Chapter Thirty-Three
Humanity grew and prospered on the coastlines of the world. From food to manufacturing, to trade and travel, the oceans and humanity's growth have always been intertwined. Such was the reason why the invasion of the Sirens, which forced so many inland for the sake of safety, had been so devastating. One of the most fundamental responsibilities of a navy is the protection of a nation's sovereignty; its people, its lands, and its waters.
Thus, with that singular purpose in mind, it is easy to understand why so many kansens have a tendency to be quite possessive and territorial. News of Mutsu's visit as well as Choshu's departure rippled through the base with predictable results; many were incensed at this intrusion on 'our' naval port, while others were frustrated that DeWolf seemingly allowed it all to happen without even a token resistance. King George and I all knew the truth, but opinions cemented so quickly it was difficult for any of us to counteract it, especially as we were more concerned with preparing the fleets and formulating our next strategy. I feared that misinformation might lead to some of the kansens losing confidence in Captain DeWolf's ability to lead. Ever since his arrival, there had been those who believed that only a kansen could properly lead other kansens in battle.
It was up to us to help DeWolf prove those people wrong.
Needless to say, the port became abuzz with activity once the orders came down from the captain. While kansens always stood ready to battle, a sortie of this magnitude took time to prepare. Wherever Mutsu had her base of operations, it had to be more than a quick jaunt from the port, so the entire fleet needed to be loaded up and ready for a long-range voyage. That meant ensuring everyone was topped up with enough ammunition for an indeterminate period of time, and we could only assume that we would have to deal with a lot of Sirens once we reached wherever we needed to be. King George V handled most of the hands-on portion of the preparations, while I assisted the captain as best I could with the logistics and planning. It involved a lot of running around to check who was good to set sail, whose maintenance work could be postponed for a few days, and relaying all of our plans and intentions back to headquarters. In my many years as flagship of the Fourth Combined Fleet, I never recalled quite so much paperwork being involved in launching a fleet, but at the same time, my duties then were mostly as a figurehead and representative, not dealing with the actual grunt work required.
Throughout it all, of the many things I continued to worry about, Choshu remained at the forefront of my thoughts. It was a reunion I knew would happen sooner or later, but I had hoped it could have had a more joyful outcome. Her sister, this Mutsu, was adamant about seeing her plans through, which did not bode well for the rest of us. Choshu only left with her in order to protect the rest of us from her sister's wrath, but what would happen to her in the meantime? What if Mutsu's plan for the revival of her Sakura Empire was too much temptation for Choshu to resist? Desperation already drove her to an extreme once before, it could happen again. Where her loyalties would fall if forced to choose between her sister and the rest of us was the entire reason Captain DeWolf allowed her to leave in the first place. He didn't want to force a choice upon her. None of us could make this decision for her, and as much as I wanted to think that she thought of us as a new home and family, I feared what could come if Mutsu's plan was not just a lie concocted by the Sirens. If Choshu really could find a way to save her people, then there was no telling what lengths she might go.
Our efforts to organize were hampered to a certain degree by both the late hour and the Royal Navy's party. A few girls had partaken in a bit too much food and drink, so they weren't going to be ready for a departure until they slept it off. Again, a quick sortie was never a realistic expectation, so we readied who we could overnight, and figured we would take stock of who wasn't too hungover in the morning.
Captain DeWolf spent almost the entire night in his office, either on the phone or going over logs and reports, the latter of which kept me running back and forth between his office and the archives. He toiled through the night with nary a single pause, and sustained solely by a few cups of coffee and his sense of duty and responsibility. Still, even with my admiration for his diligence, by the time the sun was rising, I knew that he needed to take a moment for himself to recover. To that end, I took a moment in my document-fetching duties to detour to the mess hall in order to pick something up. It came as little surprise when I arrived and found a familiar face already working the stove.
"Ah, good evening Miss Nagato… or should I say good morning at this point?" King George V was as spirited as always. Neither of us had bothered to even change from our evening wear for the party, which made both of our jobs all the more difficult as I ran around the base in a kimono not designed for ease of movement, and George had to work a stovetop with far too many loose, frilly layers than one should normally have near open flames.
"Yes, good morning to you as well. I take it that the preparations for the fleet are almost complete?" I inquired, given she would not abandon such essential duties in favour of the kitchen. I tried to match her vigour, but I had never been a morning person, not that I got much sleep last night either. There was probably no such thing as a 'morning person' when in service of an empire upon which the sun never set.
"There are still a few stragglers left to take care of, but I thought it best to tend to some of the other needs of the fleet," she answered before gesturing to the nearby counters. Several maids from the Royal Navy were hard at work packaging up everything that came off the stove, which appeared to include some sort of egg sandwich, fried potatoes, and tomato slices. "An army marches on its stomach, after all. And you can't begin to imagine the amount of tea we need to get ready ahead of time."
