Gascogne's Tale: Chapter 1
Prologue: Gascogne's last stand, part 1
The war between the humans had ended. However, the Vichya Dominion and the Iris Libre were not going to reunite. The civil war of our once whole nation convinced the people that we are best off split apart. A demilitarized zone on the border that separates the two newly born nations. The easterly nation is the one which I, Gascogne, a PR battleship, was created to protect. However, I never got into a naval fight for my founding nation before peace had come.
I leaned my hands on the railing of the room's balcony, looking over the rest of the base and the night sky. I was contemplating what, if any, place I would have in the Vichya navy in the future. I was a battleship Kasen, and with the age of the battleship closing I found myself concerned with my continued role. Thinking about this I looked over the port, down to where the ships of the Kasen stationed here were. In the more shallow waters was the ship of Le Mars, a practical destroyer. There was also Algérie's cruiser, an innocuous looking ship on the outside belies the impressive collection of fine wines she keeps in its hold. Next to my own ship was Joffre's ship, the Vichya Dominion's only aircraft carrier. And finally there was my own vessel, a Richelieu class battleship built with the latest advancements made through siren research. It had even been equiped with various pieces of salvaged siren technology, and its armor reinforced with siren alloys.
The air was thin and humid, a calm fog engulfing the port. I could see through it no problem, but a human might only be able to see the glare of search lights on this dark night. The water was smooth like glass, giving it a mirror like property that only made the atmosphere more calm. I was briefly distracted by the spinning light on the top of the lighthouse a few kilometers to the east. Its light easily penetrates tonight's fog to warn incoming ships of the rocks it stands upon. Whilst the sky was naked above the base without a cloud in sight, the stars failed to shine through the lights of the always awake naval base. If the fog wasn't around, I could see the Royal Island itself from this base. Not that any human, or any other Kasen for that matter, could see out that far.
I heard some footsteps from behind me, they were calm and evenly paced. So they must be Joffre's as she is the only one who would come to speak to me in a casual manner. "Greeting Gascogne, is there a reason that you are sulking over the railing like that?" She asked me. She was always like this, interpreting my actions and words to have some deeper emotional value. Unless I was overheating, this was never the case. But no matter how many times I told her this, it seemed she never listened. So I eventually gave up trying.
"Gascogne is observing waters for any sign of a possible attack," I responded. I knew this would not be a sufficient response for the ever prying Joffre. Perhaps I should be honest about my concerns to Joffre.
"We both know that isn't the reason that your heart is aching and confused. So why don't you just be honest with me from the start?" Joffre seemed to cut out all of the usual time she would spend talking around the issue. Maybe she was the type to adapt how they speak to those around her.
"Gascogne's heart's not in pain," I informed the nosy carrier, now certain that I would have to confess what was really troubling me. Lest she start cooking up some absurd scenarios in her mind that she could give me advice on how to handle. Not that I, or any other Kasen in the Vichya for that matter, disliked her assistance and advice. However, as I am significantly less troubled than the other Kasen of the Vichya, and as a result she assumes that I am hiding my troubles from her.
"You know it is not good to lie, Gascogne. There is no shame in a Kasen finding love. I know that you have always believed yourself to be nothing but an unused weapon but-" Joffre began before I interrupted her.
"Assumption incorrect: Gascogne is not lying." I began, "Gascogne has a different issue she would like to confess."
Joffre blinked a few times and nodded before she spoke next. "And what could be so terrible as to trouble the fearless Gascogne?" Joffre commented, obviously finding it satisfying to help one of her fellow Kasen.
"Battleships are inferior to carriers, no nations are constructing new battleship Kasen. What will happen to Gascogne?" As I finished speaking Joffre paused, as if unsure of the answer herself.
"I do not know what will happen to you," She paused for longer this time. Long enough for me to ask a more precise question.
"Will Gascogne be scrapped?" This is a question that I already knew the answer to. However every time I thought of it the Emotion Inhibition Module would quickly begin to heat up. Risking it turning itself off out of thermal throttling. I turned to face Joffre, we both knew that my vessel was made of valuable siren material and technology, all of which would be better served in newer carriers and smaller vessels.
