I'm afraid any more encounters with them would probably be unavoidable. As such, HQ is permitting you to take them out should they pose a threat. Fellow pilots, we have suffered for a long while and fought hard to achieve peace. This would be our ultimate test since Ulysses. That would be all. Dismissed."
With the briefing over, the pilots exited the room. Until the time would come for another attack, the base was placed on standby.
(OFS Hornet, Spring Sea)
Yorktown and Hammann were in the in-port cabin discussing matters about the crisis affecting the world with Captain Steuben. He handed out a tablet showing a version of the world's map to the shipgirls. Hammann was aware of where she was after seeing it before the conflict, allowing those in attendance to discuss more pressing matters.
On it, there were dots showing the location of where the confirmed Siren rifts were. The crisis was extensive as they were seen on multiple continents. Steuben pointed his finger to one particular area.
"Here, right beside Anchorhead City in the Kingdom of Erusea." He mentioned. "So far we have confirmed 16 encounters, but there could be more that are unreported."
"Just like the attack on the 5th Fleet two days ago..." Yorktown thought.
"Indeed. If that's the case, then we have a way bigger problem in our hands. Civilian ships and planes, coastal cities, overseas bases, no one is safe. And based on what information we currently have, we may not have enough firepower to mount an effective defense."
"But, your world has some advanced technology and those 'jet fighter' thingies. Surely you have enough to handle them." Hammann felt a bit disappointed.
"I wish that were the case Hammann, but the unpredictable nature of the portals means we could only guess." The captain remained cautious. "Hell, if a stronger enemy appears, that's probably too much for us to handle. I'm sorry."
The little shipgirl could only continue to sulk further.
"What can we do in the meantime, Captain?"
"Remain on standby for now. I am planning on discussing with Osean command what you girls are capable of. We need all the help and intel we could get." He gave the order cautiously.
"Understood, sir." Yorktown responded. Hammann immediately followed with a nod.
"Dismissed." The girls then left the room to return to the mess hall to update themselves of the situation.
XXXXXXX
Even by the time supper came, the sense of wariness remained high. As the base's personnel came to eat, the television screens displayed continuously the aftermath of today's events, some of which personally witnessed by those who were there.
On a table, the Reapers and the three remaining Gnome pilots were eating together. The former were disclosing what they had encountered.
"It's true." Ben confirmed what happened. "We were almost sliced back there."
"Damn. And I thought that shipgirl from before was weird enough." Gnome's number 3, Chester Hazen, was awed. He even felt some chills, thinking of a different scenario during the attack on the 5th Fleet. "This is scary."
"Nevertheless, it's fortunate that you guys survived your encounter and fought back successfully." Words of relief from the squadron's leader, Tobias Jung were uttered. "So to recap, we have an enemy shipgirl who could fire naval-grade weapons, then another who could launch both aircraft and laser attacks... and then, we have our own. They're more than weird enough, I tell you."
"On the bright side, I heard from Milla that the carrier chick is quite cute." Hazen then began to fantasize. "Does she have a name?"
"It's a bit weird, but her name's Yorktown." The female Gnome pilot revealed. "If she were here, I would suggest giving her some space. She had quite a hard time when me and Elize first saw her back at the Altair, not even revealing her hometown."
"Oh, sorry."
Elize's mind was being bombarded with some questions regarding the recent events. She could not be fully able to speak or ask. Her fellow pilots took notice of her mood.
"Hmm… are you okay, Elize?" Motier was the first to ask.
"I'm fine, sir. I couldn't exactly fathom what the hell's going on after today." She then turned her attention to the Gnomes. "Commander Jung, sir. I would like to ask: how's Morrison doing?"
The question was referring to their fourth pilot who was shot down while defending the 5th Fleet.
"He's alright. Unfortunately, his wings are shot. Still waiting to see if Morrison could fly again once he returns." The commander updated. The news of his survival somewhat relieved the pilots, but the question of whether or not he could fly again put a damper.
"I see. Thanks for the update, sir."
Ben's mind began to drift away somewhat from the discussion. His thought was on Yorktown.
"Yorktown… I wonder how you are doing?"
(Dragon Spirit)
The night was a quiet one.
