Chapter Thirty-Four

The klaxon call rang out three times, then a brief lull of tense silence, shattered by thunderous blasts that shook me all the way to my core, then calmness once more. Thirty seconds, and then it would start all over again.

I stood on the observation deck of the battleship, King George V, watching as her batteries of fourteen-inch cannons unleashed furious fusillades off into the distance. Personally, I was surprised that she even bothered to do so: our leading vanguard only encountered a scattering of Siren patrol ships, which they were more than capable of handling on their own. Supporting our lead elements with battleship calibre fire from this far out seemed superfluous at best; wasteful, if our engagement wound up being dragged out.

Another siren blared, and I braced myself for the next salvo.

My very bones rattled from the reverberations, but I could not deny that there was a certain exhilaration that came along with it. As much as I enjoyed my peaceful days, I was still a kansen and a battleship at heart. The scent of cordite and salt spray was a natural state for my kind, and despite all the ugly memories that came along with it, there was no denying that war remained our first purpose. A part of me yearned to be out there, with my kind and engaged in pitched, fiery combat, instead of watching it all through a pair of binoculars. However, another part of me was worried about what might happen if I did. The collar around my neck, the shackles upon my very essence, was put there because I had done the unthinkable and turned my weapons against my own allies. Enterprise and the others were saved thanks to quick action and being relatively close to port, but if the same were to happen, it could jeopardize far more than just the mission. The only thing that worried me more than being useless was being a threat to my friends.

The sirens rang, and the drums of war struck once more. A melody of fire and destruction; the symphony of my kind.

"I have no idea how you can get used to that," Dr. DeWolf's voice spoke up, soon followed by the man appearing at my side.

"If it troubles you too much, Dr. DeWolf, you could go below deck. Otherwise, be sure to breathe out and keep your mouth open before she fires," I answered. It made sense that a scientist wouldn't have much experience of what it was like on board a battleship in combat. It took me a few seconds to realize something was amiss. "Wait, Dr. DeWolf?" I exclaimed as I snapped my attention to the man beside me. "What are you doing here? I thought we left you behind at port!"

"Eating lunch," he answered with an awe-inspiring level of indifference to the very concept of consequences. And it wasn't just because he was, indeed, eating one of the premade egg sandwiches we had brought, but also because he openly admitted to stowing away on board a military vessel in direct violation of Captain DeWolf's instructions. "She's angry shooting, isn't she?"

Thankfully, waiting for the next salvo to fire gave my brain enough time to reorientate itself. Captain DeWolf was going to be furious once he found out that his brother was on board, although given the size of a warship, it could be quite some time before anyone noticed. It wasn't as if I brought him along, so it wasn't as if I would get in trouble just for having a conversation with him.

"You can tell that just by watching?" I asked.

Once the shock of the latest salvo had settled, Dr. DeWolf took another bite of his meal. "Well, I'm certainly no expert in nautical matters or military stuff, but I've been around George enough to know she doesn't usually fire in this much of a hurry, not under these circumstances."

I did not know enough about King George V to ascertain the veracity of his comments, so all I could do was nod along with it. Her shots did seem hurried, but I had, until then, attributed that to the zeal and daring nature that the Royal Navy prided itself upon. Were it me, I would be firing at a slower pace in order to make all the necessary adjustments between volleys. Hers, upon reflection, felt impatient… angry, as though getting the shots out was more important than making them hit. Then again, I only had four forward guns as opposed to King George's six, so I had to take more care in order to make each shot count.

"It is fortunate that they are not so angry with one another as to interfere with combat operations," I remarked. While it was possible that she was managing the firing and observations entirely of her own accord, it was more likely that she was working in conjunction with Captain DeWolf to more accurately plot the necessary firing solutions. Long range gunnery always worked better with more sets of eyes, and I could not see the captain as the type to sit idle while combat was underway.

"They're both professionals: they know how to put feelings aside and work together," Dr. DeWolf reassured me. "This is hardly the first time they've had a disagreement, and far from the loudest."

"Have they quarrelled regularly? I thought they were close friends."

"They are now, but that wasn't always the case. At first he was just simply tolerated."

"Because of Victoria?" I asked.

He nodded. "As far as George was concerned, nobody would ever be good enough for the Victoria Cunningham, and she's thrown out objectively far better suitors than James: admiral's sons… famed captains… rising stars of the Royal Navy… even a couple of princes." He chuckled and paused just long enough for another salvo to shake our teeth. "Everybody was just a brown-nosing sycophant as far as she was concerned. But what's a knight without a princess to protect?"

King George V would hardly be the first kansen to get possessive over something or someone. "It does make one wonder how Captain DeWolf succeeded where so many had failed," I remarked.