"I…" Joffre began to speak but stopped herself. Instead after a few minutes she came over to the railing and leaned out to observe the port with me. We both knew that Azur Lane was undergoing their final assault against the Siren stronghold as we observed the fog together. With the Sirens gone, the pressure to always be ready for an attack would be lost on the Vichya. It was obvious that high command would prioritize having a technological edge over Iris Libre above all else. I didn't have any naval battles, engagements, or merit to my name. And there were already rumors that ship designers were working on a carrier using siren tech and alloys.
"That is the most likely scenario…" She stated, even she couldn't lie to me about the obvious truth. "Are you afraid, Gascogne?"
"Gascogne is unfamiliar with the emotions this elicits"
And then there was silence, as there was nothing more to be said. Joffre shifted her body closer to me on the railing as we watched the rolling mists of the English Channel. Seeing the fog spin and dance within and around itself. The moonlight refracting behind the mist to give it an unnatural hue. While the water was still undisturbed, it no longer seemed like the glass sheet it was before. It even seemed to have gotten more shallow since before I had begun talking to Joffre. Looking at Joffre's face I saw guilt painted on it. That was one of the emotions that I had been programmed to know of, and how to spot in others. It was intended so I could spot spies and traitors, but no such event occurred. Joffre's mind seemed clouded like the fog clouding this port. She stood there with me, simply keeping me company. Possibly because she didn't have any means to help me. As she would do for any other Kasen in the Vichya Dominion.
Joffre moved closer to me again, putting her hand on my shoulder as we both looked on into the night sea. "Gascogne does not blame you." I informed her, hoping to wipe the guilt off of her face.
"I know that, you aren't the type to blame others for anything." Joffre sighed as she took a pause in speaking. "Even if it is their fault," the carrier tried to say under her breath so I didn't hear. "Surely they'll find a use for you somewhere," she lied in an attempt to comfort me.
I gave a nod as we both returned to watched the ever still sea. The sounds of waves barely audible from the dorm on base. I could see her smiling from the corner of my eyes as we stood there together.
What felt like hours passed before I felt some sort of invisible wave pass through me. I looked over to Joffre and she obviously felt it too. Confused, Joffre spoke, "did you also feel that Gascogne?"
"Yes" I assured her before I felt a second invisible wave pass through me. This one was much more powerful than the last. As I lost my balance entirely as it passed, forcing me to grip the railing to avoid falling over. Looking over to Joffre she seemed to lose complete control over her body as fell back onto the balcony. Her body breaking up into blue sand like particles as she hit the floor. These particles then coalesced into her two wisdom cubes. I hurriedly looked out over the port and saw that Joffre's vessel had also collapsed into particles which had fallen into the ocean water, creating waves before it sank. The same had happened to Algérie's cruiser and Le Mars' destroyer.
I was stunned for half a second before my instincts and training kicked in. First thing to do in an emergency was to establish who was in charge. I activated my radio and immediately contacted the base's command frequency on the highest priority I had authorization for, "this is battleship Gascogne requesting immediate contact to the base commander, over," I spoke using my ship's radio.
"This is the base commander, to what do I owe the pleasure over?" he obviously had not been informed about the current situation.
"There has been a targeted attack on all friendly Kasen in the base using an unknown weapon. Gascogne is the only active Kasen siren following this attack, all other friendly Kasen are KIA. Gascogne requests to immediately be placed under your command until further notice, over." I informed the commander of the situation.
I heard some noises, as if he was answering this on the phone and he was walking in his room. The sound of blinds opening immediately preceded his response.
"Situation verified, request approved. You are to immediately muster to battle stations, over." He spoke, fully convinced of the truth in my statements.
"Gascogne requests to know the commander's name, over" I inquired.
"Active commander is Jacques De Marke, or simply Commander Jacques, over" he replied.
"Gascogne reporting for duty Commander Jacques, will be moving to battlestations, over and out"
I quickly grabbed Joffre's cubes before I jumped off the balcony and made my way to the docks. Soon a siren flared up in the base, signaling that the base is under an imminent threat of attack to those on it. A signal for all there to muster to the armories and then their battle stations.
