09—Past Panoramas
Her struggle against the waves soon ended.
Using up every ounce of her strength, there was no hope for her to be rescued.
Not when the fleet was being subjected to heavy bombardment.
She resigned to her fate and allowed herself to be taken into the ocean's still darkness.
She watched the glittering surface slowly fades in the distance.
Her body soon thrashed about, screaming for precious air.
But it was a mere exercise in futility.
She just wanted everything to end.
And it did.
Her pain and suffering—all of it vanished in an instant.
However, as if suspended by some unknown force, her consciousness remained.
She wondered if she had already passed.
But once again, her doubts were met with a swift answer.
A sharp stinging sensation ran through her mind, and she could feel warmth returning to her body.
Another bout of unbearable pain drowned her senses.
Her eyes shot open as she gasped for air.
How odd.
She found herself in a familiar room.
Her eyes wandered around for the second time. Sure enough, she wasn't mistaken.
Beside her was the ghostly figure, unmoving in its seat.
Did the apparition save her in the nick of time?
She had no idea how long she was out, but what she had experience earlier wasn't a cruel dream.
In any case, she was glad that the ship survived the attack.
She slipped out of her blankets and tottered towards the door.
She wouldn't make any progress staying in her bed after all.
Upon reaching the bridge, she began to assess the damages sustained by the squadron.
It dawned on her that they were also one ship short—a destroyer identical to the one she was on.
Her heart suddenly raced. She felt lightheaded, needing to support herself against the nearest surface.
She tried asking the apparition standing next to her, but it didn't give any response.
Taking deep breaths, she rubbed her forehead in an attempt to soothe herself.
As she finally calmed down, she stared into the distance once more.
That moment, a single speck appeared over the horizon.
An island.
Her anxiety seemed to have disappeared in an instant.
Minako's office was more crowded than usual with the number of people present inside. Among them were Admiral Asai and two Council members who were invited to listen to the emergency briefing. Surprisingly, the officers made no qualms on joining them despite their hectic schedule—a reassuring indication that there were still reasonable figures among the Naval Domain's ranks who would listen to the commander without prejudice.
Attending meetings and conference with powerful and prestigious individuals was something that Inazuma was still getting used to, but to be in close proximity with one of the Navy's Head Directors in the world never felt so discouraging. He had an unmistakable air of superiority around him, which made him more intimidating with his considerable physique and stature. However, her fellow fleet girls didn't seem to share her sentiment as they chatted and poked fun at each other as if he was never there.
He seemed no stranger to any of them though, especially after hearing him complimenting Haruna on her brewed tea. The presence of Maricelle and the other two abyssal ships didn't bother him as well. Meanwhile, Chief Warrant Officer Kouji and Rear Admiral Sato spent the downtime chatting among themselves at the long table, occasionally stealing glances at her friends. While the two Council members had expressed their eagerness to learn more about the commander after the assembly the other night, it was apparent that they were looking uneasy and skeptical about this arrangement.
Inazuma thought that it was just the commander's reputation preceding him, but she still didn't quite understand why most Navy officers were acting so apprehensive in his presence.
A few minutes of nerve-wracking anticipation passed before Minako and the commander returned to the room with a few folders in hand. They moved to the forefront and kicked off their agenda as the commodore went through the relevant incidents that had transpired in the past weeks, including the abductions happening throughout Caffelatte. This provoked many questions from the attendees, and Minako promptly passed the floor to the commander.
Everyone quieted down again and gave their undivided attention to him. "Y-You guys… why are you staring so hard like that?"
"Go, Commander!" Fumizuki shouted.
His smile was short-lived as he took a deep breath and looked at the crowd before him once more. Everyone was confused since he hadn't spoken yet. Inazuma panicked as she realized that he was actually staring at her that whole time. W-What's wrong?
He shook his head. "Before I get to that, I wanted to inform everyone that the strike force involved in the raid hasn't made any kind of contact with the captive abyssal ships from the hidden research facility."
"How reliable is that intel of yours?" Sato asked, raising an eyebrow.
"We just have to trust their word on that. I'm sure you have noticed the increase in Abyssal activity around the island since yesterday—they're still looking for clues themselves."
She looked down at her tablet and swiped its screen a few times. "Are you saying that invading enemy ship didn't enter the holding bay—that all of the captive specimens managed to escape on their own?"
"That was I was hoping to happen when I leaked the security data to Serra. Her fleet's shelling temporarily disrupted the facility's operations, giving the captured Abyssals a window to break free."
"And for that reason, you've cost us millions of dollars for such an extremely reckless and selfish plan! The power network in that sector is beyond repair!"
He shrugged. "Better than getting the whole island destroyed. I already mentioned this in the previous assembly—everything else was irrelevant as long as they could find the cargo."
"I suppose you have an idea where they could have gone to?" Kouji asked.
"I don't."
"That's strange," Yurie said. "They should have returned to their allies after escaping. Were they recaptured somehow?"
"It's no longer my problem."
"Fine then. You already knew where Akatsuki and Murakumo were taken, right?"
He nodded, glancing at Zuihou. "Approximately thirteen hundred nautical miles, west-southwest from this island."
The monitor above him indicated the location with a red marker on the map. "Interesting," Admiral Asai said. "Is it an offshore base?"
"No, it's on an island spanning five miles in length and about three and a half in width."
Sato focused her eyes on her tablet. "But perhaps you are mistaken? There shouldn't be any islands in that sector." She gasped. "U-Unless…"
"Another one?" Kouji said, adjusting his glasses. "What's with these islands popping out everywhere?"
"In any case, we'll deploy in two hours," the commander said, much to the surprise of everyone. "We need to get a drop on them before they can fully mobilize."
"You're being hasty. We need to prepare accordingly to be able to stand up against the enemy."
"We already are," he said, glancing at Inazuma and her friends. "I'm not asking for a huge task force. I'll take anything you can spare."
"You should know where you stand by now," Sato told him. "We have enough reason to incarcerate you again if you insist on doing this with your self-serving authority."
"Is that a threat?"
"No, it's an order. For the sake of your subordinates, it would be in your best interest to cooperate with us on the grounds that will—"
He gave her a stern look. "Three years of protective custody was plenty of time to reflect on it, but I think I have to make this clear for everyone: I'm not doing this for you. It's not about gaining back everyone's trust or sympathy—not that I have a reputation to uphold in the first place—and it's not about pulling a childish stunt just to spite anyone either."
"Don't we all have personal agendas to cater with? We just cannot allow you to be fully in charge of this operation—we know that you need our help, but this one-sided arrangement of yours isn't giving us a lot of options right now."
"I'd say that you never had any choices to begin with. You will cooperate with us."
"Such arrogance will—"
"Sato, that's enough," the admiral said, looking at the commander. "Your urgency is noted, Yuu. But you should already be aware that we have corresponding protocols and procedures to follow and uphold."
"He's right," Minako followed. "One step at a time—you know more than everyone else in this room how much is at stake here. Rushing in blindly will only result in failure, compromising the lives of their prisoners and your comrades."
The admiral nodded. "We understand your concerns, and I assure you that our arrangement will be strictly confidential."
The commander grimaced, closed his eyes, and sighed. "I'm not so sure about that."
"You requested us for assistance," Sato said, "and yet you distrust us that much? We lost a few of our girls from those Irregulars as well."
"Huh," Einrost poured wine in the glass given to her by Haruna, "so they even snagged some here too."
"Which reminds me… Kouji, do you have any new leads about the abductions?"
