A playful sigh.

"I see Stonehenge's story has come to a premature conclusion. Orphaned as a weapon of peace, lived as a weapon of war only to meet its end at the hand of its master. It's almost tragic."

"Boooo! I wanted to see more of it! I didn't even had a chance to see what it was like to be shot by it! At least they had their fun."

"Hm, quite tragic indeed. And all the hard work that went into activating it, down the drain. But alas, no sense in grieving over something that can be built. There will be more where that came from."

"Yes… Stonehenge is but one of the many grand wonders of this world. It was not the first, and it certainly will not be the last. What results we have seen of it have provided quite the food for thought."

"Indeed. But until then we should continue to play this little game. Or rather… have her continue to play this game. Our dear friend has lost quite a significant investment. Yet she seems far from content to forfeit."

"Persistence seems to be her virtue, to make up for her lack of sportsmanship. But if she, a player, wishes to see this little game through to the bitter end…

"I wonder what other cards she has to play?"

Location: Los Canas

Fort Grace allowed herself to sink into the office chair, letting the cushion deflate like her tiredness. Strumming her hair between her fingers, she took in the sight of her office of their new headquarters. New HQ, new office. Although if she was being honest, it would be more accurate to say that it was her old office, from many time ago. It was almost hard to believe that she would be feeling nostalgic for the earlier days of the war. She found it even harder to believe that she would be returning to the old headquarters of the Delta Coalition, recently liberated from occupied territories along with the vast swath of the continent.

"More tea, Your Grace?"

The carrier held out her fine china to the maid. "Certainly. It has been quite a busy week ever since the destruction of Stonehenge. It seems the loss of it as well as the Siren ships have thoroughly decimated the enemy's hold all over; we've recovered a good chunk of the landmass and waters at a pace I never thought possible. So yes, a busy week. The time spent relocating our operations also didn't help matters."

Tea Time giggled softly as she poured. "Then perhaps you would like some extra sugar and a pinch of mint to your tea to soothe you?"

"Yes, that would be grand." As she sipped, Fort Grace's eyes drifted to an article snippet - the latest news, days fresh but with the pace of modern journalism may be outmoded equally fast. But on the cover was no mere news. Dominating the head was the big news, emboldened in the title.

Delta Coalition Hero Crushes Stonehenge!

Tea Time chuckled lightly at the title. "Can you believe what the news have taken to calling you? 'The Ribbon' seems to be quite the growing trend."

Fort Grace winced. "Better that than 'The Grim Reaper'. I don't even know who thought that one up." With a sigh, she dismissed the article from her sight.

The two became interrupted by beeping, a notification on her desk telephone apprising her of an incoming message. Gently putting aside the teacup, Fort Grace accepted the invitation with the press of her finger. Connection established, Andromeda's voice immediately came through.

"Fort Grace, priority transmission from SSF GHQ."

The carrier looked confused. "For what reason?"

"It's from Barbet," the intelligence ship answered with an edge in her voice. "I think you'd better take it."

Fort Grace and Tea Time exchanged spooked looks. Swiping her beret back on, Fort Grace completed her transition back to proper form with a deep breath. "Put her on the line."

Sitting across from her, offset to the side to make room for the door, was a wide wall-mounted display screen. Once pitch black, the monitor awoke, materializing the interface of a video connection. And from it, a moving image materialized: a stern face, partially hidden beneath her beak-like hair and officer cap, seated in front of the symbol of the Silver Star Federation from which her authority derived.

"Barbet," Fort Grace greeted. "I wasn't expecting to hear from you, let alone a priority-"

"Let's cut to the chase already," Barbet rudely interrupted. "You have a lot to explain, and I am not in the mood for pleasantries."

The Delta carrier looked at her with piqued eyebrows. "Explain? About what may I ask?"

"This!" Whipping up something in her hand, Fort Grace instantly recognized the article in Barbet's hand. The very same article that she had once tossed aside, the identical piece of news that heralded Stonehenge's destruction. But for a piece of sensational and good news, Barbet looked furious. "Explain to us why a priceless Silver Star Federation property was ransacked by your hands!"

Fort Grace and Tea Time looked dumbfounded. "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me," the Federation leader pressed. "The Spaceguard Turret Network may have been constructed on your home waters, but it was the product of the Silver Star Federation's foreign policy program. By international treaties, Stonehenge is property of the SSF military and of therefore of Federation interests."