On my way there I remembered the second step in an emergency, establish the nature of threat or identify it if possible. Considering that it targeted exclusively Kasen and ignored humans it is unlikely to be an attack by a rival nation. I didn't suffer the worst of this unknown weapon's effects. The biggest difference between me and the other Kasen here is my modifications using Siren parts and alloys. So it's most likely that this weapon is Siren in origin.
My radio buzzed on, "This is Commander Jacques, come in Gascogne, over."
"Gascogne reading you loud and clear, over"
"This weapon didn't just strike our base, it appears to have affected Kasen on the other side of Vichya, over."
"Any news on neighboring nations, over"
"No, it is too early for any info about that to make it here, over"
"Gascogne has reason to believe that this weapon is Siren in origin"
A solid 10 seconds passed before I got a reply, "I already assumed as such, prepare for a Siren attack, over and out."
The base's loud speakers began to blare, "Attention all personnel prepare for an imminent Siren attack on the base. It is likely that the Sirens will attempt to deploy ground troops, all personnel be advised."
I continued to rush to my ship, activating my boilers and turning on my radar as soon as I could get it powered. My radar began spotting numerous contacts all along the English channel. All of them in formation, one of these formations was heading directly for the base. The group consisted of 20 ships. The formation heading for our base was V-shaped, I presumed the outside consisted of 10 destroyers. Behind which would be 6 cruisers, then 3 battleships, and finally a carrier. That is if this was a standard Siren formation. Right now they would be out of range, but I would have the advantage for the majority of a fight as I would out range every ship in this fleet, excluding the carrier. So getting my vessel up and running for some pre-emptive strikes would be of utmost importance.
My radio began to pick up some emergency communications, "this is the Royal Navy base at Scapa Flow requesting immediate air support, we are under siege from an unknown force. All friendly Kasen are offline, over." It seems that Vichya Dominion aren't the only targets of this unknown weapon. And it seems it is not being used specifically against Azur Lane or the Crimson Axis. So that is even more evidence that this is a Siren weapon.
I then contacted the base command again, "Commander Jacques, Gascogne has decrypted a Royal Navy communication, the attack by the unknown weapon is not isolated to the Vichya Dominion. Additionally, Gascogne has detected contacts 128 miles out, closing en-route to our location, over" I relayed all the information that I had gathered to the Base Commander.
"What is the amount of time we have until they engage us, over" the Base Commander inquired
"ETA 10 minutes, over"
"Do you possess Joffre's Wisdom Cubes, over"
"Can confirm, over"
"Do you believe you can defeat the incoming Sirens, over"
I paused at this question. Whilst I was still the most advanced battleship in the Vichya Dominion, but I was just a battleship. This siren fleet had a carrier in it, and while I did have a quite stellar array of AA firepower, I was still at a disadvantage. But it was only one carrier, and thanks to my Precision Salvo Protocols I was more than capable of sinking it as soon as it was in my range.
"For the initial attack, it is highly likely that Gascogne will be victorious, over." I stated, unsure of my own answer.
"Elaborate on what you mean by initial attack, over"
"Siren Elites are likely to make personal appearances in areas of high resistance, over" There was an uncomfortable pause after this. The base was filled with commotion and ordered chaos. But it was deafeningly silent to me. This was a worst case scenario, but it was also the most likely if the sirens were doing a mass coordinated invasion. There were no means by which we could achieve a victory here if a Siren Elite showed up. I sighed at the realization, even if my life is sacrificed, it will be meaningless if a Siren Elite showed up.
"Move to the briefing room for more details about the upcoming defense Gascogne, over and out" Jacques spoke to me over the radio. Following the Commander's order I stabbed my staff into the ground to come to a complete halt. Then I turned on the balls of my feet and ran towards the center of the base.
I ran past many of the men in the base, some carrying rifles now frantically running to their defensive positions. Whilst others carried ammunition and food stuff to said positions. The trucks were carrying towed artillery and shells to their marked post. The movement of foodstuff was overly optimistic, for it was unlikely that we would hold out long enough for that to matter.
Air raid sirens sounded as the initial siren aircraft made it into friendly AA range. A barrage of steel filled the night sky as many new stars found themselves being created near the Siren planes, only to fade just as fast as they formed. I opened up with my own AA once they were in range. Whilst most Kasen liked to keep track of the amount of aircraft they shot down, I found that just shooting down hostile aircraft as they came was most effective. Seeking out the bombers and torpedo bombers amongst the ranks of Siren planes.
