Another dull day.
Once again, Cleveland found herself doing nothing but to stare at the ceiling. Tentatively, she shuffled in her bed. Most of the pain and aching had long subsided and her limbs yearned to be free to shake off the long rest she had resting in the infirmary. Yet part of her remained sluggish, as if the repose had gotten the better of her.
Another dull day. But hopefully it would be her last. She could feel it.
"... Cleve?"
She turned her head. Beside her lay Helena, her sprawling blue hair and red orbs peeking out from under the sheets.
Already their eyes met.
"Right here, Helena."
"... Are you holding up okay?"
"Right now, the only thing killing me is boredom," Cleveland joked. "But you know me, you already know how I'm holding up."
Her blue-haired companion stayed silent, her gaze averting. Concerned, Cleveland immediately reached out to her. "Hey. Look at me. You're gonna be okay. What they did last time wasn't worse than how they got me. They got us good that time but we'll get 'em back. I promise I won't let something like that happen again."
Tempted, Helena looked into her eyes once again.
"Cleve…?"
Quietly, her hand reached out and without hesitation, Cleveland responded in kind. Fingers intertwined, they held together in an unbreakable bond.
She could feel it. All of a sudden, Cleveland felt she could stay just a little longer…
"Maybe we should've put both of you on the same cot?"
Gasping, Cleveland shot up to realize they were not alone. Standing by the doorway was Vulture, an amused look on her face. "No, no, don't mind me. I'm just an impartial observer. I was expecting you two to get together now."
Cleveland's face flushed deep red and in the corner of her eye saw nothing but red on Helena's as well. "I-i-it's not like that! G-get your mind out of the gutter!"
"Too late!" An impish smile spread across Vulture's face as she began to prance about in a song. "Cleve and 'Lena sittin' on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-"
A lumpy cushion found itself firmly planted on the carrier's face. "I-idiot! You think about spreading that kind of rumor and I'll open a can of whoop-ass on you!"
"Alright, alright!" Vulture laughed. Not quite a trustworthy response, but it was the best Cleveland could settle for (for now). Winding down with a sigh, Vulture continued. "Anyways, got sent here to tell ya that you'll be discharged from the infirmary today so -"
The sound of unintended collision interrupted Vulture as she tumbled forward, burying her face on the floor. In her place, a girl apologized in bewilderment.
"Oh SHOOT! Sorry, didn't see you there!" As sheepish as she was, the apology flowed out of her mouth like an excited stream.
Eagle Union Light Cruiser
DENVER
As confused Vulture was of the unexpected visitor, it was nothing compared to Cleveland's. "Woah, hold on! Denver? What're you -"
"CLEVELAND!" Her squeal was the only warning Cleveland got before she received a little sister-shaped human torpedo. "My gosh am I glad to see you, got here as fast as we could!"
Wincing from the impact, Cleveland put on as warm a smile as she could. "Yeah, I'm glad to see you too but that doesn't… Wait, 'we'?"
Right as she asked, the sound of footsteps signaled the arrival of a familiar pair leaning through the doorway.
"Hey sis, how's it hangin'?"
"Big sis!"
The blond cruiser's jaw dropped at the sight. "Columbia? Montpelier? What're you all doing here? The Commander didn't send you here, did he?"
Denver grinned widely. "Nope! Got here completely by ourselves! We left headquarters without anyone noticing!"
"... You what?!"
"Yeeeeah… We really did do that." Columbia playfully fidgeted as she confessed. "Let's just say that we totally forgot to let the Commander know. Whoopsie~~!"
Montpelier marched up to Cleveland, concerned eyes filling up her entire vision. "Big sis, you're okay, right? We heard what happened earlier. Don't you know how irresponsible it is for you to be injured where your little sisters will notice?"
Cleveland had no words as she looked at her sisters' faces. "I… Right, I get it now. You were all that worried about me, huh? So worried that you didn't even wait for his permission."
Honest smiles from Denver and Columbia, whereas Montpelier averted her gaze. "I mean… you are big sis..."
An assured grin appeared on Cleveland as she leapt up from her bed, her appearance seemingly glowing like the sun as she arose, now fully energized. In the air of renewed vigor, the sisters gathered around.
"All right!" Cleveland declared, donning her white cape to take to the seas once more. "Then it's settled! We Knights of the Sea are back in action!"
As a ring of chorus celebrated the moment, a single voice from below fell unheard.
