After carefully securing the stone within a large duffel bag, Nimi set off from the small port and began heading back to the main part of the Island.
"Mein Liebling?" Nimi asked as she walked up and grabbed his hand.
"Yes?" Isaac asked. He turned to face her.
She blushed a bit, but it quickly faded.
"I'm a bit nervous to be meeting anyone from France. We only had one on base and it was only because they weren't Iris, but Vichya. I had no desire for the Fatherland to invade, but as a ship of the Fatherland, I have to share the blame for their subjugation." Nimi said softly.'
"Nimi... I'm sure that the Kansen of Iris Libre won't hold a grudge. the very fact that you are here among Azur Lane should show them that you had no desire to be part of such a pointless war." Isaac said as her hull sliced quietly through the waves.
"Still... I fly the colors of Ironblood. My sisters felt the same but they did not have as much free reign as I did... Bismarck, Tirpitz, Gneisenau, Scharnhorst, Eugen, Hipper... even my sisters of Z-class. They were forced into service despite near insubordinate levels of defiance. The only reason they ever fought... was because the Kriegsmarine held Zeppelin hostage, refused to finish constructing her hull. She managed to escape from her dry dock, abandoning her hull, where she hitched a ride with Dunkerque from Algeria to the Azur lane facility on Niue." Nimi told her story.
"I am sorry to hear that Nimi. To hear that your kind were blackmailed into fighting a human war... it break my heart. As your commander, and as someone special to you, I promise I will find them. It will take some time, but I will find your sisters, and the might of Ironblood. If our raid on Sakura is successful, we can swing past Northern Parliament and free them before targeting the Fatherland. that would be our shortest route." Isaac said.
Nimi looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"Thank you, Mein Liebling." Nimi whispered as she kissed his cheek.
"Commander, as much as we appreciate the lighter carry weight, please don't tell me you used that time to make out with Nimi." Rodney's voice came through the radio. Isaac looked around and saw that they were in view of the rest of the fleet.
"Nimi. Let's save those things for later. maybe when we are alone later." Isaac whispered as he kissed her cheek.
"Okay." Nimi blushed as she replied.
The Z23 pulled into the port. after mooring her vessel to the docks, Isaac quickly disembarked to meet the new members of his fleet. He found everyone sitting around the bar with Eli.
"Nobody is giving you too hard a time, I hope." Isaac said as he approached.
"It is certainly weird, my friend." Eli said.
"How so?" Isaac asked.
"My ears hear a language i can't understand, but my mind knows immediately what they are saying. I do not speak the language of these three young women, but I understand them." Eli said as he pointed to three young, elegantly dressed women.
"Yeah... I don't understand it either, but apparently their language is universal to humans." Isaac said.
"I see. It gives me a slight headache." Eli said.
"You get used to it. I mean, after all. I married a German woman. She starts speaking German the moment she gets too excited or she gets mad at me." Isaac said, earning him an elbow in his ribs.'
"Halt de Klappe, Dummer Kommandant." Nimi spat as Isaac gripped his side.
"I'll get my payback." Isaac said, causing Nimi to visibly recoil.
"I see. You two make quite the couple." Eli spoke.
"I agree. But I am getting off track. I am here to meet the new members of my fleet. After all, I need to know how to rearrange the formation to make us as effective as possible." Isaac said as he turned to the three French warships that now stood in front of him, bowing politely.
" I am Richelieu. Iris Battleship and Cardinal of Iris Libre. My guns shall see our enemies brought before the lord." The tall blonde haired woman spoke in a lofty tone.
"Lord?" Isaac thought to himself.
"Excellent. Welcome to the fleet, Richelieu. I am happy to have you." Isaac spoke.
"I am the Destroyer, Le Triomphant. I am one of the Templar Knights of Iris Libre. We fight valiantly to end the scourge that dominates the world." The small, petite blonde spoke as she held her shield in front of her while pointing her sabre to the sky.
"Excellent. another destroyer to help escort. I am grateful for your arrival. I hope that we can become quick friends." Isaac said.
"And I am Surcouf. I am a specialized submarine that serves the Iris Libre. I have guns to match any cruiser, while maintaining the distinct advantage of being a submarine." The small redhead spoke proudly.
"I can see that. Quite the interesting design. I look forward to getting time to learn more about you and your Vessel." Isaac spoke before turning to the tall, busty black cat that was eyeing him up.
"And you must be Fusou." Isaac spoke.
"Of course, my new master. I am Fusou. Sakura Battleship and Spiritual leader under Nagato-Sama. I am here to serve your...every need." Fusou spoke as Eagle and Nimi both glared at her chest.
"Way too big." Eagle whispered to Nimi.