"Is that really necessary?" I asked in return.
She responded with a proud smirk. "Our empire was built on cups of tea, Miss Nagato. If you think I'll sail off into battle without a cuppa, then you're mistaken."
"Speaking of which," I said in a pivot back to the whole reason for my visit, "could I trouble you to part with one of those packages so that I may bring it to the captain? He has not eaten since the party."
"How typical of him," she replied, a knowing roll of her eyes following soon after. "You can take one if you'd like, or you could come join me and make him something yourself. It'll be more enticing to offer him something cooked with a bit of love."
Even with everything going on, she somehow managed to find a moment to tease. "I… suppose there is merit to your suggestion," I answered as I fought down the rising heat in my face. "But only because it is important to ensure he does not decline to eat in favour of continuing his work."
Now if King George V had to worry about loose garments catching fire, my risk was several times worse as I had sleeves so long they could sweep the floors wherever I walked. I had to borrow some twine from the maids just to secure them back so that I could safely work the stovetop. After being given a quick summary of how to make an egg sandwich, I set to work.
"Miss Nagato, may I ask you something a bit… sensitive?" King George spoke in the midst of our cooking. Judging by how much softer and reserved her tone was, there had been an ulterior motive for asking me to stay that I was about to discover.
"Speak your mind," I reassured her. "It is not like you to hold your tongue." Though I do not know if we were close enough to be considered 'friends' to any meaningful degree, I still trusted her enough to hear her out. It had to be important for her to be so cautious.
"From what I understand, Mutsu is promising to 'save everyone'," she began while also effortlessly flipping over a dozen eggs across several frying pans. "But they've already been lost, which means she intends to somehow bring kansens back from the abyss. That's more or less the same thing that Akagi was promised when she betrayed you and the Sakura Empire. Is it possible that she might turn against us?" Her last words were more of a hushed whisper, clearly meant to keep the nearby maids from overhearing.
"Are we speaking of Choshu, or Akagi?" I replied, matching her volume.
"Both. I don't mean to question the integrity or loyalties of either, but as Knight-Commander of the Royal Navy, you understand the need for diligence and caution."
Were I in her shoes, I would likely have the same concerns. I would not even be surprised if there were some in the Sakura Empire who had similar concerns. "I sincerely believe that Akagi has learned from her mistakes, and has no interest in following empty promises or turning against Captain DeWolf," I explained to her. There were, of course, other, more personal reasons that I knew Akagi wouldn't betray DeWolf, but I felt it wasn't my place to state them openly. "For Choshu, though, I wish I had the same confidence. We were making good progress with her, but I fear she is still in a vulnerable state, and could be swayed if Mutsu has more than just words to show for her plan. If only we had acted sooner…"
"It's not your fault," George reassured me. "You've done everything you could for her given the circumstances. At the end of the day, she alone must confront her demons, and that was never going to happen with this Mutsu situation unresolved."
I wanted to believe her words, but it was hard to shake the feelings of responsibility. As I stared at the lone, frying egg on my pan, my mind kept drifting back to 'what ifs' and the guilt of not being able to do more. If I hadn't been restrained by the collar, then I could have at least been able to do something to protect the people I cared about. Maybe I could've kept Mutsu from taking Choshu away, or better protect the captain so that he wouldn't have been forced to relent. Being so powerless to act, I wondered if that sense of impotence was something that Captain DeWolf had to deal with regularly. For him to stand against a kansen, someone that he knew full well he could literally do nothing to oppose, must have taken far more courage than I ever gave humanity credit for.
"Whatever comes, we have to save them," I concluded. "Mutsu believes that our world is no different than her own; that peace between our factions is an impossibility. We must convince her otherwise, or she will never stop fighting us."
"We saved Akagi and Kaga from the Sirens; we'll do the same here," King George V reassured me, followed by a firm pat on the shoulder. "When it's all over, I'll make the four of you a big banquet. It'll be the first Nagato family dinner. How does that sound?"
A family of four? I had never considered such a thing before. It had always been just Mutsu and myself for as long as I could remember, plus Kawakaze. A large family did not sound unpleasant, Mutsu would be ecstatic at the prospect to be sure. If such an outcome came to be, my life would certainly never be quite as tranquil as it once was, but that was not such a bad thing.
"I would very much look forward to that," I said. With the egg just about cooked, George helped me prepare the rest of the sandwich, and packed it all into a secure container. With the travel-ready meal now in hand, I gathered up my things and bid King George V farewell. "Thank you again for your assistance, and for your words."
