During the Siren War, the Azur Lane made a shocking discovery; they were not the first to take the fight to the Sirens. Stumbling across a frozen, mountainous island, the girls found traces of a cataclysmic battle, as well as what appeared to be human/mechanical remains.
These were brought back and, with the power of the wisdom cubes, rebuilt as the Shipboys, ships of more futuristic yet primal origins. After initial clashes wrought of confusion, the Shipboys were reminded of the alien threat that wiped them out, and are determined to use this second chance to protect more than just the man at his side...
Chapter 9: The Sons of Thunder
"Three,Two, One...mark..." she said, starting the stopwatch.
The ambient lights exploded or dimmed dramatically as electricity thrummed through the Tesla Coils. The cables glowed red from the friction, then white, and finally a dull horrible blue. The entire staff, dressed already in insulated protective suits, cowered from the raw energy forcefully being vented into the artifact.
It was a cube. A glowing blue cube that steadily began to pulse as more and more energy flowed into it.
"SHUT OFF ALL SAFETIES!" Dr. Vitali called out as Dr. Anzeel visibly flinched.
"Ma'am, that is heavily discouraged! If we shut the safeties off, we could lose control, and this is the last cube in human possession!"
"And if we don't, we could lose the subject." Vitali shot back, "SHUT OFF THE DAMN SAFETIES."
A suited worker looked nervously at Dr. Anzeel who tentatively nod. Trembling violently, he flipped the switch.
Transformers and capacitors immediately exploded.
Sparks flew everywhere.
Electricity thrummed in the air as the cube pulsed an angry blue blaze. Windows and glass doors shattered, sending white-hot shards in every direction.
"Doctor, get to safety!" Anzeel shrieked as pieces of loose metal and wires snapped and swirled in a vortex of energy.
"Stay where you are!" Dr. Vitali shouted, imperiously staring down the cube as it left its stand and began to levitate, "don't be afraid of a few sparks!"
Suddenly the cube opened and a beam of light shot through the lab, striking the target opposite, a stasis capsule.
Her golden hair whipped in the mechanically generated wind as she breathlessly whispered his name.
"Thodin..."
Almost in response, a roar came from the pod. An earth cracking scream of power, rage and pain.
"MOOODEEERR!"
"THODIN!" Prince of Wales screamed, jolted awake by the nightmare. She sat in bed, shivering in terror at what she had witnessed...or was she...remembering?...
Azur Lane Research Center
Langley tapped her clipboard impatiently. She was behind in her studies of these fascinating creatures. Creatures that appeared to be a merging of man and machine. But for all the scientific headway she had made, she still remained stumped on a major issue. How they worked.
Langley walked up to a data table and punched in an access code. And the gruesome assembly before her began to roll.
Dozens of giant test tube like containers. Filled with a vile green nutrient rich and antibiotic substance. In each tube was a monster. A visage of flesh and metal. Horrifically twisted in some vile design.
They did not know much about the creatures, other than they were all male. All 150 specimens they had recovered were confirmed to have properties of human ships. This was an astonishing breakthrough. Until recently, it was commonly believed that only women were able to interact with the cubes.
"This has become a rather nyan-sty place," a purring voice whined behind Langley. She turned to her colleague, who was hiding behind a data stack. Sakura Repair ship and merchant Akashi peeked out from her hiding spot to glance at the Shipgirl scientist. Though not versed in science herself, Akashi proved useful in procuring the equipment necessary to conduct the experiments...for a hefty price of course.
"You didn't say you wanted to...bring them back..."
"I thought it was an implied intention," Langley pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, "I don't need culture tanks this large to just grow algae."
"But this really bad!" Akashi mewled in protest, "we didn't get clearance from Commander or any of the Flagships. If they find out about this, we'll be history!"
The creature in the tube in front of Langley suddenly twitch and thrashed violently in the pod. Clawed hands smashed against the hardened glass, causing a hairline crack in the container.
