Worlds Collide

by TheGamerMarine76

A Siren experiment or some other unknown phenomenon, whatever caused it is unknown. However, the Kansens find themselves in a world familiar yet foreign to them where they now must protect its people from a threat, they've yet to understand. Now join a young US Navy Commander as he tries to guide them in his world.

13. 13: Return Part I

"Straighten your approach. I don't have an angled deck," Enterprise reminded.

"Sorry, my training is kicking in, hehe," Grayman chuckled awkwardly.

"Well, unlearn it for now. I don't want you crashing into me."

With the battle over, the next thing to do was pick themselves and catch their breaths. The carriers had to recover their aircraft and that meant Grayman too. Especially him, because one, he was human that could die, and two, he was running on fumes. The problem was that his experience in a Hellcat only began an hour ago and he mostly has no idea what he was doing. So, it fell to Enterprise to guide him. That's why she raced back to her hull and grabbed a pair of signal paddles and assumed the role of a Landing Signal Officer (LSO).

"Lower your speed to 110 knots," She instructed.

"Affirmative. Cutting back the throttle," He said, complying with the order immediately and pulling the throttle back, making the plane slow gradually.

"Now, lower flaps full, and lower your gear and hook as well," She instructed.

"Affirmative. Flaps, gear, and hook coming down," He said, flipping switches and pulling levers that extended those components from the aircraft.

"Okay, now slow to 80 knots and bring her in nice and gentle. But don't go lower than that, or you'll risk stalling. And once you touchdown, immediately cut the throttle. Follow my instructions, and you'll be just fine," She ordered.

"Yes, ma'am."

Enterprise decided to go with the safest option and put him on a straight-run approach instead of the normal racetrack pattern. She also prepared some measures in case the worst happens. If he slams onto her deck, she, Yorktown, and Brooklyn would pull him out (if they still can) as quickly as they can while Hornet, Cleveland, and Helena put out the flames with some firefighting equipment she prepared. If he goes into the drink, Laffey and Hamman are on the water nearby and a Seahawk with rescue swimmers from Port Royal was hovering close by too. But she prayed that he touches down safely to avoid all the trouble. The Pilot, and Ryan who was watching from the side, were praying the same thing.

I think I should've gone with the crash barrier instead, She thought.

Right now, the Enterprise stood at the edge of her deck with the paddles outstretched on both sides in a level position as she tracked the incoming Hellcat. She watched it approach steadily until she noticed it lifting up a bit, making her lift up the paddles into a V shape then brought it down to level position before repeating.

"You're lifting up, go back down," She instructed.

"Roger," He replied and lowered the nose and descended. But, he sank too much and she switched to a downward V that lifted back to level that repeated.

"Too much, go back up."

"Affirmative," He complied, lifting up gently and putting him back on course.

Enterprise was about to return to the 'roger' signal when a gust of wind blew laterally and pushed him off course to the left. She immediately slanted her arms with her right pointing up and her left pointing down.

"You're drifting to port. Come to starboard."

"Roger," He said, and immediately corrected his approach, adding power to compensate for the loss of lift from the turn. But put it a little too much, since he was now going too fast.

Enterprise immediately noticed this, so she put her left arm on level with her right pointing down.

"You're going too fast, slow it down."

"Affirmative," He complied, correcting his approach and slowing down.

This time, she noted that he was approaching smoothly now with no issue and brought her arms back to roger position.

"You're right on the money, Grayman. Maintain that and put her down nice and easy."

"Yes, ma'am."

Grayman watched from inside the cockpit as the deck got closer and closer. He had followed all of Miss Enterprise's instructions and it was now time for the final test. He also counted down as he gauged the distance in his head.

100…

50…

40…

30…

20…

10…

Grayman grunted when he was thrown up a bit, feeling the shock of the impact of the aircraft's wheels onto the deck, then felt another shock as the plane came to a sudden halt. He wasted no time, grabbing the throttle and pulling it back to idle. It took a moment, but the shock subsided and he looked to see that he was now back on the deck of the USS Enterprise. The carriers cheered and clapped for his successful landing, while Enterprise bent over and put her hands on her knees as she breathed heavily. She had been holding her breath back there.

"Touchdown. Good landing, well done," She spoke after a few large breaths before straightening back up. "Now cut the engine and get out of my airplane."

