A Matter of Honor Chapter 17, an azur lane/碧蓝航线 fanfic

Part Seventeen – New Waters

My task force was almost there, maybe an hour away now at our current pace. On one hand, I was looking forward to getting to High Command, if only for the chance to restock and get the final details on the operation… on the other, I wasn't looking forward to actually dealing with them. The words of Julia came to mind, "You scare the crap out of them…"

I mean it was to be expected, I was a half breed, I am now fully one of them and the question is in the air if we can produce new kansen without the need of human intervention. If that's possible, then I can see humanity feeling very threatened, very quickly… And if we can't then, I can see High Command feeling less threatened.

I paced around my bridge, my mind wandering back to the last six days. Illustrious spent some time with me on my hull, but she also spent a lot of it on her own… I guess it made sense, we were still trying to get a feel for one another… but it didn't help with my current feelings towards trust. I sigh inwardly, why can't this be easy?

My attention snapped to off the port bow of my hull, my eyes couldn't see anything, but I could sense something coming and I wondered why Javelin didn't report it yet… I got my answer as the radio crackled to life and I hear her alert me with her high pitched rapid speaking, "Contact off the port bow, approximately forty kilometers away!"

Thirty-eight… I guess my targeting systems are better than hers'… I elevate my A and B turrets while I angle my bow as I call back to her, "Well, challenge the contact… If they are hostile, let me know, I've already got a firing solution."

As I wait, I load in high explosive shells, I'm not sure about the size of the contact yet, and having HE loaded is a good all-round ammunition type until I know for sure. I take a deep breath and focus on the approaching target; it's closing on us fast, pushing in on us at around thirty knots... meaning that our closing speed was around fifty knots. As soon as I had the firing solution plotted I managed to get a clear image of the target, it looked a little like the hulls of either Washington or North Carolina, just longer.

My ears twitch as I hear Javelin call over the radio, "She says she's the Missouri, flagship of the Eagle Union… She happened to be out on patrol when she picked up our approach…"

I sigh and unload my guns as I return them to a safe position. I take a moment before I call back to Javelin, "Then let her approach."

I returned to pacing on my bridge, I knew it wouldn't be long before this Missouri got here.

From my bridge and watched as a very athletic looking kansen jumped onto my deck, she had a short bob of almost chocolate brown hair and going by how it looked with her beside my A turret, I could tell she was tall as well, she also looked like she got a fair amount of time to relax under the sun. As I started to move towards an outer hatch I saw Illustrious starting to make her way over to the new arrival, probably for the best I think, as far as first impressions go, Illustrious would be easier for her to relate to.

As I got closer to my bow, I could hear the newcomer speaking with a bit of an accident, I'd heard it before, North Carolina spoke in a similar way, "… ain't no way you're the kansen of this hull. You look too much like Victorious and Formidable…"

I sigh inwardly, so this Missouri is clever enough to know that Illustrious isn't a battleship… I round the corner and see her in a uniform that was similar to the ones that NC or Washington wear, but on her arm was a different flag; it also looked like the uniform was a bit newer. It took a second but her amber eyes darted to me and she stopped talking for a moment before, tilting her head to the side and asking Illustrious, "Is he your Commander?"

I sigh and hang my head before I say, "No."

The newcomer puts her hands on her hips and demands of me, "Then why are you here?"

I press my lips together before I take a deep breath and let it out slowly before I say, "It is usually a common courtesy to request permission before boarding another vessel."

She shook her head and said to me, "Normally I would, but you got dangerously close to Azur Lane High Command before anyone picked you up on radar…"

I look up at the sky for a moment before I say, "By my estimation, I'm still a good fifteen minutes away from being in range to shell the island."

That seemed to take her by surprise; she blinked her amber eyes for a moment before she adjusted her stance like she was getting ready for a fight as she asked, "So where ya'll from, then?"

"We're from the Pacific fleet; we're on loan for a joint operation in the Med." Illustrious said like she was trying to defuse the situation.

I saw the shoulders of Missouri relax a little as she continued, "You already talked with Javelin… Our other two escorts are HMS Black Prince and HMS London. I'm HMS Illustrious and this…"

"HMS Thunderer." I say in a calm tone as I wait to see how she reacts to the news.

I could see her amber-colored eyes bounce between me and Illustrious a few times before she said in that accent of hers' like she didn't believe what she was hearing "No… Ain't no such thing as a male kansen…"

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose, while Illustrious takes this one for me, "I assure you, he is. It is a long and frankly, it is a bit of a sad story… but he is one of us."