"Uh… I'm still here?" Vulture groaned. "... Hello?"
The rhythmic sound of cycling processors and signals. The soft whirr of cooling fans and ventilation. An office now a busy maze of work desks and servers stacked to the ceiling on shelves. A small but noticeable tinge of coffee in the air.
The last part immediately flooded Cleveland's senses as she entered. "Hey, Andromeda. You rang?"
The intelligence ship slid into view on a rolling office chair. "Ah, there you are. Yeah, I did. I got something for you."
Cleveland entered, carefully navigating her way over to the opposite corner of the office where Andromeda sat. Cordoned at this end of the room, an office desk found itself squeezed with its confines. Its surface, though expansive, became habitat to all sorts of material items befitting an intelligence vessel: files, paper stacks, pencil cup holder, multiple pencil sharpeners, manjuu bobblehead, a personal computer, and…
'... Is that a coffee machine?' Cleveland wondered. 'How'd she even find room for that?'
Situated back into her station, Andromeda cleared her throat. "So quick question: how're you feeling right now?"
The light cruiser looked at her weird. "What do you mean? I'm up and ready and good to go."
"Okay. What about your rigging?"
A shrug. "All patched up now. Been using that thing for months, maybe even a year or so. I still haven't received my retrofit upgrade kit yet, dunno when it'll be. But even then, I haven't asked for anything better."
Andromeda whimsically played with her pigtails as she thought. "Hm. Well, I've been thinking… Both Eagle Union and Royal Navy have agreed to support the Federation's peace-keeping efforts, but you and I are aware of the discrepancies with regards to tech, weapons, and tactics which, as per the terms of the alliance the Azur Lane will receive in due time."
Sensing the direction the topic was headed, Cleveland felt a feeling of uncertainty trickle in. "Yeeeeah... Sorta thought the same ever since Helena and I got the stuffing beat out of us from last time. I didn't have much trouble with just my primary and secondaries even when fighting the Sirens (and believe me, we've seen a lot of freaky stuff from them)."
"Well, cannons aren't bad but in this world there's a reason they're not commonly used anymore, or at least no longer relied on as primary weapons. Missiles have become the standard armament for all ships thanks to their long range, lock-on capabilities, and wide variety of types ranging from the usual AIM-9s to nasty stuff like QAAMs. Likewise, countermeasures were invented to defeat missiles." Turning around, Andromeda dug out something that to Cleveland looked like a clunky metallic brick: blocky, heavy, and shaped like a brick.
Her confused gaze shifted between it and the intelligence vessel. "Um, what's that?"
"This… is what's called an electronic countermeasure, or ECM." As she began to explain, Andromeda's eyes lit up. "Here's a question: what's the key ingredient that makes missiles track their targets? The answer is heat. They're normally meant for high-heat sources such as high-performance engines and they work with the user's IFF and radar systems to function properly. An onboard system on each ship will use radar and electronic data to identify legitimate targets. Once that system locks on to a target, the individual missiles loaded to fire are fed very specific data about the target, making sure that they fly towards it and only it. But the moment they're in the air, they're reliant on their heat-seeking system to find their designated target. Flares and chaff take this system and use it against them by emitting heat sources hotter than their target which redirects the missiles away from where they should hit. Alternate countermeasures such as CIWS do things in a more blunt way by simply shooting down the ordnance before it has a chance to hit. Crude, but effective."
Cleveland found herself struggling to catch up. "Uh… sure. So where does this thing fit in to all of this? How does it work?"
"The ECM, as the name might imply, deters missiles via electronic means. Instead of fooling the projectile by turning its system of operation against it, the ECM transmit a jamming frequency in a wide area. That frequency is designed to scramble all nearby electronics, including incoming missiles which will cause them to miss."
Cleveland accepted the brick-like item as the ship held it before her. Now in her hands, it felt like lead. Her presumptions of it were now understated once she could feel the object for herself.
"... Please don't tell me I need to hold this in my hands all the time."
Andromeda snorted. "Well I would install it into your rigging but I doubt I could without a complete overhaul. You can always try duct tape instead." Raising a finger, she directed Cleveland's attention to a switch on its exterior. "If you're ever under missile fire that's too much for you to handle, just flip that switch and let it work its magic. You'll give yourself and anyone nearby a few seconds of being safe from attacks. But don't use it too often! Electronic warfare systems need plenty of time to charge up and I'm sure this thing has only enough juice for two uses. Make them count and stay safe out there!"