"Yes, ma'am," He said weakly.

Grayman immediately complied and shut the engine off. He then sat back and took a couple of deep breaths before unhooking the oxygen mask and removing it, undoing the straps of his seatbelts, taking the GoPro, and popping open the canopy. He then stood up and peeked out of the cockpit, taking in a breath of fresh air and some sun as he looked around. He spotted some Kansen heading over to him, Miss Enterprise among them, and Mister Ryan. The Commander had a look on his face that made him wish for a moment that he got splashed back there.

Ryan eyed the Pilot with a look that conveyed a lot of not-so-pleasant emotions. before taking a long drag from his cigarette. Then, he turned and disappeared into the island as he headed down into his office. Grayman frowned, knowing he was done for, but tried to smile as he climbed off the airplane. At that moment, the adrenaline that was coursing through his body since he entered the Hellcat wore off. His whole body suddenly felt weak and he struggled to get down from the aircraft, almost stumbling too. But once he hit the deck, he felt some of that strength return.

He took another breath in relief. As amazing as it was to prove his worth as a United States Navy strike fighter pilot, a renowned Top Gun program graduate, and a member of a family of pilots, Danny was now glad to be alive more than anything else.

Enterprise watched as he exited the plane while a storm brewed within her. It was something else, to see him climb off that plane in full gear. It brought back lots of memories, both good and bad. And for a moment, she thought she saw Dick Best climbing out of his trusty Dauntless after coming back from bombing Akagi. Such memories made her feel a wave of nostalgia but concealed it in typical fashion for her. She wasn't someone who wore her heart on her sleeve like Hornet. Speaking of which…

"Lieutenant!" Hornet squealed as she pounced on the pilot and wrapped her arms around him. "That was freaking awesome! And badass!"

"What the hell were you thinking?! You could've gotten killed!" Yorktown yelled.

"You scared all of us, you know," Helena said.

"Yeah, I scared myself too, actually," Best said.

"Damn, right!" Hornet laughed as she let him go and slapped him on the back. "To think someone would be insane enough to steal a Kansen equipment then go to battle while being completely outmatched. Holy shit!"

"I never would've imagined it too," Yorktown agreed and then smirked when a thought occurred to her. "Questionable decision-making, insubordination, and an utter disregard for personal safety. You check all the boxes of an Enterprise crew member."

"Ain't that the truth," Hornet laughed. "That was some damn fine flying too. You're definitely worth your wings."

He blushed. "Um, thanks for the praise. But in all respects, I think I'm lucky to be alive

"That's right," Enterprise said as she walked up to him with an impassive expression.

Oh shit. "M-Miss Enterprise. I—"

"Stay still, let me look at you," She ordered before closing the distance and scanned him from head to toe. She brought her hand up and grabbed his chin to move his head around. "Does anything hurt?"

"Uh, no," He answered, not protesting the sudden intrusion of his space in fear of retaliation and just complied. Besides, it's not like she was doing anything wrong.

"Can you breathe well?"

"Yes."

"Do you feel anything wrong with your body? Blurred vision, lightheadedness, discomforts, loss of feeling anywhere, things like that?"

"No."

"Really? Nothing?"

"Well, I'm pretty tired, but that's it."

Enterprise sighed and backed up. "I'm not Vestal, but I know what the effects of flying like that on the human body. Nothing seems wrong on my end and you say you're alright, so everything should be just fine. But be sure to tell us immediately if you even think anything is wrong, is that understood?"

He nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Okay. The Commander wants to talk to you alone, so you should get going. But I suggest you go down to the mess hall and grab a cup of water or use the head first," She told him.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Now go."

He nodded and promptly left the scene, leaving the Kansen on their own. Enterprise took a deep breath before stepping toward the Hellcat. She saw the various holes in the airframe which made her frown but said nothing as she put her hands on the wing and started effortlessly pushing the 10,000 lb airplane toward the front of the ship to make way for the other aircraft coming in to land.

"Why didn't you chew him out?" Hornet asked.

"The Commander will do that for me. I'll just pick up the pieces later," She replied.

"Makes sense," Yorktown said as she crossed her arms and followed her sister. "What do you think of him?"

She stopped and then faced her sister with a smile. "It's like looking at his great-grandpa, it's crazy."