Ever since the second encounter with the Sirens, there were no further appearances from them. The only thing that continued to keep Hiryuu and everyone on the ship awake was whether or not they could return to the safety of dry land.
As she continued to watch the faint dots of stars from the comfort of the sick bay, thoughts about her home slowly came back.
One of them was of her sister Souryuu. Prior to the fateful battle of Midway, she was given an item for good luck. It was something not related to battle - it was related to love. Her tomboyish looks and personality, coupled with her focus for combat, made her less feminine in the eyes of some fellow shipgirls. The small, bag-like item of intricate patterns slightly stood out from the sterile white of the room and the warm light.
It was an enmusubi, given to the shipgirl as a way to help find her significant other.
"Big sister…"
XXXXXXX
Preparations were underway for the Sakura Empire's navy. Tensions were at a high following a series of raids conducted by the Eagle Union, most notably the attack on the home islands. The loss of their fellow aircraft carrier Shouhou and a few other ships added to the growing list of problems. Hoping to strengthen their hold over the Pacific, a plan was formulated to fight a battle to crush their enemy.
A showdown would be the deciding factor for the fate of the seas.
In a quiet open air dojo, Hiryuu was busy with her training. The winds quietly picked up a bit, carrying the fallen leaves and allowing some of them to dance around her. As the sweat slowly continued to build up, she concentrated on perfecting her next moves. Her cards were held firmly until the right moment would come.
"Hanami-"
"Hiryuu!" A voice suddenly called out to the shipgirl.
"Ah!" The summoning chant was halted mid-way. Hiryuu turned around and saw someone very familiar to her.
"Big sister?"
In front of her was a familiar girl with round glasses. Her dark blue hair and uniform danced with the flow of the wind. She placed her right hand on her hips while her bunny ears remained upright.
"Sorry if I bothered. I'm a bit worried about you lately." Souryuu aired her concerns about Hiryuu's condition. "You do know that we are still on a break, right?"
"I know. Just getting ready for the big operation in few weeks time."
"I understand, but…" The older shipgirl lowered her head. "...maybe try to relax a little. Of course, we can't afford to be too cocky out there on the battlefield. I just don't want to lose you, you know that?"
"Big sis… I'm not exactly the person I was years before." More gentle protests from the younger sibling filled the air.
"Yeah, I know." Hoping to cool the tension, Souryuu decided on another topic. "Anyway, enough of that. Look, I got you something from the local temple."
Out of her pocket came a small, colorful bag. Hiryuu recognized it.
"An enmusubi?"
"Hoping this may help you find your soulmate once the war ends." A smile then followed. "Remember, I'm still rooting for you."
Another moment of looking was taken by the younger shipgirl. Knowing its significance, she accepted the enmusubi with gladness. Hope and positivity began to fill Hiryuu.
"Thanks, big sis."
Subtle laughter soon followed from Souryuu. The proverbial heat was finally cooled down.
Then, a sensation was felt.
"I think I need to get something to drink."
XXXXXXX
Hiryuu became emotional after taking a look at the charm. All the memories of her time with Souryuu reduced her slightly to a state of tears.
A knock interrupted her. She wiped her face clean.
"Hiryuu?" The voice of Andrew was audible.
"Come in." The door opened. The young man was in his uniform even after work. "If I may, do you have some free time on your hands?"
"Actually, Captain just gave me the order to watch over you a while ago. So… yeah."
The shipgirl calmed down a bit. "Good, I was itching to hear about what you were about to say since this morning."
A gentle scratch on Andrew's head and chuckle were the response. "Sorry."
He took a vacant chair and sat beside Hiryuu's bed. He let out a sigh.
"Where are we?" He took a while to continue where he left off. "Oh, right. Before the war, Erusea had quite a lengthy bad rap thanks to centuries of expansionism at the expense of their smaller neighbors' independence and culture. Some people even share that sentiment until now."
"That's awful."
"But… everything changed when an asteroid threatened our very existence."
What Andrew mentioned caught the shipgirl's attention. "Hold up, an asteroid?"
"Large one. We call it 'Ulysses'. Once the whole world knew about it, we scrambled to build shelters and large weapons that would hopefully stave them off. Only one was fully operational to the task, and it is on this continent."