I left her to return to her duties, as I did mine, all the while reflecting on our conversation. We had a difficult task ahead of us if we were going to somehow convince Mutsu that our factions can co-exist peacefully while at the same time not be sunk by what we can only presume to be a substantial fleet of Siren warships at her disposal. If we could not, and she turned her wrath to the rest of the world, not only would the world be in danger, but the trust between humanity and the kansens, too. Akagi's previous actions had already shaken it, so for another incident to follow so soon afterwards would likely raise questions and worries. Could humanity's future be entrusted to people who could just as easily see humanity as a threat? It made it all the more imperative that we proved, to both Mutsu and the world, that not every problem needed to be solved through sheer weight of firepower.
I tried to push those worries aside in favour of focusing on the smaller, but more immediate, concerns, namely of my delivery. DeWolf had been working himself ceaselessly since last night. I had no doubt that he blamed himself for how things turned out, but this time he had no thunderstorm to punish himself with. Hopefully, I would not need to browbeat him so hard this time around in order to get him to eat.
Arriving at the captain's office, I was just about to enter when some shouting from the other side made me stay my hand.
"Listen, I'm just asking you to hold off on deploying for a little while longer until I've verified these findings!" It was Dr. DeWolf's voice, though it was curious that he would have information critical to the upcoming operation. "If they're accurate, at the very least, we need to inform the Royal Navy and headquarters about this."
"If they're accurate," Captain DeWolf replied.
Growing more curious, I leaned in and pressed my ear to the door.
"How did you even come across this? We've never had reports like this before," Captain DeWolf continued.
"It's because of Admiral Hipper's upgrades to the sensor net. It only lasted a few seconds, but the timing and coordinates coincide with Akagi's last reports. The signal must have gotten out when Choshu and Mutsu breached the barrier." Judging from the doctor's words, it appeared that we've received word back from Akagi, which was reassuring. The mentioning of a barrier breach, however, was less so. The only kind of barrier we regularly dealt with when Sirens were involved was that of a mirror sea, the dimensional singularities that the Sirens regularly employed.
There was a prolonged silence from the office, save for a few footsteps that I could only presume to be DeWolf pacing around.
"James, I know this complicates things, but this could be huge," Joseph continued. "The Ark and everything on board vanished without a trace after Iroise. All of our data could still be there; data that I've spent the past four years trying to recreate."
Again, silence from the captain. Even his footsteps had stopped. I could envision him standing at the window, staring off into the horizon as he sifted through his thoughts and considered his options. A part of me wondered if it was right for me to be listening in, but my curiosity was too powerful at this point.
"Wishing Well had its chance, and a lot of people died as a result," DeWolf finally answered. His response was calm and measured, which came as a relief considering how sensitive the subject matter had to be for him. "I'm not going to risk more lives on a hunch. The mission is to recover Choshu, and neutralize the threat from Mutsu. I can't promise you anything beyond that, but…" There followed a sigh heavy enough to tilt a carrier. "I'll try to keep the possibility of recovery in mind."
"I understand," Joseph replied, disappointed but at least not angry. "Uh, what do you suppose we should tell the Royal Navy?"
"For the moment, we tell them nothing. As you said, your findings haven't been verified yet," Captain DeWolf replied.
"Don't think I can't tell what you're doing here, James," Joseph warned. "I may not have sent them a copy of my initial findings, but the raw data is collected and distributed automatically. It'll only be a matter of time before someone on their end looks it over and reaches the same conclusion, and she's going to be royally pissed when that happens."
Why would Captain DeWolf intentionally keep his allies uninformed? The more I heard, the more concerned I became, and soon I was intent on eavesdropping not to sate curiosity, but to be better prepared when the prophesied fallout struck. If the Royal Navy took issue with DeWolf, we could potentially counter it with support from the Sakura Empire's government, and perhaps even the Iron Bloods, too.
"How long do we have?" Captain DeWolf asked.
"Three, maybe four days. Depends how smart their analysts are. I know Dieter and Wendy got out after Iroise, but Miles still works for them."
"Then sit on the report until we get back. If anybody asks, just tell them I left before you could deliver it."
"Fine, but you better not do anything crazy out there." Joseph's last words were of reluctant acceptance. He probably had far more experience than any of us when it came to dealing with his brother's stubbornness. I wanted to help, but that meant revealing that I had been eavesdropping, so for the time being, I had to remain silent and ignorant of the matter.
Hearing footsteps rapidly approaching the door, I backed away and assumed a posture that made it appear as though I was just arriving. When Dr. DeWolf stepped into the hallway, he gave me a tired smile.
"Hello there, Miss Nagato," he greeted. "I see he's been keeping you busy."