"Those incidents were brought to our attention countless of times, but we have yet to figure out the exact motive behind them."
The commander nodded. "If they only wanted to use a fleet girl as a living battery for automatons, they could just grab the nearest vagrant they could find instead of intercepting capable fleets out in the sea."
"We already know that much," Kouji replied. "It's puzzling that they're taking such a precarious approach when they can just construct their own fleet girls to experiment on."
Minako approached the Council members and gave them a folder. "Are these... profiles of the missing fleet girls?" Sato asked.
"Look at their service records," the commander said, "then you'll know."
She stared down at the folder's contents. Seconds later, she started flipping the pages faster. "U-Unbelievable," she said. "Y-You managed to deduce all these?"
"I did nothing special here," he replied, rubbing the patch on his forehead. "Once you have all the relevant information, all that's left is to piece them together. I already had a hunch that they're cherry-picking experienced fleet girls, but with the help of Akatsuki, I was able to confirm it for real."
"Wh-What do you mean?" Inazuma blurted out.
"I used Akatsuki and Murakumo as bait."
"You risked their lives for that?!" Yurie shot up from her seat. "It's sickening that you've become that desperate just to get what you want!"
The commander just gave her a quick glance in response, causing Yurie to become even more frustrated.
"Now it all makes sense," Kumano said, clenching the hem of her skirt. "The feeling I had that time—they were almost too sure of themselves, as if there was an underlying purpose for their recklessness."
"Maybe I am desperate," he said, "but we pulled it off regardless. They're still alive and that's what matters."
"And that's your excuse?" Yurie said. "Einrost, why aren't you speaking up for—"
"He's right about one thing," Einrost replied. "And you know that I was the only person he consulted regarding that plan of his."
"What? He can't even guarantee that they're safe right now!"
"I know that." Einrost's eyes narrowed as he looked at the commander. "I was hesitant about the whole thing, but a heavy-handed slap to the face was all that was needed to convince me. That girl's seriously a pain whenever she tries to play superhero."
Yurie shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. "Hopeless, insensitive morons—the two of you."
He stepped in front of Yurie, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Come on, we haven't even started yet. Chew him out all you want later, but you have to trust him on this first."
She slapped one of his hands away. "Tch, but you still have to admit that it was a dumb move!"
He chuckled. "Well, I am a businessman—taking gambles like this is second nature. More than that, I have faith on Murakumo."
The commander nodded. "They might not look like it," he said, "but those two can take a heavy beating. I just had to make sure everything goes according to plan—I won't send them out there without a fail-safe of some kind."
"Shit, you can be pretty sadistic at times, you know that?"
"B-But we weren't able to save Sendai." All eyes turned to Jintsuu. "C-Commander, I believe the others should know about it too."
He hesitated for a moment. "Go ahead."
"W-What is it, Jintsuu?" Fumizuki asked.
The commander lowered his head and sighed. "Before I was taken in, I tasked her and Jintsuu to keep an eye on the fleet's cargo so that we could learn where they would take those captive Abyssals in the island. I wasn't able to contact them when I was detained, so tracking their movements was out of the question."
Jintsuu took a deep breath. "W-We quickly fled to a nearby island after we were found out by a fleet girl unit from the coast guard," she said, her voice starting to falter. "Sendai used herself as a diversion so that I can escape, but I wish I listened to her that time. Our pursuers didn't hold back—they crippled her until she was dead in the water and sunk her for good. I tried to run, but they caught me afterwards."
The cruiser broke down into tears. "T-They sunk Sendai?!" Nagara said. "Y-You're kidding, right?
Commotion in the room grew louder, but Minako quickly assumed control of the situation. "This never came up before—tell us more about this patrol unit that apprehended you."
"It was a unit of five fleet girls—one of them was a battleship and they're all wearing helmets of some kind. They also had a gunboat as backup while chasing us."
"Coast guard units, especially on patrol duty, aren't issued with C2 and C3 MAUs. We don't have plenty of those to go around with after all." She looked at Asai. "We'll have to investigate this later."
Yurie glared at the commander. "What do you have to say about that?"
He didn't respond. "N-No," Jintsuu said, rubbing her eyes. "It's not his fau—"
"And we're actually going to believe that he has everything under control? How about you, Inazuma? Don't tell me you're just going to keep quiet there."
Inazuma kept her eyes on the floor, keeping her emotions from bursting out. "I… I don't know…"
"No more of this blame game!" Uzuki shouted. "Seriously, stop it!"
"U-Uzuki?"
"He screwed up there, sure, but I'll gladly help him too when given the choice," she said. "I haven't given up on Yayoi and I'm sure you feel the same way. I just can't believe we're wasting our time arguing here while the others are suffering right now!"
"You heard her," Maya said. "Personally, I can't wait to crack some heads later. Those bastards are gonna pay."
Einrost picked up his glass next to his seat and took a swig. "I've already committed to this plan, so no point arguing over it. We need you in this, Yurie—don't stress yourself out like that."
"Alright, I get it," Yurie said, sitting down. She looked into the commander's eyes once again. "This better be worth everything, Yuu."
"Of course, I made a promise, and I don't intend on breaking it. I know what I signed up for when I joined the Peacekeepers."
Inazuma looked at Hatsuyuki, and the latter did the same. Was that…?
Minako nodded. "Once we secure that base, everything else will follow. I need everyone to focus for now as we still have a lot of things to sort out."
The meeting finished on a somber note and everyone started their preparations. Inazuma and Hatsuyuki stayed behind as they accompanied the commander for a physical checkup. They watched Mica set up a delicate-looking device connected to her laptop. Afterwards, she donned a lab coat and walked in front of him. "So, what seems to be the problem, my esteemed client?"
"Enough playing around, alright?"
"Same tests as always, but just to be sure, I have to ask if you've suffered any traumatic injuries recently." The commander cast his gaze to the side. "Hey, I'm asking you."
Inazuma gave him a stern look. "Well, he got shot the other day."
"H-He got what?!" Mica shook him by the shoulders. "Where? Show me!"
"In the chest."
The commander narrowed his eyes at her, but she strengthened her resolve and returned an equally indignant look. "Take your shirt off!" Mica grabbed one side of his coat, yanking it away. "Grr… I thought you want me to finish this quick?!"
"Ngh, fine."
Hesitantly, he removed all his upper garments one by one. As he was left completely bare, a gasp escaped Inazuma's lips.
She already had her suspicions, but seeing it with her own eyes still surprised her anyway.
It wasn't just his forearm—the mutation had already consumed his entire right arm beyond recognition, and the mechanical frame attached on his shoulder was the dividing line between the mutated flesh and his torso.
As she recalled, the commander needed the device on his shoulder to assist him with his arm's movements. She was no techie, but it was probably one of those medical exoskeleton frames that allowed people to move disabled joints and limbs
He crossed his arms and glared at the two destroyers. "You girls are staring too much."
"Hmph." Inazuma looked away, narrowing her eyes.
On the other hand, Hatsuyuki had a glum expression on her face. "C-Commander… your arm."
"Uhh, you're not even a girl," Mica said, typing at her laptop. "Why are you acting so nervous like that?"
"I-It's just…" His lip quivered, averting his eyes. "J-Just get to work already."
She giggled. "Okay, okay."
Mica pulled a small drawer from the device, housing electrodes and sensors of various colors and sizes. When she was done unraveling their cables, she secured them on various points of his chest and right arm. Finally, she took out a long cable from her backpack and used it to connect the laptop to his forearm terminal.