"Right on, Andromeda!" Cleveland beamed. "Me and my sisters have nothing to worry about now!"
Despite the grin from the cruiser, Andromeda did not reciprocate. If anything, her face revealed otherwise.
"... You are aware that you and your sisters will be the centerpiece of the upcoming mission, right? As part of our ongoing strategy of depriving the Aegir Fleet its fuel and supplies?"
Cleveland let all pretense drop as she caught on. "Yeah, I know. We'll try not to let the ships of this world get the better of us this time. I don't think you would've called me here if you weren't worried as well." Her characteristic smile re-emerged. "But I have this and my sisters now. We'll be fine!"
"Alright. Good luck out there. You, your sisters, and Helena will be joined by the submarine sisters Fensalir and Folkvangr where you'll proceed to the planned location to commence the operation." A pause, then Andromeda remembered. "Oh yeah, Vulture will be joining you as well."
Another pause, but this time from Cleveland as her thoughts caught up to her ears.
"What."
Location: northeast of Comberth Harbor
Operation: Early Bird
"WOO-HOO! Let's go knights!" Denver hollered excitedly, calling against the breeze that swept past her face.
Columbia met her enthusiasm with a good-natured look. "This was supposed to be a surprise attack but 'ol Denver keeps giving away our position."
"We'll show them that we Knights mean business," added Montpelier, eyes faced only forwards.
Towards the rear, Fensalir and Folkvangr rode in their submersible rigging like kayaks; like one, the slender night-gray hulls dwarfed their riders in size. Although not as smooth like a torpedo with protruding sub-sections on the sides, the submarines had no difficulty keeping pace with the lively cruisers. The submarines themselves, however, found their team spirit otherworldly.
"Ugh. 'Knights' this 'knights' that. That's like so lame," Fensalir quietly confided to her sister.
"Yeah I know right?" Folkvangr agreed.
Unbeknownst to the slander from the rearguard, the lively atmosphere continued up front. "With all of us backing Cleveland up, there's no way she'll lose again!"
Taking the lead, Vulture glanced to the side. "Since when did you ever get yourself your personal cheer squad?"
Cleveland shot her a dirty look. "Don't call my sisters a cheer squad. They're my younger siblings and as their big sis I gotta be their role model."
Vulture scoffed. "Not unless I get top score to show these guys how it's done."
"Dream on, bird-brain. My sisters don't need a show-off to tell them how to their job."
The carrier rolled her eyes. "Ugh. What a pain in the ass..."
Ignoring her, Cleveland turned to the other side. Throughout the journey, Helena had remained silent; even during the mission briefing she said nary a word. Her sisters may have provided a warm atmosphere but her blue-haired friend felt cold.
"Everything alright Helena?"
"... Yes." Finally a reply. She glanced towards Cleveland with a complexion that remained serious. "I'm just… focusing. My SG hasn't detected any contacts yet."
Then she fell back to silence. Cleveland wanted to follow her gut instincts to press the matter further, to open her up, but settled with a respectful, and understanding, nod.
She saw that Helena's eyes still captured their warmth. That was enough for Cleveland.
The seas were bathed in deep blue hue of a sleepy evening. Nought a speck of land or vessel could be seen for miles against the backdrop of a sinking sun. Above, a scattered flock of seagulls made their final descents in the dark sky. The night chilled the air with its cool wind, nipping at their skin.
An alert called out. "Targets sighted on radar! 12 'o clock!" All eyes turned ahead, the ships were at first presented with the typical sunset horizon but as they gazed, a faint outline began creeping into their vision, seemingly rising out of the water as they approached.
Vulture scrutinized the silhouettes: a chain of shadowy platforms and spires, none like any warship.
"Guessing that's our target," she observed. No one made any corrections or differing opinions as the formation began to slowly disseminate into battle arrangements. The pre-mission briefing had ensured that all recognized the objective: the seaborne petrochemical complex, supplying valuable oil as the Rose Kingdom Aegir Fleet's vital artery.
Vulture smirked. "Alright kiddos, time to serve up one oil plant for bustin'!"
"Yeppers! Time to like wreck some stuff!" laughed Fensalir.
"Shouldn't have like built that stuff if they didn't want anyone to like smash it!" Folkvangr added. With a whooping holler, a panel behind where she sat popped open, unleashing a missile as it flew high as it sailed towards the facilities.