"Good morning, doctor," I responded in kind. "I do not mind the workload; in fact, I am grateful that your brother has taken the matter of Choshu's departure as seriously as he has."
"Well, as I'm sure you've realized by now, he's pretty protective of people under his command," he explained, though I could tell that the conversation he just left was still weighing down his words. "Be sure to look out for him, okay? Don't let him do anything too crazy out there."
I knew he was trying to phrase it as though he were asking a kansen to safeguard their commanding officer, but I had a suspicion it had more to do with what they had just discussed. Obviously anything pertaining to Iroise and, by extension, his late wife, would be a sensitive matter for the captain, but I nonetheless wondered what exactly would warrant such a level of concern from his brother. Perhaps he suspected that DeWolf would insist on personally accompanying the fleet now that the possibility of this 'Ark' existed, but he would hardly be the first human officer to accompany kansens into battle, and he would have the whole fleet there to protect him. Still, I could not dismiss his warning off-hand, even if I could not fully understand it at the time. Dr. DeWolf departed without another word, and I headed inside the office with the new objective of observing for any irregularities in his behaviour. I would have to watch him closely, just to be safe.
I found the captain exactly where I expected: standing by the window, overlooking the harbour. Stern, but tired eyes stared out to the far horizon, signifying a man deep in contemplations. He didn't even notice my presence until I spoke up.
"I have brought the reports you requested, sir," I announced as I set them down on his desk.
"Thank you, Miss Nagato," he said without batting an eye away from the window. "I'll be briefing the senior kansens soon, then the rest of the fleet. I suggest you take the opportunity to get changed while you still can."
"As you wish, sir," I replied. While I relished the chance to finally change back into my regular day clothes, I found myself wishing I could stay for just a little while longer, if for no other reason than to ensure that DeWolf had some breakfast. It wasn't simply a matter of pride because I happened to make the meal, but because as his ship secretary, I had a duty and obligation to ensure he was taken care of. Yes, just duty and obligation. "I brought you breakfast, sir. Please take a moment to eat when you can."
He said nothing, but I imagine his thoughts were too preoccupied with the previous discussion. If what Joseph said was true, then this operation got a great deal more complicated for him, and not just on the tactical level. He was still struggling to come to terms with his loss, and soon he could be face-to-face with the biggest monument to it. I wished for words that could offer him some measure of reassurance or comfort, but because I still had to feign ignorance, all I could manage was offering a few silent prayers as I departed.
"At 0422 hours, as per Akagi's last report, our objectives disappeared from all radar and sensor readings. Now thanks to our allies in the Crimson Axis, we were able to confirm sensor readings from that time period and confirm the presence of a mirror sea, which we can only presume is where our objective now resides."
The meeting with the senior kansens went by so quickly that by the time I arrived from getting changed, they had already concluded the bulk of the discussions. As such, I had to rely on the briefing that DeWolf was providing for the rest of the fleet to fill in all the operational details before our departure. Almost every kansen on base assembled in the main lecture hall, where the captain stood at the front beside a large projected image of the ocean to our northwest. A few flashing dots on the otherwise nearly featureless expanse of blue denoted our base's position, Akagi's current location, and the approximate whereabouts of where she lost sight of Choshu and Mutsu. Even at full steam, it would take the fleet several hours to arrive at the destination, and if any Siren patrols were in the area, then our enemy would have ample time to prepare their defenses.
"Our primary objective," DeWolf continued as a series of reconnaissance images appeared on the wall, which showed Choshu and Mutsu viewed from a high altitude, "is the recovery of Choshu. I won't lie to you: I cannot guarantee that she has not been convinced by her sister to switch allegiances. However, until there is concrete evidence of such, please presume that she will at least be neutral in the coming operation. Our second objective is the capture of the rogue kansen, Mutsu, that we have confirmed hails from the same timeline as Choshu. In order to avoid any confusion in communications, for the duration of this operation, she has been assigned the callsign of Rikuo. While I would prefer a peaceful resolution to this conflict, we must assume that Rikuo will remain hostile towards us. She is to be considered extremely dangerous; if spotted, radio in her location immediately and do not approach without back-up."
I sat off to the side as the briefing continued. The whole room was filled with eager, attentive kansens, and there was a palpable excitement in the air. Quiet murmurs and whispers were constant throughout the ranks. For most of the people present, this would be their first time seeing Captain DeWolf handling a military expedition. As such, many were likely curious to see how he would conduct himself. Would he be the type of officer who was swift and decisive, or more cautious and methodical? Would he lead from the front or from the rear? Honour and glory, or all for one and one for all? Since I had already witnessed what kind of man he was in a crisis, I was already confident in his abilities, and I hoped the others would see in him what I already knew.