Akashi moaned in horror. Langley barely regarded the movement.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?! I THOUGHT IT WAS STILL DEAD!!"
"Technically speaking he is." Langley muttered, "it's a psychomotor spasm from neurological muscle memory. Basically a replay of the last moments of the creature."
Akashi stared in rapt terror as Langley turned to face her, creature twitching behind her.
"It means he died violently...very violently."
Akashi chanced a glance at the other pods in the assembly.
All of the specimens were twitching...
Azur Lane Canteen...
Belfast and Dunkerque sat in the corner of the restaurant, calmly sipping tea from China cups. After a refreshed sigh, Belfast steepled her fingers administratively.
"I hope you'll pardon the swiftness of our meeting, Dunkerque, but there's been something I've been meaning to tell you."
Dunkerque raised her hand at this, face turned into a frown.
"First, mon ami, I must ask why are you coming to me on this matter."
Belfast balked.
"I know why you're here," Dunkerque lowered her hand and glanced at her tea pensively. She swirled the contents in her cup before continuing.
"This is about Her Highness, isn't it."
Belfast leaned forward, her usual aloof and calm demeanor dropped for one that spoke foreboding concern. It was not like her at all, and Dunkerque was immediately filled with dread at what she might say.
"Something has happened to Wales. What it is, I do not know. But lest be assured, the court can see it. She is not sleeping. She barely eats anymore, and she is slowly growing...unwell in her head."
"But why me? Why not go to the commander on this?"
Belfast cast a tragic look at her friend. And then Dunkerque understood.
"He knows?!"
"He doesn't want it to get out and spread rumors," Belfast said miserably, "understandably he's afraid of the ladies losing morale in the wake of a high ranking Royal Navy ship suffering a mental ailment."
Dunkerque was flabbergasted, absentmindedly lowering her cup to the table, staring at her friend in growing uncomfortable shock.
"w-what exactly is wrong with her?"
"Apparently it started as nightmares," Belfast, "but...very vivid, very visceral. We found her one morning barricaded in her bedroom, shooting at anyone who tried to enter. It took Commander to convince her to come out. She insists they are visions of a previous life...we believe these are at least connected to..."
Belfast paused to look around, ensuring that there were no eavesdroppers. Turning back to her confidant she barely whispered.
"The Ship Men."
Dunkerque nodded slowly, aware of how deadly serious Belfast was being.
"Belfast-"
"Listen to me, Dunkerque, for I speak only truth...something is happening here in this port. Something foul is taking place under the blanket of secrecy, and I know nothing good will come of it."
"Belfast-"
"we have to let Commander know, we could be in danger,"
"BELFAST!" Dunkerque uttered sternly, causing the Head Maid to regain some composure.
"If you believe that there is a genuine problem, we surely shouldn't worry about bringing our concerns to the Commander," Dunkerque spoke gently, taking Belfast's gloved hand and gingerly stroking her fingers reassuringly, "you are the Head Maid of the Royal Navy and confidant to the Commander. He will listen, I know..."
Container #55
"W-where am I?"
"I...I feel...cold..."
"Moder?...Killshot?...Mimir?...Cannonade...Bonesnapper? Anyone?!"
"Ah...just me I s'pose..."
"Huh...but...what is...this?..."
"...strange..."
"...wet...very wet..."
"Am i drowning?"
"Am I dreaming?"
wake up
"Open...eyes...damn, so heavy..."
Wake up.
"Move...anything to get bearings..."
WAKE UP!
"Who am I?"
WAKE! UP!
"I am..."
WAKE!!! UP!!!
"Gasmask!"
He came to with a start, instantly, reflexively gulping in breathfuls of fluids. He was in a container full of liquid and he was drowning! Panicked he thrashed in the tube desperately trying to hold his breath. It was no good. He was going to pass out!
He involuntarily inhaled and...nothing happened.