As everything was ready, the device gave off muted beeps in a set interval as the built-in screen began to display the readings. Each reading didn't take more than half a minute, and they repeated the process a few more times with different settings and slightly varying placements of the sensors.
Mica went through the results on her laptop for the last time. With a final tap on the keyboard, she stretched her arms up. "Done!"
"How bad is it?" Minako asked from her desk. "That grayish blotch around his wound, I mean."
"He temporarily turned off the suppressor module to reactivate the nearest infected cells from the fresh wound." She ran a finger on the gray vein-like pattern crawling from his right shoulder. "Well, it did the job, but—"
"I would've died if I didn't do it, Mica," the commander said.
She leaned closer to his face. "Are you sure?"
"Why would I even lie about it?"
"We told you that you shouldn't deactivate the module on a whim."
"Didn't you hear what I just said? Th-That's not—"
"No means no." A hissing sound was heard as the lock mechanism around Mica's neck was released. She took off her helmet, dropping it near her feet. "Do you want to become like me?"
Inazuma was breathless, seeing her face for the first time:
Her skin was horridly scarred and deformed, similar to the commander's arm.
Her bloodshot eyes gave off a translucent purple glow. Her crown didn't have a single strand of hair donning it. Instead, purple vein-like bulges covered the top of her head, running down to the left side of her face.
It was a horrific, yet pitiful sight.
"You're being absurd." He directed his gaze to the floor. "I know you always want to make your point across at the cheapest way possible, but could you stop doing that?"
"W-Well… unless you take our words to heart… I'll keep haunting you with my face." Short of breath, Mica picked her helmet up, smiled, and wore it again. "Whew, haven't done that in a while!"
"What's your recommendation?" Minako asked, handing over her empty teacup to Haruna.
"We have to take him to Kyrie ASAP." She began removing the sensors off the commander's body. "Like, right now."
"W-Wait," Inazuma said, "take him to where?"
"Garnyza, just past the border of Mainosa."
"Th-That far?!"
"Well, that's where Kyrie's currently hidi—erm, staying right now. Sneaking him through the mainland shouldn't be that much of a problem, but we'd really appreciate it if she had picked a more accessible place."
"And is it really that bad? His condition, I mean."
"Since the mutation has already started to spread past the suppressor's scope, it needs to be reconfigured sooner than later. I can do it on my own body, but Kyrie knows his case better than I do." She looked down as her voice became shaky. "I can't screw it up, you know?"
"You heard Mica," Minako told the commander. "Just leave this op to us and—"
His face twisted to a scowl. "What? You can't be serious."
"I'm sorry," Mica said, "but we really have to get you there before the mutation gets worse."
"I'll consider it after we finish our business here."
The commodore stood up and picked up her tablet. "So, you do plan on participating."
"Do you have a problem with that?"
"I have this feeling that there's more to our case than meets the eye. Your involvement in the previous incidents and your commitment in bringing light to the truth, it is certainly intriguing."
"You guys really love being cryptic and stuff," Mica said, cocking her head to the side.
"I have to attend a meeting downstairs. Do what you must to prepare for the operation."
"H-Hold on, what about—"
"Even if we tie him down and stuff him inside a steel safe, his stubbornness will find a way out. Honestly, I don't want to make our situation any more complicated than it already is."
Mica and Inazuma exchanged exasperated looks and nodded. "Can't argue with that," Mica said. "Nnn… fine. We'll take him after the operation, and that's final."
"It feels that I'm being insulted somehow," he said.
"Anyway, why are you being summoned by the Council again? Didn't they call you in just a few hours ago?"
Minako stopped at the doorway, glancing at them. "Well, the same old Novus Terra folks want me to be held accountable for the news reports that have been circulating since yesterday. They're quite convinced that I was the one who tipped the senior archive contributor on the movements of Yuu's comrades during the raid."
"Yeah, I've been wondering about that," the commander said, staring at Mica. "I can't think of anyone on this island who would even try to salvage my reputation."
"W-Why are you looking at me like that?" Mica asked, turning her head away.
"Are you sure you're not involved with her?"
"O-Of course not!"
"Um, what did Miss Cisa do?" Inazuma asked. "Did she get in trouble?"
"Not quite," Minako replied. "It's just that some of my colleagues aren't happy that she was able to document your assistance in the raid, providing indisputable evidence against anyone who would say otherwise."
"A-Ah, that's right. She did tell me that the Navy officials wanted to keep it confidential."
"I've stalled myself long enough, so how about we save the rest of the discussion for later?"
"U-Um, yes!" Inazuma stood straight and gave her a salute. "I'm sorry, Miss Minako."
"I'll excuse myself for now. Please ask Haruna if you need anything else."
As the commodore left the room, Mica continued putting her things away. "Sheesh, would it really kill them to give you guys credit for once?"
"H-Hatsuyuki," Inazuma said, "you've been intensely staring at commander for a while now…"
"C-Commander," Hatsuyuki pointed at the terminal on his arm, "where did you get that?"
He raised his forearm, giving an obstructed view of the device. "Oh, you know what this is?"
Hatsuyuki nodded twice. "I've seen similar pictures at the Nexus Archives. The form factor and design of the device—it's most likely a customized Enterprise-grade Generation 5 terminal."
"Wow, you know your stuff, Hatsuyuki!" Mica said. "It's also the fourth and final iteration of the fifth gen terminals, which was used as framework for modern smart terminals we use today!"
"Ah," Inazuma said, "older terminals are all bulky and heavy, right?"
Hatsuyuki stepped closer and leaned towards the device. "I've read that the exterior casing is made out of some high-grade titanium alloy. The Navy's standard-issue units will look flimsy when you put them side by side."
Mica nodded. "His terminal has abussosium mixed in for extra durability and corrosion resistance. Well, it has to work at all times since it's the one monitoring the suppressor module on his shoulder."
"The terminal's embedded in his forearm… but how did he make it fit like that?"
"We removed the battery compartment, the sensor array and its camera, and the auxiliary ports—basically all the bells and whistles. Freed up a lot of space."
"Th-Then how do you power it?"
"With his blood. Convenient, isn't it?"
Hatsuyuki looked at the commander. "I… I see. How nice."
"Are you two done?" he asked.
"Y-Yeah." Mica sighed. "All this talk is somehow making me feel old."
"For the record, you're not exactly young anymore, Mica."
"Sh-Shut up!" She pulled a trolley carrying a silver case and a cardboard box. "Minako already gave her approval, so there's no point holding on to these any longer. Well, they're yours anyway."
She opened them both, revealing three augmentation units: the case had a pair of vambrace-type armor unit while the cardboard box contained an all-purpose modular pack.
"Class 3 units?" Hatsuyuki said.
"Yup, based on the prototype he used years ago. I went and searched for my old backup drive just so that I can integrate his personal settings into the units too." As the commander reached out for the arm guards, one of the units jumped out of the case and attached itself on his right forearm. The guard whirred as it expanded a bit more outwards, attaching mag-ion receptors on his palm. "Perfect fit, isn't it? I'm sure you'll get used to it quick."
He admired the arm guard with wide eyes. "Well, this is new."
"And here's yours, Hatsuyuki." Mica gave her a card case. "Me and some lab fairies made the final adjustments as instructed by its maker. I'm sure you'll love its features."
With a confused look on her face, the destroyer took the case and removed the card inside. "Th-This is mine?"
She jutted her thumb at the commander. "He had it made for you."
The commander wore his coat over his shoulders. "Anything's fine, right?" he said, inspecting a marine combat uniform he received from Mica. "Lots of ideas were shared on developing that unit."
