Chapter Fourteen

"Does it hurt?"

"No."

"Do you feel strange?"

"No."

With the inhibitor collar blocking my abilities as a kansen, I was now free to roam the naval base. Both Mutsu and Choshu had been waiting for Kawakaze and I just outside the military police stationhouse, so of course my sister began her barrage of inquiries in order to make up for my prolonged absence. As bothersome as her questions could be, they were a welcomed change from the five-minute-long bear hug she gave upon first seeing me. She was understandably worried, in part due to knowing the least about the situation, and despite my attempts to reassure her that I was fine, it was hard to convince her when so visibly shackled as I was. In contrast to her, though, my counterpart appeared far calmer about things. No doubt she had her suspicions about what possessed me to turn violent, but had been reluctant to out herself as a potential cause. I made a note to confront her about the memories I had been witnessing as soon as I could, and it was only my sister's presence and questioning that stayed my hand for the time being.

"Does it make you itchy?"

"No."

"Does it leave you in an existential quandary, questioning your purpose in life now that you've been stripped of that which you've most defined yourself as?"

"Maybe a little—wait! Mutsu, what kind of question is that? Where'd you even hear those words?"

"It's something Choshu said," Mutsu explained, flashing an innocent smile. "She might not look it, but she was just as worried about you as I was. She was even asking Kawakaze and Captain DeWolf about you every few hours."

"I-it's only natural to be concerned about one's comrades," Choshu insisted, if a bit stiff. I took it for the positive sign that it was, even if she couldn't be honest about it. "And it's just that there were some, uh… things I wanted to discuss with you that I didn't get a chance to. Important things, you know."

"Indeed. Very important things." There was a hint of guilt in her eyes, or at least so I told myself. It was evident that she knew what I would want to talk with her about, and so decided that it was best to meet this confrontation head on rather than pretend it didn't exist. "In fact, it would be best if we went and had that discussion right now, do you not agree?"

Before my colleague could reply, however, Mutsu suddenly latched herself onto my arm with all the tenacity of a cantankerous barnacle. "Oh no you don't!" she exclaimed as her grip constricted. "I know that tone of voice: you're trying to go do work stuff, aren't you? Well, Captain DeWolf told me to make sure you took it easy when you were back on your feet."

"We are just going to go somewhere to talk," I insisted. With how firm my sister's grasp was, one would think she was on a mission from the gods, and even as I tried to ease myself away, she remained resolute.

"If it's just to talk, then we can talk over lunch," she countered, then suddenly pulled me in the opposite direction. "You probably haven't eaten in days, you must be famished. You shouldn't be trying to do work stuff on an empty stomach, you know that."

"That is not true, and I am no—" My protest came to an abrupt halt when a sudden, disturbing noise began to echo out. It was loud enough to stop all of us in our tracks, and would have been easily mistaken for the sound of a warship's hull dragging against the seabed had it not obviously come from my stomach. It seemed just the very mention of lunch was enough to throw my gut into a furious protest.

Choshu just exchanged glances with my sister before taking hold of me by the other arm. "That's settled then, we'll go to lunch," she announced. The two then proceeded to pull me along in what I could only assume to be the direction of the mess hall, indifferent to my protests. I looked to Kawakaze in the hopes of a timely intervention, but I could see a hungry glint in her eyes as well. She had been subsisting on snacks and water since our arrival, so her response was understandable. I gave up resisting once I realized the futility of it; plus, if we were all hungry, then it only made sense to have lunch. While I wasn't about to have a sensitive discussion with Choshu in a public mess hall, it didn't feel urgent enough that it couldn't wait an extra hour or two. It wasn't as though either of us would be able to leave the base any time soon.

We only managed a few feet from the provost's stationhouse when we saw Captain DeWolf finally exit. He was accompanied by both Akagi and King George V, which made for an impressive sight: a newly-minted commander escorted by a very prominent and renowned capital ship from both sides of the alliance. For a moment, I wondered if he appreciated the magnitude of the position he now held. The Azur Lane naval base represented probably the largest concentration of kansens in the world, which in a way made him the commander of the most powerful fighting force there is. Some men might let such a position inflate their ego, but at the moment, DeWolf maintained a reassuring professionalism. Maybe it was because he knew it was only temporary, and that once Enterprise returned, he would resume his normal, administrative duties.

Now while I was content to let him carry on his way, as he was surely in the midst of his duties, that didn't stop Mutsu from being Mutsu. "Heeeey! Captain DeWolf! You wanna come have lunch with us?" she called out to him whilst frantically waving her free hand about.