Fort Grace shook her head. "Legal as it may be, the facility was long-abandoned, years before this war began. The early stages of the war saw many territories fall under Rose Kingdom occupation, of which included Stonehenge. We did not expect that it would be employed for their uses against us. I argue that the SSF had lost any stake to claim Stonehenge as military property the moment it was seized by the enemy."

"And yet you were careless in neutralizing it! Your actions have directly resulted in the complete destruction of the installation and with it years of cooperation!"

Fort Grace narrowed her eyes. "And I shall say this again: Stonehenge was occupied by enemy forces who were able to activate and exploit it. We had no way to know that the Rose Kingdom would use Stonehenge the way they had. Our campaign, comprised of ships from both the Delta Coalition and the SSF, have been afflicted by Stonehenge's deployment. We had no choice but to neutralize it. I apologize for its loss, but there were circumstances outside of our control."

"'Outside of your control'? You were provided three of my carriers as well as whatever material support that would be requisitioned as needed!"

Fort Grace shot her with a tired glare. "I've made my case and stand by it."

Barbet answered back with a glare of her own, one rife with distrust. "... So you have. But know that this infraction will not be easily forgiven. The SSF expedition fleet will remain to provide support, as per policy, but be aware that once they have fulfilled their duties our dealings are done."

And without sparing a second of formal conclusion, the feed was terminated. The Delta ships were left staring at a blank screen, seeing only a vague reflection of themselves as they did.

Fort Grace fell back into her seat with a sigh, deflating like it did. Tea Time held firm to be her anchor. "Well that was quite a damper, wasn't it? But do not let her words get the better of you, Your Grace. I'm certain many would sympathize with your perspective."

"Is that so?" the carrier wryly asked. "And I suppose you're one of them?"

The maid smiled. "Without a doubt."

Fort Grace snorted. "Oh good. I was almost worried there."

"Y-Your Grace!"

The two shared a chuckle, bringing a light smile back to the carrier's lips. Remembering her tea cup, she raised it up. "By the way, I would like to have more of that tea please."

"Certainly!"

Location: Hatties Sea

The sounds of chirping gulls and gentle breeze accompanied the titanic constructs of dented hulls and twisted metal. Scorched concrete and steel whispered of a grand battle that forged them in their current form, as if to conceal a deeper history that the structures possessed. Like a memorial, the site continued to draw visitors. But more than respect, they continued to offer their fascination, awe, and an intrigued sense of fear.

Even when dead, the remains of Stonehenge continued to command the attention of all who laid eyes on them.

The sight certainly left an impression on Tennessee and Ark Royal as they now witnessed the giants up close. "My word! I've seen the images, but seeing them in person is something else…!"

"You're telling me," Tennessee remarked. She scanned the destroyed gun, seeing its exterior warped by the heat of the recent decisive operation. Scattered pockmarks decorated it, yet for something that was confirmed dead she could tell that a behemoth like Stonehenge was too permanent to disappear from the face of this earth.

Impressed as she was, the battleship was even more impressed at the work of the ships that partook in its destruction. Tennessee almost wished she was part of it.

Her attention flickered when she picked up voices. The mood of Stonehenge's grave became sullied with the sounds of faint, but excited calls. Following the sounds, Tennessee and Ark Royal had their gaze resting on Stonehenge's central structure, a proverbial mound to Stonehenge but a hill to the ants that were the ships themselves. From the opening wrenched ajar on the surface of the structure, voices echoed from it.

Tennessee sighed. "Well there she goes. Let's see if she actually found anything useful."

The two approached the opening, climbing inside. Trailing behind, Ark Royal was surprised to see that it was actually a door, a maintenance hatch judging by how its thickness rivaled that of the frame. She followed Tennessee down a narrow staircase, a tunnel sculpted out of concrete and metal frames. She felt like they were entering a bunker - no, descending into the gullet of some sleeping titan.

The voices continued to ring from the depths. The deeper they went, the louder and clearer they became. Soon, the imposing passageway gave way to another portal; like the one before, this too was open all the way. Entering inside, Tennessee and Ark Royal found themselves inside an chamber, its width tempered by the vast assortment of empty displays, control stations, and a proverbial jungle of cables, wires, and pipes that ran all throughout the ceiling, along the walls, up columns…

It was not long until they neared the source, the disturbances coming into clarity.

"... is really the coolest thing I've seen!"

"Hey, slow down. It's hard to catch you when you're bouncing around the walls." Tennessee and Ark Royal recognized Cleveland's voice, right before she walked into view following another ship that pranced around the scene like a kid in a candy store.