"Isn't this… expensive? And you're just giving it to me?"
"Rather than letting all our funds sit around in a suspended account for who knows how long."
"Elaborate on that please," Inazuma said. "I haven't had the chance to check our fleet's account since we left Auspice, that's why—"
"I spent it all."
"Wh-What?! B-But we just received the reimbursement fee and two more miscellaneous payments when Fumizuki was—"
"Okay, I don't get why you're so surprised when you handed those cards over to Urakaze and the others yourself."
"S-So those equipment cards..." Inazuma sighed. "I should've figured that they had to come from somewhere."
Hatsuyuki had a small smile on her face as she nodded. "T-Thank you, Commander. I'll take care of it."
"Why not give it a try now?" he said.
Bathed in a soothing light, she released her equipment all at once. Inazuma immediately noticed the new unit attached on Hatsuyuki's funnel. The design looked similar to the commander's modular pack, but each side was fitted with a pair of autocannon turrets.
She gasped and brought out her shield. "The colors match! That's cute!"
"Heh, all that's left is a flag for that authentic touch," Mica said.
Inazuma looked at Hatsuyuki, who seemed to be in a daze. "W-What's the matter?"
"My fairies are giving me instructions."
"Instructions?" she asked.
"Ah, right," Mica said. "Her fairies have to train on using the drones."
"So, they're just like the planes that fleet girls use?"
The two cannon mounts separated from the main unit, hovering just above them. "A-Awesome," Hatsuyuki said.
Suddenly, the turrets accelerated and began circling the office, knocking over items displayed in the cabinets and bookshelves. "Kyaa!" Haruna cried as she crawled towards the shattered remains of a tea pot. "Th-The souvenir we got from the Izumian imperial princess!"
"Hawawa!" Inazuma shielded her face with her arms. "So fast!"
Mica squatted beside the sofa. "Easy there! Try to—" One of the drones crashed through the already broken window, shattering the remains of its pane. "Uh-oh…"
Hatsuyuki started to panic as she ran towards the window. "All of you will get a turn, okay? So, stop fighting already!"
"Th-They're fighting over the controls?!" Mica followed and poked her head outside. "Have them activate the unit's recall function!"
"Listen, damnit!" Hatsuyuki shouted. "This is just embarrassing to the commander! No buts or I'll destroy this unit myself!"
Inazuma was astonished. "H-Hatsuyuki?"
"And you're actually talking back?! You guys won't be getting any ice cream from me ever again!"
That seemed to do the trick as the drone flying in the room stopped and hovered behind her. The runaway drone made its entry through another window before making a curve towards her, and one after another, the turrets attached themselves to the main unit with a distinctive click. The look of relief on Hatsuyuki's face quickly disappeared as she scanned the messy room before her.
Mica sighed. "As we just experienced firsthand, try not to deploy the drones indoors."
Hatsuyuki's shoulders slumped. She looked conflicted, fending off the urge to cry. "S-Sorry… I'm gonna tell Miss Minako about this later." She stepped around the glass shards on the floor. "M-Miss Haruna, where do you keep your cleaning tools?"
"That can wait," the commander said as he walked towards the bathroom. "You three should get ready."
"Huh?" Inazuma said. "I thought we have to wait for the Admiral's clearance first? I mean, we still have at least an hour to—"
"For a former Navy fleet girl, I thought you would know better about preparedness and constant vigilance in any circumstances."
Why is he being so pushy all of a sudden? She didn't know if she was overthinking things again, but there was something about the commander's overall bearing earlier that kept bugging her.
After helping Hatsuyuki to calm down, they did a quick maintenance check of their equipment with Mica. Inazuma also opted to take off her jacket, leaving it in Haruna's care for safekeeping. After all, she felt certain that she wouldn't get through this next operation with only minor burns and tears all over her body.
When they were about to finish, the commander returned to the main room with his gear already equipped. "All set?" he asked, panting.
"You okay?" Mica asked.
"Yeah," he grimaced as he tapped his right arm, "just had another episode."
She gave a long sigh before giving him a mag-ion cell. "Just for this day, okay? We really need to get to Kyrie before it's too late."
"Give me a sec." He sighed as he took off his combat vest and jacket, feeding the cell's contents to the suppressor unit. "Thanks."
Mica turned around as she pulled the trolley next to the doorway. "Commander," Inazuma said, eyeing the fresh scar on his forehead, "is this what you were referring the other day? About not having enough time to spare?"
"There's more to it frankly." He secured a Peacekeeper beret on his head as he finished dressing up and gestured to the door. "Physiological effects are a given for AM mutations, but there are cases where it messes with your brain, down to the subconscious level."
"The symptoms vary from person to person," Mica said, facing the rest of them. "Hallucinations, extreme mood swings, and even personality disorders. AM mutations are a pain in the butt because they're that unpredictable!"
Inazuma gulped. She didn't know whether she should be surprised or worried that the two of them could talk about their condition like it was an everyday phenomenon. "But... what about you, Miss Mica? Your whole body is already affected... but you seem fine at least."
"Oh, my body?" She patted her chest. "Well, I may look healthy now, but I have my own episodes every now and again too. And there's no telling that I'll be able to last for the next—"
"Mica," the commander said, giving her an intense glare.
"I-I know. Jeez... I'm not giving up that easily."
Almost as if trying to escape from the awkward atmosphere that she caused, Mica stepped into the corridor and motioned at them to get moving as well. Inazuma and the rest exited the room and followed Mica leading the way.
"Commander, how did you get that arm in the first place?" Hatsuyuki asked.
He paused for a moment. "Around a decade ago."
Her eyes widened. "Y-You were there?"
"Yeah."
"E-Eh? Around ten years?" Inazuma counted with her fingers, letting out a gasp as she caught on. "Y-You mean... Midsummer Exodus?! Does that mean you're from Tropielle?!"
The commander was taken aback as well. "Y-You don't have to sound that surprised."
"H-How should I know when most of your records are all made up?" Calming down, Inazuma put a hand on her chest. "B-But it was a miracle that you are alive after what happened there."
"Only because the island where I used to live was the farthest from ground zero. We still got hit badly—the Abyssals crushed the Navy outpost and made their landing with guns blazing. I wouldn't even call it a fight."
"A-Ah… I'm sorry."
"Don't be. If it weren't for you girls, the casualties would have been unprecedented." He pointed at Mica. "She's also a Tropielle-native, by the way."
"So, her injuries—" She stopped herself, feeling guilty.
"She suffered way worse than me, but it's easy to forget that fact seeing her peppy all the time."
"U-Uhh," Mica said, wagging her finger, "I can hear you guys, you know?"
He smiled. "This gloomy talk won't get us anywhere."
"C-Commander," Inazuma said, "just one more thing… it's about the meeting earlier."
"What is it?"
She gulped as she walked close to him. "Sendai," she whispered, "she's still alive, right?"
"No, she's dead."
She narrowed her eyes. "Really?" He launched a glare at her, causing her to flinch and retreat to Hatsuyuki's side. "Why did he lie to everyone like that?"
"Play along for now," Hatsuyuki whispered back. "He might have another plan."
They walked through the bustling lobby, ignoring the inquisitive eyes around them. Some weren't even subtle about showing their disgust and anger seeing them. Inazuma found some breathing space as they went through the west wing corridor and exited the building from there.
Unfortunately for her, there was no shortage of unwanted attention outside either. The commander told them to quicken their pace this time as they headed straight to the compound's southern gate. An officer called out to the group, ordering them to stop. "Ignore him," the commander said. "Keep following Mica."
