Just as Patty was about to leave, Isaac had another addition to the orders he had given.

"Patty. I'm sending a squad of bulins with you, Chief included. I want 110 to take Chief with her to Dutch. You will take the others with you to Yokosuka. From what Michael reported, Chicago got pretty banged up during their rescue attempt." Isaac explained.

"I gotcha, Admiral. Send them over. I halted 110's departure so she could take Chief aboard with her. Are… you going to be okay here?" Patty asked hesitantly.

"I have a world class fleet and plenty of men. If this landing isn't a resounding success, then I have no idea how we'll manage Russia." Isaac said, more for reassurance as opposed to answering Patty's question.

"I have faith in your abilities, Admiral. Just be careful. The Japanese are known for their die hard loyalty. And if their loyalty has shifted to the Sirens… there will be no survivors." Patty warned.

"That very thought has crossed my mind. I am hoping that with the freeing of the Emperor, that many will be swayed back to reason. We need their troops if we have a hope of taking Russia from Purifier. The Red Army is being held against their will to do her bidding. Stalin has become her puppet. And I for one have heard the tales of Stalingrad… damn it. I wish I could have the Marines here." Isaac lamented.

"What good would that do?" Patty asked.

"The Marines are some of the best grunts money can buy. Improvisation, ingenuity, grit. All things that make them great for the kind of war we're waging. Too bad most of them are likely dead or trapped in the Union." Isaac spoke bluntly.

"I see." Patty replied, unsure of what to say.

"Anyway, enough chit chat. I'm sending the bulins, then you have permission to depart." Isaac said.

"Aye, Admiral." Patty said cheerfully as she cut the line.

Isaac tapped his helmet.

"Chief. I want you and three of your finest to join U-110 and Patty on their mission. Chief, you're with the shark. We've got a former German cruiser that'll likely need help getting out of Dutch Harbor. The others are to go with Patty. Chicago got roughed up real bad, according to Michael." Isaac reported.

"Got it!, I'll get the girls ready, buli!" Chief replied.

"Atta girl. Go have some fun. Stay safe." Isaac said.

"We will. See you later!" Chief called as Isaac watched the overeager repair team skate across the waves to their respective ships. Not long after, a set of horns announced their departure.

"Richthofen. Send some bombers to escort them through the blockade. 110 won't be able to fight them all herself." Isaac said.

"On your orders, Kommandant." Richthofen replied as several JU-87s took off from the flight deck and fell into a recon pattern over Patty and U-110.

"Good. Now that that is settled…" Isaac grumbled as he switched radio channels to Taka's ship in the rear.

"Taka, the boys ready?" Isaac asked.

"Ready as they'll ever be. Are we doing this?" Taka asked.

"Afraid so. I'm gonna have the big guns soften them up, but by the looks of it, they're dug in pretty good." Isaac said.

"So be it. We knew this wasn't going to be easy. Let's get this show on the road." Isaac said as he sounded the fleetwide alarm.

Switching to the common channel, he gave his orders.

"We are within secondary range of the port. Thankfully Japan was crippled during the war, so they do not have a large supply of heavy munitions. We need to be wary of collateral damage. We cannot destroy the drydocks or supply depots. Nothing bigger than 8-inch guns permitted for bombardment. High explosive impact fuses. I don't want us to be working around craters when we get a foothold. Alright girls… fire when ready." Isaac spoke, his words signaling the invasion proper as the small caliber guns of the fleet began slinging high explosive inland towards the entrenched cultists.

"Battleships, keep your main batteries pointed out towards the blockade. They may be preparing to break the blockade to engage us with this action. If they do, I don't expect them to live long enough to penetrate the fleet proper." Isaac ordered as he watched all the heavy guns turn out towards the open ocean.

"Carriers. Load the lightest munitions you have. Anything that reduces collateral damage to infrastructure. This is the warehouse district, so we shouldn't need to worry about civilians. Flechette pods are permitted if you have access to them. If not, nothing heavier than a 100-pound explosive ordinance. You are free to engage targets as you see fit. If a heavy gun is brought to battle for their side, your mission is to destroy it before they get a chance to use it." Isaac ordered as his carriers filled the sky with planes.

With a sigh, Isaac took a step towards the window on the bridge of the Norfolk.

"Something wrong?" Norfolk asked.