Missouri made a noise like she still didn't believe it then said, "Well, let's get ya'll into the port so we can get the operation started as soon as ya'll are ready to go."

XXXX

I was surprised to see that it was dark by the time we were able to fully dock in the port; I hadn't expected that the main harbor would be on the north side of the island fort. I was the last one to actually dock and leave my hull, once my feet touched down on the slipway, my three escorts turned to me, but it was Javelin that asked, "Is it okay if we head into the port and explore a bit? I heard there are a bunch of RN ships here…"

I give a nod and watch as she along with London and Black Prince link arms and head off, I turn to my right and ask the only other member of the task force, "Well?"

She shook her head before offering me a smile as she said, "Perhaps later, for now, I'd like to find some dinner… are you hungry?"

I nod and say to her, "That sounds like a good plan; Illustrious, food then I'll report into command."

I was surprised when she slipped an arm through mine, I looked at her just as she blushed a little before saying, "Small steps… a sign of trust, that I trust you're not going to try and grope me while we're alone."

I sigh before saying, "If I was going to do that, don't you think I would've done so during a back rub?"

She was about to say something when from up ahead of us I heard someone call out, "Lusty!"

Illustrious looked at me and went a brighter red as she said to me, "A nickname, which humans gave me a long time ago…"

When Illustrious didn't respond right away, a second voice called out, "Busty-Lusty, we're over here!"

She sighed and whispered to me, "If I don't respond to them, they are just going to get more vulgar…"

I whisper back to her, "Okay, but who are they?"

She sighs but smiles as she says, "My little sisters, Victorious and Formidable."

I nod and say to her, "Go ahead; spend some time with them… I'll be fine."

Illustrious offers me a little smile before slipping her arm out from mine and starting to walk towards the other two as she calls out to them, "Vicky, Lumbering! How are you two?"

"I'm not Lumbering!" called back one of them with a degree of indignation that actually put a smile on my face.

I stay back and watch as the three of them embrace each other, before linking arms and walking away. As they were leaving I caught Illustrious looking back at me over her shoulder, almost like she was asking if I was sure. I gave her a nod and a smile, which seemed to be what she needed as she turned her attention fully to her sisters before the three of them were out of sight. Once I was sure they were gone, I gave a heavy sigh and looked around the dock, and I saw something that surprised me, a hull that looked similar to my own, but the turrets were different, the guns were smaller and were triple gun turrets against my own dual guns.

I tilted my head to the side at it and started to walk towards it, it was at the other end of the slipway, as I got closer it was clear it was about the same size as my own, I was finding this most curious; as far as I knew my hull was one of a kind. As I got closer, I heard the sound of boots coming towards me, I look in the direction of them and I see a woman walking towards me, she has long red hair and seemed to have a balanced build to her frame; she was in a black uniform that was fairly snug. Her head was tilted off to the side and her eyes were on my hull. As we got to just a couple of feet apart, we both looked at one another and started to walk around each other, she spoke first in what sounded like a Scottish accent, "What are you? You're kansen, I can sense it… but… you can't be…. And you're hull… it's really familiar…"

"I am kansen… Your hull… it's familiar as well, but it shouldn't be. Mine should be one of a kind." I say back to her.

"What do you mean by that? I should be saying the same about you, only two of my class has been commissioned… and I know my sister is our home port of Davenport." She says as we keep circling each other.

"I'm a ship class of one, unique… just as I am unique." I respond to her, this was really curious.

She angles her head up and back, looking at me through half-open red eyes as she said, "I'm Conqueror class, the HMS Conqueror."

"I'm HMS Thunderer." I say back to her, as I mimic the same look at her.

"Never heard of you, where is your home port? If you're from here or Davenport, I'd know." she asks me, folding her arms under her bust.

I shrug before I say, "I was launched from an underground dock near Bridge Cover. But I make port at Midway in the Pacific…"

I see her red eyes narrow at me and she says, "There's no dock there."

"I said it was underground, it was built into the cliffs." I protest to her.

"I want to see your MSD, I want to see if I can figure you out." She says to me, her tone of voice becoming stern.

"Why should I let you on my hull? I should be able to see your Master Systems Display." I retort back.

"Not happening. As the Royal Navy's Flagship for this detachment, I decided who has to show what." she says to me.

I look her up and down and say, "So? You don't command me."

She raises a red eyebrow and probes me by asking, "So you only take orders from that all but scrapped little dreadnaught?"