He felt his lungs (or what was left of them) inflate with oxygen. Exhaling, his carbonous breath seeped out as liquid.
"Fascinating!" He had heard of oxygenation liquid before, but to experience it himself...his only regret was that he couldn't run tests on it at the moment.
His relative safety confirmed for the most part, he looked around. "What the devil is this place?" He thought to himself.
"Who is there?"
"We all are, brother."
"Killshot! Is that you?"
"Yes brother. I'm here. We all are. Been waiting for you to wake up for a while now." A deep telepathic chuckle reverberated in Gasmask's mind, "Heavy sleeper, are we?"
"Death will do that to a motherfucker."
"Dominator and Riptide just awoke this morning too. Now we are all back in the land of the living...as it were."
"Killshot, where the hell are we?"
"Remember project: ARTEMIS?"
"...I do."
"They succeeded. And now we are their prisoners."
Killshot fell silent but Gasmask sensed a grudging acknowledgment.
"Sorry...their experiments. Moder took offense to my original description."
"But how did they bring us back?"
"I do not know for certain, but my current theory is they are using a latent energy from the cubes we originally could not activate, due to us being male."
Gasmask pondered this thought.
"The latent beta rays that formed from the unknown energy source. I knew the beta rays were the key to the activation but the cubes we used were infused with gamma rays."
"two forms of radiation, canceling each other out."
"Either way, here we are now. Is there a plan to get out?"
Silence reigned in his head.
"Killshot? Is there a plan?"
Killshots sibilant voice hissed in Gasmask's head.
"I have an idea..."
Dormitories, Royal Navy headquarters...
Dunkerque and Belfast stood with Commander Rawlings outside Prince of Wales room. Rawlings shook his head, sympathetically.
"I understand your concern, but Wales needs to sort this issue out herself in the end."
he turned and knocked on her door.
"Go away." Came a miserable sounding voice from inside, "I know you don't believe me."
"Try me," Rawlings challenged her, "Your Highness, head maid Belfast herself is terribly worried about you."
A derisive snort came within.
"Indeed. Here to patronize me? Tell me I'm not crazy as she fits me for a straight jacket?"
Belfast stepped forward, clearly distressed.
"Of course not, your highness! I'd never denigrate you so! I just don't understand what has come over you. Please come out!"
Rustling was heard inside her chambers. When the door opened they were met with a fiendish sight.
Prince of Wales was clearly a wreck. Wearing a loose fitting dress robe over her pajamas. Her hair was matted and unkempt, her face and eyes red from sobbing. Tears streaked her face, with days old masquera streaking her cheeks.
Belfast came forward and pulled Prince of Wales into a comforting, friendly embrace. Wales's head tipped forward and rested on the head maid's shoulder as she broke down anew.
"help me get her back in," Belfast told Commander and Dunkerque, "no one should see Her Highness like this."
They managed to guide Wales back in to her sofa where she and Belfast sat, the formers head on the latter ample chest. Belfast stroked her hair as Wales wept miserably.
"Wales," Dunkerque sat down on the other side of Wales, taking her hand and stroking her fingers reassuringly, "please tell us what is wrong."
Wales raised her head at looked at the vichnya cruiser with puffy bloodshot eyes.
"who am I?"
Dunkerque shook her head, not understanding the context.
"You are Wales, Prince of the Royal Navy, Battleship in Azur Lane!" But Wales shook her head in despair.
"I cannot discern my visions, and they are visions! I know I see and I know what I dream, they are as real as my own flesh. But they contradict each other! Which one is real?!"
Wales broke down into heavy, broken weeping into Belfast's shoulder, as Dunkerque wrapped her arms around Wales from behind.
Rawlings knelt down, and placed his hand gently on Wale's shoulder. Clearing his throat, he choose his words very carefully as he spoke.
"Wales, please listen to me...I believe you think you are telling the truth...but the reason why we are concerned is because we don't understand the situation you are going through. Can you help us understand? What do you see?"