The Captain, for his part, stopped briefly and waved back. "Sorry, but I'm afraid I'm a little busy right now," he apologized. "I have a lot of calls I need to make if we're to help your sister out." I already knew what the answer was going to be; during our discussions after I had been fitted with the collar, he stated an intention to contact the admiralty of the major powers for every scrap of intelligence they had on Enterprise's strange abilities. No doubt he was bringing Akagi and King George V along in order to help smooth things out with their respective alliances.

"Okay, another time then," Mutsu replied. At least she sounded as though she understood the decline. "Akagi, you better make sure he doesn't work too hard."

"Don't worry, I intend to watch him very closely," our esteemed carrier replied, in a manner that left me feeling wary. I decided against saying anything, though; I had enough to worry about.

We parted ways with the Captain and continued towards the mess hall. It didn't take very long in our walk before I noticed something peculiar about our surroundings. I hadn't been to the Azur Lane naval base in some months, and I could vividly remember the sights of clean boardwalks, bustling bazaars, and a warm atmosphere that buzzed with activity and laughter. It was a welcoming environment, much like my home in the Sakura Empire, but as we walked down brick-laden streets, I noticed the distinct absence of that life and hospitality that had left such an impression on me the last time. I would have said that things were subtly off except just as I pondered why the atmosphere felt so sterile, I suddenly tripped over an uneven brick. Were it not for Kawakaze's quick reflexes catching me by the back of my robes, I would have face-planted into the very prominent and obvious crater in the road that I now stood at the edge of.

"Was… this always here?" I asked, even though the answer was an obvious 'no'. Those of us in the Sakura Empire may have differing opinions from the west on architectural aesthetics, but nobody in their right mind would leave a ten-foot wide hole in the ground unless they had no other option.

"I tried to warn you, but you were lost in your own thoughts again," Kawakaze remarked.

"Clearly, and thank you," I nodded in agreement. As we detoured around the ruined roadwork, I realized that this was not the only point of damaged infrastructure. Along our route, we passed by several buildings that showed signs of damage. Once pristine, ivory architecture had been replaced with scarred walls, shattered windows, collapsed ceilings, and jagged pieces of steel and timber embedded in the facades and doors. Smooth, paved walkways were now cracked and shattered with flowerbeds and foliage reduced to dirt-filled craters. While I looked on in wonder, my sisters said nothing until finally Choshu decided to sate my curiosity.

"Apparently there was a Siren raid a few days before we made contact with Enterprise," she explained.

"A raid?" I repeated in disbelief. "No wonder Miss Enterprise was so intent on meeting us in person and under escort. Why did we receive no word of this beforehand?"

"We were traveling under radio silence, remember?" my counterpart answered. "Reports of the raid probably reached the Sakura Empire days ago. They just didn't have any way of letting us know."

"There weren't any serious injuries, were there?" It was unlikely given what I knew of the caliber of kansens stationed at the naval base, but I would've been remiss in my duties if I didn't ask. If things had been bad, then Enterprise would surely have made mention of it during our brief communication. Had it not been for our encounter with the Sirens while crossing, I would've chalked up this incident to a random act of violence, perhaps a probing attack to test our defenses, but now that I knew an enemy kansen operated against us, this had to be part of a grander plan.

"No casualties within the Crimson Axis, or at least so we've been told," Choshu answered, much to my relief. "Although the woman we spoke to said that the folks in the Eagle Union haven't been very forthcoming with information. Something about them keeping to themselves lately."

"Why would they be keeping to themselves? I was always told the Union girls were some of the most outgoing ones on base."

"Apparently things have been getting tense here between the Azur Lane and Crimson Axis. Kansens aren't getting along, and people are sticking to their factions more and more," Mutsu said, followed by a heavy sigh. "And things were looking so good after all that Orochi nastiness."

I mirrored that sentiment. After Orochi, I had been so optimistic about the potential of our alliance; to see it already start to crack and buckle was disheartening to say the least. It proved, though, that it took more than just good intentions to maintain an alliance, and the ill-timed incapacitation had the double effect of straining the relationship as well as depriving the base of the one unifying figure it had. Enterprise had been picked to lead this alliance as she proved to be the only kansen everyone could agree upon. Even Akagi had given her support, which all but guaranteed the support of the Sakura Empire.

"If this alliance fails because of what I've done…" I groaned in dismay.

"This isn't your fault, Lady Nagato," Kawakaze reassured me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "From what King George V has told me, this tension has been building for some time. Without an active war to fight, Enterprise may have had difficulty maintaining that sense of unity between the factions."

"Familiarity does breed contempt," Choshu quipped.