Cleveland dashed ahead. "Columbia, with me! We'll take this side. Montpelier and Denver, take the other!"
Like shooting stars, the two zipped off towards their side of the battle. The air rumbled with missiles and then thundered as jets flew past. Skiing towards a firing angle, the light cruisers aligned their guns.
"Fire!" As one, the sisters opened fire. And like a grand opening, it coincided with a bright sun that flashed where an oil rig once was, now swallowed in flame and heat as it exploded. The cold night transformed into warm daylight.
She had been interned for days, but Cleveland never forgot the exhilaration.
Never had she felt so good to be back in action.
Meanwhile, Vulture had never felt so good to (in his words) be on a roll as his Eagles bombed one facility after another. The vast chemical complex had transformed into a large game of whack-a-mole as she leapt from one target after another, even racing against the others.
"Got another!" she happily declared.
"Got one too!" reported Denver. "That's two for me!"
"That's cute. I got six."
"BS, Vulture! You've just been stealing my kills!"
"Tee-hee! Folkvangr and I got seven between us!"
"Hey, that's cheating!"
"Big sis is right! Come on, let's get the MVP!"
The battle had long begun, but now it was on. The Cleveland sisters pursued the objectives with redoubled effort.
Cleveland eyed a fresh target. "Another platform, let's get it!"
"Right behind you, sis!" Columbia followed after her. Cleveland's guns thundered, a stream of tracers flying low. Against an elevate platform her aim strayed far from the actual target as they instead pounded at the pillars. But as she kept the barrage, they began cracking and buckling.
"Now!" Without reply, Columbia let loose her shots, bright orb-like tracers set in a high arc. Flying high, they rained upon the unprotected platform where pill-shaped columns lay like nested eggs. The shellfire crushed them whereupon they sparked a volatile reaction, coinciding with the platform's collapse. Like clockwork, nothing of the rig remained save for restless waves that marked its watery grave.
Cleveland quickly spotted another target of opportunity: a fat juicy tanker ship. Emboldened, she dashed full tilt. Guns already raised and reloaded, Cleveland had the mental finger on the trigger until a jet plane cut past in front of her, spraying her with water in its wake before it pounced upon the tanker and quickly turning it into a fireball.
The jet zoomed off but glaring eyes tracked it. "Hey!"
"Kill's a kill, man." With a wink, Vulture sped away with her Eagles hot on her trail.
Columbia peered towards the carrier with skeptical eyes. "Goll-y, what's up with her deal?"
Her sister sighed, exhaling with the weight of the past. "Ever since we met for the very first time as (accidental) enemies, she's been up in my case. Everytime I'm with her she always calls me 'kid' and treats me like one. Probably thinks she's the hot stuff because she's a carrier and I'm a cruiser..."
A light slap on the shoulder brought her attention to a tender smile. "Don't let no big hotshot weigh you down, alright? Wouldn't be right for our 'ol big sis like you to talk like this."
Cleveland's smile reappeared. "Yeah. She may talk big because of how powerful carriers are, but that won't stop me from doing my best! Especially with all of you at my back!"
The two shared a laugh in high spirits, but then a peculiar chill started to creep up on Columbia's spine.
"Uh… I didn't leave my radio on, did I?"
"Yep!"
The two cruisers leaped at the sound of Denver's voice. Tentatively, Cleveland picked up her receiver. "Err… how much?"
"Everythin'! Just know me and Montpelier's got your back too"
"... Big sis, we won't let you down… If that Vulture does anything funny we'll-"
"U-uh, Montpelier, I don't think we'll go that far," Cleveland nervously asserted. Hastily she switched the subject. "How're things on your end?"
"Got what we could here!"
"Got what we could here too," reported Cleveland after a quick glance. Pillars of smoke plumed where the massive platforms of the complex once stood. The seas stained with oily black. The bonfire that remained turned the dark blue night into orange haze.
"I see no further contacts on radar," Helena verified. "Complete destruction of petrochemical complex confirmed."
"Yay! Complete victory! We like so owned them, didn't we Folkvangr?"
"Are you like kidding me? Of course we did! No way they were no match for us!"
"Don't forget who did the most work. I'm betting a favorable review back at base," Vulture bragged.
Fensalir's voice was quick to the draw. "Ugh, puh-leeze! You had your dumb planes like working for you, like seriously~."