"He's like a tumour: he just seems to grow on you the longer he's around," he answered. It took me a moment and the sight of him chuckling between bites to realize it was in jest. I doubt I would ever come to understand how brothers behave. "But seriously, your guess is as good as mine. Love is rarely rational anyways, and once it became clear how Victoria felt, George didn't have much choice but to relent."

"It is obvious that Victoria's happiness was very important to Miss George," I postulated. She did love all things culinary, so it could have been a useful vessel to bring them closer. "Perhaps it can be used once again to help seal the rift between her and the captain."

"No luck talking to them, I take it?"

There was another pause as we both waited for the expected warnings to sound yet again, even to the point where we both stared at the nearby siren when it remained silent. A few moments later, though, our growing curiosity was settled.

"Be advised, combat operations have concluded. Ship is to remain on high alert," the captain's voice sounded over the ship's intercom, followed by a repeat of the same message.

"Your brother said he was 'too busy to talk'," I continued on with the conversation. As per the instructions, though, I remained on alert and scanned the horizon with my binoculars. "And King George V was likewise uninterested in dialogue. They are both quite stubborn." My attempts to reason with them were cut short when the vanguard made contact with Sirens. It was as though both saw it as an opportunity to vent some frustrations in the form of explosive, armour-piercing salvos. "Dr. DeWolf, may I ask you something?"

"I think you already have," he answered before finishing the last of his sandwich.

"Is this Ark truly as important as you say it is, or is it merely important to you?"

He pondered the question with an audible hum, taking a moment to lean against the railing and peer out to the horizon much in the same manner that his brother often did. "Honestly, it's probably the latter. Do I think the information in the Ark could help save humanity? Sure. Do I think it's the only way to save the world?" He casually shook his head. "That I'm less certain of. I like to think the situation is not so grim that there's only one hope for salvation."

"But you still feel as though you owe it to the people who died at Iroise to finish the project?"

He offered a guilty smirk and a half-hearted shrug. "I wouldn't be much of a DeWolf if I wasn't a stubborn idiot in my own way."

"I do not believe you to be an idiot for being devoted to a cause," I reassured him. "Although, your brother will not be happy when he finds out you have snuck on board."

"Let him," Dr. DeWolf replied as he waved off the concern. "I'm a grown man, and I can make my own choices. Plus, I'm just as worried about him as he is worried about me. So don't you worry your pretty little head about me–I know how to deal with my brother. Been doing it for years."

At least that was an aspect of sibling relationships that I could understand, as well as the desire to be in control of one's own decisions. I made a mental note to talk to Captain DeWolf about his brother, if for no other reason than to prevent too much arguing when he inevitably finds out about him.

My attention, though, was soon drawn away from the conversation when I spotted something in the distance through my binoculars. "How curious. It would appear there are some kansens on an approach vector to our position," I commented.

"The friendly kind, I would hope."

I adjusted my binoculars to get a better focus. Although they were still distant, I could see enough detail of their rigging to be confident that it wasn't Choshu or Mutsu. In fact, based on what I could see, I had a good idea as to who it was, which only made me all the more curious as to why they were coming over. Since I had nothing better to do now that the combat operations had ceased for the moment, I saw no reason not to head down to the main deck to investigate further.

It was refreshing to be out on the weather deck again. It was early in the afternoon, so the sun was still high in an almost cloudless sky, which made the outdoors a warm and welcoming affair. All around us was nothing but blue skies and even bluer seas, save for the occasional speck of grey of our allies in the distance. I would've spent more time on the deck except that gunfire had a way of making it difficult to enjoy good weather. When I arrived at the bow of the ship, the approaching kansens were now close enough that I could see who it was without the aid of any binoculars. I was still just as curious, although now more about the why than the whom, for I saw approaching our ship the young kansen I met at the party, Unicorn, and alongside her was none other than Kawakaze, my former steward.

"Greetings Miss Unicorn, Miss Kawakaze," I called out to them as the two kansens pulled up alongside us. Once they were close enough, I noticed that Unicorn was carrying some sort of package with her. One question was answered, but a new one had now taken its place, as it was unusual to use a carrier to run errands between fleets. Kawakaze alone could have done the task much faster, so why was Unicorn tagging along, let alone the one carrying the package.

"H-hello Miss Secretary Ship," Unicorn called back.

"Permission to come aboard," Kawakaze then requested.

Protocol dictated that permission had to be granted by either the presiding kansen or the commanding officer, at least outside of combat operations. Since I was neither, I couldn't very well invite them on board somebody else's vessel regardless of my own curiosity. However, I would then be surprised by the sudden appearance of yet another DeWolf at my side, although this time it was the officer.

"Permission granted. Welcome aboard," he shouted as he waved her up.

