"It seems some noses don't know where they belong," said Deutschland.

The admiral with a white coat, Blanco, saw the cruiser Libertad alongside the commander Miguel Buiza on his gunboat. Their intentions were clear.

"It seems we have additional rebels," commented the admiral on top of his E-boat.

"It seems not a lot of your fleet answered our call!" taunted Deutschland.

"Not that it matters. We have the best ships and the strategical advantage."

Coming like a storm from the north, the Vichya Dominion's soldiers had already occupied the city and neutralized most of the defenders left in the palace. The dive bombers started focusing their attention on the brawl between Espana's remnants and Alfonso's armada. They were officially, since midnight, fighting under two distinct banners:

Alfonso and the Red Confederation of Iberia (Confederación Ibérica Roja) helped by the admiral of the Iberian Fleet.

Espana and the Popular Iberian Front (Frente Popular Ibérica).

At sea, the line in the north were blockaded. Any ship on sight was sunk by Ironblood ships. In the south, the battleship Dunkerque was aided by their reinforcement from the Sardignian navy. Buiza saw the risk of encirclement. While Espana was busy bombarding her sister, the commander sent her a message.

"Espana! It's me Buiza and Libertad. We have come from Cadìz to help, but it seems the battle is lost. You should retreat."

Libertad, beside the gunboat, said, "I'm going to help them!"

"Libertad! It's too late. We have to retreat."

"Mister Buiza," said Espana, "I am happy to see that we still have someone as popular as you on our side. I have no intention to abandon the people of Madrid to their fate, but you can take the rest of the fleet."

"Everyone," said Buiza by radio, "Retreat immediately to the south-west. We will be joining force with the Azur Lane for a counterattack."

"But Espana…" tried to say Blas de Lezo and Jaime I

Dive bombers were charging upon the gunboat of the commander.

"Leave them to me!" said Libertad.

[Battle A1]

"I am the new commander of the Popular Iberian Front!" reiterated Buiza, "Now, to all friendly forces, retreat toward the gunboat Gaviota."

Even hearing Buiza's voice, Espana's side continued the fight. Blaz de Lezo had ran out of torpedoes to launch. The six destroyers were badly damage. Almirante Ferrándiz bore the brunt of the assault. Canarias, Baleares and Almirante Cervera had landed a salvo on the destroyer now reduce to walking slowly out of the battle. Sánchez Barcáiztegui and José Luis Díez were trying to shield her from the incoming salvos. Espana responded with an additional salvo.

[Battle A2]

Blaz de Lezo ordered her cruiser squadron to retreat from the close quarter battle with the superior Alfonso forces. In the south, a salvo landed near them. It was Dunkerque.

"Even Vichya Dominion!" said Espana. "We are not getting any break."

"We should retreat at this point Espana," commented Jaime I, "we have no chance of winning without the Azur Lane.

Espana stood immobile and continued to fire. She finally answered, "You are right. Guide our friends to commander Buiza. He will be better than me in the strategic department."

"Sister… What are you planning?"

Espana lowered her garrison cap to hide her expression from Jaime I.

"Promise me you won't abandon our cause."

"Of course! I believe in Azur Lane's ideal too."

"Then it is enough for me. Go!"

Blaz de Lezo and the remaining five destroyers departed from the battlefield under heavy gunfire and bombers from all side. Anti-air guns had no break. Espana went to Almirante Ferrándiz who couldn't make it out of the battle. Espana took the little body in her arms. She had been reduced to mere corpse holed from all side. She looked back at the city in flames. Her hears were pierced by the striking sound of dive-bombers sirens.

"Sorry little one. Sorry dear city. I couldn't protect you."

Her anti-air made short lives of the bombers trying to get to her.

[Battle A3]

"We have to go now!" screamed Jaime I.

"But Espana!" replied the commander.

"She will buy us some time."

Through his binoculars, he saw the fearsome sharks, Deutschland and Admiral Scheer closing in from the north. The grand duelist Dunkerque was closing in from the south. Finally, the city engulfed in flame and reduce to rubble was occupied by Ironblood and the Vichya Dominion.

"Admiral Blanco. I hope you don't regret this."

[…]

Espana tried to divert all the attention onto herself. Seeing that the planes made no difference. Alfonso and Victoria Eugenia closed in with their cruiser squadron of Canarias, Baleares and Almirante Cervera. The destroyers and the cruisers were out of torpedoes to throw. In radio range, Dunkerque contacted the admiral Blanco.

"Do you need help with Espana or do I chase the cowards fleeing to the west?"

"You are free to attack. Deutschland, Scheer. Chase them to Lisbon if it's needed."

"We were already on our way to do that, and we are not under your command if we must remind you."

Deutschland voice seemed neither aggressive nor imposing. She didn't want to create any unnecessary tension with the friendly admiral.

As Dunkerque and Deutschland tried to pass, they were meet by gunfire. Espana was constantly fired upon by Alfonso who was proposing an honorable surrender to her sister.

"Alfonso, I will fight your side for all of eternity!"

Alfonso was biting her nails in anger. One single soul was opposing her entire plan. They were supposed to capture them all alive, but she underestimated their will to fight a lost cause. For her new kingdom, she

didn't need any more traitors.

"So be it, sister, we will annihilate you if it's your wish."

Blanco's voice reached her, "Are you sure?"

"I have never been surer in my life."

[Battle A4]

London, Days after the Presumed Defeat of the Sirens in the Great War

A ball, organized by the royal family in honor of the victory, involved every nations that fought against the Sirens. The special guest were the shipgirls who fought on the front line of this weird sea war. Espana, Alfonso XIII, Jaime I and Reina Victoria Eugenia had been invited even if their participation had been minimal. The night went along well. Espana had found a good friend from the Sardignian fleet, Dante Alighieri, who was always with the drunk Gangut and Tegetthoff.