"More of the same. I've ordered these people to die. Had the Sirens not come… they would be recovering from six long years of war. Not throwing their lives away shooting at us." Isaac said as several bullets hit the bridge, but due to the distance from shore, the bullets couldn't even penetrate the windows.

"It is sad when you think about it, I guess. But you can't hold yourself to that guilt. You're saving the world." Norfolk spoke.

"Am I though? Sure it would suck being lorded over. But… are we really making the world a better place?" Isaac asked.

"Yes. Yes you are." A familiar voice was heard behind him, causing his blood to run cold.

"Norfolk… stand down. Do not move an inch, you hear me?" Isaac asked.

"No need to warn her. I have incapacitated her for the time being." The voice spoke.

"The most advanced ship in my arsenal, and you took her out in an instant." Isaac spoke carefully.

"Well. I did help design her. Not the vessel, but the actual mainframe that her consciousness resides in. Knocking her unconscious was a simple endeavor, Apollyon." The voice spoke.

"Look. If you're going to insist on popping in like this… just call me Isaac." Isaac said as he turned to face the pale white face of a woman sitting inside the writhing tentacles of a jellyfish shaped rigging.

"How bold. Have you perhaps grown comfortable with my presence?" The woman asked.

"Not in the slightest. But considering that we're talking and I'm not actively being disemboweled, I assume your plans remain the same, Temperance." Isaac spoke.

"Correct. Say… I just paid a visit to a certain Admiral you may know. He goes by Nimitz." Temperance spoke.

"Why? Why would you involve him to this degree? He has a family." Isaac spat.

"Because he had something I wanted. He had knowledge and helped me find something I had lost a while ago. Never mind that. I assure you that he is unharmed. Along with the battleship accompanying him." Temperance spoke as she made a show of checking her nails.

"Why are you here now? Isn't it dangerous for you to be here?" Isaac asked.

"Yes. It is dangerous. But I happen to be decent in the art of deceit. As for my intent. I have information that may be of use to you." Temperance spoke.

"I see. Then I shall accept it graciously, assuming your end goal is still to help me win this war." Isaac said.

"It is. For a very selfish reason. I want you to win this war. And while I cannot fight alongside you just yet. Know that it is in my best interest if you overcome the obstacles that my… colleagues have put before you." Temperance spoke as she looked out over Isaac's fleet.

"Quite an armada. Still lacking several components to be a match for Empress and Strength. But I believe you will fill the deficiencies." Temperance commented.

"This information, care to share it? I'm in the middle of an assault." Isaac asked as he sat in his chair.

"Right. Through my channels in Siberia, I have located Marshal Zhukov. My forces, and yes they are mass produced models, have located his whereabouts in Magadan. Currently, Purifier is busy attempting to find a splinter force in the Arctic, but knowing her, she got sidetracked… again." Temperance spoke.

"Okay… and what will one man do for me?" Isaac asked.

"A lot of the Red Army is being held hostage and being forced to prepare for your invasion. With Zhukov in your ranks, you will likely have swarms of deserters fleeing their units to join him, as he has seen reason. He will also be able to get you to Moscow. I would suggest splitting your forces if you plan to take the land route to Moscow. You will need Naval power to break the numerous blockades the Purifier has set in place. This is all I can say for certain. But it should be more than enough." Temperance explained.

"I see. I appreciate the intel." Isaac spoke.

"As stated. It is in my best interest for you to win. This is what I meant by nudging a few things to aid your victory. Also, a bit of advice. I would have Zero help strengthen Norfolk's resistance to interference. Purifier is known to utilize any available tool to inflict maximum damage. She will attempt to turn Norfolk against you. And in her current state, she will be easily turned against you. It is a fate I have witnessed a handful of times over the millions of timelines where we have fought." Temperance spoke as a purple light enveloped her. In an instant, she was gone.

"Isaac! Mirror Sea has opened within the fleet!" Norfolk spoke with a gasp as she jumped to her feet.

Isaac sighed.

"Stand down, Norfolk. We need to talk now. Close radio channels to the fleet. Until we are done talking, all messages will be sent via morse code." Isaac ordered.

"Y-yes sir." Norfolk said as she complied.

"Let's head below deck. Nothing we can really do at the moment while we soften up the landing area." Isaac said as he took Norfolk by the hand and lead her below deck.