"Surcouf, come in." Isaac spoke as he strolled along the deck of the Norfolk.
"I'm here, Commander." Surfouf said in a soft voice.
"What do you see down there?" Isaac asked.
"Dolphins, fish, and a couple of squid." Surcouf said as she studied her sonar.
"Can you check that again? I'm seeing another submarine." Isaac said as he stood on the tip of the bow, looking off to the port of the Pennsylvania.
"You're right, Commander. Should I sound the alarm?" Surcouf asked.
"No. I am going to try reaching out to them. It looks like a U-boat." Isaac said as sirens began blaring throughout the fleet as calls began coming in requesting orders.
"Everyone, calm down. Nimi, make sure Eldridge is ready with her mortars if this Sub turns hostile. I'm going to reach out to it." Isaac said.
"Understood, Liebling. Please act quickly." Nimi said as she cut the line.
"All other ships, maintain course, but order those in your charge to load HE with a delayed fuse." Isaac said as the line went quiet, his orders given.
"Unknown Submarine approaching Azur Lane Fleets One and Two. Identify yourself or you will be sunk." Isaac spoke on an open channel.
"Raawr... I'm a shark." A child-like voice called out.
"W-what?" Isaac asked, dumbfounded.
"Fear meee." The voice said.
Isaac tapped the side of his helmet, adding Nimi to the line.
"Nimi, come in." Isaac ordered.
"Here." She spoke immediately.
"Can you tell me who in your U-boat fleet refers to themselves as a shark?" Isaac asked.
"You found 110!?" Nimi cried as he looked over and saw her straining not to break formation.
Isaac tapped his helmet, addressing the fleet.
"All ships, drop your speed. Nimi has a friend to retrieve." Isaac said as the child growled over the radio again.
"Multiple, Liebling." Nimi corrected him.
"Multiple? I only see one on sonar." Isaac said as he looked out towards the U-boat, seeing an odd shadow behind it.
"Are there more?!" Isaac asked.
"U-110 was never allowed out on her own. The last Kommandant always sent her with two escorts." Nimi said as two more submarines made themselves known from behind U-110's sonar signature.
"U-47... Not too comfortable near all these ships, but I'll manage." A lower voice spoke.
"U-37 reporting. I'm just here to look after little garlic bulb here, but it seems we stumbled upon something much more interesting." A much cheerier voice spoke.
"Good lord... I found a wolfpack." Isaac said as he held his head in his hands.
"Commander! Can we keep them, please?!" Surcouf asked excitedly. Nimi mirrored her enthusiasm.
"They're not pets!" Isaac yelled.
"And I'm not a garlic bulb!" U-110 spoke angrily as the three submarines surfaced to meet Nimi, who went and hugged all three.
"Having a submarine pack will be very useful, Commander. If I am allowed to modify their boats, I can allow you to maintain contact with them no matter where they are." Norfolk said as she looked at Isaac. He turned to look at the submarines. The fleet had ground to a halt as Nimi brought the three girls to the Norfolk.
"So you're 110. You're 47. and You're 37." Isaac said, pointing at the three girls respectively. The three nodded as he removed his helmet. He knelt down to get eye level with them.
"I have taken the mantle of Commander of Azur Lane. You three served Commander Forrest?" Isaac asked, the three subs nodded.
"I see. Would you like to continue your service to Azur Lane?" Isaac asked as U-110 was curiously looking at his helmet.
"I see no better option, Kommandant." U-37 and U-47 said in unison, saluting with a fist over their hearts.
"And how about you, sharky?" Isaac asked, chuckling at his nickname for the adorable white haired submarine.
"I will serve Kommandant. But what is thaaat?" She asked as she pointed to his helmet.
"This is my helmet. It connects me with my fleet and allows me more control over what goes on." Isaac said as he placed the helmet on her head.
"Wooow!" U-110 exclaimed as she saw everything the helmet showed Isaac.
"This is even cooler than the Enigma machine." U-110 said as Isaac looked at Nimi.
"She still has that?" Isaac asked.
"Sadly, no. But considering she knew it inside and out, I'm sure Norfolk could help her build you another one if you wish." Nimi said.
"I still haaave my code books. Can they be useful to yoooou?" U-110 asked as she pulled the helmet off.