The battleship looked up, her red eyes bloodshot and tear filled.
"A betrayal," she said hoarsely, "a betrayal so foul and black that it was struck from memory. I remember faces...of men...they are in such pain. One of them, I know...I remember...is calling me...but he's not calling my name...it's another name, I know."
Rawlings stared in growing dread as he rubbed Wales shoulder.
Oh, my God...she's experiencing mental desync.
"What name are you hearing?" Rawlings asked, his terror growing, though outwards he was calm and sympathetic.
Wales hitched her breath as she recalled something that should not be.
"Clair."
The lab...
The shipman began thrashing against the container as the glass began to shatter. Green bioluminescent liquid sprayed from cracks, staining the floor.
Finally, with a final blow, the shipman shattered the glass and fell out onto the floor. His silver metallic skin shone in the blinking haze of monitors and bio scanners. Eyes adjusted to the light as he flexed muscles that had been stiff for so long.
Killshot slowly rose to his feet, a little shaky at first but maintained composure as he breathed in his first breath of oxygen air, since he died.
Glancing left and right, he turned approached the container opposite him. Inside another shipman was suspended in liquid. He appeared more human like than the silver man, but his eyes and metal lower jaw betrayed his nature.
Killshot cocked back his arm and sent his fist straight through the glass, cracking open the container and freeing his brother in arms, Moder.
"Stand, brother!" Killshot declared joyfully as Moder collapsed onto the ground, "zenith has failed in their hubris! We live again!"
Moder clenched his fists, then slowly pushed himself off the floor and onto his feet. The two men embraced as they breathed free fresh air for the first time in so long.
"Vengeance will be ours, brother." Killshot laughed.
"Patience," Moder grinned, "the others, get them out."
"of course!"
They went up and down the lines of pods, freeing one man after another. For every one that was freed, he got up and began breaking out his brothers on his own. In a quarter of an hour, all 150 shipmen had been freed.
"That's everyone!" Kill shot called out.
Moder looked over his men. They were weak, groggy and disoriented. But the blaze in their eyes, the indomitable will that comes with resurrection. There was no one else who he would rather lead into battle with.
"Everyone, get oriented and stretched. We are leaving now. We have a second chance and I'll be damned if I don't use it!"
The men cheered as their leader passes through them, made his way to the locked lab doors and kicked them off their hinges.
Meanwhile, Akashi hid terrified beyond words. She had be present for entire spectacle but now knew, fear or not, something had to be done. Shuddering like a leaf in a storm, she reached out and pressed a red button, triggering the laboratory panic alarm.
The Dock
BRANG! BRANG! BRANG!
The Shipgirls milled around in the port, checking the villa, the academy and the canteen for any signs of an attack, confused and wary, Javelin clutched her spear.
"Ehhh?! Where are the Sirens?! Why is the alarm going off?!"
"Zats ze laboratory alarm!" Z23 shouted, rushing off to check the building.
Jean Bart and Hood where in the port with a detachment while Zuikaku and Shoukaku and began launching air patrols.
"Damn, the Grey Ghost better not be playing a trick on me," Zuikaku snarled in frustration.
Takao and Atago run up and down the villa streets while Cleveland, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau locked down the Academy.
meanwhile, Langley rushed into the laboratory, in fear of the absolute worst.
"Akashi, why is the panic alarm going,- OH MY GOD!!"
Langley ducked for cover as a tall, silver man pointed a weapons laden arm at her and launched a withering hail of bullets at her. She screamed in fear as the rounds cracked hellishly close over her head.
Moder grabbed Killshot's arm.
"DAMN IT KILLSHOT! OUR OBJECTIVE IS ESCAPE NOT STARTING A WAR!"
"The war has already started!" Killshot declared. Wrenching his arm free he resumed fire on the interfering ladyship.
Moder looked around and saw a sealed bulkhead door.