His arrival itself wasn't much of a surprise so much as the tone he struck when he spoke. If I hadn't witnessed his argument with King George V before our departure, I would have been completely oblivious to anything being wrong with him as he conducted himself with his usual civility and candour. I knew better, though, than to presume what the captain showed on his face reflected what he felt inside.

"So to what do we owe the pleasure?" DeWolf asked once Unicorn and Kawakaze had settled on the main deck.

Unicorn held the package close to her chest, seemingly using it in place of the small toy she routinely carried with her. "W-well, um… l-last night, I heard that Miss Akagi had to leave to chase after Miss Choshu," she began, her voice slowly growing more steady as she spoke. "I thought she could use a change of clothes, since she's still wearing her dress from the party, so I asked Miss Kawakaze for help."

"I gathered some of Akagi's clothes from her dorm before we departed," Kawakaze explained. "I had intended to make the delivery myself but Miss Unicorn insisted on taking part."

How considerate of her. I actually felt a tinge of shame for not having thought of it similar myself despite being closer with Akagi and was present when she departed last night. In hindsight, I had been so distracted with preparing for this operation that it just slipped my mind altogether.

"That's very thoughtful of you, Unicorn. Thank you," DeWolf said, which appeared to make the young girl blush a little. "I'm sure she'll be very happy to get into something a bit more suitable for the occasion. If you'd like, you can just leave it with us and we'll be sure to let her know you brought it over."

When he reached out to accept the package, though, Unicorn took a step back and hugged the package tighter. "Um, i-if it's okay with you, sir, I would really like to give it to her in person," she requested, a trembling anxiety returning to her voice.

A curious request, and one that left me with the same puzzled look that now adorned Captain DeWolf's expression. It was one thing for a carrier to make such a delivery, but it was another for her to want to hand it over in person. Logistically, it made zero sense, so it had to be for a personal reason.

"We are due to rendezvous with Miss Akagi soon," I said as I turned to DeWolf. "Our formations are not so vulnerable that her temporary absence would bring about unacceptable risk."

"I suppose that's true," DeWolf agreed, giving a slow nod, but his confusion lingered. "But… why exactly do you want to talk to Akagi now? Surely it could wait until after the operation. And I don't need to remind you about what happened at the party when the two of you met. She might not be very receptive to anyone from the Royal Navy at the moment."

"Oh, um… well…" One could see Unicorn's confidence begin to waver again. I knew not why the matter made her so anxious, but the fact that she hadn't backed down from it suggested that it had to be important to her.

"Perhaps, sir, it would be best not to pry," I suggested. "It is clearly a personal matter, and you would not want your kansens distracted by unresolved issues."

DeWolf shot me a look that let me know that my subtlety was not lost on him. "A fair point," he agreed nonetheless. "I presume you're just here to serve as escort?" he then asked as he turned to Kawakaze.

"Correct, sir. Given the current circumstances, I thought it best not to have a kansen venturing off on their own," she answered with her usual stoic professionalism. "With your permission, I would like to stay until her errand is complete, and then I will see to it that she returns to her formation."

"I appreciate the initiative," DeWolf said as he gave an approving nod. "Now Unicorn, I'm going to go and radio your lead. If she's okay with you staying here until we rendezvous with Akagi, then you'll be welcomed to stay. But if there's any kind of contact with Sirens, I want you back in formation right away, understood?"

The good news seemed to reinvigorate the normally timid girl with her eyes lighting up like a set of beacons. "Yes, sir!" she replied with a restrained enthusiasm.

If nothing else, Captain DeWolf was at least able to appreciate her zeal. "Miss Nagato, why don't you take our guests below deck and get them a cup of tea and something to eat?"

"As you wish, sir," I answered, followed by a quick bow. I gestured for Unicorn and Kawakaze to follow along and the three of us headed inside. There wouldn't be any big feasts available, but we did have a stockpile of all the egg sandwiches that King George V and the royal maids had prepared beforehand. A hot meal, no matter how simple, went a long way after sailing on the open ocean for most of the day.

"Thank you for your help, Miss Secretary Ship," Unicorn spoke up as we traversed through the narrow corridors and bulkheads that made up the battleship's interior. "I was so nervous making such a selfish request from the commander."

"Seeing as you are being so considerate to Akagi's needs, I believe it to be a fair request," I reassured her. I could only pray that Akagi felt the same when the time came. We arrived at the ante-rooms of the officer's mess. Despite being a ship of war, the interior was still quite lavish, as the sitting room was adorned with antique furniture and leather-wrapped recliners atop of colourful throw rugs. I escorted Unicorn and Kawakaze to some of the chairs next to the fireplace. "Please wait here, and I will return shortly with refreshments."