"Now because the target has taken refuge within a mirror sea, I'm afraid we are going in with a lot more unknowns than I would prefer," DeWolf carried on. "For those of you lacking in personal experience, mirror seas represent a singularity in spacetime, and as such, once one crosses the veil, what you can find on the other side can be quite different from where you left. Inside a mirror sea, the normal laws of physics, time, and space may not necessarily apply consistently, and you may be confronted with things that may seem impossible. Communication within a mirror sea is often difficult at best, outright impossible at worst, and due to their unpredictable nature, it is not uncommon for those who enter a mirror sea together to wind up scattered once inside. As such, you will all be given a briefing package to review while en route. I want everyone to know not only their flotilla objectives, but those of the other units as you may be required to form ad hoc units, or even assume command yourself. Needless to say, be prepared for anything and expect heavy resistance from Siren forces."
With the click of a button, new images of curious structures appeared on the screen. They all featured tall, sharp-angled spires that scared the skylines, towering obelisks and monoliths, and almost alien-like cathedrals. Some of the images I recognized from intelligence briefings back in the Sakura Empire, but others less so.
"All mirror seas have a generator located somewhere within. Neutralizing it will be essential in order to escape at the mission's conclusion. If Rikuo is using the mirror sea to conceal her base of operation, it is a safe presumption that the generator will also be at our destination. Securing the enemy base of operations and neutralizing the mirror sea generator is the final objective of this mission. To capture intact would be ideal, but be prepared to destroy both if it is considered necessary for the mission or your own security. I know the top brass would love to have more Siren tech to play with, but your safety is my top priority. The fleet will be divided into four individual task forces: Admiral Hipper, Hornet, and Myoukou will be in command of the vanguard and flank forces, respectively, and myself and King George V will form the central fleet. Each flotilla has already been compiled and you will find the rosters in the information package provided. Lastly, since we can't leave the home port unprotected, base defense will be left under the command of Prince of Wales. Anyone not selected for the expedition is to report to her for assignment. Now if there are no concerns–"
DeWolf stopped mid-sentence when he noticed, as did I, that a peculiar silence had fallen amongst the kansens, and every set of eyes had panned over several feet to his right. More specifically, they were all staring at the nearby doorway where none other than Enterprise herself now stood.
"Miss Enterprise, I hadn't been informed you were cleared to return to duty," Captain DeWolf said, likely mirroring everyone's sentiments.
"I technically wasn't, but I'm not about to sit in a hospital room and watch the rest of the fleet deploy without me," Enterprise said as she strode up to the podium.
Standing alongside Captain DeWolf, the two struck a rather professional and inspiring look: a valiant, steadfast warrior on one-side who led from the front, and the methodical and analytical executive officer supporting from the rear. I suspected when the idea of bringing in a human officer to help manage the fleet was first proposed, this dichotomy and cooperative between human and kansen was what they intended. I could never have looked as compelling a leader if I were standing in Enterprise's place.
"Ah, well… I wish I had been given some advance notice. I could've provided you with a proper briefing, run down the strategic options for you…"
Enterprise interrupted him with a confident and supportive smile. "Don't worry, I have no intent on usurping your operation here. You planned this all out, you have every right to see it through as its commander. I simply want to be able to do my part as well."
One could see the tension in the captain's shoulders melt away at the reassurance that his operation wouldn't be stolen away from him. "In that case, Miss Enterprise, might I suggest you join King George V and I in the flagship. You'll be able to monitor the whole situation as it develops and decide where best to apply your talents."
"I think I shall take you up on that suggestion then," Enterprise said, nodding in agreement. She glanced up to the audience, who were all still silently watching the two as if expecting some big announcement. "I believe you still have a briefing to conclude, Mr. DeWolf."
"Ah, yes," DeWolf replied, as though suddenly remembering there were dozens of other people present. Clearing his throat, he turned to the gathered kansens. "Remember, above all else: this is a rescue mission, and I will be standing alongside you all as we enter, and I will not leave until every soul is accounted for. Nobody is getting left behind. Report to your assigned flotillas. Fair winds, and following seas to you all."
With the briefing's conclusion, the kansens all rose from their seats and began to file for the exits. If the excitement before was palpable, it was now overwhelming, although I could not be sure if it was because of DeWolf's words or the fact that Enterprise was returning to duty. If it bettered our chances at saving Choshu, though, I couldn't care less what their motivation was. As the occupants drained out, I headed over to join the captain.
"Let me guess, you snuck out once Vestal left to attend the briefing?" King George V asked as she joined us as well. "Are you sure that you're okay to fight?"
"I've fought through worse than this–" Enterprise's words cut off abruptly when she tried to take a step forward, and one leg just completely gave out beneath her. It was only through DeWolf's swift reflexes that she didn't end up a crumpled mess on the floor, although seeing her holding onto the captain, putting all of her weight onto him, didn't inspire much confidence either. "I'll be better once I'm in the water again."