"But seriously! Whoever made this really spared no expense. I don't know how this would've performed had it not been disabled but the tech here's on a completely different level! I can't help but feel like we've discovered some kind of secret supervillain lair!"

Eagle Union Light Cruiser
RENO

Ark Royal smiled gently at the young cruiser's child-like enthusiasm whereas Tennessee found herself unamused. Upon seeing them, Cleveland waved her hand. "Hey, Tennessee, Ark Royal. How you doing?"

Tennessee replied with a simple nod before immediately turning her attention on Reno. "So what'd you find?"

"Oh where to start?" began Reno. If her fascination was an engine then it was long past starting; now it was just revving up. "Ever since I got wind that there was some kind of superweapon at play here, I was really itching to see what kind of world this was. Sadly I couldn't help save the day but I got Cleve and the others to thank for being the heroes here so Enterprise could give me the go-ahead! And now that I am here, this world is just… out of this world! The type of rigging the ships here have and the way they work is just fantastic! It makes me wonder if Stank Industries really exists here!"

Cleveland's elbow nudged her from the side. "She wants to know about Stonehenge, you know..." she whispered.

"R-right, sorry about that! So I took a good look at the inside once we found a way in (even used my repulsor blasters to slice our way in like fwoosh!) and Andromeda wasn't kidding around with the technical details! There's definitely a whole lot of Siren tech used to complete Stonehenge but there's no mistaking that it was human tech (advanced one too!) that was used to build it. The guns were really busted up but they were chock-full of all gizmos like a pretty cool autoloading system, entire basements full of computers and servers for fire control, some heavy-duty dampener and stabilizer systems, and even accommodations for manual aiming! It was like being inside an real giant robot! (Like those from that one movie. Pacific Rumble, I think it was called?)

"The central facility (here) alone has got multiple levels filled with interfaces and control consoles, a communications set-up that would've factored both radio, satellite, and even Morse; the power core's also super-cool, must be fusion or some comic book stuff! All of which I found is also hardened against EMP. Stonehenge has got everything that even I don't think I would've come up with! It's no wonder that the Silver Star Federation could never finish this, although I'm impressed that they got most of this built on their own!"

Tennessee stopped. Her ears did not deceive her. "... Say what?"

Reno blinked. "Did… I say something weird? Was I being too much with my passionate analysis?"

"No, they followed you loud and clear," Cleveland clarified with a sigh. She had a bad feeling that this would be their reaction. "Yeah you two heard her right: the Sirens brought Stonehenge online… but it was the Silver Star Federation that built it in the first place. That means Stonehenge was their weapon from the beginning."

"But why?" Ark Royal asked, confused. "For what purpose would our allies have built something like this?"

"And why would this be left unfinished and abandoned..." Tennessee brooded over the questions. She had been informed that Stonehenge was an aborted project of this world before the Sirens had ever stepped foot, and while she had her own suspicions, she never actually believed that their very allies were responsible for the conception of something so powerful and dangerous.

So why?

Outside, where the sight of the wrecked guns would inspire a small sense of relief or gratitude for their demise, one stood apart with a lingering sense of remorse and lamentation.

Kestrel gazed at the ruins with condolence. She looked at how some of the cannons, once poised defiant but proud and promising, now fell to earth unable to stand. They had been denied of the skies above. Silently, she wondered how things would've turned out differently had Stonehenge realized its dreams and not died as an opportunistic weapon of war.

'If only...'

"Kestrel."

Turning, the carrier found herself approached by a handful of ships from the Azur Lane.

"Hello again, Tennessee. Cleveland, Ark Royal, Reno," Kestrel greeted politely, placing a bit more warmth toward the newcomer. Reno's cheeks blushed slightly.

Tennessee was not so quick to reciprocate however. "Kestrel… When you said that Stonehenge was created by the hands of man, that it was something you had tried to build years ago… I think we all need the full picture of what's going on."

Kestrel looked pensive. "I suppose you do deserve to know, after everything that has happened thus far..."

She turned back to look at the ruins as if she could decipher something from their scorched surface. All present paid with rapt attention as she began. "... Do you remember how the present came to be? More than fifteen years ago, the world was struck with an unprecedented calamity. Like the very skies they came from, the tragedy was brought to all corners of the globe.

"That was Ulysses… when the stars rained down on the world below. The land, the seas, the people… all were scarred irreparably that day."

"And that was also when your world found out about the wisdom cubes," Ark Royal inserted.

