I am sorry for not updating. But things got busy for me and well, Suddenly my interest in gaming has increased a lot again.

"Fiction, Fantasy, Toys, Games, Daydreaming and Play: Life is a hellish prison and we all have a death sentence. It is the sole and primary duty of every prisoner to escape."-Unknown


Pulling into our home base of operations was a relief and so many more.

I was burnt out, and I will freely admit that. Fatigue from being stressed to my true limits during the huge battle that made Black May look like a passing Cumulus cloud and trying to ensure none of us died during that attack on the Second fleet had made me exhausted and weary to the comedown of my adrenaline rush. and while Hornet had put up a admirable fight against Alpha fleet. I was stuck with a small fleet detachment that was dwarfed in scale by the major fighting that took place. Icarus had offered to let me lean on her so i didn't have to worry about passing out from a micro-sleep and keeling over into the sea.

I'd refused because of the tonnage difference between us, and I'm kinda worried that if I did fall. I'd drag her down with me. That, and I'm not keen on embarrassing myself in front of everyone as a near-fictional fast battleship. I also was stubborn enough to refuse that I'm actually suffering from a headache or concussion until someone trained in medication tells me otherwise.

I've smacked my head against walls before and fell down and didn't suffer from blast trauma or blunt force concussion serious enough to worry me. Also. I'm a battleship. My armored conning tower should be shock-proofed to some extent. right? I actually didn't know the full details about my internal construction yet, damn it. was face-hardened armor mounted to some kind of wooden backing plate and locked by special bolts to avoid compromising the plate. or a softer steel plate? or was I using homogenous armor or some other form of complex armor array? I couldn't remember...

Much to everyone's bewilderment after the stress and NDEs of the battle. the operation had gone smoothly without much trouble afterwards. Some recon elements were sent out to try and sweep for more subs but found nothing. Meanwhile, UN reserves rolled in to deal with the aftermaths and any stragglers who had the idea of pursuing us. From my eavesdropping thanks to my cyber-warfare systems, Any dead siren bodies that were still floating for what ever reason were theirs by right. so whatever they recovered, they'd be tagging. identifying. logging and disposing as they saw fit.

At one point I considered turning back, what with me sending a few Jet bombers for BDA. and then to update us on the last known position of their fleeing elements. but on a second thought. I decided against it because we'd already had enough considering what we'd just gone through and I was finding it harder to concentrate. We were all headed back home for RTB and get rest and repair work done. Besides, no need to lose my Jet aircraft to a chance head-on or lucky fragmentation from time-fused shells and the bad weather that had developed over the battle's location would only make identification harder.

No doubt propaganda was going to roll for this. After the level of losses we inflicted on the enemy. all these losses the enemy had taken, and with war a constant theme in the media, plus american-russian bickering and china's desire to be seen as a equal, even going to the extreme of repressing its own muslim minority. Why not give the masses something to celebrate for?

Listening to my engines humming, hydraulic servos of my main batteries turning around from my boredom steadily. feeling my body aching and exposed to the sunlight was grinding away at my focus. I was starting to space out by this point, and I just wanted to lie down somewhere. I didn't even want to sleep, really. not standing up. I just wanted to lie down and, if i had been human. get my phone and play world of warships. when I pulled into docks at the main homebase. Princeton and Blake were standing there for the welcome. and there was even a small crowd of destroyers too.

I wound up stumbling onto the hard. concrete or asphalt-like ground after demobilizing and standing down. I recovered. but the damage to my first impression was done, Both were giving me concerned looks about my current state. and a few girls in the crowd had noticed and were gossiping.

No need to worry about that. Not like I am in the midst of PR, Still. there was the whole bureaucracy show to go through when returning from deployment. The rest of us all also stood down and demobilized with their rigging or machinery. and stood in formation on a line like a well-organized row of school students. Blake was looking at me with interested eyes and expectantly.

