Chapter Twenty-Three

The life of a secretary ship was really unlike anything I had experienced back when I was serving in the Sakura Empire, even when I was the flagship of the Fourth Combined Fleet. It was something akin to the responsibilities that Akagi occasionally handled, but even then it wasn't quite the same. When she served as my advisor, there was still a degree of professional distance between us: I would delegate responsibilities to her, and allow her to operate freely with minimal oversight, so long as the assignment was completed in a timely and satisfactory manner. Now one could criticize that the freedom afforded to her was how she was able to abuse our trust and carry out the Orochi Project despite all of its dangers. She was an advisor, a subordinate, and a friend, but yet despite all that, the two of us were never all that close and rarely spent much time together working. It was a very 'hands off' approach, as the Azur Lane girls would describe it.

While the days leading up to my formal appointment as secretary ship had introduced me to some of the responsibilities and duties, the next few days helped me realize how involved of a position it was. I was not just helping to manage the paperwork, I soon became responsible for managing the captain's schedule, taking messages, organizing his daily itinerary, and accompanying him during inspections and briefings. Before I only spent a morning or afternoon with the captain at most, the role of secretary now kept us working together through the majority of the day, every day. It kept me busy, but in a good way, and I enjoyed being relied upon.

There was, however, one aspect of my new position that I had expected, and while it was not an official part of the secretary ship's duties, I was informed by none other than King George V herself of the importance of this unspoken responsibility. It was the morning a few days after I had assumed my new position that she intercepted me outside the dorms. Apparently rumours spread quickly around the port, although I couldn't understand why people would care about who was the secretary ship for it to be such a popular talking point. It was a brief, but friendly conversation: she mostly just wanted to make sure that I was comfortable with my new responsibilities, which I was, and to reassure me that if I had any questions or concerns, that I could always seek counsel with her. At first, I figured it was just an overabundance of concern for me, but when she brought up the 'unspoken responsibilities', I began to think that I was not the person she was worried about the most. Her explanation wasted no time in getting to the point:

"As a secretary ship, your most important, and oftentimes most difficult, job will not involve shuffling papers, answering phones, or even dealing with us kansens. As the commander takes care of the fleet, it falls upon you to take care of him, and I suspect you've already seen how Captain DeWolf can be. That man gets lost in his work easily, and he sets high expectations for himself. Overseeing kansens is difficult work, and a person of his station would normally have a command staff and warrant officers to rely upon. Here, he will be alone, and when the burdens of responsibility begin to take their toll upon him, there will only be you to catch him."

It was the kind of cautionary speech that screamed of previous experience, but I knew better than to try and pry for details from King George V. The Royal Navy must have made more use of secretary ships compared to us in the Sakura Empire, and her words continued to echo in my mind when I arrived at DeWolf's office only to find the captain slumped over and face down at his desk. This was not just the casual nodding born of early-morning fatigue; he was out cold.

"This is not becoming of an officer, sir," I remarked, albeit entirely to myself. I gave him a few gentle nudges in the hopes of rousing him, but all he did was murmur and brush me aside. He proved to be as stubborn in sleep as he was awake. Thankfully, another thing that King George V had advised me on was that I shouldn't be afraid to be as forceful as necessary when it came to ensuring the captain carried out his duties. I leaned in close, stuck my fingers into my mouth, and let loose the sharpest whistle I could muster.

That lit a fire in his boilers as he shot upright with a startled, "All hands red alert!" After a few seconds, he realized that he was not onboard a warship, but simply in his office. "Ah, um… Miss Nagato, I didn't hear you come in."

"Of course you did not, sir. You were asleep," I replied, not holding back the disapproval in my tone. "It is unhealthy for you to push yourself to such an extent, sir. The fleet needs a healthy and rested commanding officer, not a walking zombie."

"I'm not—" he stopped himself and let out an annoyed sigh as he collected his thoughts. "It's only temporary. Once the backlog is all cleared up, I'll be able to take it easier and won't need to put in as many long hours. It'll only be, like, another week."

"He'll insist that it'll only be another day or two and then he'll be done. But there will always be more work around the next corner. Don't let him feed you excuses."