As I turned to leave, it shouldn't have come as a surprise to see that Kawakaze fell into step right alongside me. I was still so accustomed to her constant, near-unseen presence that I didn't even notice that she never took a seat. It was hard to see her as a 'guest' so it felt like a return to our natural state when she accompanied me to the galley. I could have asked her to stay behind and wait with Unicorn, but I knew her well enough to know how fruitless a request that would be. Her response would be an unflinching stare with those stern yet reassuring blue eyes of hers, followed by a terse 'I could never be your guest Lady Nagato.' That's just how she was, and sometimes words did not need to be spoken.

Now I may not have the grace or elegance of the Royal Maid corps, but I still knew how to be a good host. An appreciation for tea was something both of our empires had in common, so it wasn't difficult to prepare a pot for her, along with warming up one of the pre-prepared egg sandwiches, and included a small assortment of biscuits for good measure. I wasn't too familiar with the tastes of Royal Navy girls, so I just grabbed whatever was available and hoped for the best.

"Tell me Kawakaze, did you escort Unicorn for her sake, or was it for another reason?" I asked, given that we had some time to talk while we waited for the water to reach a boil.

Kawakaze leaned against the nearby counter, assuming her usual state of subtle vigilance. It didn't escape my notice that even though we were with our allies, her eyes darted to all of the nearby points of entry and exit. "Are you insinuating that I used her as an excuse to visit you?" she asked.

"I am, yes." I thought it best to give some of that honesty that she had encouraged me to embrace.

Her ears folded back as she averted her gaze. "And what if I did?" she murmured.

The response was both refreshing and reassuring. "I would like it very much," I replied. "My apologies that we have not had many opportunities to spend time together as of late."

"It's fine. Your duties as secretary ship have kept you busy, plus all… this." She gestured to our general surroundings. It was hard to deny that the whole Choshu situation had been something of a priority for everyone. "Not that I'm blameless either; I thought I should give you some space until you adjusted to your new position. I'm told it's a position that requires a close working relationship, and I didn't want to be a distraction."

I could not fault her for her reasoning. Working with Captain DeWolf took some adjusting, and if I had Kawakaze around the whole time, I may have relied upon her through the difficult parts rather than learn to stand on my own. Plus, if she caught DeWolf doing some of the things that wound up happening between us, there surely would have been violence, or at least an attempt at it.

"I appreciate your gesture," I thanked my friend. "When this operation is over, I hope we can spend more time together. Maybe even with Choshu and both Mutsus."

"Do you really think we can save her?" Kawakaze asked.

"I do." My answer, though, was as much my belief in our abilities as it was out of fear of the alternative. To sink her would be nothing short of catastrophic for Choshu. She had lost her sister once already; I doubt her heart could withstand that pain a second time.

Before the conversation could continue, the kettle let out a sharp whistle, and it was time to return to the ante-room. Thankfully, Kawakaze was not so stubborn as to try and take my duties as host away, although I had to admit that carrying a tray of tea and snacks through a vessel at sea was a bit tricky at first. Just trying to keep the clattering to a minimum brought about a new-found respect for the Royal Navy's maids.

"By the way," Kawakaze spoke, keeping a bit closer than she normally would just in case she needed to intervene, "I've heard a few… unsettling rumours about you and the captain. He hasn't done anything untoward to you, has he?"

"At worst, there was an unfortunate misunderstanding that was entirely my fault," I reassured her. I began to wonder if it had been those rumours that prompted her to come visit. Her worry was touching, but misplaced. "His conduct has been exemplary, if a bit foolish at times. Even when we were in the onsen together, he was a complete gentleman."

No sooner had those words left my mouth did I freeze on the spot and realize what a mistake they were. There was no way she could interpret those words in any sort of favourable light. Hesitantly, I glanced at my friend and saw she was already gripping her sword so tightly that she could've snapped the hilt in half.

"You were in the onsen with him?" she asked through what I could imagine was a mountain's worth of restraint.

"N-no! You misunderstand!" I quickly scrambled to initiate damage control. "I-I had no choice but to join him. Wait, that came out wrong. What I mean to say is, it was only done for his sake. No, that sounds even worse." My hands began to tremble as I tried to find the right words to undo the damage. To ruin the captain's reputation would be a stain upon not just his honour, but my own. "It was only done because Choshu and I felt obliged to show the captain a good time!"

Damnation, that just made it sound even worse. At this rate, she wasn't just going to think him some degenerate pervert, but she'll probably want to take his head as retribution! My hands were shaking so bad that the tea cups were almost dancing across the tray. Just when it looked like I would decorate the walls with hot tea, Kawakaze grabbed hold of the tray and kept it steady until I managed to calm down.

"You're a good judge of character, Nagato; if you support him, then I shall too," she reassured me. "I know you would take care of yourself, even in an onsen. It is not as if he's touched you while you were there."