It was hard to picture someone as esteemed as Enterprise as having trouble with anything. While I had been slow to react to the Siren threat under our Empire's very nose, she had been active in engaging it. Then again, she was also the one who suggested getting an executive officer to shoulder the burdens, so there was some truth to what Kawakaze suggested. A great wartime leader did not always translate well into peacetime, which made sense since, as kansen, we were weapons of war. Being people was still something of a challenge for many of us.

I had hopes that the mess hall would offer some reprieve from my anxieties, since there were few things that could alleviate one's worries better than good food in better company. Though I couldn't allow myself to show it, a part of me was excited at the prospect of being able to dine amongst my fellow kansens as an equal. Life as a flagship had its perks, including access to some of the finest cooks in the empire, but there were many days where I watched in envy from the temple balconies as the younger kansens shared simple bentos in the courtyard. It was not the food that always made their smiles so bright.

Alas, if I had thought the atmosphere of the naval yard's exterior had been subdued, the air inside the mess hall itself was absolutely frigid. The building itself had managed to survive the raid intact, but the tension inside was enough to bounce an armour-piercing shell. As the four of us stepped inside, the reaction to our arrival was a pronounced, almost deafening silence. It was just rows upon rows of dining tables, all full of staring kansens, and without so much as even a fork clattering against a plate. One didn't need to be a psychologist to know who was the recipient of their undivided attention.

Word of what happened had spread faster than an oil fire, so it shouldn't have been a surprise I was getting a cold shoulder. It was, honestly, a little disheartening; it was like every one of them was judging me, condemning me for my sins. If stares could speak, I was certain the message from the Azur Lane kansens was, 'how dare you show your face here.' Even my fellows in the Sakura Empire looked uneasy, acutely aware of what my presence in the mess hall could bring. One by one, though, people turned their attention back to eating, although if there had been any conversation before my arrival, it resumed as little more than hushed whispers.

Fearful that my presence might make things worse for everyone, I began to edge towards the door. "I believe it would be wise to eat elsewhere," I suggested.

Choshu, however, had her own opinion on that proposal, and swept in behind me to block my exit. "I didn't get dragged across time and space to watch another Nagato cower in fear of the Eagle Union," she said before giving me a hefty shove forward.

"It'll be okay," Mutsu reassured me as she joined the effort. Taking my hand, she pulled me along while my counterpart continued pushing from behind. "Everyone's a little tense, but once they talk to you and see that you're still the same old Nagato, things will get better."

As my opinion in the matter had been overruled, I had little choice but to try and share in my sister's optimism as we headed over to the kitchen. The menu that day appeared to be western-inspired, the Royal Isles to be precise, as the serving trays had assortments of pies, pastry-wrapped sausages, fried fish, steamed vegetables, a stew of which I could not identify, and something called 'haggis' that I was rather curious of until Kawakaze explained to me what it was. While I would've liked something more familiar, I reminded myself that exposing myself to other cultures would only help broaden my horizons. And I certainly did not wish to offend our new hosts by being picky over food. With that in mind, I helped myself to a little bit of each dish in the hopes that I would find something to my liking.

"That's weird. They call this a 'Yorkshire pudding' but it doesn't look like a pudding at all," Mutsu commented, staring curiously as the unfamiliar, biscuit-looking side dish.

"They must do things much differently in this 'Yorkshire'," I said in idle speculation.

As we searched for a place to sit, I soon noticed that there was indeed some truth to the notion that girls were keeping to their own factions. Not a single table had members from more than one camp present, and it was quite apparent that the Eagle Union and Sakura Empire had seated as far as they could from one another, although with the mess hall now mostly full, there was little buffer keeping the tension at bay.

"Lady Nagato, over here," a thankfully familiar voice called out to me. Tracking the voice down to the figure waving me over was simple enough: it was Myoukou. The empire's self-appointed enforcer of discipline and morals sat at a nearby table alongside her younger sister, Ashigara, as well as enough empty seats with them to accommodate my group.

"Hello to you, Miss Myoukou, and thank you," I said as I greeted the pair with a quick bow. "I had heard things here were tense, but I had not imagined it to be this serious."

"It's good to see you're well and free," Myoukou replied. Though normally quite taciturn, she allowed a faint hint of relief to lace her words. "We had heard you were being detained, but nobody would give us any further information. Some of us were beginning to worry they might try to sneak you out in the middle of the night." My collar didn't escape her vigilance, which was to be expected from her. "That… thing? Is that what I think it is?"

"The price of peace," I said with a solemn nod. "Please give it no heed. I have agreed to these terms in order to preserve the alliance."