"DREADNAUGHT! Break Door!"
A massive beast of a man, triple photoreceptors blazing red, grunted unintelligibly as he stomped past Killshot and Langley, raised his piston like foot, and heaved.
KRANG!!!
The door went flying down the embankment. There, Enterprise and a contingent of other lady ships were assembled.
Men and women stared at each other for the briefest of seconds. The horror of the women was matched only by the bewilderment of the men.
"MAKE FOR THE WATERFRONT!" Moder roared.
"STOP THEM!" Enterprise screamed.
Chaos, war, ensued.
A writhing mass of flesh and metal began careening down towards the port. The juggernaut that was the combined bodies of shipmen tumbled down the hill, smashing into one another, slamming each other into the ground, trampling themselves under pounding feet. The Shipgirls immediately opened fire upon the attackers as the battle commenced.
Cannonade and Fusillade smashed through Ping Hai and Ning Hais food stand, splintering the wood into shards. Blackflag and Swashbuckles kept from roof to roof, bypassing the chaos in the streets below. Boomslinger and Skorch rolled, quite literally, through the canteen, pounding out clean holes straight through the building.
"Cleveland!" Enterprise shouted over the din of battle, "cut them of at the thoroughfare. Don't let them reach the water!"
Gasmask ran as fast as he could, his hollow breathing audible through his facial plate, the gas mask actually fused into his flesh. Skidding into an alley way, he came face to face with a tall blonde girl. Her blue skirt and white neck cape billowed behind her as she loaded her cannons.
Cleveland smirked in satisfaction.
"I dunno what you are," she sneered, "other than dead."
Gasmask backed away as his system attempted to boot up.
"Weapons, engage! ENGAGE DAMMIT!!"
Cleveland stepped forward. Her smile grew wider as Gasmask struggled.
"Aw, little boy having trouble with his rigging? Guess you can't expect much from a freak."
Out of options, Gasmask resorted to his Trump card. Flinging his arm out, he launched a small container at Cleveland, who caught it easily.
"your gonna need more than that to stop the Sea Knight!"
Gasmask couldn't show it, but he was smiling too.
"Oh, no, that thing is just perfect for you."
BOOM!
The chemical grenade went off in Cleveland's hand, dousing her in toxic compounds. Collapsing to her knees as she coughed and gagged, Gasmask pointedly stepped over her before looking down at the crippled Shipgirl.
"Don't call me a freak." He growled.
Riptide and Undertow reached the water first, and quickly engaged their ship aspects. Two littoral combat ships materialized in the bay as the two began egressing from the port.
"AFTER THEM!" Enterprise shouted, as she shot a shipman in the head with her bow.
More men began engaging ships as speeding away.
"Everyone out! Keep going! Keep pushing! Don't stop to fight! Make for the water!" Moder ordered as he proceeded through the villa. His steps slow and methodical, he had no fear for the ladyships. His only concern was getting his men out of the port.
Salvo and Shellshocker backed off of Atago and Takao, using smoke screens to hide their escape. Shipboy destroyers were led by Strawboss through the chaos and to the water.
Cannonade was launched off his feet from a cannon blast as a little redhead girl swaggered up to him.
"I'm gonna bust you up, dumb drum! Then I'll steal your clothes!"
Cannonade looked at San Diego, incredulity in his eyes.
"That was weird."
He blasted the girl in the face with his 5 cm gun, sending her flying with a distressed scream.
Moder took head count as his men fled the port one by one. Soon they would be in the clear.
Unless...
He felt the point of a blade in the back of his neck, digging lightly but unflinchingly.
He turned his head.
Prince of Wales stood there, calm, composed and dressed for war in her usual naval uniform. Her eyes were still red from her tears, but now the only thing she felt in her was determination to defend her own.
"Surrender, beast."
Moder's face was one of confusion. I've seen her before...