"Agreed." Nimi spoke as she looked down at her chest.
"I am glad to have you here, Fusou. Firepower is something I cannot get enough of." Isaac spoke.
"Alright. I know you guys now, so how about I introduce myself? My name is Isaac Garner, Commander of the current iteration of Azur Lane. I am glad to have you all here. Our current goal... is liberation of the world. As most of you know, the world is currently under the iron fist of the Sirens. Humanity and the lives of the rest of the Kansen's lives rest solely on us until we can begin liberating the world. Our first target is the Philippines and Tester Beta. She is acting as a bulwark for the entrance to Sakura. Once and if we can beat Tester, Observer will know we are coming and will throw everything she has at us. Luckily, I firmly believe that we will find more allies along the way." Isaac spoke, earning nods from everyone present.
"Alright. Now that introductions are out of the way, and our fuel depot has been started, shall we redraw our strategy?" Rodney asked.
"Yes. Let us all meet aboard the Eagle. She will continue to be the flagship for this operation. any questions will be answered at the meeting." Isaac said as he began walking toward the Eagle.
"Feel like talking now, you stupid little feline?" Observer asked a chained up Yukikaze.
"No. You won't get anything from me. I'd rather die than to give up Shinano-Sama or Nagato-Sama, nanoda." Yukikaze spoke defiantly.
"I'm going to kill you either way. I am only dealing with you because every time we search the seas around Japan, there is a fog that we cannot control. And we cannot go in, due to every ship going in not coming back out." Observer spoke.
"I know nothing of any fog, whore. Maybe your domination of earth has lessened your abilities, nanoda." Yukikaze taunted, hoping for something to happen.
"You know what, I'm done dealing with you, I'll use that fog to my advantage for once." Observer spoke as she placed her hand around Yukikaze's throat.
"Go ahead. I welcome death before dishonor. Fuck you and your Siren companions. Your day of reckoning will come!" Yukikaze spoke with the last of her breath as she passed out.
"Send her into the fog. The sea will swallow her whole." Observer spoke as men from the Sakura empire hesitantly did as they were told. The men dragged Yukikaze to a battered Destroyer of the same name.
Yukikaze opened her eyes.
"Shh. Don't move little one. Just play along. We have all been ordered into the fog. We will help you." The man spoke in a lowered voice.
"Nanoda?" Yukikaze spoke weakly.
"We cannot speak here. Let us get into the fog first." The man spoke as he and three other men carefully threw Yukikaze onto her vessel before boarding themselves.
"You four are doing your country a great service. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. I will not harm your friends or family, out of respect for your sacrifice." Observer spoke as she stood on the docks.
"Sail this destroyer into the fog." Observer ordered.
The men nodded as they set about unmooring the vessel and reversing her out of port. Observer watched until the vessel disappeared behind the thick veil of fog.
"If that Carrier is in the fog, she will be of no consequence. That feline will die knowing that she was useless to this world's humanity." Observer spoke as she went back towards the buildings on the docks.
"Yukikaze! Are you okay?" The man asked.
"Yes... Somehow. We are far more resilient than humans, nanoda, but even I should have perished." Yukikaze spoke.
"I see. Well, the four of us have a plan." The man spoke.
"Oh?" Yukikaze asked.
"Yes. The four of us have heard a rumor that Lady Shinano has been in contact with an outsider. She has been sending out the same message for about three days now. She is waiting for someone to find her. The four of us heard her call, but we didn't get a location. So we are assuming that there is a sailor out there, and that he is near Fiji. I overheard Observer talking about an insect working his way up the island chain. So, the four of us hatched a plan to get you out if they sentenced you to the fog." The man said.
"A shikikan, Nanoda?" Yukikaze asked.
"Yes. We don't know who he is, but it seems they are worried about his potential. They genuinely believe he can reach Lady Shinano. And if that is the case, then we may have hope." The man said.
"Then begin fixing my hull. This fog is of no importance. It is a fog placed by Shinano-Sama and Nagato-Sama. Any Sirens that try to leave Sakura will be eaten by the fog, never to return." Yukikaze spoke.
"If that is the case, we will begin working to fix your hull immediately." The man spoke.
"Hang on, we are far enough away now, I'm going to open the throttle, nanoda." Yukikaze spoke as the ship lurched forward.
"Please keep your strength, Shinano-Sama. I will return with the one you have chosen." Yukikaze spoke to the wind.
"Thank you... Young One." a voice carried on the wind, the men aboard Yukikaze gasped and stared into the sky as the silhouettes of dive bombers flashed in and out of the fog. Their engines dampened by the sheer thickness of the fog.