I do my best not to smirk, I'm not a fan of the half-pint on the best of days, but it seems like Conqueror might be of a similar mind. I relax a little and ask, "Only by force."

I watch as Conqueror nods slowly as she says, "She's been using flagship protocol against you then?"

I nod and she sighs before she adds, "It's a double edge sword… useful to get something done, but it can create resentment and that resentment can be dangerous."

"No surprise there…" I grumble.

I watch as she folds her arms under her bust and tilts her head to the side as she says, "I've never understood why the Pacific detachment indulges that little fantasy of hers' of being a queen. I mean even the KGV class could challenge her for leadership."

I blink a few times and ask, "That can be done?"

She nods and asks, "Didn't you know that?"

I shake my head as I say, "I'm not sure anyone really does over there…"

Conqueror shrugs and says, "I think they do, but I also think the KGV's like the idea of pretending to be knights."

I'm quiet for a moment before I say, "I think there's more to it than that. Queen Elizabeth has Warspite with her at all times…"

"Ah. Warspite is old, but she's tough." Says Conqueror, pausing before adding, "Considering that, QE would likely issue trial by combat, sighting her age and demanding a two on one… something that a KGV wouldn't be in the best position to take on. I could take them; my sister could take them…"

I look back at her hull; it looked a lot like mine… I wonder… I sigh and slump my shoulders as I say to her, "Fine, you can see my MSD…"

Once we were in my bridge, I route power to the MSD and I watch as she walks up to it, her slender fingers dancing across it, bringing up sub-screens that I didn't even know about. She's making little noises like she's surprised by some of the information that she's seeing yet also not surprised by it. After a few moments, she stops scrolling through the data and says, "I… I don't understand this…"

I tilt my head to the side and ask, "Don't understand what?"

She turns slowly, keeping a finger on the screen, a series of numbers with the designation C-zero-zero-three at the end; I shrug and ask, "So? What does it mean?"

Her brow furrows and she says, "I'm C-zero-zero-one, my sister, Dominion, is C-zero-zero-two."

She is silent for a moment before explaining, "The 'C' stands for Conqueror class, the number is our position in that class… these are our serial numbers as far as inventory goes."

I was starting to understand what she was saying and I ask, "So that means…?"

"Someone stole your hull before it was registered with the Royal Navy… they stole you from your family… before you became my sister." She says.

I grimace; theft seems to be something my father was well acquainted with. I balled my fists and press my lips together, my hull was never meant to be mine, just as I was never meant to be I think. I was just an accident all the way around it seems… but not an unwanted one… I stand taller and say, "That is more accurate than you could possibly know…"

She tilted her head to the side and said, "What I don't understand is why you're male… Kansen are always female."

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose and say, "It's a long, complicated story."

"I've got time." She says, causing me to look up and see her leaning against the display as she adds, "It's just the two of us here right now."

I sigh again and ask, "This is really a story that needs beer, is there a place to get some good stuff?"

She nods, pushing herself off the wall as she says, "Come on, I know a decent enough place, with private booths."

XXXX

"… I'd heard something about that, but I thought it just bilge wash." She says putting down her beer after I told her about who my mother is.

I take a drink from my own before I say to her, "Believe me, it was a shock to me too!"

"Your father sounds like a real walloper…" Conqueror says before putting a finger up asking for more beer.

I shake my head as I say to her, "You don't know the half of it…"

Over the next couple of beers, I tell her about him nabbing me, torturing me for months and turning me into something halfway to kansen, trying to use me to kill my mother, me killing him in the end, my death at being removed from that tank and my resurrection as what I am now and finally being used as a pawn in a power game in the Pacific.

When I'm done telling her everything she just whistles before she says, "You got buggered out there… Still…"

I noticed that she trailed off and started looking around the side of the booth, I twist slightly to see where Conqueror is looking, and I see three well-endowed women sitting at a table, laughing and talking, I don't know two of them, but the one that had her back to me, I knew that back and silver hair well enough. After a moment Conqueror spoke again, "You could do much worse than Illustrious."

I sigh and get comfortable in the booth again and drink from my mug again as I say, "I know, but the problem is trust. How do I know I can really trust anything she says to me?"

Conqueror ran a hand through her hair before drinking again, I could see she was thinking before she said, "Not the best thing to be wondering when you've been in the drink this deep."

I sighed; she was right, drinking and big decisions never go well together… What surprised me was when Conqueror got up from the table and said to me, "Come on, you can crash at my flat, I've got a spare room and according to your MSD, we're siblings… I'd be an absolute naff older sister if I didn't look after ya."