Once again, I was indebted to King George V and her foresight. It still puzzled me why she wasn't the secretary as she apparently knew his habits so well, but at least I could benefit from her wisdom. "No. No more all-nighters," I said in a stern warning. "If I have to enlist the Royal Maids to enforce a curfew, then I shall. This port has been able to function thus far without you, it will not fall apart the second you stop working."

He gave me a tired, deadpan stare for a second. "I feel like you're bossing me around a lot more than a secretary ship should."

"King George V advised me to not be afraid to take a firm stance when necessary."

"Because of course she would say that," he said with an inward sigh. He arched his back in a morning stretch, although he groaned and murmured through it far more than any person ought to. It was clear that his attempt to catch up on his work was just going to leave him tired and sore, thus hampering his productivity even further, which would only prompt him to pull more all-nighters in order to compensate. It was a dangerous cycle that I had seen in other workaholics back home.

"If nothing else, at least sleep on your couch, sir," I suggested, as a potential compromise. "Sleeping at your desk is bad for your posture."

"My posture is fine," the defiant captain replied. Just to prove his case, he promptly rose to his feet. "See, I'm not some old—GAH! Motherf—!" And no sooner had he stood up was he hunched back over, cussing as he clutched at his side. "T-this doesn't count: it's a war wound."

This was not the honourable service that I had envisioned when I first signed up for the job. There was already a meeting with the senior kansens coming up, and he couldn't very well attend it if he was doubled over in pain. As the secretary ship, it fell to me to help him, even if it was a self-inflicted problem. "It cannot be helped," I announced with a hint of resignation. "Over to the couch, sir."

"I just woke up, I don't need more rest."

If nothing else, I was quickly becoming more confident in my ability to handle the captain's ability to throw up excuses. "You are meeting with Akagi and the other senior kansens in less than half an hour. You must be presentable, and not distracted by back pain. Lay down on the couch so that I may give you a massage." Not even a week ago, even suggesting giving somebody a massage would've probably left me too anxious to even utter the words correctly, but I reminded myself that taking care of the captain was my responsibility and for the good of the whole fleet. In this, I could not waver, even if a part of me was still nervous.

Recognizing my new-founded determination, DeWolf acquiesced and proceeded over to the nearby couch. "You know, you don't have to follow every one of George's suggestions," he advised in good humour. "If I wanted her for a secretary ship, I would've asked her."

While there was some truth in his words, being a secretary ship was still new territory for me, so it paid to heed the wisdom of those more experienced. In time, I would find the methods that worked best for the captain and I, but until then it was still a learning experience for us both. That was especially true considering the fact that I had never given a massage before, save for a few amateurish attempts with Mutsu after a training exercise. As he laid face-down on the couch, I reminded myself that I needed to be extra careful while caring for a relatively fragile human.

"Ten minutes, and we're back to work. Understood?" An impatient sigh escaped his lips as he folded his arms beneath his head and settled in. "And just for the record, this was entirely your idea. I don't want to hear any rumours about 'power harassment'."

"I will take full responsibility if anyone asks," I reassured him. We were in his office, so it wasn't as if we were at any risk of being observed in passing.

As I sat down beside him and put my hands upon his back, I couldn't help but notice just how small my palms were in comparison to him. Even among the kansens, I was a bit on the small side, but not out of place given how tall many of our destroyers were, and even some of the light cruisers and carriers. Captain DeWolf was only average in size, but that was still enough to dwarf me in comparison. I doubt I'd be able to wrap my arms around him at the shoulders, yet I knew as a kansen, I could still snap him like a twig if I were so inclined. It was strange to think someone that seemed so large could still be so delicate. I continued to reflect on those thoughts as I slowly kneaded my palms into him, starting at the shoulders. He was a bit firmer than I expected, certainly not as soft as my sister, or nearly as ticklish.

DeWolf remained rather stoic through my efforts, which made me worry that I was doing something wrong. "Are you feeling better, sir?" I asked.

"I'm barely feeling a thing. You can press a bit harder than that." Heeding his advice, I leaned a bit more into the flesh just beneath his ribs, but got a slightly more explosive reaction. "Ow! Too much, too much!"

"Oh! S-sorry, sir!"