"I had heard rumours of such devices, but to see one being used on someone as gentle as you… it's an insult to our entire empire." Not wanting to make a scene, Myoukou could only frown and clench her fists while her sister nodded and murmured in agreement. As much as I appreciated their concern, I couldn't let such hostility continue to simmer.

"It is a precaution, nothing more," I reassured her. "Let us speak no more of it. It is of no benefit to any of us to dwell on it." Plus, I was getting hungry, and talking got in the way of my meal.

Ashigara, the youngest of the three sisters, soon lost her interest in the bauble around my neck and her curiosity instead took her gaze over to my counterpart beside me. "Hey, I don't think I've seen you around before. Are you new to the fleet?"

"You are correct. My name is Choshu, and you are?"

"Ashigara."

"Ah yes, I've heard of the name," Choshu remarked, stroking her chin as she regarded the cruiser with an approving grin. "A strong name for a strong kansen. You do your class proud."

There were few kansens in the empire as hard-working and earnest as Ashigara, and while I didn't know her well personally, reports of her always spoke well of her potential. Caught off-guard by the compliments, her cheeks became as red as her smile was wide. "Y-you humble me. I know I still have a long way to go before I can be as strong as my sister, but thank you for the kind words."

My counterpart knew how to make a first impression, although I didn't have the heart to tell Ashigara that the compliment received was likely due to Choshu's interactions with the heavy cruiser of the same name in her timeline. It was still true, in a roundabout way. However, while one sister was enamoured, the elder sibling regarded the newcomer with a touch more skepticism. Myoukou had honed her senses through years of sniffing out troublemakers, so it was of no surprise that she noticed the second something was out of place.

"I don't recall there being any ships by that name in our registry," Myoukou remarked. "Whereabouts do you hail from, exactly? Kure? Yokosuka? Kawasaki?"

Deceiving her was not an option, both morally and the simple fact that she could see through far better liars than I. "There are extenuating circumstances to her arrival," I explained as diplomatically as I could. "She is of the Sakura Empire, but not in the normal sense. Now is not the best time to discuss the matter, however, as I feel it would only be appropriate with the approval and presence of Captain DeWolf."

As if I had just shook a bag of treats in front of a hungry dog, the two sister's ears perked at the mentioning of the captain's name. I had forgotten that while I had gotten to better know DeWolf over the past week, for everyone else he was a brand new face. For a lot of the younger girls, this might be their first experience serving with a western officer. Hopefully, their time spent serving alongside the kansens of Azur Lane will help prevent any culture shock.

"DeWolf, huh? That's the new officer that was just transferred in, right?" Ashigara asked, eyes lit with curiosity. "I saw him in the naval yard yesterday, but I didn't get a chance to meet him since he looked busy, walking around with King George V as he was."

"Sounds like he's already pretty cozy with the Royal Navy," Myoukou observed, a hint of disapproval in her voice. "I'm surprised our superiors agreed to his placement if he's already got an obvious pro-Azur Lane preference. I wonder if we can really count on him."

"Don't you two worry, you can totally rely on Captain DeWolf," Mutsu spoke up in our commander's defense. It came as no surprise that my sister cared little about the nuances of politics and biases. The only thing that mattered to her was how friendly he was. Honestly, she was probably a better judge of character than the rest of us. "On the voyage here, he was always doing his best to make sure everybody was taken care of. Oh, and this one time, Akagi got really upset with a bunch of the other crew, and Captain DeWolf got really worried about it, so he asked us how to talk to her and understand her better. He was able to calm her down and fix things in no time at all after that."

Both Myoukou and Ashigara's eyes widened at the news. "He calmed down Akagi? Are you sure she was angry? Like, 'angry' angry?" Ashigara asked.

"About as angry as I've ever seen her without getting violent," I answered as truthfully as I could. At the time, she had threatened to throw people overboard, but I had my doubts about whether she would've carried out that threat or not. I chalked up a lot of what she said then to the stress of the situation, though that may have been wishful thinking on my part.

"That man tamed Akagi?" Myoukou remarked in disbelief. "Why, the discipline alone needed for such a feat."

"He must truly possess great strength of will," Ashigara agreed.

The First Air Division had a reputation that was just as built upon personal achievements as it was whispered rumours that grew with every re-telling. Many felt that mystique made them hard to approach, something that I knew for a fact was false, but at the same time it commanded a great deal of respect. To that end, though, in the absence of understanding, Myoukou and Ashigara could only fill in the gaps with their warped perceptions of the great and fearsome Akagi. While I would never lie to my fellows in the empire, keeping silent would only help build Captain DeWolf's reputation, and he needed every bit of help he could get. It wasn't my fault the two had jumped to a somewhat overblown conclusion.