Inazuma couldn't help but feel even more nervous. Although her conscience demanded answers, she couldn't bring herself to ask him, locking her in a self-induced loop.
Ahead of them, Mica held up her identification and executive access cards for the guards to see. As they were cleared to leave the compound, Inazuma glanced back to see the same officer and a few armed marines running towards them. "C-Commander, what now?"
"Break!" Mica whirled and tossed the disc-like device attached on her back. As it landed past the gate, the disc transformed into an armored turret and fired at the pursuing marines.
Inazuma gasped as she stopped running. "B-But they'll get—!" The soldiers were knocked off their feet as the turret fired in quick succession. "S-Slug rounds? N-Nevermind!"
The group took a path down a slope leading to a familiar marketplace. Marines stationed there noticed and fired at them. Inazuma's group dived to the nearest structure they could use as cover.
"W-Why are they shooting at us?"
"A minute too late to ask that now," the commander said, producing a smart bomb from his supply pack. "And you don't actually need to take cover, you know?"
"Why would I want to get hit?!"
"Stay put," Mica said over the comms. "I got this."
Inazuma turned to her right. "Huh?! Where did she—"
Gunfire erupted once more, but they could also pick up disgruntled and panicking voices of the soldiers. As she peeked from their hiding place, the marines were being attacked by something unseen. She focused her mag-ions into her eyes. "I-It's her!"
Mica moved from target to target with surprising agility, knocking each of them down with a single hit. The remaining marine anticipated her movement as he tried to smack her with his rifle's stock, but she quickly caught it with her hand. "Wow, you noticed me?" she said, deactivating her optical camouflage. "Pretty good!"
"W-Wait, aren't you that kid technician from R&D?"
"Yup!" She yanked the rifle away, snapping it in half. "I don't have to hurt you, so stay down and—"
A down marine fired his pistol from behind, but the bullet merely bounced off her helmet, causing her head to stagger slightly. Without looking back, she raised her right hand and the marine was brought into the air. And when she pointed forward, he flew straight into a coal shack.
Astounded, the man tottered backwards and finally fell on his bottom. "I… I'm gonna sit this one out."
Mica chuckled. "You made the right choice." She turned around, waving a hand at Inazuma and the rest. "Let's go!"
They proceeded further down the island until they reached the coastal village where Urakaze and the others were staying. Mica ran towards the shore and climbed on a boulder. "Behold," she said, gesturing at the distorted space beside her. "Frigate Stork Mark 2!"
The camouflage disappeared, revealing an aircraft of some kind. It sported retractable wings similar to the recent VTOL models used by the Navy, but its elevated cockpit and compact appearance made it stand out from the rest. "Looks familiar," the commander said.
"Stork?" Inazuma said. "You mean… the bird?"
"Yup," Mica said, holding up three fingers. "They can walk on land, float on water, and glide in the air. Some of them can even dive into the water to catch their prey! They're really versatile for a bird, don't you think?"
"Right, now I remember," he said. "It's that Frontier-class APTV prototype you guys were working on, right? How the hell did you manage to steal this?"
"What? No! They were gonna scrap her since the project was discontinued, so—" They looked up as they heard the humming rotors of a gunship quickly growing louder. Fighter planes could also be seen approaching from the south. In a fit of panic, Mica repeatedly tapped her terminal's screen. "Th-This isn't good—the rear hatch isn't responding!"
Aster's voice was heard through their comms. "We've been trying to access the system's master control. Can you remove the authorization lock from your terminal?"
"Huh? I didn't put any user restrictions on the system!"
"It appears that the system has initiated a lockdown on its own."
"The control panel doesn't seem to work too," Chikuma chimed in.
Then they heard another familiar voice. "Get out of the way—I'll tear it down myself!"
"Mari, no!" Mica cried.
"Call me that again and I'll smash my knuckles into your pathetic face!"
"Quit bein' stupid," Ryuujou said. "You ain't gonna solve anything with that attitude!"
"What did you say?!"
The commotion inside erupted into a brawl. "A-At this rate," Mica said, "they'll destroy our getaway before we could even board it!"
And just as Inazuma had feared, the gunship emerged from the trees behind them and began firing its cannons. She instinctively deployed her shield, but Hatsuyuki was faster—the pair of drones hovered in the air and released a significantly larger field, shielding them from the shower of lead.
"Yuu," Mica asked, "what should we do?"
The commander stepped forward, peering at the side of the aircraft. "Maybe we can force it to open if we—" As soon as he put a hand on the hatch, the vessel's color shifted to a darker scheme: a glossy black body with red and gray highlights. "O-Okay, that happened."
"Wh-What did you do?!"
"D-Don't ask—wait, Marvie's inside, right?"
"Y-Yeah, what about it?"
The commander shook his head. "Marvie!" he shouted, banging the hatch with his fist. "Open up the hatch!"
And almost instantly, the hatch began to lower, prompting them to move out of the way. "H-How did you do that?" Mica asked.
"It's your fault for linking her into the main system."
"W-Well… I need someone to power and maintain the camouflage while we're gone!"
When the hatch's platform was completely lowered, they saw Maricelle and Ryuujou still throwing punches at each other. "If you guys want to kill each other that badly, you're free to do so outside. I don't want to waste anymore time as it is."
Growling, Ryuujou was the first to back off. "From all the people you could've chosen—why her?"
Maricelle glared at her, but she didn't utter another word. Suddenly, a tremendous explosion sent all of them to the floor. "D-Did they just fire a missile at us?
Inazuma gasped as she saw Hatsuyuki sprawled outside. "N-No!"
The gunship renewed its assault with its autocannons. Inazuma rushed outside to pick her friend up. Maricelle stepped out as well. "Those insects are begging to die, aren't they?" She aimed her arm cannon at the aircraft. "Today's their lucky day."
Without thinking twice, Inazuma tackled the abyssal destroyer just as she fired her gun. The shell tore through its wing, causing it to whirl in the air. The gunship eventually lost its balance and crashed on the other side of the cliff. "They're trying to kill us and you still want to protect them? Are you really that stupid?!"
"I told you already that there's no meaning in—"
A heavy punch to the face knocked her into the shallow water. "Mess me with me again and I'll give you something more than a bloody nose, you hear?"
Inazuma tried to open her eyes but quickly decided against it as her spinning vision was only making her headache worse.
Someone pulled her out of the water. "Inazuma, you okay?"
Still in a daze, she reopened her eyes to see the commander shaking her shoulders. "Y-Yeah, I have to get used to this."
Before she could stand up on her own, he suddenly scooped her up with both arms and jumped back on the hatch platform. They got inside and placed her on an empty seat. "Get us out of here!" he shouted.
"Aye, buckle up everyone!" Mica replied from the cockpit. "Main thrusters up and ready—launching!"
The aircraft began to accelerate before the hatch could close, sending seawater inside the passenger compartment. "Mica, we got water in here!"
"Sorry about that—I'll drain it into the ballast tanks while filling them up!" A few seconds later, the vessel began to submerge. "Reactivating spectral coating."
"I'm detecting several aerial signatures directly above us," Aster said, "but they don't seem to be doing anything yet. We have deployed decoys and interceptors, just to be on the safe side."
The commander let out a sigh, sitting next to Inazuma. "We can rest easy for a bit at least."
Mica hopped down from the cockpit and flipped a few switches on a panel beside her. "Had to adjust our bearing, but I think we won't run into any problems for now."
"How's Marvie?"
"I gave her something to play with since she can't resist pressing random buttons in there."