"Those can be useful to encrypt our communication channels, Commander." Norfolk said as he looked at U-110.
"Your codebooks will be very useful to me." Isaac said as he stood up and faced them formally.
"You three will be under my charge from today forward. I don't know how Commander Forrest was, but I expect nothing but the best. Can you three deliver?" Isaac asked.
"Yes Kommandant!" The three subs said in unison.
"Welcome home you three." Isaac said as he gave all three of them a pat on the head. Surcouf surfaced next to the Norfolk and climbed aboard to see the three submarines.
"Oh, how cute!" Surcouf said as she ran to them and hugged all three of them.
"Don't smother them, Surcouf." Isaac said as he pried her off of them.
"Alright, let's get you three back in the water and I will have you stick beneath the fleet. We are headed for New Guinea, but we are expecting Lurker to become a problem." Isaac said.
"Understood." U-37 and U-47 said. U-110 was hanging over the railing of the Norfolk as she watched the ocean around them.
"Alright you three. Return to your boats and form up with Surcouf." Isaac said as he slipped his helmet back on, watching the number of channels increase as three new boats were added to the fleet.
As the three girls left with Nimi, Isaac turned to look at Norfolk.
"I swear we just adopted a bunch of children..." Isaac said.
"Considering their naval accomplishments, they are far more dangerous." Norfolk said.
"Agreed." Isaac said as he watched the three submarines sink below the surface and maneuver to be formed up around the Norfolk with Surcouf.
"Alright everyone. Return to our normal cruising procedure. Ahead 20 knots." Isaac said as he watched the waters around his fleet churn as the engines roared back to life.
"Carriers, anything?" Isaac asked.
"Long range is clear, Shikikan." Akagi reported.
"Mid range shows nothing but a pod of dolphins, Commander." Intrepid said.
"Nothing short range, Isaac." Eagle said as Isaac saw the small dots of her Spitfires streak across the horizon.
"Excellent. Continue the recon." Isaac said as he glanced around the fleet.
"Kommandant, Friedrich would like to join us on the Norfolk. I'm assuming that is not an issue?" Odin asked as she stepped onto the bow.
"I'll allow it. She is one of my lovers after all." Isaac said as Friedrich had already taken the initiative, jumping down from her bow and skating over to the Norfolk.
"Taka, how are the conditions over there?" Isaac asked.
"We are doing great, Commander. Everyone has been fed and Hashirama is continuing rifle training off the stern." Taka said.
"Excellent. Do what you can to keep morale high. Those men and women will be storming the port if we meet any resistance." Isaac said. A lightbulb flicked on in Isaac's head.
"I just remembered. Akagi, you are good with long range control, yes?" Isaac asked.
"Of course, Shikikan." Akagi said.
"Send a Zero ahead and try to make contact with a General MacArthur. We need to make contact with him and let him know we are coming." Isaac said as he saw an unarmed Zero take off from the Akagi.
"It will be done, Shikikan." Akagis said as she cut the line.
"I say, today has been quite eventful." Friedrich said as she stepped up behind Isaac and pulled him to her.
"Hello Friedrich." Isaac said as he hugged her in return before turning back out to sea.
"Good morning, Herr Isaac." Friedrich said as she stood next to Norfolk as the four of them watched the horizon.
"Four days from New guinea. May the gods of war grant us strength." Isaac mumbled as the fleet steamed ahead.
VVVVVXXXXXVVVVV
"Akashi is bored now..." Akashi said as Franz came in alone.
"What are you doing, Akashi?" Franz asked.
"Nyaa? Hello, Franz-san. Akashi is busy doing research for Shikikan." Akashi said.
"What kind?" Franz asked.
"Why damaged wisdom cubes created altered versions of the Kansen whose soul is inside them." Akashi said as Franz scratched his head.
"I didn't know that the cubes could be damaged." Franz said.
"What do you mean, nyaa?" Akashi asked.
"The ore onboard our transport is extremely dense. The captian tried to shoot it with his sidearm, but it didn't scratch." Franz said.
"You have ore, Nyaa?" Akashi asked.
"Yeah. About 100 Kilograms worth." Franz said.
"Hmm. Can Franz-san get the ore for Akashi? Akashi needs to make cubes." Akashi said.
"I guess. I'll get some boys to help." Franz said as he left the warehouse.