"Woah, really?" Reno interjected, her tone hushed yet brimming. Tennessee silenced her with a look before Kestrel continued.

"Yes, it was from the very stars that fell that they were discovered. But it was the Tempted that was the first to unlock their secrets. Having tasted power that only they possessed, the Tempted used their gifts to wage war on the world… It was only thanks to those same gifts that the world's nations were able to hold them back. The war was won… but we remained in a broken world, unsure of the questions we had answers to.

"The Silver Star Federation, having played a crucial role in the Temptation War, recovered quickly from the Ulysses disaster with a renewed purpose. We believed that catastrophes could be averted through the will and merits of all mankind, using the newfound gifts once used for war be employed for peace. As a superpower founded on safeguarding others, the Federation made that dream their duty.

"Having witnessed Ulysses, there was a widespread wish for it to never happen again. The Federation wished the same, and so sought ways to make that wish true..."

Kestrel paused to look longingly at the broken guns. "... This was one such attempt."

Everyone looked the ruins, the dawning revelation giving them new insight. "Cannons to… shoot down the meteorites?"

"Woah, so if that's the case then I take back my statement about this being a supervillain lair! Now this sounds like… er, the opposite - a superhero lair! (Do those even exist…?)"

"Stonehenge was conceived to be the world's defense against another Ulysses," continued Kestrel. "As the continent of Usea proved the most vulnerable, the Silver Star Federation chose this continent as a sign of goodwill with the nations here. This would have been the first of many that would safeguard our lands and with them our souls…"

Then she sighed. "Hopes were high at first. The project captured the hearts and minds of those who knew of it. A physical symbol of our talents, to use weapons that would otherwise be used for war be used for the express purpose of defense. But as time went on, reality quickly took hold… Complications began to mount; costs became untenable. Even with the backing of a superpower, Stonehenge's completion continued to elude them.

"Once optimistic, the powers that be began to feel impatient. It wasn't until alternatives were discovered that time finally stood still for Stonehenge. Despite substantial progress, hopes had fallen in favor of other weapons that were deemed more 'economical' at protecting the planet.

"Support withdrew, and so did construction. With the Federation abandoning it, the nations of this continent lost spirit. And here Stonehenge has slept… until..."

Her words trailed off but none bothered to interject; the story's end was unambiguous.

Cleveland tried to break the ice. "That's… Well, darn… Wasn't expecting that kind of story."

"A shame, really," Ark Royal agreed.

Tennessee callously shrugged. "Since when are we feeling sorry for a superweapon that's been trying to kill us? Machines like that are just tools in the end."

Kestrel looked down. "As much as it served the enemy's purpose… I can't help but sympathize with it. When I think about it, we aren't so dissimilar from it. Like Stonehenge, we ships are tools in a way - weapons… No matter what we do, we're rooted in conflict. I suppose it's no coincidence that both it and us came about because of Ulysses. But unlike us, Stonehenge had no will. Its unfortunate fate was sealed the moment the Rose Kingdom sought it out, turning hopes against the world."

"Maybe you got a point..." Cleveland admitted, not shying behind any pretense. "Since we were made to protect the world from the Sirens, I guess fighting's all we were meant for… But that doesn't mean we can't fight for the good reasons. It's not like we do the things we do because we're forced to… For a lot of things we've done, you bet it was because we wanted it!"

Reno leapt up. "She's right! Fighting may be our job, but that's because we want to fight to save the day! Heroes fight the villains all the time after all. We're more than just tools or weapons - we're just like superheroes!"

Kestrel couldn't help but chuckle at the cruiser's optimism. What the more cynical would call naive, she found it endearing: the youthful innocence, compassion, a simple world view but not without insights. To see an ideal world and to build it up, not to see it torn down. Of something higher yet tenable.

It reminded her of why they fought - why she fought, as much as she disliked it.

Once disheartened, Kestrel turned back towards the ruins with a hopeful disposition. The ruins had not changed, the many guns continued to rest as they were, with their towering barrels felled to earth. But there remained one exception. Despoiled like the rest, there was one whose aim continued to point high into the sky. Kestrel followed her gaze up, higher and higher, until the memorial ended in the realm of ocean-blue. The sea of the heavens, tranquil yet quietly teeming with possibilities. Deep like the abyss the sky looked back but in Kestrel's heart she had forgiven it.

She raised her hand as if she could grasp them, the sky, the future, the possibilities. They peeked at her from between her fingers.

Down on the ground, all she could do was dream. Dream and hope. Of things that could be and of things yet to come.