Chikuma peered through the rectangular window. "This is my first time riding a submersible aircraft. It sure is a unique experience."
"Well, good thing you didn't destroy the hatch. Stork can't outrun them, you know?"
Now that they could settle down, Inazuma mustered up her courage and sent a convincing glare at the commander. "You have a lot of explaining to do. What's with this sudden change of plans?"
"We need extra help from outside, so we'll pick them up later," he replied. "And you'll know the rest when we get there."
"You could've at least told us about it."
"I simply saved us the trouble from having pointless arguments—like the one we're having now."
"Well, you're the one with the plan, so it's not like I can stop you anyway."
He put on an irritated face. "What's gotten into you? I thought you guys trust me."
"N-No, you got it the other way around since you can't even—"
"Don't fight," Hatsuyuki said.
Inazuma shook her head, trying to regain her composure. "W-We're not fighting," she whispered. I'm just… disappointed, I guess…
Maricelle snorted. "Don't worry—only fools would expect anything from someone as hopeless as you are."
"How 'bout I make some adjustments on that mouth of yours?" Ryuujou said.
"Bring it then."
"Okay, that's enough," Chikuma said, assuming a commanding tone.
"Guys," Mica said, crossing her arms, "if you need some refreshments and snacks, you can grab some in the fridge over there. Maybe it'll help cool those heads off."
Ryuujou crawled towards the compartment Mica indicated. "Ain't this a transport carrier for the marines? Why's there a fridge in 'ere?" She opened another compartment beside the fridge. "And a pantry too—didya mistake this op for a field trip or something?"
"Stork's mine now—I can install whatever I want!"
"What you're saying is," the commander said, "they funded a multi-million dollar project just to be used as a personal ride of an overzealous technician, who's now helping a soon-to-be first-class fugitive so that she could finally send it out on a field test. Not exactly the smartest thing you've done in recent memory, Mica."
"Th-That's one way of putting it." She paused, leaning against wall. "But didn't we already talk about this? I'm helping you now because I want to—I didn't get that chance before you were turned in, but I won't make that mistake again!"
His eyes were fixed on the floor as he grimaced. "I… appreciate it."
"What's wrong? You aren't hurt, are you?"
He shook his head. "By the way, I think you're referring to pelicans, not storks."
"Really?"
"Really."
"T-Then why didn't you say so earlier? I feel so dumb right now." She stomped away and climbed back to the cockpit. "And try not to kill each other or we'll be fish bait for good."
The tension and somewhat awkward atmosphere dissipated as time passed. Making sure that they were in the clear, the vessel resurfaced and hovered a few feet over the water so that they couldn't be easily detected by aerial surveyors and scout planes.
They also took the opportunity to take their lunch. Most of the things in the pantry were ready-made packaged meals and other processed items usually thrown inside a microwave or oven for reheating. The selection was varied though, including desserts such as ice cream and yogurt. The scents of the freshly-heated food stuffs quickly permeated the compartment—particularly Ryuujou's beef macaroni—and they had to open up the portside's hatch for that matter.
"A-Are you really sure that's not out of date?" Chikuma asked.
Ryuujou blew on a spoonful of the dish. "Ain't gonna complain if it tastes good,"
"B-But the smell... and the sauce looks suspiciously gooey and off-colored too."
"I'm the one eatin' it. Quit whinin' about my grub and start cho—"
The aircraft suddenly listed to the right, causing the contents of her pasta dish to spill over the mound of items. A subtle but audible squeak came out from under the drape.
"Oops, sorry!" Mica said. "Hatsuyuki, can you give me a hand?"
The destroyer left her seat while the rest of them kept a curious stare at Ryuujou's quivering mound of belongings. "I've been meaning to ask," the commander said, "what's that for?"
"Nothin'. Just the usual stuff I usually sell while doin' my rounds on the island."
"Mind if I take a look?"
"N-No—I'm sellin' that later!"
He looked at Chikuma, who simply averted her eyes. "If no one speaks up," Maricelle said, pointing her fork at the covered heap, "I'm gonna blow that up into dust."
"S-Stop! Please don't shoot me!"
Inazuma gasped as the person inside stood up and took off the drape. "Zu-Zuihou?!"
An awkward silence followed, making the light carrier shift uncomfortably. "H-Hi, everyone."
"Oh, this is just great," Maricelle said. "More of you maggots popping out of nowhere like seaweeds."
He sighed. "What are you doing here? And who are you calling commander?"
"U-Um, please allow me to explain first." She took a deep breath. "I consulted Commodore Minako about my enlistment to the Peacekeepers and—"
"Hold it. I know where this is going, but what exactly are you doing here?"
"I want to help you."
"That's it?"
"Didn't you mention in the meeting that you wanted help? This is my chance to prove to everyone that I can be useful too!"
Inazuma smirked before letting out an exasperated sigh. "If it's about your transfer procedures and whatnot, you can leave them to me," she said. "Our commander just loves to make simple things more complicated. Give it some time and you'll get used to it."
Zuihou's eyes went all sparkly. "Really?"
"And he may not show it, but he actually appreciates your selfless desire to assist us in this operation. In fact, he's very happy about it!"
"What?" the commander said. "Stop shoving things into my mouth."
The light aircraft carrier looked down, fidgeting. "So… can I join Commander Yuu's fleet?"
"Of course!" Inazuma replied. "I'm sure everyone else will be happy to have you in our fleet!"
She suddenly gave Inazuma a tight hug. "Thank you so much! I'll do my best!"
"Tch, I knew it—you two are definitely related," he said.
"Commander, why are you sulking?"
"He does that sometimes," the destroyer replied.
"I think she's better off being with your fleet," Chikuma told him. "Would you rather see her become like us?"
"I know that, but—"
"Times 'ave changed," Ryuujou said. "If you keep second-guessin' yourself like that, you won't be makin' progress. We'll be able to rest easier when you have reliable folks watchin' your back."
He chuckled. "Oh, I get it. You guys just wanted some peace of mind, right?"
"I didn't mean that way!"
"Okay, okay, I'll consider it." He looked at Zuihou. "However, you have to respect whatever decision I'll come up with. That means—"
"He means you're already in," Inazuma said.
He shot her a glare. "Don't push your luck, Shortcake."
"Stop calling me that!"
"Look alive, everyone!" Mica announced through the intercom. "Dewfall shoals inbound!"
They reached a small island, making their landing past the hazy shoreline. Carefully, they exited the aircraft and worked their way through the fog. Despite the pristine beauty of the island, the foreboding ambience of their surroundings made Inazuma uneasy. It was only natural to feel that way since they were treading on Abyssal territory, but there was something else that she couldn't quite place in her mind.
Thankfully, they didn't need to wander around aimlessly as the navigation fairies had already picked up a faint, suppressed signature further inland. Following the fairies' findings, it didn't take them long to find an abyssal ship, Aircraft Carrier Water Demon, resting on a branch of a fruit-bearing tree—a tree Inazuma got acquainted with recently. "A-Ah! Mangoes!"
She looked at her with half-closed eyes. "Oh, you want some?"
"Y-Yes!" The abyssal carrier plucked the nearest bunch of mangoes within her reach and tossed it below. Inazuma nearly stumbled as she caught the bunch. "T-Thank you very much!"
The commander scoffed. "You sure know your priorities."
"W-Well, she looks friendly, so…"
He stepped closer to the tree. "Lucy, we have the Navy on our tail right now. They might catch up to us soon, so we should get going."
"I feel a bit groggy—I dunno, gimme five minutes. Or maybe I'll just crush them when they get here—much easier that way."