While the Yorktowns talked with one another, Best headed down to the mess hall and drank a glass of water to fix the dryness in his throat then used the head before heading to the Commander's office. He stood before the door and took a deep breath before knocking.

"Enter."

Ryan's tone of voice unnerved the Pilot, but he steeled himself and opened the door. He was immediately greeted by the strong smell of nicotine and kept himself from coughing. In all the time he's known Ryan, he smoked to alleviate his stress or as a celebration. And since there were no balloons or streamers in sight, he was doing this for stress relief. And as shown by the thickness of the smoke that was in a small room, he was very stressed. Best kept himself in check as he closed the door, stood straight before Ryan in front of his desk, and just waited. The Commander was typing on his laptop with a half-burnt cigarette in his mouth and didn't even acknowledge him. So he waited. And waited. And—

"A hell of a first deployment, eh Lieutenant Best?"

Ryan spoke in a tone that sounded calm but was anything but. Not to mention, calling him by his rank is the equivalent of a parent calling his kid by their whole name to give them an ass-whooping. Best tensed up some more but answered to the best of his ability.

"I'd say so, sir."

"You realize what you've done, right?" Ryan asked suddenly clarified a moment later. "Insubordination, theft of military hardware, reckless behavior, you turned the rules into a goddamn checklist. This could not only get your wings clipped but also send you to jail, right?"

"Yes, sir, I was aware."

"Hmm, you were aware," Ryan said as his eye flicked toward him. "So why did you choose to do what you did?"

"Commander, I recognized that options were limited in battle. The missile ships were out of ammunition and the Kansens were preoccupied. So, I thought that I should lend some help in the form of me in an aircraft, thus becoming another autonomous aerial unit," Best explained, putting an edge in his tone.

"Why did you not inform me of your intentions?"

"... I knew that you would not approve of it, sir."

There was silence for a few painstaking moments before Ryan grunted.

"You're correct on that, I definitely would not have. And it angers me even more that you were aware of that," Ryan said venomously as his gaze hardened even more. "Especially, since you chose to ignore it and do what you did anyway."

Best almost flinched at his penetrating gaze but held his ground. His pride mandated that he defended where he stood, but he was sure to be polite about it to not make the situation worse. Ryan does not like his word being challenged but was a reasonable man. He just needed to explain his case clearly. So with that in mind, he took a deep breath as he waited for the man to continue.

"How will you explain yourself?" Ryan asked.

"Sir, I merely thought—"

He stopped when Ryan slammed his fists on his desk, accidentally knocking some stuff off of it and creating a deafening noise that reverberated through the walls, before standing up and staring down the pilot with murder in his eyes. Best immediately froze as a response. Unfortunately, he forgot that Ryan tends to forget reason when he was mad. This happens when the mental blocks he uses to keep himself in check during battle are brought down and the stress is vented. It's not pretty.

"YOU WEREN'T FUCKING THINKING!" He yelled. "You were too busy trying to be a hero that you forgot about your own mortality, didn't you?!"

"Commander, I knew full well what the consequences may be. I took a calculated risk."

"There's a very thin line between calculated risk and friggin stupid! I thought you knew that," Ryan snarled. "Were you to emulate your folks, is that it?"

"Sir, I was only trying to do my job," Best answered carefully.

"Your job whatever I tell you to do, not to act on your own and be a fucking idiot! I OUTRANK you! That's the way it's supposed to work!" He spat. "Besides, what made you think your 'service' was needed? Any of the carriers would've gotten a plane in one way or another! Sure it'll probably take a little longer, but they would've done it and it would've been safer! But you thought you knew better like you're some senior officer, didn't you?! What the fuck do you even know about combat?! You're twenty-two and you've never deployed once! You don't know jack shit!"

Best maintained a neutral expression on his face as he remained silent. That hurt, but that was military life. Ryan took a deep breath to calm himself down. His features softened and Best spotted traces of liquid forming in his eyes.

"What if you died back there, Danny? What the hell would I do?" He demanded. "How am I gonna explain that to your remaining family?! Do you even care what they feel?! What I feel?!"