"W-well… he may have patted my head a few times…" I murmured back.

Kawakaze's expression went completely blank as she fell silent. "Right, I'm going to cut off his hands now," she announced as she stepped back and turned to leave.

"Kawakaze!"

Instead of leaving, she just spun right back around and fell into step beside me. "Kidding," she announced and let twitch the faintest hint of a smirk.

I breathed a small sigh of relief that I wouldn't be cleaning up any dismemberment today. "And you claim to not be good friend material."

The surprises for the day would not end there, however, for when we returned to the ante-room, Unicorn didn't even notice my arrival at first. Her attention and gaze were drawn towards one of the nearby open doors, a look of worried contemplation written across her face. She was so lost in her own thoughts that the clattering of the tea tray as I set it down made the girl flinch and snap her gaze over to me.

"Is something the matter?" I asked.

"Oh, um… it's just that… Miss King George passed by just a moment ago," Unicorn explained as she gestured to the doorway she had been staring at before. "But… she didn't even say hello. She always says hello. Miss Nagato, is there something wrong?"

In retrospect, it only made sense that King George V wasn't the type to easily conceal personal turmoil. She had always struck me as the type to speak her mind and never hold back, so when something was bothering her, everybody could tell. The problem for me, though, was how to explain it to her? I didn't know how much security clearance she had, and it was easy to infer that DeWolf wanted to withhold that information from everyone considering he didn't even tell King George V. On the other, if Dr. DeWolf was right and we were sailing towards this 'Ark', then everybody was going to find out about it soon enough.

And I had a strong suspicion that even Captain DeWolf believed his brother's theory to be accurate.

"We have reason to believe that the base of operations for Mutsu and her Siren allies is the same outpost that the Royal Navy lost at the Battle of the Iroise Sea," I answered, finally deciding against deceiving her. "Or at least, it has some connection to it, as we've apparently identified its old distress beacon signal coming from our destination. She and the captain got into quite a heated argument over it. She must still be angry about it."

"Oh, I see." Unicorn nodded slowly, her confusion subsiding but not the worry. "But maybe King George V isn't upset. Maybe she's just scared…"

"Why would you think she's scared?" I replied as I began to pour out some tea for her. There had been a wide range of emotions on display when George and the captain argued, but none of them struck me as fear, or a derivative thereof.

"So many people got hurt at the Ark," Unicorn explained, "and a lot of bad things happened. Wouldn't you be scared to go back there?"

"True, but you are talking about King George V, knight commander of the Royal Navy," Kawakaze weighed in. She had already taken a seat nearby, but had insisted on pouring her own tea. "I have trouble imagining someone as storied as her being afraid of anything, least of all Sirens."

Her gaze fell down to her tea cup, which she cradled in her hands and basked in its warmth. "Last night, after you and Akagi left, I asked King George V why everyone was still so angry at Akagi," she recounted in quiet reflection. "I thought everyone sharing the same base meant we could all be friends. She said the others weren't angry at Akagi; they were just scared. Scared that Akagi might betray us again, or that she could hurt somebody like Captain DeWolf."

"How close were King George V and Captain Cunningham?" I asked before taking a seat.

"Almost inseparable. They've known each other since Miss Cunningham graduated from the naval academy," Unicorn answered, the thought of better times bringing some brightness back to her expression. "Miss Cunningham would always find a reason to throw a big, fancy party, and King George V would cook all the food."

While I had initial misgivings, the more I considered them, the more her suggestion seemed reasonable. Fear was a powerful motivator: fear of pain, of failure, of shame, of loss. People could go to great lengths to avoid the things they were more afraid of. As Unicorn said, who wouldn't feel some fear at the prospect of returning to the place where you lost somebody you cherished?

"Did you ever have any officers like Miss Cunningham in the Sakura Empire?" Unicorn asked.

"Personally, I do not recall any, but my position kept me… separate from such people," I explained. Though I had heard stories about officers from others, I knew none personally.

The response left her tilting her head in confusion. "But weren't you the flagship of your faction? Her Majesty always had an officer as her servant."

"I was more than just a flagship, I was seen as a divine oracle. As such, etiquette required that I remained removed from the influence of mankind," I explained without getting too bogged down in our empire's spiritual beliefs. "It was believed that I would be tarnished, otherwise."

She gave a slow nod, although I do not know if she fully understood it, or just accepted that as how things were for us. "Did you ever get lonely?"

My first instinct was to deny it, but I realized that if I wanted the people around me to be open with their feelings then I needed to set an example. "It… was, yes. Though I had Kawakaze and my sister to keep me company, it was until I came here that I realized the things that had been missing from my life and how much I had taken for granted," I answered as I reflected on how it took for me just to reach out to Kawakaze in friendship. "I have met many wonderful people here; people that I would not have otherwise spoken with had it not been for Captain DeWolf granting me the position of secretary ship."