Kestrel bid the dead one last farewell.

'May you rest… in quiet slumber...'

Location: Sol Castle, Farbanti

Glimpses of the sun peeked through the thin filter-like windows of the castle walls, flashing like a tempo as she briskly walked. Though cast in broad day, there remained an abundance of darkness, like treachery and deceit. No need for lurking assassins to hide in the shadows when bodings were everywhere, in plain sight even.

The figure pranced down the hall, wasting no time. But her haste was not born from eagerness.

She had been summoned - an unexpected development.

Pushing aside the grand double doors, she entered the main hall. Emptiness was her audience save for three at the end of the chamber. Upon seeing them, her mood instantly turned to dislike.

She should've known that her call to service was nothing but bad news.

Rose Kingdom Battlecruiser
DYSNOMIA

"... So you have heeded my call," Tanager drawled, slouching on her throne with bored interest. "Step forward."

Dysnomia complied, but not entirely of her own volition. She approached the battleship, noticing the presence of Geofon and Herne beside her. But the attention toward them paled compared to what she gave to their queen, her glare refusing to break or falter. And likewise, neither did her.

Dysnomia came close to where they lay. With her own strapless dark blue uniform with gold embroidery, a long skirt of matching color where a pair of belts dangled loose, and long flowing blue-gray hair, to say that she was unlike Tanager would be an understatement. The only commonality she shared with Tanager - the only thing she allowed - were their rank. But even that fact was contested; Dysnomia knew all too well.

A sly smile spread across Tanager's face. "It has been quite some time, Dysnomia. How long has it been since we last laid eyes on each other?"

The battlecruiser narrowed her eyes. It was feigned courtesy and she knew it. "Long enough for us to know that my invitation here is unusual, too unusual for both of us to not take notice. In fact, to answer your question, the last we saw of each other was when you made it clear you did not want to see me as often as you could."

Where her inner circle scowled, Tanager instead gave a hearty bark of a laugh. "Come on now, my dear Dysnomia. Had I been more haughty the present would not come to be. The times, the circumstances, have deemed our reunion necessary."

"Is that so?" Dysnomia dryly asked.

"Indeed. This war, this affair of ours… Fate has not been as kind as I had hoped. Our enemies, once alone, now stand with like-minded miscreants. Like roaches, they have expanded, pilfering our gains and squandering our triumphs."

Dysnomia snorted. "Running all the way from North Point? Quite the turn-around."

"Your commentary is unnecessary," Geofon interjected, staring at the battlecruiser with the same eyes she had given Tanager. "But your cooperation is. Over the course of several months, we have incurred two critical strategic casualties: the mass-produced ships granted to us by the visitors and Stonehenge.

"Both represent materiel losses that must be addressed," the carrier continued. "As such, it has been deemed not just necessary, but essential that your fleet be activated."

"The Rán Fleet..." muttered Dysnomia. "My fleet..."

"Your ships must be organized and prepared for deployment at full readiness within no more than a week. You have your orders, effective immediately."

"Now leave us," concluded Tanager, dismissing her with a wave of her hand. But Dysnomia did not immediately turn to leave; she was not fooled by the tired charade. Despite being on hallowed ground, she and Tanager did not stand on ceremony.

"... If anyone should be surprised by this development, I suppose it should be me."

Tanager raised an eyebrow. For a natural response it was subtly forced. "Oh?"

"You claim that the circumstances has necessitated requesting me. But only now, with the war souring to a most bitter taste have you chosen to invite us. Only now, with your most favored ships and national pride, do you now consider us to aid you. Us, the Rán Fleet.

"Think back to our nation's history. Long have we been a kingdom, yet we have not always lived as united people. You know well the separation that exists among us, between those inheriting the Kingdom's royalty and those who were not. Even during the turbulent past when we stood should-to-shoulder like never before, you have treated the latter for what you saw us as: peasants. We may share the same coat of arms, but we are not alike.

"For long in our country's history, you and your Aegir Fleet were the pride of the Kingdom. But for too long have your fleet hoarded the spotlight, robbing from us our fair share of glory. For too long have you smothered my Rán Fleet in shadow. And only today… only today do you seek us out to shed sweat and blood alongside you!"

Dysnomia expected a tense stand-off, only for Tanager to whimsically shake her head. "... I apologize. Have I offended you for so long? I had the impression that we all knew our place."