"I really should check in with High Command…" I start to say and she shakes her head before adding, "Those dobbers have all turned in for the night, you can check in with them in the morning."

XXXX

The next day I found myself standing outside the main office of the command center, waiting. I was more surprised to see and learn that the secretary here was human. After close to an hour of being kept waiting I was told I could go in after this little light went out on the secretary's desk.

I closed the door behind me and turned around to see someone I hadn't expected to see, and judging by their reaction, I don't think they expected to see me either. I felt rage build inside of me and my mouth ran faster than my brain as I growled out, "Did you know?"

He shifted uncomfortably before saying to me, "I was expecting a kansen…"

My fists balled and I stalked towards him, and I growled out again, "Did you know? Did you know who my mother is? Did you know what my father had planned for me?"

His green eyes started to dart around the room like he was looking for a way to escape and I snapped at him, "You had a hand in this!"

The admiral sensing that he couldn't run or hide at the moment sat ridged in their chair before he said to me, "No. All I knew was that Henry had asked me to get you out to that base and help him hide."

I took another step forward, my fists still balled and I snarled at him, "I killed him for what he did to me, for what he cost me… what is stopping me from doing the same to you…"

He gulped and adjusted his collar before he said, "Nothing… but let me offer this to you… I'm curious if with you kansen can become self-sufficient."

That stopped me in my tracks, it threw me off guard and I tilted my head, causing him to continue, "High Command is split right now, some of us don't see the kansen as just hardware and property… some of us do."

My red eyes narrow at him and he continues, "Being able to reproduce naturally changes that, we know that it can work with a human male and a kansen, but you…" he gestures at me with his hand before adding, "change the equation."

Snort at his before I retort with, "And if we can, we become a threat."

I see his shoulders slump before he says, "There is just over ten percent of the human population left after the war with the sirens. I can see the writing on the wall, we're done for… but we might not be, not if there can be hybrids…"

I slam a palm down on his desk as I lean in towards him, rage still fulling me at this point as I snap, "So rather than slaves for battle, we'd be slaves in the bedroom?"

He backs away from his desk, shaking his head, putting his hands up and palms out as he says, "No, not as slaves, as partners, equals…"

I snort again, balling both of my fists as I snarl out, "And why the hell would you want that?"

He sighs, walking over to a picture on the wall, as he took it off he turned it to me, showing a younger-looking man, along with my mother and a young-looking man that was my father as he said, "I was there in the beginning… I fell in love with Wales, but she was attracted to your father…"

I take the picture and I ask, "Did you know how he felt about the kansen? That he hated them…"

He shook his head and sighed, "He didn't always… after the first war, he was excited to be part of the program when he became the commanding officer of the Pacific base, he brought me along to be the head of R&D there…"

I pressed my lips together and I asked something I wasn't sure I wanted the answer to, "Do you know whose idea was it, the night I was conceived…"

He was quiet so I added, "He blamed my mother for ruining his life…"

It took a few moments before he said, "I don't know, but I'd heard that he was ordered to knock one up as an experiment…"

I put the picture down and locked eyes with him and asked a different question, "How did he steal my hull? I've already met Conqueror, we both know I'm the same hull as her… but my armament is different."

The admiral shifted uncomfortably for a moment then said, "I shifted paperwork around, it was just logistics… I honestly had no idea what he was planning… The hardest part was getting your guns out of the Eagle Union without anyone noticing."

I unclench my fists, taking a breath to calm myself before I say, "So what does this make me?"

I heard the admiral sigh, clearly relaxing a little before he said, "One of a kind… but I'd like to see if there can be more like you."

I roll my eyes and sigh out, "You and most of the Pacific fleets."

I watch as he takes a seat and ventures out a feeler question, "Have they tried having you…"

I sigh and take a seat across from him before I say, "One has, but the faction flagships tried to cut deals with Queen Elizabeth to try and get me paired with one of their underlings."

He nodded and danced around the touchy subject with his next question, "And did any of them?"

I sigh and nod as I say, "She is part of the task force I arrived with for the operation in the Med."

He nodded and seemed to relax more as he said, "Good, good… I can give you any details you need for that operation, but I'd like to get you ready for deployment with an Atlantic fleet task force as well…"

XXXX

A/N: Chapter seventeen done. A bit of a throwback to something from the first chapter, finding of extended family and some seeds planted for Mitchel/Thunderer. I had fun with crafting Conqueror and thank you to the community on Reddit for responding to my request about Missouri; I hope I did her some justice for what you were expecting.