He sighed. "Just take your nap during the trip."
"Oh, right." She squinted through the fog. "Are the seats comfy?"
"Yes, hurry and get down already."
"I'll take your word for it." She suddenly hung upside down, arms spread. "I am a roosting bat, watching in the fog's darkness, spreading my wings to fly."
"You'll fall."
And she did, landing in the bushes below. "Oof—I'm okay."
"Is she the backup you're talkin' about?" Ryuujou asked. "Are ya sure about this?"
"Yeah," he replied. "She's a match for you, I might add."
"Oho? I hafta see her in action for that."
"We still have two more waiting for us at the rendezvous point. We have to get there fast, preferably before sunset."
"A night op, then? I'm gettin' pumped now."
"Y-You're not nervous?" Inazuma asked, glancing at the commander. "I wish he'd tell us everything off the bat."
"Guessin' is part of the fun too. Keeps you on the edge all the time, y'know?"
"I'm quite excited just thinking about who they are," Chikuma said.
Ryuujou flashed two equipment cards. "Wanna take a bet?"
"I'll pass."
"Tsk, you're no fun."
With a new ally in tow, they walked back to the shore. Inazuma looked up and noticed two reconnaissance planes in the sky heading south. "A-Are they still trying to find us?" she asked.
The commander stretched his arms up, looking composed as usual. "With the fog blanketing this sea sector, I doubt that they'll be able to notice us from that altitude."
"T-Then how come we can see them so clearly from here?"
"Right, you guys haven't travelled this far from the first cluster chain. The fog that you see in these parts is actually caused by the miasma clusters scattered throughout Caffelatte's southern region."
"The fog's leaking out of the clusters?" Hatsuyuki said.
He nodded. "In certain parts of the year, yes."
"U-Um," Inazuma said, "that didn't explain anything."
The abyssal demon chuckled. "Hate to interrupt your little trivia lesson, but one of my scouts reported that Reizel and the others ran into some Navy fleet girls. They sure walked into this one."
"What are those Navy gals doin' all the way here?" Ryuujou crossed her arms. "Aren't they supposed ta sweep the perimeter around the island like yesterday?"
Inazuma's eyes suddenly widened at the realization. "W-We got to save them!" she said.
"What's wrong?" Hatsuyuki asked.
"Y-Yesterday, I overheard that a fleet was dispatched outside the island's waters. It must've been them!"
"And how's that our problem?" he asked. "They can take care of—"
"You don't know that!" She gestured at Maricelle. "And we know how powerful your Abyssal friends are!"
The abyssal destroyer nodded. "Flattering me won't get you anywhere, but you know your place at least. That's a start."
"Yeah," Ryuujou whispered, "keep tellin' yourself that."
"Did you just say something?"
"Those Navy girls are gonna die. Horribly," Lucy said, earning an annoyed look from the commander. "Well, especially Reizel—she dismembers and eats little destroyers for breakfast."
"Too much information, Luceila," he said.
She yawned. "Yep, they're pretty much done for—a waste of time and energy worrying about it. Makes me wanna crawl into a corner and sleep everything off."
Inazuma's heart paced even faster. "I-If you don't want to help, fine—I'll help them myself!"
"We've been here before." He grabbed her arm before she could take another step. "Are you seriously going to pull something stupid this time too?"
"It's more than just my duty as a fleet girl, remember?" She looked at him in the eyes. "You always tell me to follow the path I could call my own—that's what I've been doing all this time! I want to keep that promise, even if it costs my life!"
He looked down, closing his eyes. "I know."
"T-Then… you'll help them?"
"Wait, why are you bending down to her?" Maricelle asked. "You're the authority here."
His grip slackened until he released Inazuma's arm. "Make it quick." She turned to the abyssal destroyer. "We just need to make sure they're safe, and then we'll be on our way."
"S-Seriously? Ugh, as if babysitting Marvie wasn't enough!"
"That's an order, Maricelle." He looked at the rest. "Any other objections?"
"You're the boss," Ryuujou said as she summoned her armaments. Chikuma and Hatsuyuki did the same. "Give us the word."
"Aster?"
"Adjust your course to two niner zero."
"Two nine zero—copy."
"I'm detecting multiple signatures, both surface and airborne units, in that sector. Be careful out there."
On their way to the conflict zone, Inazuma was hoping that the Navy fleet could hold out for a bit longer, but the distress calls she was receiving told her how hopeless their situation was for everybody out there.
Towering gushes and smoke trails could be seen over the horizon as they drew closer, but before they could enter visual range, the battle's climax seemed to have ended abruptly. Inazuma grimaced as she felt one particular mag-ion signature receding at an alarming rate. And soon enough, it was overshadowed by a much greater power.
"Aerial contacts at ten o'clock," Chikuma said, readying her guns.
A violent blaze of mag-ions exploded out of Ryuujou's frame as the carrier unfolded her massive scroll. With another gesture of her hand, paper charms materialized over the scroll. Almost instantly, the charms burst into bluish-purple flames and transformed into fighter planes. "Go! Turn 'em to scraps!"
Zuihou drew her bow and aimed at the sky. "Don't disappoint the Commander! Good luck!"
The planes roared as they took off and climbed altitude, intercepting the abyssal planes with a shower of lead. The girls added their own flurry of shells to the misty sky, and the enemy squadron scattered and disengaged out of their course. The aircraft carriers launched another set of planes to engage another squadron circling from their starboard side.
"Be advised," Aster said. "I have confirmed the presence of three surface ships—two of them are high-ranking abyssal ships."
"O-Only three of them?" Chikuma said.
Luceila's voice was heard next. "I warned you guys, so I don't want any of you blaming me later."
In the midst of the bloody wreckage, one abyssal ship, clad in a full-length cloak, was holding a fleet girl by the neck. She didn't make any movement as she waited for Inazuma and the others to arrive. The other three fleet girls, battered and weary, could only watch them at a distance.
On their far left, two abyssal ships—Destroyer Water Demon and a Chi-class torpedo cruiser—were sitting on a capsized Navy boat. The abyssal destroyer stood up and saluted at their direction. Maricelle returned the gesture by waving both hands over her head.
Inazuma skidded to a stop. "P-Please, hear us out for a bit!"
The cloak-wearing abyssal girl gave her a glance. "What is it this time, Yuu?" she asked. "Lucy can do the job in her sleep, so I can only guess that you need something else from me."
"Not exactly," the commander said. "But just to make this quick, can you let those girls off the hook?"
"No can do—can you believe these pitiful girls had the gall to ambush us out of nowhere?"
He sighed. "What did you expect them to do?"
"My point is, they came in here looking for a fight, and we simply obliged and smacked their smug faces before they even knew what hit 'em." She paused, rubbing the back of her head. The aircraft carrier in her grip began to cough out blood once more. "I know that rubbish can have its uses too, but what do you need them for anyway?"
"Ask the girl in front of you."
Inazuma shivered as the abyssal girl looked into her eyes. "U-Um, Miss Reizel… please let her go."
"So," the abyssal girl cocked her head to the side, "you're his secretary I've been hearing about, huh? Nice ta meetcha."
"R-Reinforcements?" Kaga's widened as she turned her head. "N-No—you're those girls working under the Liberator."
"Aww… she can still speak." Chuckling, she squeezed the carrier's cheeks with her free hand. "And I was so sure I crushed your ribcage to splinters with that punch earlier. I'm impressed—at least you've proven yourself less flimsy than your cardboard excuse of a flight deck. That's something, right?"