I tried again, only for him to flinch again from the pain, which was followed by another apology. This was proving to be a bit more challenging than I had anticipated, and the sentiment was reinforced when, during my next attempt, DeWolf again replied that he could barely feel a thing. This alternated a couple more times, each time followed by rounds of apologies as I tried to get my technique right. Eventually, I managed to find a sweet spot that didn't leave the captain thinking I was trying to reorganize his spinal column.

"Is this better, sir?" I asked, most of my earlier confidence having evaporated after my repeated failed attempts.

"If I'm honest, it's… not great," he reported, albeit with a hint of reluctance. "It's not hurting anymore, but it's not quite right. It's a little… focused?"

Focused? I pondered what the captain meant for a moment, but then I realized he was trying for a polite way to say that my hands were too small. Despite all the abilities of a kansen, increasing one's hand size was not among them. One last idea came to mind, albeit it felt even riskier than suggesting a massage in the first place. Given the whole thing was my idea in the first place, I didn't want to just let it end in defeat.

"I shall try something else then, captain, but I need you to promise me you will keep your face down the entire time."

"That's a strange condition to ask for."

"Just promise me, sir."

He shrugged and just planted his face into the nook created by his folded arms. "Okay, I promise then."

Once I was sure there was no chance of the captain looking up, I set my sandals aside and climbed onto the couch. I had only heard about massaging in such a manner, but I was willing to experiment if it meant helping the fleet. Using the wall to keep my balance, I very gingerly stepped onto the captain, balancing on the small of his back.

Needless to say, it wasn't difficult for DeWolf to recognize the difference between my palms and my feet. "Hold on, are you—"

"I said don't look!" I quickly reminded him just as he was about to turn and catch an inadvertent upwards glance up my robes. I wasn't about to risk a repeat of our first encounter. Once I knew my dignity was safe, I started kneading his back muscles with my feet. It was honestly a bit easier since I could just let my body weight apply an even, constant pressure upon him. "Is this any better, captain?"

His muffled response, spoken into the couch cushions, was a promising, "It… um, it is, actually. Thanks."

It had been a risky gambit, but it had clearly paid off, much to my delight and the captain's relief. After a couple of minutes, even his usual stoicism couldn't help but relent, a quiet, contented murmur leaking from the cushions. I was even beginning to feel a bit proud of myself: someone like Akagi or King George V couldn't pull this off, or at the very least, DeWolf would never risk it. This was a job that only somebody with a petite figure could succeed with—it was something that only I could provide the captain with!

There was a saying though about pride coming before a fall, and it became readily apparent when a knock suddenly came from the door. All sense of precaution was thrown overboard as the captain understandably didn't want to be seen with a girl standing atop of him. The kind of rumours it would start would be quite unwelcomed. Unfortunately, while he was mindful of the social implications, he forgot about the practical. He tried to twist and right himself while I was still standing atop of him.

"C-Captain, wait!" That was all I could manage to say before I lost my balance. If I were quick-witted, I would've leapt off or at least aimed to land on the floor, but instead I just fell straight down right onto DeWolf. Luckily, he had already proven once before to be quick when it came to falling kansens, and he was able to catch me once again, this time by the shoulders mere inches before our heads collided. Though thankful that we avoided any injury, our new position with the captain bracing me above him left me feeling even more anxious.

He was… close. Too close. I could feel the wisps of his startled, ragged breath on my face. For a moment, time just seemed to hold still as we stared into each other's eyes. I needed to say or do something, but any thoughts or emotions just got caught in my throat.

"Are we interrupting something?" King George V's familiar voice beckoned from the door. It shouldn't have come as a surprise that she, Hornet, Akagi, and Admiral Hipper had arrived since, as I mentioned before, we had a meeting scheduled with them. The Royal Navy knight smiled as she strode in, a confident sort of grin that said far more than words could. No doubt she and the others found amusement as I stared wide-eyed and red-faced at them. She at least had the good sense not to make an issue of it as she walked over and lifted me off of the captain. "I didn't think you would take your duties so seriously, Miss Nagato, but try not to trouble the captain too much."

"My back was hurting," DeWolf said in my defense. "She was just trying to help."

"Ah, that old wound acting up again?" King George V asked, to which the captain nodded.