"I can see why sirens can't survive here." The man spoke.
The entirety of the fleet had gathered on the flight deck of the Eagle.
"Thank you... Young One" The voice played in Isaac's head. he clutched his head, earning worried looks from the fleet.
"Liebling!" Nimi cried as she ran to his side.
"It's her again. This one wasn't directed at me." Isaac spoke.
"Wait... There was one ship that acted like that, commander." Omaha spoke.
"How do you know?" Isaac asked as he was helped to his feet.
"The last commander was plagued by the same voice. Akagi and the other members of Sakura claimed it was one of their most legendary of Carriers. One destroyer in particular knew her by name." Omaha spoke.
"What is the name?" Isaac asked.
"The destroyer known as Yukikaze referred to her as Shinano-Sama." Omaha spoke.
"Shinano... Shinano... I've heard that name. Archerfish! A friend of a friend served aboard the USS Archerfish. They claimed to have sunk a Yamato-class Aircraft carrier with that name in the waters surrounding Japan." Isaac spoke.
"Then the voice must be hers, and she has already told you where she is." Rodney spoke.
"Yes. I will fill you all in later. But the message I just got wasn't for me. Meaning that someone she refers to as Young One has done something to help her." Isaac spoke.
"That would be Yukikaze herself. She was the only one to survive the mission where Shinano was sunk. As she was the last one with Shinano, then it stands to reason the Shinano holds a great deal of respect for Yukikaze." Nimi spoke.
"Well, if Yukikaze has done something, she still exists in a physical form capable of doing something meaningful... meaning that the sirens must have kept her around for the express purpose of finding Shinano before we do. and if she is being thanked, she must have escaped her captors somehow." Isaac spoke.
"So...?" Nimi and the others asked.
"That means that we need to keep an eye out for a singular contact on radar and sonar. If we see the IJN Yukikaze, we will halt our advance and immediately render aid to her." Isaac spoke.
"Aye Aye." Cries came from the fleet.
"Back to business. We are going to adopt a Tortoise approach. We now have three battleships and three destroyers. You six will surround the fleet. Fusou will hold up the rear while Richelieu and Rodney will take the front two spots. Your forward facing turrets will provide maximum firepower from the front. Nimi and Triomphant will take up the rear two destroyer slots. Eldridge will take the front due to her EM field. we can continue to run the field to dampen our radar signature. In the center of our shell, will be Eagle, Omaha, and Surcouf. Eagle will continue to be the flagship. Omaha will coordinate our anti air capabilities since she has the best accompaniment. Our shell can ward off a decent air attack now. and Surcouf will be not only our best source of Sonar, she will be completely invisible to their equipment due to the noise produced by everyone else. So she can be our trump card when shit hits the fan. And if we find the Yukikaze, she will join the center formation, as she will probably have a decent amount of battle damage having escaped the sirens." Isaac spoke.
"Understood. Preparations are complete. We can leave at any time." Richelieu spoke, earning nods from the rest of the fleet.
"Then My orders are as followed: This is not going to be easy. But we are going to push through to Fiji using any means necessary. We depart immediately." Isaac spoke.
"Aye." The fleet responded as the sound of fog horns filled the air. Isaac carried the chunk of Wisdom Ore, as he had taken to calling it, into the command tower of the Eagle.
"What is that, Commander?" Eagle asked.
"I believe it is the same material used to create Wisdom cubes. I think that we may be able to use them to great effect if we can determine their usability back at Niue.
"We might not get there until after the Sakura campaign. Should we send this chunk back with somebody?" Eagle asked.
"What is the full limit of your air capabilities? Like how far can you reach?" Isaac asked.
"My albacore's can reach 960 miles. I'd have to remain stationary to focus though." Eagle spoke.
"Can it be done if you are towed?" Isaac asked.
"I don't see why not, did you want to send an albacore back to base to deliver the chunk?" Eagle asked.
"Yes. Maybe Akashi can work on it since she's an engineer too." Isaac said.
"Understood, Meet me on the flight deck so we can load the cargo. Did you want to pen a quick letter detailing your instructions?" Eagle asked.
"Yes. Give me one minute." Isaac said.
* Whoever gets this, Send this chunk directly to Akashi. Do not Touch it without a covering, and ensure none of the Kansens, or shipgirls touch it without gloves. I await good news. * Isaac wrote quickly before trying the note to the chunk of raw ore.
An albacore was spun up on the deck of the Eagle.
"All set to launch. It should be there in two hours." Eagle spoke.
"Good. Get it off the deck and do what you must, I'll have Richelieu and Rodney tow the ship until you have completed this assignment." Isaac spoke.
"Aye." Eagle saluted with her response.