"You need to add more drink. Hic!" screamed Gangut to the waiters.

"You all seem to have incredible stories to tell," said Espana intimidated by the battleships who had had extensive careers against the Sirens and participated in their extermination.

"And I have even more fictions in my little book of mine!" said with enthusiasm Alighieri.

She always brought a pen and her book.

"Tell that to yourself," swore Tegetthoff. "I have only Prinz Eugen left. Look at the Free Latin Union, they suffered no casualties and their participation was undeniable in the south seas."

"Tegetthoff," Gangut interjected, "Stop being so gloomy about that! Enjoy the fact that you survive the onslaught contrary to most of the Ottoman's navy."

"The first to encounter the Sirens aren't there anymore to tell the tale," added Alighieri. "Which sucks for us. So many souls lost."

"At least, they got to fight. No?"

"Espana," Dante Alighieri took a deep breath, "Your turn will come someday. But don't forget that fighting the right cause is better than fighting for the sake of fighting."

Espana looked at Alighieri concerned look. Her best friend, Viribus Unitis, had been killed on the last days of hostilities in the south seas. Espana saw the deep scar it had left in her. After all these years, seeing the lifeless body of Almirante Ferrándiz, she knew what Alighieri was trying to say to her.

"Espana. Protect your friends at all cost or you will end up with regrets… You don't want to end up with regrets."

Tegetthoff intervened, "It wasn't your fault Dante! It wasn't!"

Alighieri had lowered her cap. Espana didn't comprehend at the time what she was trying to convey. Pain was foreign to her. Almirante Ferrándiz was now her pain. Seeing the city in flame was her pain. She felt the spirit of thousands of torment souls.

Espana stood with all her guns. She was encircled. She clenched her fists in her last act of defiance.

"You were right, Alighieri. My turn has come."

[…]

In the meantime, Lisbon

The light cruisers Afonso de Albuquerque and Bartolomeu Dias were waiting for Azur Lane's ships to come in reinforcement. Lisbon, at 01:00 decided unanimously to side with Espana. It included the cruisers and the destroyers Dao, Douro, Lima, Tejo, Vouga, Antioquia, Caldas, Tamega, Guadiana scattered between the ports of the Azores, Faro, Porto and Lisbon. Queen Elizabeth had ordered Lisbon to be the temporary naval base if Madrid would fall.

Bad news from Buiza confirmed their doubts. If Gibraltar or Lisbon was to fell, they would lose their grip in the west of the Mediterranean. To counter them, Queen Elizabeth had to use what was left of her forces after the admiralty ordered the entire fleet within range of Bismarck to chase her down. It left Gibraltar almost undefended.

Excepted for two cruisers and two destroyers.

HMS Cairo and Liverpool alongside the destroyers Cossack and Lively.

Cossack wore a tiny blue uniform and was armed with a Shashka, a kind of sabre.

Albuquerque and Dias appreciated the reinforcement.

"More are to come," said Cairo. "You have our words from the Queen."

"We appreciate your concerns. Especially after the death of Hood."

"We present our sincere condolences."

Cairo appreciated the word. She promised she would say them to the Queen. Despite the fog and the pressure from the invasion, the reunion was calm. The destroyers were playing amongst themselves. Cairo and Liverpool tried to access the situation from the different ports all over the Iberian Peninsula. Allied forces were to reach Lisbon or Gibraltar within twenty-four hours since the declaration of Espana.

"Espana is daring," commented the maid Liverpool.

"We couldn't resist her call to arm. You see, it seems as though the country had spoken from the ground. Let's hope commander Buiza will be as good as Espana hopes."

[…]

Madrid, Twelve Hours Earlier

Dear Comrades,

Your condition as free men is in danger. The Iberian Peninsula is invaded by the tyrants of all humanity, who want to reduce us to puppets of Ironblood. All have decided to defend our future. We will never tolerate this civilization of whip and axe on the neck of our people. Come! Help the future of our country in the face of adversity. I, Espana, promise that darkness won't ever have conquer our beautiful homeland. Push them back like our ancestors did to the French.

Glory be with Azur Lane! Long live the Iberian people!

Port of Palma, Thirteen Hours Earlier

Fellow Citizens,

The Protection of internal peace and order constitutes the sacred mission of a nation's naval forces. In the ensuing chaos that is this democratic republic, we will unify by force the Iberian Peninsula under the guidance of our dear Admiral Blanco who will be the symbol of peace and unity. We estimate that a totalitarian state will harmonize in Iberia the operation of all the capabilities and energy in the country, that inside the national unity, the work esteemed as the most unavoidable must be the only exponent of the people's will. That is what we will have to carry out. Be part of this glorious nation or be eradicated.

I, new flagship Alfonso XIII, will show no mercy.

[…]

Some twenty minutes later, a relay signal was heard from Cairo coming from the Azores.

"Reinforcement from the... Free Latin Union... coming your way."

A loud channel change surprised Cairo. She tried to adjust the sound.

"You finally got it? Jeez! Mìs amigas, be faster next time," said an annoyed voice.

Another voice added, "Don't be this harsh, São Paulo, we still have to wait for the Andean Condor."

Afonso de Albuquerque sighed, "they still love to fight, as I can see."

"Ironic how we have to go free our old overlord," joked Rivadavia by radio.

From the mist, two formations appear. From the south, the old battleship Rivadavia appeared alongside the battleship Moreno and the destroyer Buenos Aires. They were the unit of the Patagonian Sun.

From the west, Minas Geraes, São Paulo and Riachuelo appeared alongside two cruisers and ten destroyers. They were the unit of the Smocking Snakes.

Minas Geraes declared, "We still have to wait for the Andean Condor unit."