"So what's he like?" the younger of the two heavy cruisers asked, her eyes now brimming with curiosity.

"We have only known him for a week, and it was a difficult period for all of us. It is difficult to ascertain the measure of a man in such a short period," Choshu answered as she took on something of a sagely air about her. That facade, however, was betrayed by the meat-stuffed pastry she ate at the same time, resulting in the occasional golden brown flechette to launch into the air like a squadron of planes. "Nonetheless, he conducted himself with quiet professionalism; he was decisive when called upon, confident in his decisions, but wise enough to seek counsel as needed. As an officer, he seems as competent as any I've met. I've no doubt he will be capable of carrying out his duties."

"That's awfully high praise from you," Mutsu remarked, although she sounded pleased by the positive review.

"I have high standards for those I must serve under," Choshu insisted. "I've served under many, and I shall not suffer fools."

"What do you make of him, Lady Nagato?" Myoukou inquired, turning her stern gaze to me.

I had hoped Choshu's answer would have been enough to sate everyone's curiosity, but it was clear that the opinion of a more known figure was needed. Even though I was no longer the flagship, it seemed that my fellow kansens still looked to me for wisdom. It was flattering, but I was a little unsure about how I should answer. While I didn't disagree with my counterpart's assessment, I had seen DeWolf at times when he was less guarded: a man who was shy and soft-spoken, who reflected heavily on their actions, and struggled with the guilt of their failings. These were, no doubt, parts of him that he wouldn't show to most, although I had no idea how I managed to be the one to witness these things. I drank some tea to calm my thoughts and buy some time to consider my words, reflecting on the last week as I stared into my cup.

"I find he is like… a lone candle in a dark room: brilliant and defiant, but also terribly delicate. He knows he can be snuffed out in an instant, and yet he is resigned to continue burning until the very last of him is spent."

"How poetic," was Myoukou's terse response. She gave me a curious look, as if trying to discern a deeper meaning to my words, all the while sipping at her tea.

"If you ask me, I think he's really nice," Mutsu chimed in with her own thoughts on the subject. "He can be a little distant at times, though. I worry it might make people think he's hard to get close to."

"Well, Nagato seemed pretty close to him," Choshu added. A brief but devilish smirk graced her features. "She was practically sitting in his lap when I saw him brushing her hair."

By the heavens, why did everyone insist on bringing up my embarrassing moments in front of others? The revelation was so shocking to the others that it caused Myoukou to nearly choke on her tea, and spray me with a mist of Darjeeling. At least that had the benefit of providing some cooling as my face had already gone through several tones of red. I must've looked like a fox-eared plum within a few seconds.

"He did what?" Myoukou exclaimed between coughing fits.

"I-it wasn't my idea; Akagi suggested it," I hastily stammered back. If anybody would take issue with perceived immoral behaviours, particularly between members of opposite sexes, it would be Myoukou. "I hadn't had time to properly groom that morning, so it was for the sake of expediency. It's not like I enjoyed it!"

Before I could even see if Myoukou believed a word I said, we were all interrupted by a stifled snickering. Every set of eyes turned to Ashigara, who was face-down in her folded arms, quivering with every mirthful giggle.

"Ashigara! Show some respect," the older sister chastised.

"Sorry, sorry!" The attempt at an apology was stymied by the fact that she was barely able to keep a straight face. "I'm not trying to be rude, I just didn't think Nagato could make an expression like that."

"What do you mean?" I inquired.

It took a few more moments before Ashigara finally calmed her giggling fits and she could properly respond. "Well, back when you were the flagship, you were always very formal and regal and… uh…"

"Stiff?" Kawakaze suggested.

"Exactly! Obviously, that's important when you're in charge. It always gave you an air of discipline and maturity. But it also made you a little hard to approach, you know? So I guess it's just a little refreshing to see you acting a little… childish. It means that you're not so different from the rest of us after all."

While most of us could see the humour in what Ashigara described, her elder sister looked on, slack-jawed and aghast, as though someone just threw up right on the table. "L-Lady Nagato, my deepest apologies for my sister's words!" she said, dipping her head so low she was almost swimming in her soup. It wasn't her fault, of course; she was older and still of the mindset that I was someone to be revered. That method of thinking did not go away in just a few days.

"Miss Myoukou, please, raise your head. There is no need for shame," I reassured her, now calm enough from my earlier flustering. "Your sister speaks the truth. When I was the flagship of the Fourth Combined Fleet, duty demanded certain behaviours and expectations for the good of the empire. But that is no longer the case, and I do not wish to be held aloft above my fellow kansens, but rather stand beside you as equals."