Getting to the briefing room in the center of the base, I was overwhelmed by the amount of humans there. Some of them were on radios, constantly trying to get more information and relay to the men at the planning table with a map of the base and the surrounding area around it. I approached the table and was immediately greeted by Commander Jacques, "Hello Gascogne, I'm glad you decided to show up." I replied to this with a simple nod. A man with a scruff beard and a muscular build reached out his hand to shake my own, which I obliged.
"I didn't think Kasen were ones known for following orders, but I am glad to have you here regardless." The man chuckled, "I am Sargent Jean-Paul Pelletier, the highest ranking of the Vichya Commandos on base."
"Gascogne, battleship of the Vichya Dominion Navy, at your service"
Jean-Paul chuckled in response, as if I had told an obvious lie, before he puffed from his cigarette. Looking closer I could see a few battle scars on his body. His hair short and black, he stood confidently over the table like this was a normal occurrence for him. His confidence obviously radiated to the men in this room who were not at the table. His smile even made me believe, for a split second, that we stood a chance. Before I came back to my senses that is.
I turned to face a much smaller female figure with white hair who was looking right at me. She spoke up, similarly raising her hand to shake mine, which I gladly shook. "I am the head Bulin at this base, I have extensive knowledge of this facility and I have some extra bulins that I will station in your vessel." She spoke in a manner far more mature than most Bulins, she also wore a standard Vichya army engineer's uniform.
"You are quite unusual for a Bulin," I stated half asking and half impressed at her discipline.
"I was made to serve as a combat engineer in land battles, so I have a different perspective than most other Bulins. And unlike you I have actually seen combat."
I was confused by the verbal hostility, we were all allies of the same nation. "The name's Quinze by the way." she scoffed at me.
"I got that name because fifteen hundred meters is the length of the longest bridge I blew." She smiled to herself. Looking to her back I saw that in place of the standard wrench most Bulin have was a rifle, its buttstock the shape of a Bulin's wrench head, and its bayonet being the drill found on most Bulin wrenches. She too was smoking a cigarette, not unlike the majority of people at this table. Perhaps if I had lungs I would be smoking too. Under her eyes were large dark bags, and the underside of her nails covered in grease and oil.
I simply nodded to the Quinze as I turned my head to another person at the table. "I am Pierre Bessette, a Kasen engineer." He was a younger man, younger than any other man at the table at least. His eyes were full of energy and optimism. He reached out his hand for me to shake, "I know that it seems like I don't have much to offer without any Kasen here, but-" I interrupted him by giving him Joffre's cubes. As they would be safest with a specialist. Perhaps he could even reconstruct her with them at a later date.
"Gascogne is aware of your value" I informed him. I was well aware of the variety of things that a Kasen Engineer can do. I knew that handling Kasen cubes was a task they were most suited to. He simply nodded in response to my statement.
After that I turned to Commander Jacques and offered to shake his hand, "Gascogne is putting her trust into the Commander's abilities." He simply nodded his head in acknowledgment, ignoring my gesture of greeting. Perhaps this was standard in a combat scenario. For a superior to not shake the hand of their subordinate… That must be the case.
I retracted my hand and turned my eyes on the map of the base. The commander began to explain his plan for the base's defense. The artillery would be positioned on hills outside of the base with mobile AA protecting them from enemy planes. Every single street and alley in the base had machine guns mounted to turn it into a kill zone. He planned for every possible scenario of this battle. Plans for enemy paratroopers; send hunting parties to intercept and destroy. Plans to counter attack and retake enemy landing sites. A list of possible enemy landing sites, listed from most likely to least likely. It was if this is what he had been preparing for every day he was stationed here.
He also had engagement protocols for proper siren combatants. Everyone was made aware of Explorers, and how they may infiltrate our ranks. We were given instructions on how to deal with an Oceana's lightly armored back, and how to get into position for that. He had details on Peacebreakers and how to exploit their slower movement. There even was a guide on how to get a Strategist to leave herself open to AT gunfire.
But there was something missing from all his plans, "Commander, where does Gascogne fit in on all these plans?"
