The night dragged on as Isaac and his fleet made themselves useful, doing everything they could to keep Phoenix alive through the continued bleeding.
"Phoenix." Isaac said softly as he kneeled down next to her head. To his surprise, she was conscious and turned her head to look at him.
"Yes... commander?" Phoenix asked weakly.
"Good. Thank god you're still with us. Hang on, okay? I-13 and the others should be here any minute." Isaac said as he held her other hand tightly in his grasp.
"Commander... please look after my sister... She thought we wouldn't notice... but the brass... they hurt her. They hurt her badly... please... be...better." Phoenix said with a small smile as her eyes closed once again.
"No! You have not been relieved of duty, young lady! You hang on! Do you hear me!?" Isaac said as he looked to Friedrich.
"She needs help, now!" Isaac barked as Friedrich ran out to the worksite.
"I'm sorry my children, but I need one of these." Friedrich said as she found the three cubes that Akashi had sent them. Petting one of the bulins on the head, she took one of the cubes. Returning to Isaac's side, she found him with his head resting on the back of Phoenix's hand.
"I am your commanding officer, Phoenix. Prove to me that your name isn't just a name. You have to pull through." Isaac said as Friedrich kneeled beside him.
"Herr Isaac. We have to be quick. I think I know what needs to be done." Friedrich said as Isaac looked at her.
"Tell me." Isaac demanded.
"We need to remove the mass of wood from her arm. And then we need to repair it using this." Friedrich said.
"If we remove the wood, she'll die!" Isaac said.
"She'll die if we don't, Herr Isaac." Friedrich said.
Isaac turned to the wounded cruiser with a look of sadness. He began thinking how best to quickly remove the stake in her arm without tearing her arm off. He was saved from being forced to make a choice as the port's siren began to blare once more.
"Commander! Siren Battleship inbound!" Richelieu yelled as she barged into the dorms.
"Friedrich, keep her stable." Isaac ordered as he ran out the door with Richelieu. The guns on her battleship were turning to engage as Isaac caught sight of the battleship towing a broken cruiser.
"Wait! Do not fire!" Isaac yelled as Richelieu barely managed to bring the guns up further to avoid hitting the battleship, or the ships following, as her main guns fired.
"Shit, get someone on the radio now!" Isaac yelled as Vestal's voice came through the receiver.
"Do not fire! Do not Fire! We are Friendly!" Vestal yelled over the radio.
"Damage report." Isaac spoke in response.
"Thankfully, none of those shells hit anyone." Vestal said with a hint of anger in her voice.
"I apologize for the scare. I gave the order to hold fire but by the time I did, it was too late. Please find an empty port and disembark. I need to return to Phoenix." Isaac said over the radio as Odin picked it up.
"This is VizeKommandant Odin. Who do I have the honor of speaking to?" Odin asked.
"Union Repair ship Vestal. I am on my way to lend my aid to Phoenix." Vestal said as she skated to shore.
"Understood. Kommandant has her in the dorms. From the look on his face... it isn't good." Odin said as the pink haired repair ship ran past the radio tower and into the dorms.
"Get your hand's off of her before you kill her." Vestal said as she pushed everyone away from the fading cruiser.
Vestal set to work immediately as she snatched the cube away from Friedrich before using a sharp blade to remove the stake from Phoenix's arm. She placed the cube inside the wound and touched it once it was seated. It glowed brightly, illuminating the entire dorm with a soft blue light. As the cube worked, Vestal turned to face Isaac.
"You. Your fleet fired on us the moment we were spotted. Did you give the order?" Vestal asked as she leveled her rifle at him.
Friedrich and Rodney stepped in front of Isaac, producing their rigging and aiming it at Vestal.
"Lower your weapon, now." Friedrich growled as the two serpents snapped their jaws open and shut.
"Answer my question." Vestal spoke coldly.
"No, he didn't. I fired on my own accord. Commander was in here helping keep Phoenix stable." Richelieu said as she bowed apologetically.
"Vestal... stop this... she is telling the truth." Phoenix said weakly from the bed, gripping Vestal's dress with her newly repaired arm.
