Isaac strolled across the port, thinking of nothing more than seeing the love of his life back in his arms.
"Commander." Norfolk asked.
"Yes, Norfolk?" Isaac asked.
"What happened to Nimi?" Norfolk asked as she appeared on his arm, looking around for the only person that she could touch.
"Vengeance has begun the process for returning Nimi to a physical body. Once we have obtained the cubes for you, I'll give you the choice as well." Isaac said.
"After being able to touch something for the first time... I already know that I will do whatever is necessary to get a physical body." Norfolk said.
"You seem really adamant about it." Isaac said.
"Well half the time, when you play the hero, I want to grab you and shake some sense into that thick skull of yours." Norfolk said as she put a hand on her hip.
Isaac raised an eyebrow at her commentary.
"You done?" Isaac asked.
Norfolk pouted at him. "I'll make you pay when I get a body..." Norfolk said.
"I look forward to it." Isaac said as she looked at him.
"Back to business." Isaac said.
"Understood, Commander. Based on scans of the city, Now would be the best time for our push to take the remainder of the city. Shinano has been pulling a gargantuan effort to throw Zeros at the retreating force to keep them on the run. Once Intrepid gets her compliment back in the air, she can finish the job while Shinano gets some rest." Norfolk said.
"Alright. I'll relay the message." Isaac said as he touched the side of his helmet.
"MacArthur. Hashirama. Come in." Isaac said.
"Commander?" Hashirama said.
"Commander." MacArthur spoke.
"All forces, move up and begin securing the city. We have them on the run. If we can secure the perimeter, then we can defend said perimeter by building a wall around the city." Isaac said.
"Orders received. Moving to execute." Hashirama said as his line cut out.
"I don't know what your boys grabbed from our previous base. But I know that we had several tons of cement in a warehouse. I'm sure we can save on material if we build the wall using the outer most buildings as support." MacArthur said.
"That works for me. Once we take the city proper, we can survey the area as we transport the material." Isaac said.
"Understood. Moving forward with our capture of the city." MacArthur said as he cut his end.
"Intrepid. Come in." Isaac said.
"Yes sir!" Intrepid spoke, sounding surprised to be called upon.
"Get those fighters in the air. Shinano just came from Japan, we need to let her rest too." Isaac said.
"Understood. I just finished restoring my compliment. I'll send them right away." Intrepid said as Isaac could see P-51s appear on the flight deck of the Intrepid.
"Shinano?" Isaac asked.
Silence.
"Ah! Sorry Shikikan. Lady Shinano is asleep currently." One of the Prototype bulins said over the radio.
"Does she usually fly her planes while she's asleep?" Isaac asked.
"She does. I can't explain it." The bulin said.
"Maybe I'll take a nap so I can reprimand her myself." Isaac thought to himself.
"Alright. Well make sure she gets some proper rest." Isaac said.
"I will do so. Thank you, Shikikan." The bulin said.
"Also, you and your partner need to talk to the head bulin here on base. Having specialists in the bulin corps would be a major advantage." Isaac said.
"We will see her as soon as we lock down the hanger. If we don't, Lady Shinano will launch planes in her sleep." The bulin said.
"I see. Well, we wouldn't want that." Isaac said as he cut the line.
Isaac looked around and saw Arizona walking around with the rest of the nurses.
"Arizona!" Isaac yelled across the port, causing the timid battleship to jump.
"Commander?" She asked as she came running over.
"How has it been, among the nurses?" Isaac asked.
"I am exhausted. But more men need my help." Arizona said.
"Let the others deal with the wounded for a while. Ever since you helped me, you've treated well over 50 people. I am ordering you to go get some rest. If I find you in med bay within the next 48 hours, I will have you scrubbing down the flight decks of the carriers for a week." Isaac said as Arizona smiled.
"Thank you sir. I think I'll use the time to see my sister." Arizona said.
"Oh, one more thing. Where is 13?" Isaac asked.
"She was with me before the incident. But after you left the port, I couldn't find her." Arizona said.