Not understanding what to do, and just staring back wearily. I just stood there for several moments before I realized i was supposed to do the official RN salute. "F-Fast battleship Norfolk r...reporting... mission complete, sir." I said. shakily snapping a salute to shoulder-level with a emphasis on the 'Sir'. the others quickly followed.

"At ease." Blake commanded. We all lowered our hands in-sync. "Good job on your first combat mission, Norfolk. especially considering the circumstances and your lack of experience."

"I-I had a lot of help. Sir, I-It was tough. B-But we managed to drive them out. Sir." I stuttered and stammered. trying to present myself with as much of a royal and well-respected atmosphere as possible from my guess with the Ingame RN royals. Damn it, If only I had paid closer attention to KGV's lines and the tone she uses... and I am not even trying to butter up the commander like the IJN girls do.

"Well, Good job. nonetheless." He smiled before sweeping his eyes over the rest of us for anything out-of-file. "Well done, all of you. You're dismissed for the day. Anyone damaged. report in to get tended to," He shot me a glance. the holes in my hull and the blast marks not hidden from him up to the point when I pulled myself onto dry land. and Princeton looked away. "Otherwise, Get some food and rest. You'll need it."

Independence was the fastest to accelerate to a jogging speed away from our lineup. to none of my group's surprise given I just sacrificed all of her remaining aircraft in a kamikaze attack out of what must have appeared to be pure spite to the enemy. I was about to turn and go for repairs followed by a bath when Blake spoke up again. "Norfolk." I paused and turned to him with a worried look. "You're ordered to go see Vestal."

"W-what?" Damn it. Stupid question, but I didn't have anything else to say in that moment.

"Because you're been swaying like you're in a hurricane since you've arrived." Princeton stated tersely. She was hiding her concern and interest well behind that poker face of her's. "And because we don't understand anything so much as even one single thing about your body or technologies properly yet. let alone know how to make custom-fab parts just for you. We need to make sure whatever you have, is not damaged at all."

I only nodded out of defeat. but stood my ground like a stubborn horse, trying to pass it off in my desire to simply lay down and sleep the entire day.

"Norfolk, are you even listening?" Princeton barked. seemingly taking over the conversation. "If you won't go willingly. I will drag you there even if you don't want to."

I resisted the urge to shoot back at her with "I go where i want. you want to anger me?". All it would amount to is a bad idea. Yeah, Try challenging what amounts to your... C.O or something to fight you about going to the medbay for surgery to patch up cuts from preformed fragment balls. Great way to get yourself a possible preliminary hearing under Royal navy rules of 2007. or either Marine Nationale investigation because a child is standing there, having just mauled a woman alive. Especially when such a fight would be liable to cause destruction in the thousands of dollars from property damage alone if it got out of hand because a battleship or heavy cruiser got too big for her guns and because you can't really stop two people with terminator-like strength from trying to trash each other. "Fine..." I grumbled with gloom. the baths would be nearby anyway.

"Princeton, Could you go with her to make sure?" Blake pointed out to the light carrier. who nodded back.

"Mmhum. sir."

I let a confused stare replace my face. directed at Blake. Why was he...? "Do you r-really think I'm going to l-lie to you?"

It only earned a head shake from him and him crossing his arms. Mirror neurons and systems going active upon detecting micro-expressions and micro-movements of body language. which was translated to me as a gut feeling to apologize and subtle influence of my thought patterns, although it was superseded mostly by my idling. basic sixth sense ability. "You serve as a officer long enough, You learn it's better to be safe than sorry."

Whatever. I doubt I'd win any arguments against him with Princeton being the backup and my own useless social skills. So, I'll go to Vestal and get myself looked at. I just want to go lie down so the world stops looking blurry and groggy to me and get my malfunctioning RADAR systems corrected.

"If you want me to carry you there. you may." Princeton offered, walking along next to me and holding her hands out in preparation to lift me up.