Akagi, never one to pass up an opportunity to impose herself, offered a hand to DeWolf. "If you were in pain, captain, you can always come to me." Even after she helped him to his feet, she hooked her arm around his and pressed in close in order to escort him back to his desk. "I'll have you know, I am quite talented with my hands. I'm sure I could do things that Lady Nagato could never provide for you. Even…" She leaned in and whispered the rest into his ear, and while I knew not what she said, the way DeWolf pulled away spoke volumes.

"I… don't think that would be very appropriate."

Akagi just gave a knowing, playful laugh as the two parted, with the captain returning to his seat, and the rest of them finding a place to sit around the office: Hornet and King George V took the couch, Admiral Hipper grabbed a nearby chair, and Akagi very deliberately sat on the corner of DeWolf's desk. As secretary ship, I had my own seat next to the captain, although I had trouble focusing due to my fellow Sakuran's blatant attempts to show off her legs. Thankfully, the meeting itself was something of a dry affair—it was hard for administrative details to be exciting, even when you had several charismatic individuals involved in the discussions. The main item on the agenda was the continuing progress of the new changes implemented with training and duty rosters and scheduling. Much to our relief, despite initial misgivings, the kansens were adjusting well to working and training in the new mixed faction squadrons. There were a few growing pains, of course, but apparently our senior kansens had been able to smooth those issues out without having to escalate the matter to our level.

"There has been one fairly consistent complaint across the board, though," Admiral Hipper spoke up, dampening the mood somewhat. It was overly optimistic to think the changes would've been without some flaws and the round of nods from the other seniors meant this wasn't just an Iron Blood problem. "The new training program and commission rotations are doing a lot of good, but the girls are complaining about not having much free time anymore."

"Test scores are already showing marked improvement," I reminded DeWolf, citing some of the documents we reviewed the day before. "If we reduce the required hours, we can avoid another incident like we had with Miss Fletcher and her sisters."

DeWolf frowned at first, but soon twisted into a pensive look. "This is a frontline military installation; it's not supposed to be a place where you kick back and relax. We need people in top form and ready for action." He looked as though he was about to add something more when his thought train came to an abrupt halt and he stared at me for a moment. The other kansens were probably confused, but I could practically see the new thoughts popping into his head. He was remembering everything I had spoken with him before about how one could not just treat a kansen the same they would a normal, enlisted sailor. There was no time off from being a kansen: one could be assigned to a less active post, but the duties always remained. "On second thought," he continued as his expression softened, "perhaps I am asking a bit much of you ladies. With the duties being shared among all of the factions, we can probably afford a bit more free time. How about we reduce one full day to a half-day? That way everyone gets two and a half days of free time a week."

There was a round of nods from everyone.

"We'll have to remake all of the schedules," I reminded him. It would only require slight modifications, but even those took time, and we had already spent most of yesterday adjusting the rotations based on the latest test results.

"Guess we've got more long days ahead of us," DeWolf sighed.

"I'll go make some tea then," I declared, figuring I would need the energy if I were to make it through the course of the day. The captain kept everything needed to brew a quick tea in his office for just such emergencies, although his selection of teas were somewhat lacking with only a handful of the navy-issued teabags. A proper Sakura Empire port would've had tins of loose leaf tea available, but one had to make some sacrifices for the sake of convenience and expediency. While I took care of the tea, the conversations took a sharp turn from the usual business.

"I'm glad to see you changed your mind about having a secretary ship," King George V remarked. "I was worried you were going to become a desk hermit if you tried to do everything by yourself."

"Reality has a way of exposing mistakes," DeWolf said as he tried to laugh off what everyone knew was the truth. "Miss Nagato certainly has been a lifesaver. Once Kawakaze was able to show her the basics, it was pretty much smooth sailing from there."

"You'd be hard-pressed to find a more diligent and devoted assistant," Akagi said, surprising me with the added support despite having been interested in the same position.

While the compliments were nice, I suddenly felt a little awkward being the center of praise. Thankfully, since I was prepping the tea, my back was turned to everyone so they couldn't see my embarrassed face. Just to be on the safe side, I pretended to still be working on the tea even after I had everything set.

That didn't stop them from carrying on their conversation as though I weren't present. "You know, a proper commander would find a way to reward such diligence," Akagi suggested. "Lady Nagato, you are still having trouble sleeping, correct?"