A sudden burst of energy exploded out of Kaga. "D-Don't you dare look down on me!"
She rammed a fist into Reizel's stomach and followed up with a high kick, sending her enemy skidding through the waves. As Kaga sprung towards the flailing abyssal ship, the two Navy destroyers was about to pursue as well, but they were told off by Mutsu.
The battleship glanced at the abyssal ships watching the spectacle before them. "You two—get back to Orion," she said. "We've already lost this battle."
"Leaving you behind is not an option," the destroyer Verniy said.
Michishio nodded. "We're as good as dead anyway. Might as well go all the way and kick these bitches in the teeth."
As Reizel regained her bearings, Kaga launched herself in the air and aimed her heel on the enemy's head. However, the abyssal ship simply lunged to her right and avoided the blow. Fuming, she caught up with her again and threw another punch. "A monster like you… shouldn't even have the right to exist!"
Reizel leaned her head as she caught Kaga's fist with her hand. "Sloppy!"
"H-How?"
"It sure sucks when your plan falls flat on your face like that." She slapped the hand away and crossed her arms. "Such a pity that you haven't learned anything from your distant past. Just like then, your overconfidence shall be your downfall."
"Past?" With a single hop backwards, Kaga regained some distance from the abyssal girl. "What are you talking about?"
A smile crept across her face. "Oh, was I being so dramatic? Don't give it too much thought—as if I actually expect you to remember."
"I've heard enough of your voice." Kaga kicked the water once more, lunging towards her opponent. "I will end you right here."
Reizel dodged a wild swing, but it left her open for the carrier to plunge a metallic arrow into her waist. She staggered backwards as her opponent was about to stab her with another bolt, but she quickly recovered and sneaked a punch into her stomach, catching her off guard.
"If there was one thing you Navy dogs are good at, it's barking out hollow threats!" She twisted the carrier's arm and jammed an elbow against it. "Oh man, don't you just love the sound of that? Anything else to say now that I've broken both your arm and your pride?"
"No more!" Inazuma shouted. "Please!"
"Sorry, munchkin. I gotta give them the spanking of a lifetime, starting from this hunter here."
"B-But what would that accomplish?"
"Nothing. Just pure plain fun, is all." She grabbed the carrier's ponytail, pulling her from the water's surface. "Hey, if we flip the situation now, do you think these girls would even give us the slightest iota of mercy to even consider about… I dunno, sparing us?"
Inazuma winced as she shook her head. "Th-That doesn't justify anything!"
"Just speaking out my thoughts here, but I can't believe he picked an ignorant, delirious preacher for a secretary."
"You can say that again," Maricelle said.
"Or does he actually have a thing for—"
A speeding blur closed in behind the abyssal ship. In the next couple of seconds, Inazuma was thrown away as a surge of crackling energy engulfed the surroundings. Two consecutive explosions were heard afterwards. "Get her out of here!" Mutsu shouted.
When Inazuma opened her eyes, the two Navy destroyers were already blasting away through the blistering haze. The pair took a sharp turn around the flames and picked up the aircraft carrier still writhing in pain.
Reizel burst out of the smoke to chase after them, but Mutsu intercepted her with a right hook. The force of the blow sent her skidding back to the receding blaze. The battleship used this chance to shoot her down with her remaining turret. Her shells hit their mark, enveloping the abyssal girl in a shattering explosion.
Maricelle let out a hearty laugh. "Looks like the mighty Reizel is in a pinch! Want me to jump in?"
Another silhouette, almost as large as her body, appeared beside her. As the smoke subsided, the shadowy mass hovering next to her was actually an armored tail, which was scorched and damaged from the cannon blasts.
Inazuma's gasped. S-She's a Re-class battleship?!
"Hold it, kiddo—just between us big girls here." Grunting in pain, Reizel plucked out the arrow in her waist. The pinkish hue in her eyes darkened to a bright crimson. "I'm actually gonna enjoy killing them now."
Mutsu gritted her teeth as she assumed her battle stance, shifting a foot forward. "Prepare yourself!" She launched herself towards Reizel, but the abyssal battleship simply skirted around her, dodging the blow. She quickly shifted course and fired her turret once more. "Hmph, it looks like I got you running now!"
With a quick tap of her foot, Reizel bounced to her left and released her tattered cloak. The strong breeze slammed the garment towards Mutsu, and the minute distraction allowed the abyssal battleship to move in for the kill.
"Checkmate." She plunged her hand through Mutsu's chest. "I'm prepared alright." She smacked the battleship with her tail before speeding away. "Do these girls honestly think they can get away from me?"
Inazuma chased after them. "Enough! They can't fight back anymore!"
The remaining planes that was launched by Ryuujou and Zuihou tried their luck against the abyssal battleship, but Reizel retaliated just as quick with her tail's autocannons. Her shots were swift and accurate, taking out the planes in quick succession. "I sure do love me some game of tag! I'll tear their limbs with my teeth when I catch them!"
"What do I need to do to make you stop?!" Inazuma cried.
She laughed. "Make me!"
"Inazuma!" Hatsuyuki called out from behind. "Make a curve to the left!"
As she did that, Hatsuyuki's drones attached themselves on her core structure, launching her forward with their thrusters. Inazuma clenched her teeth and deployed her shield's mag-ion field. "So be it!"
"That's cute. Are you gonna talk me to death about it or wha—"
She rocketed towards Reizel, and the resulting collision produced a crackling thunderclap, causing the waves to burst outwards. She was thrown away by the golden mag-ion blast, bouncing a few times before finally losing momentum.
She could suddenly hear Reizel chuckling over the comms. "If you wanted to fight me all along, why didn't you say so?"
"We didn't come here to fight! We just want to—"
Inazuma cut herself short as she sensed four high-speed signatures beneath the waterline. She directed all her energy on her limbs and lunged out of the torpedo spread. However, the torpedoes detonated, causing her to lose visual of the battleship. She readied her guns as she strained her senses through the deluge, but it had been a fatal mistake on her part:
"Hey, where are you looking? I'm here!"
As she turned around, the battleship was already within arm's reach. Inazuma shut her eyes and braced herself for the imminent pain, but it never came. She heard a pained grunt, and the next thing she knew, Ryuujou was already before her, stretching out an arm. "Ya don't mind if I join the fun, right?"
Reizel, standing a few feet from them, rubbed the back of her head and smiled. "Am I really that popular or what? I'm so touched!"
"What?! It's yer fault that we hafta come here in the first place!"
"Shove all your moaning down the ocean floor and—" She turned to the shrinking forms of the Navy fleet girls in the distance. "Ah… they're getting away."
"Already had your fill?" the commander asked. "I need them back here."
"But we're just getting started!"
A voice came through the open channel:
"You say that, but you're already in no condition to fight."
"You too, Suzuki?"
"Did you not see that Kaga was just stalling for time? Those arrows of hers are infused with potent depressants—small dosages won't do anything to our bodies, but you just took everything she threw at you without care."
"And you're telling me this because…?"
"They could've killed you, given enough time."
The color in her eyes lost intensity as she let herself fall on her back. "Charming."
"Goin' to give up just like that?" Ryuujou asked, looking annoyed. "Wait, are we even still bargainin' here or somethin'? Ain't this a big waste of time?"
"Well," the commander said, "you know who to blame for that."
Inazuma resisted the urge to grumble over the comms. "You barely even tried convincing her," she said. "And why am I hearing gunfire over there?"
"A Navy fleet found us. Lucy's keeping them at bay, but you guys better hurry back."