"Don't suppose I could convince you to at least stay on the flagship and observe?" DeWolf asked before helping Enterprise to the nearest chair. "If I bring you back on a stretcher again, the admiralty will have my head."
"I'll… try," Enterprise replied, seemingly reluctant to even utter the word. "But I think you can understand that given how dangerous this operation could become, I'm not going to just sit back and do nothing. You're not the only person who wants to protect these girls."
DeWolf gave an understanding nod. "At least give yourself a minute to compose yourself before we head out. You wouldn't want the others to see you tripping over yourself before launch," he said.
"Pardon me, sir," I spoke up. "Might I inquire as to where you wish for me to be during this operation? I am still interned, so I would not be of any value in a combat operation…"
"Interned or not, you're still my ship secretary: your place is by my side," DeWolf answered. "If for no other reason, when things get chaotic, it'll be good to have another set of eyes and ears on the situation."
"As you wish, sir," I said with a polite bow. Even if I couldn't fight, I was relieved to be participating. To be left behind would have been… troubling, to say the least. I would never be able to sit still or rest easy not knowing what was happening to those that I cared about. Even without my rigging, I was going to do everything I could to bring Choshu and her sister home.
Before our conversation could carry on any further, we were interrupted by the arrival of yet another kansen. This time, though, it didn't appear to come as a surprise to Captain DeWolf when Akashi came along, pushing a trolley along with her that carried a trio of large cases.
"Hello, sir! I've brought what you asked for, nyaa," she greeted as she parked her trolley before the captain. "You sure this is all you'll need?"
"Unless you got a tank I can carry in my pocket, this is about as good as I can hope for," he replied.
I was puzzled as to what the captain would need Akashi to bring for him. My curiosity didn't have to wait too long as he went to the first case and opened it up, revealing a military shotgun and a pistol. He picked up the firearm and gave it a thorough inspection.
"Looks good. You brought the ammunition I asked for?" DeWolf didn't wait for an answer as he opened the next crate to examine the contents. I crept over and peered in: there were several boxes of ammunition, along with the means for one to carry it all into battle.
"You know those things won't even be able to scratch a kansen, right?" King George V commented, mirroring a sentiment that surely everyone around the trolly had as well.
"It's called being prepared for anything," he explained plainly before placing the firearm back into its respective case. "And if it's all the same to you, I'd like to at least pretend that I have some control over my fate should things go poorly."
As comical as it was to think that DeWolf could ever try to pose a threat to a fully armed and armoured kansen with a simple shotgun, I had to silently admit that there was still some merit to the psychological effects it provided. Warfare was, after all, as much a clash of wills as it was of arms, so anything that provided a psychological boost could still be seen as valuable.
"If that's everything you need then, I'll just be on my way," Akashi said as she turned to leave. She only made it about a step before DeWolf's hand shot out and snagged her by the collar.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked in a rhetorical fashion. "Nobody's sitting this operation out. You're with the central flotilla, so take all of this stuff and load it onto the King George V." He was referring to, of course, the actual battleship and not the kansen, as we would be sailing aboard the former with the latter accompanying us in person. From my understanding, this was not an uncommon practice for naval officers since a kansen warship was far more resilient against Siren attack than a conventional warship.
"Nya! But I'm just a cat! I'm not built for combat," Akashi whined in protest.
"Please, Akashi, we are not asking you to fight, but we may need your technical expertise," I reasoned with her. "You will be travelling with both King George V and Enterprise, as well as the rest of the fleet, so I assure you that you will be sufficiently protected."
She let out a reluctant, but accepting, groan. "Very well, Lady Nagato, I'll do what I can… nya…"
Her aversion was understandable: unlike other kansens, she had neither the armour nor the firepower to partake in any kind of combat operation, but her mechanical skills and technical knowledge were almost unparalleled in the Sakura Empire. In a perfect world, we would clear the operational site of any hostiles before bringing her in, but we did not know if we would have the luxury of time on our side. This mission could be 'take and occupy' just as easily as it could be 'smash and grab', so we had to cover all avenues as best as possible.
With the captain satisfied with the delivery and Enterprise feeling well enough to stand on her own two feet again, we all headed down to the main docks together. By the time we arrived, most of the fleet were already assembled in staging areas just outside the harbour. They were, much to our delight, excited and anxious to be underway. After having spent so much time training and waiting, we were all eager to see if our efforts bore fruit, and, more importantly, to finally take the fight to the enemy. Moored off in the distance was our flagship, Her Majesty's Ship King George V. A behemoth of steel, bristling with artillery and ladened with the finest cemented steel, her towering superstructure and sharp angles cut an imposing figure amidst the collection of cruisers and destroyers setting off.