"I am, yes." My response was cautious, but polite. I had no idea why she would bring the matter up so suddenly, but it must have had something to do with 'rewarding my diligence'. It made me wary considering how she liked to operate with layers upon layers of ulterior motives. Though my curiosity was piqued, it would not find relief as Akagi whispered the rest of her plans to the captain. She was probably doing this intentionally to provoke a reaction from me—something that would make me seem more unbecoming of a secretary ship.

Maybe.

Once again, I felt guilty being so suspicious of my colleague. I knew she wanted the secretary ship position, but it was only so that she could more easily probe for information about the 'Wishing Well' project. Protecting the captain from her became one of the many reasons I chose to accept the position. Though risky, I chanced a quick peek over my shoulder to at least see how the captain was reacting, which could at least give me some idea what to expect. He looked… intrigued, as if seriously considering whatever it was Akagi proposed to him. The simple fact he didn't respond with a 'that wouldn't be appropriate' or some variation of it was a reassuring sign.

As a further precaution, however, I used the tea as a pretext to interject myself back into the conversation. I returned to the captain's desk with a loaded serving tray and began passing out the refreshments. "Miss Akagi, if you are going to partake, please take a seat," I advised her before holding out the tea for her. "We would not want to risk any accidents."

A little physical distance between them would help curb any further distractions from her. There was little doubt that my true aims were blatantly transparent to one as accustomed to subterfuge as Akagi, but social etiquette made it difficult for her to object. She dutifully complied and helped herself to a nearby chair. However, as I handed her her beverage, I let my guard down and she slipped in to whisper into my ear.

"If you're trying to repay all of his kindness, a simple massage is a bit lacking, don't you think?"

It was a curious thing how much power words could carry. With but a few well-placed whispers, Akagi could unnerve a person with just as much ease as any bombardment. Was that how my actions were coming across as—simply repayment? I never liked to think of relationships as so transactionary, but it was difficult to deny that I did have some feelings of being indebted to the captain. Were it not for him, I would probably be sitting bored in a jail cell while the Eagle Union and Royal Navy bickered over who would take the first pound of my flesh. As much as I insisted that the massage had been to ensure he was presentable for his meeting, a small part of me was trying to repay those debts in my own way. If that was the case, then mayhaps I should do more.

If Akagi's goal had been to leave me too preoccupied to police her further, then she blew that objective out of the water. I spent much of the rest of the meeting fretting over her words to the point where a Siren could've dropped right into our laps and I wouldn't have noticed. My only saving grace was that the rest of the meeting concluded without much else worthy of note, or at least as far as my distracted mind could tell. The new arrangements were coming along nicely, and Admiral Hipper had a few more suggestions to improve the procedures in place. She was, as King George V put it, a stickler for protocol, which did run a bit afoul with the girls from the Azur Lane, who were often more relaxed regarding day-to-day operations.

We were just about to adjourn for the day when a knocking came from the office door, which then opened to reveal Choshu as the culprit. "Excuse me sir, could I have a moment to discuss something important with you?"

"Of course, we were just finishing up," DeWolf said as he invited her inside.

"It would be best if everyone was present for what I have to say." The moment Choshu made that explanation, I knew what this conversation was going to be about. It had taken more than a few days to think it over, but at least she had finally taken the initiative. DeWolf, recognizing that she wouldn't make such a request idly, motioned for everyone to stay seated and for Choshu to help herself to a chair. "I want to start with an apology because this is information I should have brought to you sooner, but I've been… conflicted about it. I hope you'll appreciate why once I am done."

Needless to say, she had everyone's curiosity and concern. "Well, speak your mind," King George V encouraged her. "You're among friends here, and I can assure you, there will be no judgments from any of us."

"I pray that you will remember that afterwards," Choshu replied as she took a seat. After some fidgeting and taking some calming breaths, she continued on. "I've let my sails slacken on this long enough so I will just get straight to the point: I believe the kansen responsible for the recent attacks is my sister, Mutsu."

The reactions from the other kansens were an expected array of surprise and concern, and even DeWolf raised an eyebrow at the news. The only two people in the room not surprised were myself and Akagi, whom I could only presume figured this out on her own because of course she would have.

"That is terrible news," King George V remarked.

Admiral Hipper's response was a more tempered, "This definitely complicates things."