"Yeah, seriously!" Folkvangr joined in. "Having planes do your work is like so lame~!"
"Whatever. Top score's still mine."
As Cleveland rolled her eyes Helena's voice suddenly cut in. "Alert! New contacts on radar! Coming from the south there's… five contacts! Looks to be cruisers!"
"Five?!" the submarines yelled in uncharacteristic horror.
"Yes. They're moving at high speeds! They'll be upon us within moments!"
The Cleveland sisters all gathered around as their lead ship quickly counted heads (and guns). "All right. The briefing anticipated this so let's do this calmly. Helena, you fall back. The rest of us will -"
"RUN AWAY! RUN AWAAAAAY~~!" Heads turned just in time to see the submarines beeline straight into the open waters, disappearing into the horizon and leaving the cruisers with nothing but their wailing cry.
Blank stares populated the Eagle Union ships. "... What."
Cleveland quickly shook off her surprise as she grabbed her radio. "Hey! Where're you going?!"
"We're dead if we stay!" They called back. "No way we're going up against them! No way no way no way~!"
"What are you talking about?!" the cruiser demanded. "Who are we up against?"
The submarine sisters offered one last reply before vanishing from view, their final warning a cry of desperation. "It's the Aquila Vanguard!"
Skimming over the cold waves, a formation of five ships flew past - disciplined like steel, swift as death, and all bearing the Rose Kingdom's anchor and sword and the stark image of a golden eagle as their coat of arms. All wore dark-colored rigging that was the uniform of the Aegir Fleet's prestigious Aquila Vanguard: two split halves of a ship's bow by their side, each with armaments that mirrored each other and yellow-tipped tail fins behind their shoulders.
"Aw darn, looks like we're late," one observed as her short curly brown-red hair and red hoodie jacket waved and rustled in the wind. Her arms trailed behind her, ending only in empty sleeves that surpassed her arms, yet the generous size of her clothing did not hinder her. The only personal imagery she possessed among her brethren was a gold-stamped 7 on her rigging's hull.
"Practically nothing valuable of the fuel refinery left to salvage. Our enemy didn't even bother to steal the fuel for themselves. What a waste." She sighed.
Rose Kingdom Aegis Cruiser
MAGPIE
"Hey," called a spirited figure beside her. Her dark-colored jacket and light gray skirt made her seemingly vanish into the dusk but like Magpie's jacket, the person's hair seemingly burned in the breeze, restrained only by a short ponytail. A pair of headphones draped her neck but it wasn't her only personal treasure: it was the yellow 9 etched onto her rigging.
"Eyes on the real prize: we still got stragglers. I bet we can bag them for high score in our mop-up and get quest rewards."
Rose Kingdom Aegis Cruiser
FINCH
Nearby, a woman chuckled playfully. "My, our dear Finch seems rather eager today," she teased. Draping over one side of her face, her long silky white hair with a black skunk stripe brushed in the air alongside her long dark brown mink dress, the fabric of its white fur lining bristling. Like the others, she too was differentiated with her own number: 21.
"When we arrive, you're welcome to play to your heart's content. But do try to keep our objectives in mind, dear."
Rose Kingdom Aegis Cruiser
CONDOR
"Stay your course," the fourth cautioned. "We move on her commands." Though quiet, she spoke with reverence, a trait belied by her appearance: a light-brown bomber jacket, vanilla-colored skirt, purple hair, and tanned skin. A taciturn woman who kept her reservations as her personal aegis. But she was the squadron's shield.
A distinct yellow 4 adorned her rigging.
Rose Kingdom Aegis Cruiser
SPARROW
Her narrow eyes turned to their leader. "Your orders?"
At the center, leading the formation, stood the fifth member, the squadron leader of the Aquilas, the Aegir Fleet's prized elite unit. Cast beneath a dark cloak and hood, she studied the situation ahead with experienced eyes and a cool head. Colder than the night sea, she rode the winds of battle bringing an air of invincibility.
She was more than just their leader - she was the pillar of the Aquila Vanguard.
A bright 13 was emblazoned on her rigging.
Rose Kingdom Aegis Cruiser
RAVEN
Her command came direct and clear, devoid of complications. "Raven to all Aquilas. You have clearance to engage. Splash all hostile ships."
The ships fanned out in unison. The hunt was on.