It's precisely what Best guessed earlier. Most of this was about Ryan's fear of losing someone under his command. Again. Although some things he said hurt him or were incorrect, he kept himself from saying anything because he understood what this was. This was Ryan simply venting, and he'll come to reason later. He just needed to survive the onslaught. Moreover, he knew Ryan's history and sympathized with how he felt. The Commander then crashed back onto his seat, rubbing his eyes and then staring at the desk.

"I think I made a mistake of bringing you along. I wanted you to learn some things, but I guess you learned the wrong things or just too much of it," He said and looked back up towards the Pilot. "Now tell me, what's the difference between a decoration and a court martial?"

Best took a moment to think about the question, then answered.

"The difference is that one has a stupid plan that works while the other has a stupid plan that does not, sir."

A deafening silence fell over them for what seemed like decades. Best was starting to get scared, but then he saw a flicker of amusement on the other man's face for just a fraction of a second before they returned to anger.

"Get out of my face!" He demanded. "And get your ass out of that uniform too! You fucking stink!"

"Sir!" Best said with a salute before turning and promptly leaving.

Once the door was closed behind him, he leaned against the wall in exhaustion. He then brought his hands to his face and rubbed it as he thought about what had just happened. Yep, that just happened, and he survived. But, his career might just be over if Mister Ryan decides to clip his wings. Well, not him, but a piece of paper to the right person can do a lot of things. Other than that, he was upset with the things said to him. Being trash-talked is something he's gotten used to as a serviceman and he knew he was just venting, but it still hurt and made him tear up a bit. But he couldn't let that get him down. He was alive and will make the most of his life. Although, he'll probably have to get a new job soon. So, he spent time trying to remember what that truck driving school he saw on TV was called as he headed to get a shower and a change of clothes.

Meanwhile, Ryan had both his arms clamped around his head that was resting on the table. Now that he was able to vent, other problems started to pop up. Having realized what he just said, he now felt like a massive ass. It's not really what he said; this was the military, trash talking is a way of life. It's because… he would've done the exact same thing if the roles were reversed. It made him feel very hypocritical. To do something, anything, when there was nothing is also a virtue of his. Where could Best have gotten such ideas? With that, he reached for his cigarettes and lit another one with trembling hands. He's forgotten how many he's had since the start of the day. He then looked at the blurry atmosphere around him due to all the smoke. At this rate, lung cancer will kill him before the Sirens even touch him. He shook his head and stood up to open a window to let the smoke out before sitting back down and continuing with the report he was working on. Especially with the one concerning Danny's.

---

Afterward, Ryan requested a status report from all the ships and only got positive answers. Some said that they had taken hits, but nothing too serious that they couldn't fix themselves. Pleased with the answers, he dropped the subject and did something else.

Lunch came a short time later. Since they were still in a hot zone, the girls spent it within their own hulls to be ready in case anything else happened and saved any sort of celebration for a proper one later. The meal came and went without much happening, Best and Ryan barely spoke to one another. Although it's less about the smoke session and more about the fact both of them were physically and mentally exhausted. They needed food.

Enterprise spoke the most when she reported on the battle. Apparently, she only lost two planes; a Dauntless and an Avenger that were intercepted by enemy fighters. She looked clean too, not so much as a stain on her outfit or a bruise on her soft, pale skin. She also had a small smile on her gorgeous face as she spoke with enthusiasm that lifted the spirits of both men.

Once the meal was over, they went their separate ways to different parts of the ship. Best, now back into his blueberries uniform, was leaning against the railing of the catwalk walk that ran along the length of the ship's port side as he stared at the sea underneath the afternoon sun. The sea, the winds, and the waves always had this calming effect that put him at ease.

"You got any crazy adventures too, great grandpa?" He wondered out loud.

"Oh, he's got a bunch. But I don't think any of that trumps what you just pulled off."

Startled by the unexpected answer, he snapped toward it to see Enterprise standing a few feet away with her arms crossed and a neutral expression on her face.

"M-Miss Enterprise! Um… hi. Is there something I can help you with?" He stammered and put on an awkward smile. Although, she ignored him and slowly approached.

"There were multiple instances when he chose to forget his own mortality outside of Midway. I remember when he'd pull some crazy stunts on training exercises on training exercises like pretending his bomber was a fighter. There was even one time when he tried some fancy technique to land his plane, nearly putting a hole in my deck," The Carrier enumerated until she was right in his face. "But you, you're on a completely different level."