"And do you believe he's tarnished you?" Unicorn asked, innocently enough but still a loaded question that made Kawakaze's ears twitch.

I contemplated what it even meant to be tarnished. I did not feel any less of a person for having met the captain, but we also had not known each other for too long. Although when I thought back to everything that has happened between us since we first met, a lot came to mind despite the short time. I had rescued him from death, gave him mouth-to-mouth, fed him dinner, cooked for him, worked for him, counselled him through his troubles, watched him laugh in joy and cry in grief; and in return, he had given me purpose, helped my friends, inspired me through both words and deeds, shared his pain, and comforted me through mine. He had also seen up my dress, as well as seen me naked on more than one occasion, and I had seen him near-naked on another. Looking back, even in that short time we had known one another, I had experienced almost as much as I had in all my years in the Sakura Empire.

"No; in fact, I do believe it has been quite the opposite," I finally answered. If anything, I had grown into a better person since meeting DeWolf. In my old life, I doubt I would ever be sharing tea and snacks with someone like Unicorn, unless it was fleet related. She would have been considered too 'low born' to meet with the divine oracle, not to mention being a member of a foreign navy.

"Well, it must be good for you to be smiling like that," Unicorn said.

"Smiling?"

"Yes, you were smiling just now," she said, beaming bright in amusement. "I don't think I saw you smiling at the party… or ever. You always look so serious and mature, but it's nice to see you can smile like everyone else."

"Usually Mutsu is the only one able to prompt such a response," Kawakaze added.

The remark took me by such surprise that I found myself pawing at my cheeks to see if there had been any lingering evidence. Had I really been smiling just now? I had absolutely no recollection of doing so, but perhaps that was what it meant to smile naturally. I would have thought it to be more noticeable, mayhaps with a loud crack or the tired groan of scraping rust. Of course, now that I was consciously aware of it, my face felt as rigid as a deckplate. I doubt I could replicate it even if I tried.

I decided to shift the conversation away from the subject of Captain DeWolf, if for no other reason than to avoid the risk of letting more of my feelings show subconsciously. Had it been Mutsu who saw me smile, there would have been no end to the inquiries as to what exactly had triggered that response, and while Unicorn was far more subdued than my sister, I did not wish to risk inviting any more curiosity. I could barely make sense of my own feelings, and any attempt to explain them to others would likely be disastrous for my nerves at best; at worst, a risk to the captain's well-being.

"Miss Unicorn, there is something that I am curious about," I spoke up when a peculiar thought crossed my mind that would not stay silent. "When you said you wanted to help Akagi, why did you ask for Kawakaze's assistance? I would have thought you would petition a friend like Ayanami first." While I did not wish to disparage my long-time bodyguard, it struck me as odd that Unicorn would seek help from her of all people. Surely one would seek out a friend first before consulting a stranger, especially when one was timid as Unicorn appeared to be, to say nothing of Kawakaze's stoicism.

"Oh, but we're already friends," Unicorn answered, looking genuinely surprised at my ignorance. "Kawakaze and I are in the same training squad. I admit she was a little… intimidating at first, but she's been so polite and helpful."

"I see you have been making friends in my absence," I said with barely constrained amusement. I could still recall how she described herself as 'not friend material.'

Kawakaze tensed for a moment, averting her gaze as she seemed prone to do. While this was expected behaviour from my perspective, it caused a flare-up of panic from Unicorn.

"O-oh! I-I'm sorry. Did I… was I presuming too much? Are we… not friends?" She hugged the package tight to her chest as she gazed up at Kawakaze with big, worried eyes.

Even I felt a little guilty just being in the periphery; I couldn't imagine what went through Kawakaze's mind. "Well, it's just 'friends' is a bit strong of a word…" she said, trying to remain stoic all the while she wrung her hands in her lap.

"How cold," I remarked. It was meant less as a criticism and more just a playful jab; suitable payback for what she put me through just a short while ago.

"I don't… dislike you," Kawakaze finally murmured.

Somehow, Unicorn seemed to take this as a victory, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. You really had me worried for a moment."

As for me, I was just glad to see Kawakaze branching out to other people.

I had lost track of the time when we finally rendezvoused with Akagi. Unicorn, Kawakaze, and I had drained the ship's pantry of a considerable amount of tea and biscuits during the interim period, and we were on our third pot when I heard the sound of approaching footsteps in the corridors adjacent to the ante-room.