Vestal lowered the rifle before being detained by Odin, who had made her way in during the commotion.
"Until you have been cleared by the Kommandant, you will remain on lockdown. Threats against the commander will not be tolerated." Odin said as she herded Vestal out to the docks.
"I will be on my ship awaiting your punishment, Commander. Richelieu said as she walked out of the dorms.
"Everyone out. I need to talk to Phoenix, alone." Isaac said as the rest of the girls filed out.
"Commander... I'm sorry. This war... changed her." Phoenix said.
"I will release her after I speak with her. I understand her frustration with being fired upon by allies. We were... uninformed that a drone ship would be escorting your little fleet." Isaac said.
"To be honest... This is the first I'm hearing of it as well. My sister... she would know." Phoenix spoke softly.
"I'm just glad you pulled through. Welcome aboard." Isaac said as he squeezed her hand.
"Thank you Commander. If you wouldn't mind... I'd like some rest." Phoenix said with a small smile.
"Of course. Please rest well. Your orders will come later." Isaac said as he walked out of the dorms.
"Vestal. I understand the frustration of having your allies shoot at you. But we also were not hailed, nor were we informed over the past few hours that your fleet would be escorted by a drone ship." Isaac said as Odin held Vestal at gunpoint.
"I...I'm sorry Commander. After something that occurred on our voyage, I was under the impression that all union commanders were out to get us." Vestal said.
"I am not formally a commander. I was a mechanic and an engineer before all of this shit. But still, both you and Phoenix have spoken up in distain towards command. Something tells me that you all were not treated the best by the Union." Isaac said.
"How will we punish this, Kommandant?" Odin asked.
"After what these three girls have been through, miscommunication is not something that needs to be severely punished. Vestal, you and the ship that fired upon you will be on dorm detail for the next three days. I expect the dorms spotless at the end of each day, am I understood?" Isaac asked.
Yes Commander. Thank you for your leniency." Vestal said.
"Odin, release her. She is our only repair ship that can stand combat conditions. Relay my orders to Richelieu. I am going to greet our last cruiser and I-13 before she heads for Pearl Harbor." Isaac said as he walked out to the docks.
I-13 was standing next to another slender young woman as Isaac approached.
"It's good to see you again, I-13. How goes it?" Isaac asked.
"I am well, Shikikan. Thank you for asking. This is St. Louis. She is Phoenix's sister." I-13 said.
"I see. Well, welcome to Suva, St. Louis. I hope we can work together well." Isaac said as he gave her a small salute. She returned it hesitantly.
"I would like to speak with you about something your sister told me, but it can wait until you see her. I have her set up in the dorms over there." Isaac said as he pointed to the building in question.
"You're free to go until I call for you, St. Louis. Go be with your sister." Isaac said with a small smile. She took the liberty and walked to the dorms.
"Care to explain that?" Isaac asked pointedly.
"Akashi made one for me to test before we sent you the blueprints. It operates by hijacking and rewriting their code and allowing for remote control from whatever ship the device is attached to. I have used it to great effect in controlling destroyers and battleships." I-13 said.
"But you brought it here? Is it still transmitting?" Isaac asked.
"No, Shikikan. When the code is rewritten, it disables the radio transmitter." I-13 said.
"I see. Well, we may be able to use it in the field. I am still uncomfortable with it here. Is it necessary for your mission?" Isaac asked.
"No. Do you want me to scuttle it?" I-13 asked.
"No. Keep it here but deactivate it. I'm going to scrap it for parts and tech." Isaac said.
"Understood Shikikan. I have stayed too long. I am going to embark on my mission now." I-13 said as she gave Isaac a hug. Isaac returned it.
"Stay safe I-13. I won't forgive you if I find you sunk." Isaac said.
"I'll do my best Shikikan." I-13 said with a smile as she went back to her boat. Isaac smiled as he watched her leave the docks, leaving the deactivated ship behind.
"Bulins. Disassemble that ship on the double." Isaac said as he looked over at the small sea of white hair. They responded with a swarm of salutes.