Best remained frozen as he thought of what to say under the pressure of the carrier's piercing gaze. She had to lift up her head to look him in the eyes due to his height of 5'11 feet, but it didn't make her any less scary. This woman was also the warship he was standing on after all. He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.

"You also did one very difficult thing, you surprised me. I lived through a whole war, I thought I'd seen everything, and yet here we are. You didn't just do something crazy, you redefined its meaning," She said with an icy tone. "Now, how will you explain yourself?"

She did not yell and her looks would've made it hard to take her seriously, but the aura she was emitting shook him and the lower tone of voice was unironically scarier. But he held his ground. His actions weren't exactly the smartest but they got the job done with no casualties on their side, that was the most important thing of all. And he'll stand by what he believes in even if she decides to throw him off of her. Besides, he guessed that she'd appreciated it if he was truthful. He exhaled through his nose and spoke.

"I understand my actions were not the most well thought out, but they got the job done and it was enough for me. My concern was making sure no one was killed. Since I'm here, I may as well be a part of the fleet, so I must look out for it too,"

She frowned a bit. "Did you forget your own mortality? What if you died?"

"I knew full well that it was almost guaranteed I would die. I even estimated that I had a twenty percent chance of coming back. But, to go in harm's way is what I'm trained for. It's my job."

She narrowed her eyes. "Do you regret what you've done? Will you apologize for it?"

"I don't regret a single thing, Miss Enterprise. I felt that I had a job to do and I did what needed to be done. I don't have to regret anything nor do I have to apologize for anything," He answered and clenched his jaw. "Well, I am sorry that I had to hijack your airplane, but it's the only way I knew."

"Were you scared?"

"Terrified, even when I just thought of doing it. But, I had to swallow it up because it was part of the job. Someone had to do something."

She eyed him carefully for a few moments, neither person making any sort of noise throughout the time. Then she smiled and then shook her head as she stepped back.

"Thickheadedness really is inherited," She said with a mirthful chuckle as she looked up at him with a softer expression. "Were your folks like this too?"

"My grandpa is sometimes a hard man to get through and my dad's hard to convince once his mind was made up. The Commander's dad knew my dad when they both served on the same ship together. He told me I'm easier to manage," He explained.

"Good to know. Now…" She began before stepping forward and suddenly grabbing his ear and tugging on it hard.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" He cried in pain.

"This is for stealing my airplane!" She angrily exclaimed as she pulled harder. "You don't just go stealing other peoples' airplanes, young man!"

"Ow! I'm so sorry, Miss Enterprise! I won't do it again!" He promised as tears formed in his eyes. He knew she was barely using her true strength, she could rip his head clean off if she wanted to, so he had to diffuse this quickly.

"Damn right, you won't! Because if you do, I'll break your arms!" She declared. Well, no she won't, but she'll make sure he hurts.

After a couple of moments more of pure agony, she let go and allowed him time to recover. He rubbed his ear to alleviate the pain before being caught off guard once again when Enterprise closed the distance and wrapped her arms around him and brought him into a gentle hug.

"And this is for making it back safe and sound," She said softly. "It wasn't just the Commander that worried so much for you, I did too. You scared me quite a bit back there, Lieutenant."

Although surprised, he understood her reasoning and returned the hug.

"I'm sorry for making you worry, Miss Enterprise. I only wanted to help… but hearing this side of the story's making me feel bad now," He answered.

"You should," She said before pulling away. "I'm not sugarcoating this for you. Although the outcome is in your favor, as far as anyone is concerned, you are both right and wrong. So, you could still get some flak for this. We all have jobs to do."

"I know."

One would say that Best and Ryan were quite close despite being subordinate and boss respectively. But the pilot knew it would be unreasonable for him to expect the older officer to be risking his own career for his, especially since it was him at fault.

"But," Enterprise began as she turned to gaze out toward the horizon. "That was some of the finest airmanship I've seen from anyone in a long time. Skills like that are hard to come by, it'd be a shame to have you pushing papers somewhere instead of getting to use them."

His eyes widened. "But—" He was cut off when she turned toward him and regarded him with a smile.

"I have the memories and personalities of thousands of men from every background. The Commander will be reasonable, trust me," She said with a wink before turning back. "I also appreciate your conviction, bravery, and sense of duty. You should be proud of what you do after all."