"Surrender!" She snarled, red eyes flashing with fury, "I'm not telling you again!"
Moder pushed his intrusive thoughts out of his head; his men needed him.
With a thrumming buzzing sound, Moder moved with blinding speed, around Wales, drawing a silver long sword. Raising it overhead, he brought it crashing down.
Wales caught it with her own sword.
Moder visibly balked. THIS is unexpected...
With a scream of rage, Wales attacked, hacking into Moder's defenses.
Killshot walked through the villa, also moving at a slow relaxed pace, but not for the same reason Moder had. He was single minded to destroy as much of the port as possible.
"Bonesnapper, burn the market. Dreadbolt and Floodgate, bring down the academy!"
"Aye boss," the sadistic raiders grinned wolfishly.
Bonesnapper, a broad bodied man with wrecking ball-like fists, engaged his brush clearing flamethrowers, setting the villa market a blaze. Dreadbolt, s destroyer with long dreadlocks that ended in heavy caliber chainguns, and Floodgate, a submarine tender with a metal faceplate, began knocking down the academy building with munitions.
Killshot was grabbed by the arm. Wheeling around he found Mimir glaring at him accusingly with his single red photoreceptor.
"Zaats enaff, Kalshot," he growled, "Move yar arse. Moder well haar ov dis."
Wrenching his arm free, Killshot snarled angrily.
"This isn't over, you one eyed mystic."
Moder and Wales meanwhile fought furiously on the docks, juxtaposed against the burning port. Both fought hard, and fought well, but could not force the other to submit.
Wales snarled in frustration as she locked swords with the shipman again. Her golden hair blazed in the light of the fire, red eye's almost demonic as she glared at her foe.
Moder was deeply impressed by her skill, but knew that he could not afford to let this fight last longer than necessary. His face a mask of stoic defiance and determination, he matched the battleship blow for blow.
"Getoutgetoutgetout!!" Wales screamed.
Moder blocked another flurry of strikes and stabs as Wales advanced, tears streaming down her cheeks. He regarded her utterance with confusion.
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD, DAMN YOU!"
CLANG!
Port burning around them, they stood, swords locked as they panted, exhausted. Wales barely registered her tears as she glared with rage filled eyes at her enemy.
Moder gazed back at her, his own red eyes slowly softening.
"You fight well, my lady," he spoke in his accented voice, "have I...met you before?"
Wales froze as she gasped, taken aback by shock.
"W...what?!"
In the split second of her confusion, Moder seized his chance. Grabbing the hilt with both hands, he pushed her off his blade and rushed to the water front. Wales snapped back to the present, immediately giving chase.
"Until next time, my lady," Moder called over his shoulder.
Jumping off the pier and into the sea, he engaged a black smokescreen that completely blinded Wales, hacking and coughing, she fell to her knees trying to breathe.
Thick oily smoke seemed to be everywhere...
She raised her free hand, coughing into the other, and tried to sweep the smoke away. Eventually, it cleared, revealing a spectacle in front of her.
A massive black battleship, crawling out of the port and out to open sea. It blared a strange, haunting horn as it disappeared from view.
Turning back to port, she gazed up at the flames of Home port burning to the ground. Tears resumed flowing in her eyes.
Just like last time. She thought to herself.
She knelt there thus, feeling nothing but despair and failure.
It was a feeling, she strangely, horribly, had felt before...
Chapter 9 of the Shipboy introductions. I have several I plan to write, but I'll post when I am able.
Sorry for the wait. Between a move and work I've been stretched thin but I'll continue to keep you posted on the shipboys!
I have a lot of ideas concerning music and what I consider the theme of the Shipboy brotherhood.
I think this is the overall theme of the series: /watch?v=g5qAVecrGr4 =share
This the theme of the break out: https/youtu.be/GH5PYErxqNk
and this is simply Moder's theme: https/youtu.be/7c_JYtOVOpE
Leave a review if you want, let me know how you like it.
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