Cleveland wasted no time making a decision. "Everyone, withdraw! Head to the return line as planned!" As they all turned to flee, she saw Vulture in the distance ahead of her, giving her only her back as she had begun the retreat sooner than they.
"Hey, Vulture! Come back, we need air support!"
"Forget it, man! Mission op said we were supposed to run anyways and if they're as bad as those squirts say they are, then I'm sure as hell not gonna stick around!"
"Hey! HEY, VULTURE!" But as much as Cleveland protested, it was no use.
Facing her fellow Eagle Union ships, Cleveland took the reins. "Everyone, follow me and don't look back! Just focus on running!"
Her sisters and Helena complied but as experienced as they were, she could see the uncertainty in their eyes. "Are we really gonna run away like this?"
"The plan did call for us to break off once reinforcements arrived, but I was hoping we'd get some covering fire! C'mon!" Motioning her sisters ahead, Cleveland followed behind at the rear of the group. Everyone - Helena, Columbia, Montpelier, and Denver - was accounted for in direct eyesight. No one was moving any faster, but no one dared to slow down.
The Knights of the Sea - Helena included - would always stick together as family. Even running away wouldn't change that.
She knew what they were capable of, but today was not the day she will lose those she cared for out of careless bravado.
At the rear, a strong sense of emptiness crept up Cleveland's back, like a chill. A perpetual feeling of being watched. As much as Cleveland tried not to, she risked a peek behind her.
Five, exactly like what Helena spotted. The wreckage of the facility failed to even divert their attention, instead hot on their heels as if vengeance for their deeds.
A small flash, a pop of smoke. Cleveland's eyes widened in recognition and already her body began reacting. "Everyone, dodge!" she yelled.
Witnessing the missile snaking towards them like a bounding predator, the startled cruisers dispersed. The Cleveland sisters grunted in their attempts. The projectile zipped towards them, determined to smash into its unknown victim up until it found itself whizzing right past the screaming Denver.
"HOLY CRAP! Is this what they're like?!"
"You'll get used to it!" Cleveland replied. Then she heard the popping sound again. But it was not just one. She glanced behind to see her vision filled with missiles.
"Incoming!"
Thinking quickly, Cleveland reached behind her. It was now or never. She felt out what she was looking for and flicked the switch.
At first, she felt nothing. She saw nothing happen. Her ears picked the faintest of buzzing as she watched the missiles arrive closer. And right as she tensed up before impact, the missiles suddenly veered away, repulsed by an unseen but powerful force.
The Knights of the Sea were left speechless. "Woah…! Did you do something, sis?"
"Yeah! But keep moving! It won't protect us for long!" Another shot from their pursuers, but now hesitantly. Just as last time, it snaked towards them with mechanical intent before being deflected. Like weaponized miracle, a testament to the veracity of Andromeda's gift.
Helena peered at their protective force with cautious awe. "How often can that protect us?"
As if she could ascertain the answer, Cleveland quickly peeked at the ECM (which true to Andromeda's advice was hastily secured to her rigging with adhesives). "Not much, Helena. It's got one more use and it needs time to recharge."
She looked up. The Aquila Vanguard remained steadfast in their pursuit, like vengeful wraiths. Their defense was only temporary - their wrath was not.
"... And we could really use more time!"
Far ahead, Vulture could not see what was happening. But the sounds from her radio already painted the picture for her. It did not bode well.
Cleveland and her sisters hounded by their pursuers. Relief turn to tension once they lost their shield. Frantic cries from the sisters inexperienced with the threats they faced. Desperation. Pleas.
Vulture sighed. She honestly wasn't sure why she hadn't already shut off her radio.
She had already lost sight of Fensalir and Folkvangr, the ones who first broke and ran. How else was Vulture suppose to interpret the action? If those brats were sensible enough to flee at the mere arrival of some group, then it would be irresponsible of her to not heed the warning. After all if the plan was to retreat, then she'll-
Another cry over the radio. From the sound of it, it was only a matter of time.
Vulture sighed heavily.
'What a pain in the ass...'
"Missile! Missile!"
Denver screamed as it finally struck her, the outcome of many evasion attempts that left her ragged and worn. The missile struck her like a kick yet to everyone's amazement she still remained on her feet.
"It's… not as bad as it looks!" she reassured. Though pained and limping, she still flashed her trademark grin. "If… if big sis Cleveland can take it like a boss..."
"Hey! Even I never had a big hole in my left rigging!"