"Are you absolutely certain that it's her?" Hornet asked.

"I can't know for certain until I see her with my own eyes," Choshu said, although I wasn't sure if she was trying to reassure them or herself. While it was possible that we could have a Mutsu from a third timeline given we already had two Nagatos from separate realities, when it came to the Sirens, it was always better to assume the worst. "However, when Nagato described the assailant to me, it fit my sister perfectly, as much as I wanted it to not be true. I hope you can all forgive me for withholding this information for so long."

Much to our collective relief, there didn't appear to be any hints of anger or outrage amongst the kansens. Even Admiral Hipper had something of a sympathetic look about her. "We all have sisters, so I don't think there's a person here who wouldn't feel hesitant about having to fight their own kin," she answered. "I don't suppose you could offer any insight as to what her goals might be? If it is her, that is."

There was no doubt that the very question had kept Choshu up at night ever since I revealed the possibility to her. All she could offer was a disappointed shake. "The Mutsu I knew would never have sided with Sirens, but I've not seen her in quite a few years, and if she's been with the Sirens that whole time, assuming it was even linear, then who can say what kind of person she's become."

"If I may," Akagi interrupted with a raised finger. "As someone who's had close dealings with how the Sirens operate, I can say with some certainty that their manipulations are not so direct. They don't need to fundamentally change a person, only to apply pressure and temptation where it matters the most."

"But Mutsu wouldn't—"

"And I'm certain you once believed you wouldn't work alongside a member of the Eagle Union, and yet here you are," Akagi interrupted before Choshu could even finish her sentence. "We all have our virtues and ideals—steadfast beliefs that we hold dear and swear we would die before betraying. The truth, however, is we all have a breaking point, where desperation and willpower collide, and the ideals we cherished most become the obstacles to our heart's desires. The Sirens likely offered her the same poison they offered me: the power to make my dreams into reality." She smiled, a grim but knowing smirk that worried me greatly. Not because it echoed the same words that the Sirens offered me not too long ago, but because she never broke eye contact with Choshu the entire time. "It's an offer that's impossible to resist, so long as you make a person desperate enough."

"What do you make of this, Captain DeWolf?" I asked, seeing as our commanding officer had been remarkably quiet for the past minute or two.

He had spent the entire time just listening and observing, with his hands intertwined into a bridge resting just below his chin. "Hmmm," was the only utterance at first, followed by a quiet groan as he leaned back in his seat. "Back during the incident with the Orochi Project, you girls all went to extraordinary lengths to save Kaga and Akagi, despite the risks to yourselves and all evidence suggesting that they had allied with the Sirens. Would it be safe to presume that you would adopt a similar approach here?"

"Why are you asking that?" I inquired.

"I want to make sure we're all on the same page, that's all," DeWolf explained. "If we're going to make a plan, we all need to have the same goal in mind."

It was reassuring to hear the captain willing to entertain the possibility of saving Mutsu from the Sirens, regardless of how much easier it would be to simply neutralize her with deadly force. He could've tried to pull rank, but even he knew that he wouldn't get very far with that attitude. At the end of the day, the kansens had to agree to a strategy, or else people would just start doing their own thing. A plan was only good if everybody was willing to adhere to it. Strangely enough, the only person that appeared surprised by this was Choshu herself.

"H-hold on a second," she said, fumbling in a moment of surprise. "I've only been here a few days—you still barely know me. I cannot in good conscience ask you to risk your lives and homes just for my sake."

I knew without even looking how the others would react. King George V just rose to her feet, chest puffed out proudly, as she replied, "Balderdash! You are our friend and ally, the same as anyone else. It is as the captain once said: it doesn't matter who you are or where you came from, so long as you are here and willing to stand against the Sirens then you are my ally."

"Right on!" Hornet exclaimed, a cocksure grin across her face. "It's important to always do the right thing, even when it ain't the easiest ocean to sail."

Unable to stand before the combined might of their optimism, Choshu just let out a defeated sigh. "To think I would be thankful to those from the Royal Navy and Eagle Union," she said as humility and hope washed over her. "I cannot help but wonder, if I had not been so blinded by anger and pride, maybe I could've found common ground with the Azur Lane of my world. Then perhaps I would not be in this situation in the first place." For a second, it looked like Choshu was about to be driven to tears, but far be it for the proud Sakuran warrior to show that level of emotion in front of anyone. "Rest assured, I will do everything in my power to put a stop to whatever madness has gripped my sister!"