"See? It wasn't that difficult to find the galley. There was no need for you to play chaperone," Akagi remarked as she and King George V stepped into the room. Needless to say, Akagi looked about as ragged as one could expect from someone who's been sailing since late last evening in a dress not designed to handle cruising speeds. Her hair was a disheveled mess that she was constantly brushing or puffing away from her face, and her dress had been left torn and frayed all along the edges. It looked less like formal wear and more like a set of sails at the end of their service life. It was a tragic waste of such fine tailoring, but it just went to show how dedicated Akagi was when it came to serving the needs of her people.

"Captain DeWolf needs his rest, so you'll just have to make do with me," King George V answered, sounding more stiff than she usually did. Hearing her refer to the captain by his proper name and rank was a bit like hearing a mother call out their child by their full name.

"Yes, yes, and I assure you, I will behave." With a dismissive wave Akagi turned to the rest of us, or rather the pot of tea that sat nearby. Sensing what she desired, even before she arrived at our table, I had a fresh cup poured out for her. "Thank you so much, Nagato; you are, as always, a port in stormy seas." She cradled the cup with both hands and breathed it in with a contented, revitalized sigh.

"I didn't know you were such a fan of our teas," King George V commented.

"I've been sailing all night in basically a linen tarp: I'd drink used bath water if it was served hot enough," she replied before taking a sip. "Ah, much better. Now, I'm told there's somebody who wishes to see me?"

Though Kawakaze and I had spent the last little while trying to reassure Unicorn as best we could, she was nonetheless still nervous when she realized the moment of truth was upon her. She rose from her seat, accidentally bumping one of the tables in the process as she fumbled the package in her hands. From the way Kawakaze fidgeted in her seat, I could tell she felt the same compulsion to intervene as I did, but we both recognized that we needed to at least let Unicorn attempt it on her own first. One could not learn to stand on their own two feet if somebody came rushing over at every stumble.

"E-excuse me, M-Miss Akagi," Unicorn said, her voice trembling even worse than her hands. "I, uh… t-thought you might be c-c-cold from sailing all night. So, uh… um, I… I…" Though her words remained unsteady, she was at least making progress. Suddenly, she must have steeled her nerves, for her arms shot out straight as she almost doubled over in what I could only presume was meant to be a respectful bow. "I brought you a change of clothes!" she blurted out at the end.

There was a brief, and hopefully genuine, flicker of surprise in Akagi's widening red eyes as she regarded the offered package. "Well, you didn't have to go all this way just to hand deliver it, but… thank you all the same," Akagi replied, tired but polite. However, because she was the only one unaware that Unicorn had more to say, she didn't even pay heed to the soft murmurings that followed.

That last push must've taken up all of Unicorn's nerves because she couldn't even get a word out, and one could see the panic surge when she realized that Akagi was turning to leave. Thankfully, now was an appropriate time for someone to intervene, and it was King George V who made the first move, shifting to block the nearest exit.

"I don't think she's quite done with you yet," she advised.

Akagi shot Unicorn a curious glance. "And what more could she possibly want from me?" she asked.

Unfortunately, like the rest of us, King George V didn't actually know what the purpose of Unicorn's visit was. "Maybe an apology for yesterday?" George offered up.

That couldn't have been the answer, but King George V had been so preoccupied with her dispute with DeWolf that she couldn't have known. Nothing in my conversations with Unicorn even hinted at the idea that she held any animosity towards Akagi. Whatever she sought, it couldn't have been something so mundane.

Akagi didn't believe it either, albeit for her own reasons. "For what? Telling her the truth that nobody in the Royal Navy had the courage to do so?" she scoffed. "The only person who deserved my apologies for last night was Captain DeWolf, and he has already accepted it."

"It still wouldn't hurt to offer one. She's a sensitive girl; you can't just swing your words around like a hammer like you do with the rest of us," King George V countered. "I'm not suggesting you get down on your bloody hands and knees, but a quick 'sorry' would go a long way to help smooth things over."

I was already regretting not intervening, as it was apparent that King George's soured mood had flooded into other parts of her. A challenge like that would only provoke Akagi further, and I could already see her tails begin to tense in anticipation. I think our only saving grace at this moment was the simple fact that Akagi was too tired to play those games.

"To what end? To make peace?" Akagi replied with growing impatience. "She's no reason to like me, and an apology won't change that."

King George V bristled as she stepped forward. "Oh, would you just pull your head out of your own arse for one bloody second–!"

"I actually think you're incredible!" Unicorn's shout silenced the entire room, if only because nobody thought she could actually reach that kind of volume. It must have been another burst of willpower from her because the moment Akagi turned to lock eyes on her, she began to shrivel up again.

"What did you just say?" Akagi's request sounded more like a threat: the kind of hard-edged tone that you reserved for when you arrive at the kitchen and discover that Yuudachi had gotten into the meat rations again.