"Another missile incoming!" No reaction was needed; all had already done so. Gone were the orderly formation of their retreat - they could scatter, but they already were. And yet, the enemy fire continued to rain upon the knights with predatory persistence.
Having barely dodged another missile, its thruster singeing her golden frolicks, Columbia whirled around. "Doggone it all! Have a load of this!" She let loose a quick volley, but as defiant the action was it dismayed her to see the arced shells come to inconclusive splashes short of their foes.
"Darn it!" Her curse cut short courtesy of additional missile launches. A series of white pops in quick succession.
A bead of sweat crept down Cleveland's brow as she recognized the onset of another mass volley. Thankful that the ECM remained intact from the missile blows, she hastily flicked the switch. "Everyone, get close to me!"
The missile swarm hurtled close, but like before they scattered before impact. The Union cruisers used the reprieve to run as fast as they could. Looking back, the image of their five pursuers remained a familiar sight in Cleveland's eyes. Fast they sailed in their withdraw, but equally fast did their pursuers chased.
Seeing that their attack had been blunted, the Aquila Vanguard held their fire. The Knight of the Sea already knew what this meant.
"Don't these guys ever give up?!"
"W-we're only one kilometer to the return line!" Helena exclaimed, her eyes wide with exhaustion. "We're almost there! We're… almost..."
How much longer?
How much longer would the ECM defense last? Would it be enough to make it?
Do their enemies know?
Two seconds have passed. Cleveland could not tear her gaze from the enemy ships. Their guns remained silent but foreboding. She could still hear the faint buzzing sound of the countermeasure working.
Now three seconds. Their launchers remained quiet. She could still hear the buzzing.
Four seconds. Almost there...
Five seconds. The buzzing sound was still there. They were still protected-
Then the buzzing died.
Six seconds had passed. Cleveland's eyes darted between their pursuers in tense expectation.
Now seven seconds. Have they realized? Could they have heard the ECM die?
Then she saw missile fire. Five puffs of smoke at the same time. Then more, one after another.
This was it. There was no escaping now. "Everyone…!"
They tensed, waiting for the blow…
Then the sound of jet engines and the growl of a CIWS. Eagles and tracer fire swooped in in between the cruisers, swatting the incoming missiles; some of them collided with the jets in their protection of the sister ships. "You fellas really can't do anything without me, huh," a familiar voice said.
For what seems like the first time in her life, Cleveland was never happier than ever to see who it was. "Vulture! You took your sweet time making your comeback!"
"Yeah yeah. Get your sorry butts moving so we can blow this joint already!"
With the sudden intervention of aircraft, the five Aquilas broke formation, shifting from rigid formation to a fluid but controlled maneuvering. Raven noted the carrier's fierce defense, but as fierce as it was it was sudden; just as it had arrived, so had it ended. The five unknown ships, though wounded, had successfully evaded them.
She had never seen what sort of ships they were, but to simply survive their encounter was a feat in and of itself.
"Are we halting our pursuit?"
Raven kept her gaze at the fleeting figures now too far for them to reach. "They've already exited the combat zone; no use spending the entire day chasing after them."
"Aw man! And I was hoping for some actual action! Where's the fun in dungeon monsters that run away?"
"Fufufu… If today was not to your liking, then perhaps I can… help you relax back at base? You have still yet to enlighten me on those games you play so often, you know."
"Oh well. If Raven says we're letting them go, then we'll let them go. Not like there's still a fuel facility worth protecting (to think of all that sweet sweet oil going to waste...) now that they destroyed it. And speaking of which..."
No further words were needed as Raven nodded.
"... Aquilas, we are done here. Return to base."
Location: Comberth Harbor
Preparations had advanced at a rapid pace. No longer did the many port facilities resemble blasé husks of neutrality; now they were decorated and staffed with the the embroidery of their new masters. Flags and banners draped where they could, stamping out traces of the building's former lives before the war.
Such was their home away from home.
Raven stepped forward before kneeling. Her head bowed, she was greeted.
"Arise, Raven. My loyal knight..."
Although welcomed, Raven did not raise her head. It was not out of disrespect or ignorance, but rather another sign of her loyalty: submission.
"I have returned from my mission," she simply stated.
"And how was it?" asked Tanager. It was half-hearted, as she already expected the answer.
"The fuel complex was wiped out by the time we had arrived. The enemy force composition was large for what was meant to be a raiding operation. As we approached, they swiftly fled before us."