It was a reasonable request, although I noticed almost immediately that Mutsu had a growing smirk on her face. "You know, if you want people to see the new you, you should try talking less like the old you. You don't need to be so formal around us," she explained in what sounded like teasing, but I knew coming from her it was earnest.

"Th-this a period of adjustment for me as well," I insisted, much to everyone's amusement. Feeling the heat of embarrassment, I decided to use a convenient excuse to step away from the table for a moment. "I am going to refill my tea, and get some more napkins," I announced as I rose from my seat. Myoukou had recently sprayed tea across the table, so it was as good a reason as any.

However, I was in such haste that I barely managed to get a few steps from the table before accidentally bumping into another kansen. It wasn't severe, as I didn't even spill any remnant tea, but from the way the other person stood before me, I soon got the impression that this was no accident. She wasn't a large person, but she was still taller than me, with long, silvered hair framing a contemptful glare. From the manner of her sharp, modern-looking red, white, and blue uniform, which included a high-collared cloak, she was from the Eagle Union. It didn't take an oracle to guess as to the root of this encounter.

"Well… you bunch are certainly all smiles and sunshine," she said as her crimson eyes continued to burn a hole through my skull. "You've got a lot of nerve showing your face around here, acting like everything's fine after all that's happened."

"Montpelier, you're out of line," Myoukou called out, rising to my defense both in the metaphorical and literal sense.

"Back off! I don't care what any of you think," the other girl, Montpelier, snapped back. "I'm fine with you Sakuran dogs hiding in the corner, but I'm not about to share a mess hall with this little two-faced backstabber! She belongs in a jail cell for what she's done. Better yet, a scrap yard!"

"It wasn't her fault!" Mutsu pleaded. She might've said more, but I raised a hand to silence her. I didn't want her to get pulled in as well.

This Montpelier was hurt, that much I could easily tell. As much as we could argue that I wasn't responsible, in her eyes that would never change the fact that it was by my hand that her fellow Union kansens were felled. Her pain was real, and I wasn't about to invalidate it by suggesting that I was undeserving of her anger. If anything, letting her vent at me would spare anyone else from the Empire from a similar fate.

"That's not your call to make," Myoukou pressed on. "The new commander has seen fit to release her. It's up to him and the admiralty to decide on an appropriate punishment, but only after a proper investigation has been conducted."

"The commander?" the irate kansen scoffed. "You want to leave that kind of decision to some busybody who sits in a comfy office making brain-dead decisions all day?" Resting her hands upon her hips, she leaned in to amplify the intensity of her glare. "Where I come from, sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands! I say we give little Miss Nagato a taste of some Eagle Union justice. How's that sound? You got anything to say for yourself, you little mutt?"

I wasn't sure what I could possibly say to make right all the wrongs that I had committed. I could not undo what had been done, or even reassure her that it wouldn't happen again. All I could hope was that my sincerity could reach her.

"I am truly sorry for the pain I have caused you."

That turned out to be the wrong thing to say, as Montpelier suddenly grabbed me by my robes and hoisted me upwards until I was balancing on the tips of my feet. "Sorry? You're sorry? That's all you've got to say for yourself? I don't give a damn about 'sorry'! Because of you, my—"

The sharp ring of drawn steel cut off her words, but thankfully that was the only thing cut as Kawakaze now stood with her sword pressed against the Union girl's neck. Honestly, I was surprised she hadn't intervened sooner, and was a little grateful that she managed to exercise some restraint.

"Let her go. Now," Kawakaze warned in no uncertain terms.

"Kawakaze, please, that isn't necessary," I insisted, despite the tenuous situation.

She didn't budge, however. "You know I can't do that, Lady Nagato."

Unfortunately, as much as I appreciated my friend's assistance, I worried her actions would only lead to an escalation. After all, we were in a room full of kansens armed to the teeth with all manner of firepower. Thus, it came as absolutely no surprise when there came a flash of light and Kawakaze found herself standing at the opposite end of several gun barrels, held by another Unionist kansen with similar silvered hair and a large white coat.

"Now, now, I know my sis can get a little carried away, but you start waving sharp, pointy things around and somebody's liable to get hurt," the second kansen cautioned, although her cheerful tone belayed the seriousness of her own deterrence.