Well, she wasn't that imposing. She may have had more guns, but mine were bigger.
"Been a while since we've sailed together, hasn't it, James?" King George V remarked. "Are you okay with the executive's quarters?"
"I take it I'm still banned from the admiral's suite?" DeWolf replied.
"Has it been the heat death of the universe yet?"
"Nope."
"Then be thankful I'm not shoving you in with the ratings."
"May I ask what this is about?" I interjected.
King George V promptly pointed a warning finger to the captain. "You breathe a word about it, and you're swimming home."
DeWolf replied with a silent gesture of zipping his lips shut. It appeared that my curiosity would have to remain disappointed for the time being, as I had no doubt that King George V would carry out some level of punishment, even if she weren't cruel enough to leave him behind. I still marvelled at how she could remain so casual with him despite the normal rigidity of the military command structure. It was easy to forget that he was technically in command of her and not just two old friends.
As we reached the gangplank and were about to board, our attention was drawn to the voice of Dr. DeWolf calling out to us as he raced along the pier towards us. On a hunch, I quickly looked to the captain and while everyone else was regarding the approaching scientist with surprise and curiosity, he looked… troubled. It was as if a storm were approaching.
"What are you doing here?" King George V asked as the scientist slowed to a halt.
After having to spend a moment doubled over to catch his breath, Joseph answered. "Listen, I know you're probably going to say 'no', but I have to ask–"
"Then why are you asking?" Captain DeWolf snapped back. His sudden, heated tone made everyone raise an eyebrow, save for his brother. "This is a military operation; it's no place for a civilian."
"Dammit, James, if the Ark really has come back then I should be there!" Joseph's words came as a great shock to everyone judging by the way their mouths hung open, save for the captain who instead was silently mouthing a litany of profanities. It didn't take long for Joseph to realize why everybody looked as though this was the first they had heard of this development. "You son of a bitch, you didn't tell them, did you?"
"Tell us what?" King George V replied.
"The signal we found from Choshu and Mutsu's last known position is a match for the distress signal used by the Ark," Dr. DeWolf explained.
"But Iroise Sea was four years ago," Enterprise said. "How could it still be sending out a signal after all this time?"
"Time and space don't need to work the same way in a mirror sea," Dr. DeWolf continued. "It may have been four years for us, but for the Ark and everything inside it, it could've all been yesterday."
There was a wide range of emotions on display amongst the people present. Captain DeWolf looked like he was bracing for a full-blown hurricane, and judging by King George V's furrowing brow, she was the one who was going to deliver it. Considering she was known for being one of the most level-headed of the Royal Navy's strong personalities, seeing her teetering between confusion and rage made me instinctively take a step back. She glared at the captain, her eyes burning in a deafening but silent scream for an explanation.
"It's an unverified theory based on data derived entirely from untested Crimson Axis technology," Captain DeWolf answered, remaining resolute in his opposition. "It could mean anything, so I won't distract our people with what ifs."
King George V was immediately in the captain's face, and were it any other person I would've feared for his well-being. "Bollocks! We have a right to know, especially me," she exclaimed, hands trembling just a hair's breadth from seizing DeWolf by his lapel. At the last second, though, she managed to calm her nerves and pulled away. "Even if you don't want to tell the others, at the very least, we should be notifying naval headquarters about this development."
"The second the Royal Navy hears of this, they're going to insist we stand down so they can 'assess the situation', which is a nice way of saying 'send in our people to sweep it under the rug'," Captain DeWolf countered, waving away George's concerns with a dismissive scoff. "I'm not going to waste valuable time–Choshu's time–waiting on a bunch of admirals sitting in their offices halfway across the planet."
DeWolf tried to side-step King George V, but she wouldn't allow it. "That's a load of rubbish and you know it," she snapped back as she matched him step for step. "The only reason you'd want to skirt around the admiralty is because you don't want to have to do what you know they'll order you to: reclaim the Ark."
"I don't recall asking for your opinion, George!" As the tempers flared, any semblance of the military chain of command melted away. It was clear this was no longer just a disagreement between officer and subordinate, but a dispute between two people with a long, twisted history.
"Prove me wrong, James!" she challenged as she gave him a one-handed shove, forcing him back a step. "If it is the Ark, what's your plan? What are you going to do that you don't want the admiralty to know about?" She stopped abruptly and gave him a more perplexed expression, a light shining behind her eyes as a new realization came about. "Unless this wasn't about the admirals. What are you hiding from me?"