"What kind of weapon are we talking about?"
"A network of large cannons. It was nicknamed 'Stonehenge'."
"How big are they?"
"I can't definitely say, Hiryuu. Regardless, the asteroid broke up into many pieces and scattered throughout the northern hemisphere. I guess we could consider ourselves somewhat lucky." Andrew continued timidly. Hiryuu noticed his expression coming from his lowered head.
"Are you okay? You look..."
"I'm fine." He responded quietly. "Stonehenge shot down many of the fragments, sparing many lives. Nevertheless, the world was never the same again."
"And what about Erusea? What happened to them?" Hiryuu was awaiting the important answer.
"They were hit hard… very hard. Farbanti suffered a strike from a fragment; part of their city went underwater as a result. Not only that, Usea had a refugee crisis and bickering nations figuring out what to do next. Then… Erusea snapped, took over Stonehenge and used it as a weapon of war. And then, the rest is history."
Hiryuu was hit hard by what he revealed. Thinking about his world's past made her begin to question what the Sakura Empire, and the Crimson Axis as a whole, were doing all this time since the arrival of the Sirens. They were given the chance to rally the survivors of humanity alongside the nations of Azur Lane, and now she was wondering if that chance was squandered.
"Andrew… I don't feel like asking any further today." She called it quits for the night.
"That's okay. Sorry if I made you worry." He apologized. "If you need anything, just give me a holler."
A nod was given. Then, a yawn erupted from her mouth.
"I'm getting tired… All the fighting has worn me out." Hiryuu then arranged herself as she began to sleep. "Night."
"Good night." Andrew let out a slight smile.
With that, the shipgirl quietly closed her eyes. Her bunny ears dropped gently toward her face. The employee could only watch as she began to drift peacefully into the world of dreams.
"Hiryuu's cute when she sleeps." He thought. A gentle stroke on her forehead soothed her mind and complemented her sleep.
Then, something hit him.
"Emilia..."
(February 19, 2027)
It was well past midnight. The entire 5th Fleet was on heightened alert as they continued to monitor the local area for signs of Siren activity. Commander Chung was taking charge of the Hornet's operations for three hours before Captain Steuben would take over command.
As time continued to tick by, one radio operator received an incoming transmission. He carefully examined the content before making a decision.
"Sir, we're picking up an incoming transmission." He quickly reported. "Likely a distress signal."
"Put it on speaker." Chung ordered. The operator directed the transmission before playing it to the rest of the crew.
"...Mayday, mayday! This is the Yuktobanian battle cruiser Stoykey, we are under fire from multiple unidentified hostiles! Any nearby forces, please assist - we're taking damage here!" The transmission was played on speaker. Static and faint noises of explosions filled the air. "Damage on port side! I need an evac from that area..."
It was enough to warrant an emergency sortie. The Oseans knew they would not be able to reach the Yuktobanian vessel on time with just their ships. Hoping that Tyler Island would be able to send fighters to assist, Chung had one thing on his mind.
"Sound the alarm and get a chopper ready. I need a fix on their location as well."
"Aye, sir!"
The fleet sprang to life. On board the Hornet's helipad, an MH-9S was being prepared for the mission. Once the fuel was quickly added onto its main and external tanks, the rotors began to spin up to operating condition.
Yorktown and Hammann doned much of their rigging. The rest that were not worn before the flight were being carried carefully. They even received new radios to communicate better with more advanced parties.
"I contacted Tyler Island for air support. You two should have backup shortly after you arrive at the combat zone." Steuben informed the girls.
"Thanks, Captain." Yorktown responded.
"Good luck!" He then returned to the interior.
The helicopter crew assisted the two in boarding and stowage of their rigging.
"Hey, careful!" Hammann shouted as she entered the vehicle.
After some adjustments, they were ready.
"Taking off now." The pilot confirmed.
The machine slowly lifted off from the ship. Hammann could only wonder and feel its power.
"Wow… wished we could have those back home."
The weather was reported to be overcast, but there was no time to waste. As the helicopter left the safety of the fleet, slight turbulence was picked up. The little shipgirl felt a bit disoriented.
"Ugh…" She was queasy.
This time, familiar faces would meet again in an upcoming battle…