"Hmm. And what about Laffey? I haven't seen her yet." Isaac asked.
"I think Laffey was by the tent you and the General were in when you and him were arguing." Arizona spoke after thinking for a second.
"Oh no." Isaac said.
"What?" Arizona asked.
"Norfolk, can you scan for their cubes?" Isaac asked.
"Sorry, Sirens are the only things I can track like that." Norfolk said.
"Shit. Akagi, Eagle." Isaac spoke.
"Yes, my love?" Eagle asked.
"Shikikan?" Akagi replied.
"I need you to cover the area between here and the area where Akagi found MacArthur. I have a sinking feeling that 13 and Laffey have ran off to get the cubes on their own." Isaac said.
"A submarine and a destroyer?! They'll be massacred!" Eagle cried.
"On that, I agree." Isaac said as he began thinking of ways to make this work.
"Norfolk, I need Baltimore, Atago, North Carolina, and a bulin. Also, I need a pilot." Isaac said.
"I will have them brought to the bridge... but I don't believe that we have a pilot." Norfolk said.
"I'll ask MacArthur." Isaac said as he tuned his helmet.
"MacArthur, do you have a pilot among your men?" Isaac asked.
"Yes. I have a decent portion of my Air Corps up here with me. I can part with a few if you need a pilot." MacArthur said.
"I do need a pilot. Two of my ships have gone AWOL." Isaac said.
"Understood." MacArthur said as he cut the line.
"What will you be having them fly, Commander?" Norfolk asked.
Isaac looked around the port, his eyes settling on the transport ship. He then noticed one of MacArthurs men running about.
"Private, over here." Isaac said as the soldier came running.
"Private Jackson reporting!" Jackson spoke.
"Excellent. Tell me, what is under that canvas on the boat?" Isaac asked.
"That one sir?" Jackson asked as he pointed to the transport ship.
"Yes. That would be the one." Isaac said.
"That is one of the Catalina's that survived our abandoning the base further east." Jackson said.
"Catalina... I do not know airplanes, but is that is a transport plane?" Isaac asked.
"No sir. It is a water based recon aircraft used for target acquisition and for dropping a small team of jumpers behind enemy lines." Jackson said.
"I see. Is there anything else I need to know about it?" Isaac asked.
"That one has a hook on the bottom of it. If we need a quick evacuation, Someone would carry a small version of an AA blimp in a pack that could be attached to harnesses via rope. The plane would aim for the blimp and the hook would spear and catch the blimp, allowing whatever or whoever was attached to the rope to be pulled out of the AO with little risk of return fire." Jackson said.
"Do you have those harnesses and the pack?" Isaac asked.
"I think we brought some with. Why?" Jackson asked.
"That is none of your concern, Soldier. But if you could grab them for me, that would do nicely." Isaac said.
"Understood sir. I apologize." Jackson said.
"Don't let it happen again, Private." Isaac said as he saluted the soldier, who did the same in return.
"What's the plan, Commander?" Norfolk asked.
"I want to send the girls some support. It might be easier for them to sneak around if we only stick to small groups. I'll have the Catalina drop North Carolina and the others a bit forward of 13 and Laffey. Once they obtain the cubes, we will evac them and get the hell out of dodge." Isaac said.
"That's risky." Norfolk said.
"Yeah... but it has to be done. Those two are dead if they're caught out by Oceana." Isaac said.
"Ah, yes, speaking of, I have put together a team to begin hunting Oceana." Norfolk said.
"Oh?" Isaac asked.
"Friedrich, Gangut, and Bremerton have been selected. I tried to persuade the bulins to leave this to the big girls, but... it seems like they want to continue fighting. They seem to enjoy it." Norfolk said.
"As terrifying as that is... I have to say, the more the merrier. I just want her captured and brought back here, rigging destroyed of course." Isaac said.
"You want to end her yourself, sir?" Norfolk asked.
"I want to send a message." Isaac said as Norfolk stared at his bloodstreaked helmet.
"As you wish, sir." Norfolk said.