I just shook my head. Ugh, I don't even care anymore... "N-No... thanks." Tempting, tempting. but I'm sure i can get there under my own power.


Out of the docks and marching our way to where Vestal usually would be. The american repair ship took one look at me, and then ran over to a folded medical table. once she had it unfolded. she pointed at me, then at it. "Sit down."

I did as she asked, the faster this is done. the faster I am out of here, Princeton quickly left with a excuse. stating there were things she needed to finish back with paperwork. Vestal then began examining my body in close detail. taking notes for any blunt force trauma or blast injuries. Then she took out something... I didn't know what it was. What did doctors use for this thing? Augh, I didn't bother to check during basic education...

She then of all things had to point it in my eyes. right first. then left. right again and back. What was she trying to do here? A headache was flaring up. not a migraine, but not pleasant. "Okay... Any vertigo, nausea, fatigue. trouble walking. weakness in arms or legs. numbness. migraine?"

I blinked away the afterimages in my vision from the light as my eyes tried to adjust to sudden changes in lighting. "U..Uhm, I feel really tired. but... I.. it feels like i have a headache..."

Vestal hummed, trailing her fingers on my neck and up and down my back. shivering as I subtly enjoyed the sensation. "Any blurred vision or double vision? Bright lights?"

I had to think on that one for a bit. I didn't see anything as too bright. but there was a headache... "No... Just no." I gulped down a small ache. motionless in my seat and letting out a heavy breath.

She stepped back, then pulled down my hoodie and brushed some of my hair out of the way to look at the faint cut that was on my right shoulder from a battleship-caliber shell exploding. She actually gave a whistle like a songbird, before she poked at it with her finger. "Eek." I tried to pull away from her in a slight flash of pain, but quickly noticed her checking my head for anything out of line. Then going back to the desk and... was that a thick book? That wasn't there last week.

She flipped the pages. before sliding her across the page she was on. She made a inquisitive noise, then walked back. put it down and started writing something on a note. then pushing it under the book so it wouldn't be blown away by a light breeze. Finally, she walked over. perturbed. The repair ship was not a girl to be easily surprised, not even by drastic things like DIME bombs or vaporific effects.

The repair ship gave a long sigh, flipping her hair with a free hand. I stared at my legs. my head down. "Okay. Good news and bad news." She started. and I listened to every word. "Bad news is, I don't know what it is. but you're got some kind of migraine or a possible concussion." Odd... that hadn't happened ever since forever. "Good news is, It's not looking severe."

"U-uh. M-major repairs and overhauls and... I'll be okay?" I asked and raised my head, hopeful. I don't want to be going through these headaches again. It was just nothing good for me. and everything bad for me. And trying to play with a headache... It was ruinous unable to think straight because of being constantly annoyed by nonstop low-level pain.

"For every injury but your migraine." Vestal flatly stated. and I deflated a bit. down. "I've only heard of it once. when someone came in suffering from severe wounds. but they're one of the few things that repair work, for some reason we can't figure out. don't heal." She walked over again toward her desk and started scribbling something onto another unrelated book. "It means you're going to have to heal the hard way. That means plenty of rest. And that means not doing anything that might trigger a migraine episode. like interfering with your sleep needs. or exerting yourself if it's a concussion. That means limited reading. limited time with video games. or just about any screen time. and certainly no filling out reports." She pulled off a piece of paper she'd been writing on with ease and handed it to me into my dainty fingers.

Prescription for... something. "Here. Acetaminophen. Follow the directions on the bottle and take them as needed to deal with any headaches or migraine attacks." Making out things. there were a few more medications on the list for me. I guess even one single drug isn't going to cut it. she seemed ernest.