"You are forgetting that this is neither a debate nor a democracy," Captain DeWolf said, meeting George's growing ire with a cold stare. "As the acting commanding officer, I have made my decision, and I expected my orders to be carried out." With his patience wearing thin, he finally just pushed his way past the obstinate kansen. Sure, she could have easily stopped him again given the disparity in strength, but I doubt someone as dutiful as her would succumb to that level of insubordination. "If you have a problem with that, you are free to trade places with Prince of Wales."
One could see the anger trembling through King George's hands. Any other man would probably have been killed where they stood if they had sparked her ire as the captain had. "If there is even a slight chance that we can salvage something from that then we owe it to her. You know it's what she would want."
"How many more people need to die before you people realize that thing was a mistake?" DeWolf shot back. For someone who was normally wary about how to handle unruly kansens, he remained absolutely fearless in the face of this one. "And don't you dare act like you know what she would want."
"Hey! She was my friend long before she ever even thought about dating the likes of you!" Now King George V got physical, although it was still restrained to a very forceful prod to the chest. Hopefully not enough to hurt, but it did make DeWolf take a half-step back. "Just because she chose to marry you doesn't make you the sole executor of her legacy."
To my relief, Captain DeWolf took the physical altercation in stride, as he merely straightened the wrinkles out of his uniform coat. "Maybe I got that impression when you didn't even bother to show up for the funeral," he replied, a calm bitterness to his words.
"I. Was. Deployed!" an incensed King George V bellowed. "The fleet needed me!"
"Because duty above all else, isn't that right?" DeWolf opined, a rhetorical twist in his words that dripped with judgement. Beneath his anger, though, I could see a pain bubbling to the surface, not too unlike when he confronted Akagi the night before. He was at least a bit more composed, and there was far less sadness in his tone, replaced instead with a cold bitterness. "You and the rest of the Royal Navy spent the past four years not giving a damn about any of us, pretending like the whole thing never even happened, so spare me the moral outrage. For god's sake, you wouldn't even let me tell her sister about Vicky's death for over a month. They had to find out from the newspapers."
The words struck so hard that his opponent just fell deathly silent, the emotion draining from her face and posture, as if someone had just tore her heart out. Even DeWolf's tension eased back, and he was no longer bracing himself. She just stared blankly at him in silence, until eventually Captain DeWolf just turned and left to board the battleship.
That left the rest of us standing around wondering what we had just witnessed. I finally understood why DeWolf said he could never make King George V his secretary ship, and why everyone had always been so avoidant of the matter regarding the Iroise Sea and the captain's late wife. It was clear that the incident had left a hole in both of them, and while they had sealed the bulkhead to contain the injury, the damage was never repaired. Now the door had been opened, and all the pain and misery had come flooding in at the worst time possible. I was at a loss of what to say, and a desperate look to Enterprise for some assistance found that she appeared to be equally lost.
"Are you okay, Miss George?" I asked, wary that some lingering anger might be turned upon me.
"I'm… I'm fine…" she murmured back, looking almost shell-shocked. "I… I just need a minute to be alone. Go on ahead without; I'll catch up later." She made a half-hearted wave off in the direction of the gangplank as she stumbled off in the opposite direction. I wasn't sure where she intended to go or what she planned to do when she got there, but it did sound like she needed some privacy to sort herself out.
Enterprise let out a slightly discouraged sigh. "Not off to a great start, are we?" she remarked.
"Indeed. The fight with Mutsu will be difficult as it is; to add infighting on top of that could spell disaster," I nodded in agreement.
"Sorry about all this," Dr. DeWolf said as he approached, looking equally discouraged along with a sprinkling of guilt. "I knew the whole subject could be touchy, but I didn't expect it to blow up like that."
"If you hadn't set off that mine now, it would've just happened when we arrived and found your Ark," Enterprise tried to reassure him. "Better it happened now, so at least we have some time to salvage the situation. I'm sure if Belfast were here, she'd know what to say to them…"
"Well, somebody will have to talk sense into the captain," I concluded. Neither of them said anything back, but I quickly noticed that the two of them were staring rather intently at me. "W-wait, you think I should be the one to speak with him? Are you not technically his superior, Enterprise?"
She shook her head. "I don't think this is a problem that can be fixed by simply waving ranks and titles around," she paused to place a hand upon my shoulder, a simple gesture of her confidence in me. "But I've heard about all the things you've been doing since you came here: with Choshu, with Charles Ausburne, with Montpelier. When you talk, people listen, and it's not because of seniority or hierarchies. Trust in yourself."
If nothing else, I had to at least try. If we arrived at the Siren base and our top military commanders were still too busy arguing with one another, it could shatter the fleet's entire cohesion. I just wish I knew more of what had happened because it seemed like everything just kept circling back to Captain Victoria Cunningham…