Even in the worst of circumstances, a few guns weren't going to dissuade Kawakaze, but the point where logic and reason held sway over people had long since become a dot in the horizon over our shoulders. Shortly after the second Union kansen drew her weapons, so did Myoukou and her sister. Not to be outdone by the Sakura Empire, several more girls from the Eagle Union summoned their rigging, only to be met by more of my fellows arming themselves. This back and forth continued for several cycles until almost half of the entire mess hall had their guns trained on the other half, while a handful of kansens from the Royal Navy and Ironblood looked on with growing distress.

Silence hung in the air like an executioner's blade. Everyone knew that even the slightest provocation would turn the mess hall into a warzone, but out of loyalty and pride, neither could back down. Kawakaze would never sheathe her sword so long as someone threatened me, and it looked as though Montpelier's sister had a similar attitude as well. Even I was too nervous to speak. It was as if everyone had become gripped by madness.

What broke the silence, however, was neither a gunshot nor a plea, but instead the subtle creak of brass hinges, followed by the thump of a shut door. Every single set of eyes swung to the mess hall entrance where there now stood none other than the black coated, white-capped form of Captain DeWolf. If he was surprised by what he saw, he knew how to keep his composure. His expression didn't even twitch as he casually walked down the center aisle towards us, his eyes just casually panning from one side of the room to the other.

One lamb amongst a room of lions.

Everybody was expecting some kind of reaction, and so we continued watching and waiting for him to respond. Even Montpelier's gaze was fixed on him, and I could see a mixture of annoyance and trepidation in her eyes, like she was frustrated that he was here now, but couldn't bring herself to object.

Eventually, DeWolf came to a halt, but not by Montpelier and myself, but rather by the sister who first summoned her rigging. Once again, he defied expectations by continuing to remain silent, examining the kansen from top to bottom while she looked on in growing confusion.

"You're Denver, correct?" DeWolf finally broke the silence.

"What? I mean, y-yes, sir, that's me," the girl stammered back. She wasn't the only person caught off-guard, to say the least.

"Could you rotate your main turrets from the three o'clock position to the nine o'clock, and then back again?"

Denver's pale blue eyes just stared back blankly, as if her mind just gave up trying to make sense of the man's behaviour. After a few tense moments, her thoughts finally coalesced back into some semblance of coherency. "Uh, sure… okay," she murmured. Then, as instructed, she swung her main battery turrets all the way to the starboard side, then over to port, and then back again. There was a notable clattering, groan of steel grinding against steel as the turrets rotated, and judging by DeWolf's expression, it was exactly what he expected.

"Your number two turret sounds off. You haven't done rigging maintenance since the Siren raid, have you?" he asked with no ire or tension in his voice, as if just inquiring about how her day had been.

"N-no, sir, I haven't. I, uh… haven't had the time. Things have been, uh…"

"Rough?"

Denver just nodded in silence.

"You look rough," DeWolf said. Once he drew attention to it, I noticed how disheveled Denver was. Her coat and tunic sat askew on her frame with several of the buttons left undone, her hair was ruffled and unkempt, and there were even some subtle bags under her eyes. "I know it's been a hard week, but I need you to take better care of yourself. There's a lot of people who are still counting on you to be at your best, including your sisters. I'd like you to go to the maintenance house, leave your rigging with Miss Akashi, and then you go take the rest of the day off. Can you do that for me?"

Her expression softened, although a hint of worry still lingered on her. "But… but what if—?"

"It'll be fine, I promise," he said. Reaching out, DeWolf started tidying her uniform, pulling the coat up onto her shoulders and fastening the loose buttons. "Everyone and everything will still be here when you get back. You've done enough, so please get some rest."

Then, as if a weight had suddenly been lifted from her, her shoulders slackened and her rigging vanished into the ether. "Yes, sir. And… thank you." Denver quietly stepped to the side and walked out, leaving the rest of us standing in awkward silence.

"For those of you not aware, my name is Captain James Henry DeWolf. By order of the Azur Lane Pacific Naval Command and with the consent of the Crimson Axis, I am your new executive officer. With Enterprise currently incapacitated, command of this naval base falls to me. I'm sorry we have to meet under such circumstances, and that I haven't had a chance to introduce myself sooner." He took a moment to survey the room. Thus far, nobody had moved an inch, since most were probably expecting the 'nice guy' facade to drop at any moment. "Now, I recognize things are done a little differently amongst kansens, but I don't think it's necessary for everyone to be so heavily armed at lunchtime. So if you would all just so kindly…"

He made a subtle, waving gesture with his hand and, sure enough, the other kansens started putting away their rigging. They all started to look a little sheepish, as if caught by their parents with a hand in the candy bowl.

"That's much better. Now, would somebody care to explain what happened?"