"And we'll do everything we can to help you," DeWolf added. "Now, assuming the worst and we do have to fight your sister, what can you tell us about her?"

"Well, she's about a hundred and seventy centimeters tall, enjoys reading, drama productions about the Sengoku period, and baseball. She's really good at shogi, and absolutely loves oysters, and while she hates bell peppers, she'll still eat them when you tell her to. Also, her three measurements are—"

"I meant in the tactical sense," DeWolf interrupted.

"Oh. Right, of course. I knew that!" Choshu flustered a bit as she regained her mental footing.

"Why do you know those numbers off hand?" Hipper asked.

"I'm allowed to be proud of my sister!" she hastily snapped back to cover over any sense of embarrassment. Once she took a moment to clear her throat and regain her composure, she continued on, "Tactically speaking, my sister's always been the yin to my yang. She tends to favour more defensive and methodical tactics—excellent foresight, but she can be slow to react to unexpected changes. While she may not be the most cunning of strategists, her own prowess in battle more than makes up for those shortcomings. Rather than overwhelm her opponents, she'll let them wear themselves down against her defenses until they cannot offer a meaningful resistance. If you wish, Captain DeWolf, I could prepare and submit a more detailed report."

"I'd very much appreciate it, and I'll be sure to keep you involved in any future strategy meetings on the matter," the captain replied. It was reassuring to see that everybody was on board with trying to save Mutsu—the last thing we needed was a divided opinion about the person opposing us. Choshu's openness and honesty helped to allay any potential concerns about where her loyalties lay, which left the only remaining uncertainty: where would Mutsu reveal herself? It was difficult to plan against an enemy whose objectives we still knew little about. From what Akagi said, we could only infer that the Sirens might have won her over by promising her that which she most desired, but even Choshu had no idea what that could entail given their involvement in an alternate timeline.

"For what it's worth, Choshu, I do hope we can resolve this amicably, but please understand I do have a responsibility to protect this fleet, including you," DeWolf reminded her. "If you think you might be uncomfortable with the thought of fighting her, I need to know now. She might not share the same uncertainty."

"Actually sir, I do not believe that is the case," I interrupted, recalling my first engagements with the other Mutsu. "When Choshu and I were engaging her forces, the Siren mass-produced ships and kansens appeared to be less aggressive when fighting her. I dare say they seem to deliberately avoid lethal force."

"Exactly!" Choshu said, pouncing on the possible implications. "If she still recognizes me as her sister, then surely she can still be reasoned with."

DeWolf's expression remained unchanged, clearly feeling less optimistic. "If she's as meticulous as you say, though, she'll likely expect that. Still, it's worth a shot—just be careful. Don't be surprised if she sees it as an opportunity to 'reason' with you as well."

"Do you really think I'd side with Sirens?" Choshu asked, looking insulted at the implication.

Akagi was quick to interject, her words as swift and potent as any bomb. "Something managed to convince her."

It was a down-to-earth but devastating reminder that all of us could be vulnerable to the Siren's temptations. The mythology of their namesake was a constant reminder, and they had insight into technologies and powers that the rest of us could only dream of. We all had things that our heart most desired, and it was always a question of just how far some of us would go to attain them. How far would I go to protect the empire? What deal would I be willing to consider to protect my family and friends? Observer made the offer to me once, but I was in a position of relative ease and comfort. I worried what kind of deal and what situation would prompt someone like Mutsu to turn against us.

A tense, pregnant silence hung in the air. None of us wanted to acknowledge the truth, even though we all knew it. However, there wouldn't even be an opportunity to speak up as the silence was shattered by the captain's phone going off.

DeWolf was quick to answer. "DeWolf speaking," he started off. The conservation was brief and one-sided, with the captain only responding with a couple of murmured 'mmhm'. It ended with a brisk, "Understood. Thank you for letting me know." Naturally, we all looked and waited to see what the captain would report. There was a subtle clue to the nature of the call when I noticed that his attention went straight to Hornet. "That was Vestal. Your sister just woke up."