Tanager chuckled. "As they should. I expected nothing less of my Aquila Vanguard, the pillar of my Invincible Aegir Fleet. But this attack of theirs was to be expected. Geofon's report from earlier already predicted that they would be relegated to nipping at our buds with our supply lines. Already have they betrayed their intentions. Fools..."
Raven lifted her head. "If I may speak freely, they may be fools but their strategy shows they are not incompetent. If they are targeting our fleet's supply lines then-"
"Do not be so hasty to step out of line, Raven," Tanager snapped, her expression a sudden scowl. Then, it swiftly softened as though nothing happened. "Rest assured, I have already begun proper preparations for this contingency: additional supply lines are being established as we speak. Their so-called strategy has only bought them mere days of respite, but no matter how they move their pieces they are destined for defeat. They can resist as much as they like - we will stamp them out wherever we find them. Like rats, they will squirm in their death throes beneath my heel...
"And yes… as always, your squadron has performed admirably as always." Tanager approached Raven with a warm hand on her shoulder. "We have much to benefit from your skills and your continued service."
"... Thank you, my liege."
A charming aura, its warmth seemingly genuine. A smile so understanding and compassionate as to disarm a lesser ship in Tanager's direct presence.
But Raven was no lesser ship. No ship could stand where she was without an oath of fealty to the queen, and she had swore to uphold her superior's commandments for the glory of the Rose Kingdom. She was made for war, and only in death will her duty to the Kingdom end.
But as warm as Tanager's smile was, she knew better than to feel it.
Location: Delta Coalition GHQ, North Point
Expressions were grim as they gathered around the map.
Although Operation: Early Bird had been a success with the petrochemical complex's complete destruction, with the estimated loss of a few million barrels, the intervention of the Aquila Vanguard had been concerning. But if that wasn't enough, the new reports darkened the mood further.
Fort Grace observed as a web of signals once again danced over the map. "... So she was quick to react to our moves. Tanager's already begun to requisition supplies from elsewhere to compensate for material losses, and with the confirmed sighting of the Aquila Vanguard, things won't end well for us at the rate we're in."
"She would certainly increase defenses of her valuable supplies," Buzzard added. "The encounter with Geofon earlier was not without a greater purpose; she would no doubt have put two and two together. The involvement of their elite squadron proves that they are on to us."
"But we have yet to put an appreciable dent in their war machine," Ark Royal objected. "If drawing their blood from indirect attacks is no longer the key to the Aegir Fleet's defeat, then what option do we have?"
Silence fell as Fort Grace thought. "... I think we already know. The purpose of our guerilla attacks were to ultimately buy time until an ideal moment arrives in which we can deliver a decisive blow against the Rose Kingdom.
"According to Andromeda's estimates, the Aegir Fleet has lost enough fuel to be harbored for another few days. Those few days are all we have to turn this war around."
"Doesn't sound much," Buzzard noted.
"It's not much," the Coalition carrier conceded. "... And I'm betting Tanager thinks so as well. In her eyes, she's already won; those few days of inaction we've inflicted on her forces mean nothing."
Faces began to light up in realization. "I see! If Tanager's so confident in her position..."
"... Then her complacency will put her at her weakest," Fort Grace finished. "This will be our one - and only - chance we have at striking the Aegir Fleet. I was hoping that our raiding campaign could progress a little longer, but now that the cat's out of the bag, plans have changed. We must take the bold step and make it count.
"Gather what ships that can fight! Ark Royal, I have new orders for your maids. Inform them that they will play a key role in the battle to come. Operation: Rough Seas, our daring attack on the Aegir Fleet, is a go!"
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
HistoricHippos:
Ingame (both Ace Combat 04 and the mission briefing for Ace Combat 7 "Anchorhead Raid" DLC mission), the Aegir Fleet only had one named Aegis cruiser, the Raven. However, the Ace Combat wiki revealed that there were four additional Aegis ships intended to be part of the Aegir Fleet: the Condor, Magpie, Sparrow, and Finch. The inclusion of those ships in this fanfic were to accomplish two things: 1) a neat reference despite their non-canon status and 2) form the AL-equivalent of Erusea's Yellow Squadron as Yellow 13 himself flew a five-man formation and as luck has it, there's five Aegis ships in the Aegir Fleet.
Next chapter: a daring surprise raid and soon-to-be-ruined crisp white sheets!