Myoukou was the first step up. "Montpelier started it. She accosted Lady Nagato without cause or provocation."

"Me? She's the one who started it when—!"

"Miss Montpelier, I am two feet away from you, there's no need to shout." Once again, DeWolf remained surprisingly calm. "I'm willing to listen to whatever you have to say, but not if you raise your voice. Understood?"

The Union girl wanted to keep shouting; I could see her biting her lip just to contain herself. For a brief moment, it even seemed like she was about to resume her outburst, but when her lips parted, all that came out was a long, weary sigh. "I didn't start this, Captain, she did," she finally answered as she pointed to me. "She attacked us first, sir, and I don't understand why you let her walk around the base as if nothing happened."

"Were you there?"

Montpelier was taken aback. "I… what?"

"Were you there when Nagato attacked the Eagle Union?"

"No, I wasn't, but—"

"Well, I was, and the situation is not as black-and-white as you make it sound," DeWolf explained. "But the fact that you don't know that is partly my fault. I've been so busy putting out fires with the admiralty, I haven't had the opportunity to talk with all of you. You've been hurt, you don't understand why, and you deserve answers." He let out his own melancholic sigh. "I wish I had answers to give, I really do, but all I can tell you right now is that we're working on getting to the truth, and have taken all the measures we can to ensure it doesn't happen again."

As modest and reasonable as it all sounded, Montpelier didn't look wholly convinced. However, she no longer looked as angry as she had a few moments. "But sir, I don't understand. If you're our commander, why are you taking their side? Aren't you supposed to be on ours?"

DeWolf reached out and took hold of her by the shoulders. "I am on your side," he said to her, "but so is Miss Nagato, as well as the rest of the Sakura Empire. Now, Enterprise spoke very highly of you—she said you were an excellent leader on the field, and were well-respected by your peers. I'm new here, and I'm going to need help getting acquainted with how everything operates and who everyone is. Can I rely on you for that?"

"Me? You… you want me to help you?" Montpelier repeated. Her confusion was brief, as the Captain nodded to reaffirm the request. She looked to still be on the fence with the idea, but she eventually replied, "I guess I can help you with that, if you really need me to."

"Good. I'll be counting on you," DeWolf said, a reassuring smile on his face. He patted her shoulders a few times before stepping back. "I can say much the same about everyone else here. Enterprise was nothing but praise about this alliance, about how everyone overcame their differences in the face of the Siren threat. Now last I checked, that threat is still around, and I would hope that Miss Enterprise's praise was not misplaced. Was it?"

Whether it was from a sense of shame, pride, or duty, one by one, everyone replied with a 'no sir.' Even I, still shocked that one man succeeded in disarming an entire room full of kansens on the brink of a shoot-out, managed a meek 'no sir' of my own. Most of them had probably just met him for the first time, and yet he was able to connect with them and talk them down. I couldn't even think of a means to get one of them to calm down for a moment, let alone a whole room.

With everyone's calm, undivided attention, DeWolf gestured for everyone to return to their seats. "Now let me make one thing clear: you are all here because you represent the best and the brightest of your nations. You've come from across the globe and from all walks of life, but I do not care where you are from, who you were, or what you've done. All that matters is that you are here, now, to protect humanity from the Sirens, together. If you cannot do that, then I can arrange for you to be returned home. Is that understood?"

This time, the response was a faster and more unanimous, "Yes, sir!"

"Excellent," DeWolf said, clearly breathing a little easier now. "At fourteen hundred hours, there will be a general briefing in the main lecture hall. I'll bring everybody up to speed as best I can, so I expect everyone to be present." He turned to leave, but stopped halfway and turned to Montpelier and I. "You two, come with me."

Fearing that we weren't quite out of the fire yet, we exchanged a nervous glance before silently following our commander out of the mess hall. He didn't lead us very far, only taking us a few meters from the mess hall before turning once more to speak to us, now far from any wayward eyes and ears. If he intended to chew us out, he would've selected somewhere more private, so my nerves were spared some distress at least.

"I have an assignment for the two of you," he said, wasting no time getting to the point. "Now, I'm newly arrived, so as you can imagine, I have a lot of things I still need to get organized if I'm to start doing my job properly. I'll need some extra hands to help with that, and you two just volunteered."

"Ugh, this is one of those assignments where the real purpose is to make us get along, isn't it?" Montpelier deadpanned. "That is so clichéd."

"You almost started a firefight in the mess hall. You can either run a bunch of errands for me today, or I can have you mop the entire carrier flotilla's flight decks. Your choice, missie."

Faced with such a choice, her response was a predictable sigh of, "Where do we start?"