Before Dysnomia could retort, Tanager continued her verbal offensive. "But as much as you talk of our history, do remember to unchain yourself from the past. Consider this you and your compatriots' moment of glory, to prove yourselves to the Kingdom. We may be of differing upbringings, but what of it? Our enemies lie beyond the range of our fusillades, not behind our backs. You overlook the fact that we are soldiers of the Rose Kingdom, leaders of its armadas. Now, my dear Dysnomia, you have my orders...

"... Take your second-rate scrap fleet and begone from my sight."

An uncomfortable silence as the air began to heat up. Dysnomia saw it now: Tanager's real face, the cracks of her visage willingly giving way to her true self. A mere trick she had been playing on her. The battlecruiser's face twinged with conflict but as much as it boiled with loathing she stayed her hand.

Without another word or gesture, Dysnomia turned to leave. She was not the only one who would fulfill their desire to be rid of each other's presence. Tanager watched her as she left; inviting as it may be, it would have been too predictable. Even with her back turned to her, she could tell her counterpart was keeping her eyes on her. She reached the grand doors where they rumbled shut behind her. Finally, she was gone.

Herne scoffed. "Lousy second-class… I doubt we'll be getting much use from those junks."

"At worst they will serve as convenient fodder," Geofon coldly explained. "Combined, the addition of the Rán Fleet has doubled our manpower. But even with this fact, I do not predict a favorable outcome to occur decisively enough."

"That will not matter," Tanager announced, rising from her seat to her aides' surprise. "I had no intention of relying solely on the Rán Fleet. My ambitions - my drive - have already envisioned an alternative."

Geofon was intrigued. "My liege?"

"Before it died, Stonehenge had imparted upon me a unique and irreplaceable wisdom," continued Tanager, eyes locked forward as if she was seeing something else. "It demonstrated to me unheard of strength, a power like no other. But it also demonstrated to me that they can be built, molded by our hands and shaped by our desires. Great monuments need only a foundation of incentives, walls layered with persistence, and fueled by will. With great undertaking we will be yielded a great fruit." Herne stopped, familiar with the words as her queen's wish became startlingly clear.

Tanager spun to address her advisor. "Geofon, collaborate with Beowulf π and Beowulf v to collate the necessary resources that will be necessary for the endeavor. Inform them that this is to be their highest priority and that none outside the Aegir Fleet is to be informed."

The carrier dutifully bowed while Herne looked with careful doubt. "... Will this even be possible for us alone? Those… people aren't around to help out anymore."

Tanager smirked, it gleaming in shadow. "The Silver Star Federation had gambled with Stonehenge, only for it to be too monstrous for them. Like them, we will dream of grand desires, albeit in a smaller scale. We will harbor no delusions of defense or altruism in our great weapon of murder.

"And once we have obtained it, all will be dealt with in due time..."

When the doors of the grand hall shut behind her, Dysnomia had realized she had been holding her breath. She exhaled, but her ire was far from over.

'One day, Tanager… one day, it will be you who will be humbled, toppled from your little ivory tower you made for yourself.'

She marched down the castle hall, half-stomping half-briskly walking as she did with thoughts slowly building steam in her head.

'So you ask us for aid only when your pompous ships can't win this damned war. Your so-called "Invincible Fleet"... not so invincible now that your ego must bend its knee. The same ego that put you into this situation. Funny how pride works: clutched as a pillar of strength yet so frail and easily broken. The gods of victory don't care about self-image, you stuck-up ship...'

Dysnomia sighed. '... I'm not like you; I would have taken the reins of leadership had you not come to be. But unlike you I am not burdened with an exaggerated sense of self. You may be superior, but you are always your own worst enemy, Tanager.'

Suddenly she paused. Dysnomia turned her gaze toward the windows, capturing the vast world outside through the confines of the frame.

Though barred from the fighting, Dysnomia had not been idle in current events. The war was out there. And like it, so were their appointed enemies: the Delta Coalition, elements of the Silver Star Federation, and this Azur Lane.

Their enemies were vast and varied. The Rose Kingdom stood alone from their perspective. Well, perhaps they had assistance from before but where they were now…

Dysnomia resumed her departure. But where her pace had once been given vitality from anger, it was now fueled by its product: a scheme.

'Your critical mistake was letting pride take precedence over strategy,' Dysnomia thought with determination. 'I won't be making that same mistake. I'll show you… the error of your ways.'

Dysnomia pushed her glasses up. A certain idea bloomed in her head. 'Just you wait...'

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

HistoricHippos:

About time I had the opportunity to introduce some new ships. And there'll be much more soon.