"U-um, w-well, w-what I mean to say is…"

One could practically hear the sirens going off in Unicorn's mind as she scrambled to recover from what had been a desperate gamble of an outburst. Fear was quickly swallowing up what few nerves she had remaining. Still, I could see that she was giving it her all, and I finally felt it was an appropriate time to lend support. I reached over and gently took her hand. A soft squeeze was all it took to remind her that she was not alone in her struggle.

"Just speak from your heart," I whispered reassurance.

Whether it was my touch or my words, Unicorn soon calmed her fears. Her shaking subsided, and fragile confidence returned to her eyes as she met Akagi's gaze. "I… I don't hate you, Miss Akagi; in fact, I think you're really incredible," she repeated herself. "I always remember how scared I get when I have to fight, and how many things make me uneasy. But back during the joint training exercise you held, you saw all of the carriers of the Azur Lane and the Crimson Axis… and you just charged right at them! I… I would've been terrified, but you didn't even hesitate."

"That was just a training exercise," King George V remarked, sounding uncertain of what to make of Unicorn's interest. "And there's a fine line between bravery and just reckless bravado."

"I want to learn how to be brave too, Akagi!" Unicorn exclaimed as she jumped forward with clasped, begging hands. "Please teach me how to fight like you!"

Of all the reactions I expected from Akagi, stunned silence was not one of them, for that implied surprise or hesitation, both of which she avoided showing in public. After staring at the girl long enough to make a battleship look quick and snappy, she grabbed me by the wrist and hauled me off to the side.

"Is this your doing? Are you giving that girl ideas?" she whispered.

"I assure you, this is the first I have heard of her intentions," I replied. "Is her request a problem?"

"Of course not," she immediately denied. "I'm the senior-most member of the Kido Butai: I've trained every carrier in our empire. But she… she is an outsider. She's… different. If I start teaching her, she'll be…"

Akagi's words trailed off, although even in that short exchange I could sense an unease to them. At first, I thought she might have been worried people would think ill of her for training someone from 'the other side', but I couldn't possibly imagine anyone in the empire taking such an extreme position. Akagi was beloved and respected by her fellow kansens in the empire, and they would have seen such an arrangement as a badge of honour, of the Azur Lane recognizing the merits of our tactics. Before the Project Orochi incident, Akagi would've been the first to champion such a perception. So much had changed because of that ordeal, and the more I considered Akagi's words and actions over the past days, I began to think there was one underlying reason as to why she had been so distant from everyone, why she had avoided her training assignments, and why she left Kaga, a person she cherished more than almost anyone else, behind to watch over the home fleet.

"Are you worried because she wants to be like you?" I asked.

"I barely want to be me," she replied, plainly. "The Royal Navy certainly wouldn't want more, either."

"Your beliefs and dreams were twisted by the Sirens and turned into a weapon against the people you loved," I observed, watching my friend's reactions carefully. Her eyes were dull and listless, like a burnt-out candle. "Not that you would tell anybody how much it's troubled you. Like any good leader, you've put on a brave face and acted like your emotions are an unyielding mountain. I cannot tell you how to process what you've been through, only reassure you that there are people who care and will listen to you. I remember last night, you said that everybody was trying to figure out who Akagi was, but I suspect they are the people who are most troubled by that question."

Her expression softened, a moment of vulnerability as her gaze bounced between Unicorn and myself.

"Perhaps it is time for you to sail some uncharted waters," I suggested. "Sometimes you will find what you seek in the most unexpected of places."

A spark flickered within those scarlet eyes of hers. "It seems that I might be once more in your debt, Lady Nagato," Akagi replied before turning back to Unicorn. "Very well, child, if you wish to learn then I shall teach you what I know. Don't expect it to be easy, mind you. What you went through in that joint training exercise will seem like a river cruise compared to what awaits you."

"I… I'll do whatever it takes!" a fiery Unicorn declared. "When do we start?"

"After I've had a drink, food, a hot shower, and a long nap. I suggest you use that time to steel yourself."

Relieved that Unicorn's feelings were able to reach Akagi, I was ready to return to my duties when I noticed King George V leaving in a rather silent and unceremonious manner, which was quite unlike her. She had been close enough to hear my exchange with Akagi, and I wondered if something I said had reached her too.

I chased after her into the corridor. "George!" I called out.

She stopped in her tracks, but did little more than just glance over her shoulder at me.

"Four years ago, your closest friend died," I said with rather uncharacteristic bluntness. Sometimes force was required when dealing with stubborn people. "Have you ever even talked to someone about it, or was it always a case of the fleet needing you?"

As we just stared in silence, a part of me worried I might have offended her. It was such a heated subject between her and DeWolf, she could just as easily turn on me for daring to question her honour and friendship. For someone who normally wore their heart open, her cold, silent stare was more terrifying than any cannon's roar.

"I have to report to the bridge," she finally answered. "Wait in the executive officer's cabin."