Her bright. impossible hair color still had me mesmerized, A common trait for any shipgirl. but uncanny to any human who was used to seeing the usual white or slightly brown, tanned black-haired men or women around their homes. They were different after all. Some viewed them as 'Alien monsters from the seas'. not helped by the fact Sirens and shipgirls shared many common things in appearance. It had not been easy for the first shipgirls, despite their human appearance. They were a minority even if they were the only practical way to fight a global threat. And one that even other minorities could look down on. Some had been insulted at, merely for existing. There was a radical but fringe and tiny anti-shipgirl movement who saw them as aliens wearing human bodies. or satanic demons.

For once, i may not feel conflicted over my shipgirl supremacist views...

"Extra strength Tylenol? What's that?" I asked curiously. staring up at Vestal with a open mouth, as if she was going to give me answers.

The repair ship only responded by placing a bottle of Tylenol gently into my hands. taking care to not stress me out more than necessary. "Just read the bottle and take it easy, Okay? I'll let the commander know how your condition is. And you should be back to normal within a week of so."

"Okay... thanks." I wasn't sure of what to say. unsure before moving to get up off the exam table, I hadn't seen a doctor for such a long time. and last time i did. I remembered my parents feeding me some kind of liquid. colored purple for something. I still had no idea what it was to this day. It reminded me of that memory. I was quite unusual in doing very well without seeing a doctor for what felt like eternity.

"You're welcome." She gave me a kindly, gentle smile. one that held me in place for a moment. "Now, go and head for repairs! Go on! Shoo!" She waved me away with her hands.

"Alright, alright..." I mumbled with a small pout. wobbling as I took care to steady myself and headed for the doors. "I'm going. please calm down. miss..."

"Then go! Every minute you spend here is another minute I'm here not repairing you. Miss norfolk!"

Okay. okay. Vestal. stop. jeez. You remind me of father when he got worried about me.


Vestal got herself back under control, She'd needed to enjoy herself. and Norfolk had a eccentric. but shy personality that was even more cute than the Fletchers. The best part was that the advice she'd given was true. in a way, Norfolk would feel sleep better if she stopped spending hours on screen time alone and disturbing her fleet-mates in the night.

She sobered quickly as she remembered the reason for the advice, Norfolk was suffering from a migraine of some kind. That should have been impossible. The only case she heard of a headache for shipgirls was one when the girl in question had came back suffering from a ammunition fire and multiple air-dropped torpedo hits. The sister of that girl in question had stood by her bedside for dozens of days after she began recovering.

Frowning, she walked over to her work desk and the books in front of the chair. sitting down and opening up one thick. large book. calling up the data from last week. Most of the data was as expected:Unknown origin. or according to her account, she wasn't constructed and woke up underwater. Supposed to be HMS Norfolk. but somehow a hodgepodge as the unbuilt Alsace-class. Serving both under the French Navy and the Royal navy. Extremely advanced and yet somehow reliable without extreme teething issues. far beyond anything she had ever seen, and notes on some of her more esoteric aspects. such as somehow being able to summon a complete carrier deck and hangar. the properties of which she didn't even began to understand yet and odd anomalies in her hull plating like abnormally high tensile strength without brittleness, and remarkable beginner skills for racket sports. Strangely, The damage the british cruiser/battleship received shouldn't have been enough to inflict any damage sufficient to cause a headache. In fact. the injuries she took were surprisingly light to trigger a migraine episode.

"Hmm... That's funny." The Repair ship mused. She sighed and entered this occurrence into the ever-growing file on the enigmas and mysteries that surrounded Norfolk. Type No-3 Alsace battleship proposal. Minutes of work, and she finished her account of Norfolk's current condition for filing. She would be pleased to see the day that the pressure from top officers and brass finally cooled down when they understood how to run any meaningful tests on anything they couldn't access externally. concealed beneath her workings. or exactly what her steel supposed to be made out of.

As an afterthought, she leaned back and stared at the ceiling. From the rumours she heard, Her armor had properties similar in some marks to something called Super bainite. but able to be welded and ductile. What Super bainite meant, she wasn't even sure. but apparently it was a form of super-armor steel. Reflecting on that, she got up from her chair and strolled out.