Besides, it'd be pretty hypocritical of me to call him out on being an idiot, She thought, having remembered her own wrongdoings.

"O-Oh, wow," He whispered. "Thank you, Miss Enterprise."

She shook her head. "No, thank you for helping me and the others out back there. I appreciate it. You've got a good heart and head on you, Lieutenant. It's not worthy of punishment."

He smiled. "Of course. You're always welcome, ma'am."

"Just don't let all this get into your head! No more crazy stunts like that again in the future, alright?" She warned.

"I can't make any promises, especially when our world is getting crazier by the day. But I'll do my best, that I can promise," He answered.

"I suppose that's good enough," She sighed, knowing full well that trouble might just find them anyway. "Just be careful, okay? You're no good to anybody dead."

"Yes, ma'am," He replied. "By the way, what did you think of my flying?"

She smirked. "As I've said, some fine flying. But I can't help but think that you got lucky more than a few times back there. There's still room for improvement."

"I see," He said and took a deep breath. "Miss Enterprise?"

"Hmm?"

"I'll still be around for a while, so if it's not too much trouble, can I continue flying for you? I'd really like to learn more from you," He asked.

Enterprise then regarded him with an impassive expression. "What makes you think you're good enough to fly for me?"

He could've said a multitude of things like how he graduated from Top Gun, how he just shot down five aircraft and one superweapon earlier, or how he was a descendant of one of her former pilots. But he didn't, so he just told the truth.

"Honestly, I'm curious to find out myself. I've always loved flying, but I've wanted to know what else it means to me besides being a job and a family tie. I want to know more about me, because I'm kinda lost," He answered.

Enterprise regarded his words for a couple of moments before smiling warmly. "That seems fair, I'd probably say the same thing. Alright, Lieutenant, welcome to the crew."

He kept his happiness in check as he smiled wide and nodded. "Thank you, Miss Enterprise."

"Of course," She said before opening up her arms again. "Now come here."

He smiled and hugged her again. This time he was able to notice the gentle warmth that emanated from her aura, filling him up with strength as if reassuring him that everything would be alright in the world. An aura he last felt from… from his late mother. But before he could dwell more on it, she pulled away.

"Well, now that we have this over with, let's get you started!" She stated with a big smile which he returned.

"Cool. What do I do first?"

They'd later find themselves within her hangar deck where her whole air group was currently stored within. He was a bit confused but rolled with it. Until she handed him a steel bucket with a rag in it.

"This is your first assignment. Clean up my whole air group! I want each of my planes to be so shiny, the glint would blind the enemy," She requested. "Think of this as an extended punishment as well as a rite of passage."

He blinked and quickly formulated a response, but stopped short when he realized that anything he said would just be spun back at him. So with a heavy breath, he complied.

"I'll get to it, ma'am."

"I suggest you start quick or else you won't make it in time for dinner," She reminded.

He nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

She grinned and ruffled up his hair. "Good boy."

She turned on her heel and left him grumbling to himself, complaining under his breath that she was just taking advantage of him. Well, maybe she is, but who else can say that they cleaned up Enterprise CV-6's air group? Besides, how can he argue with her? That thought made him feel somewhat better.

Meanwhile, another man was enjoying the quiet too. Ryan was currently on the bridge and staring out the window, contemplating the events of the day. Aside from Danny's stunt, a lot of things could have gone wrong back there. He got his first of how the enemy operated and realized that a whole new set of tactics needed to be invented and fast. The missile ships were effective as long as they have the range and ammunition, otherwise, they were done for. And how they got out of there with only minimal casualties and no deaths is beyond him. Not to mention, the enemy is pulling their punches less now that they brought a jet. Basically, he believes they got lucky more than anything, and he didn't like that. Luck was a dangerous thing to rely on in battle. He needed to get better. He had to get better.

Then, there was a knock on the wall before someone spoke. "Room for one more?"

He turned and saw Enterprise leaning against the frame of the entrance with a smile on her face. He returned the smile, analyzing her some more and noticing that she was holding two bottles in her hands.

"Hey, yeah come on in," He replied.

"Awesome," She said as she approached him and handed him a bottle.

"Beer?" He asked with a raised eyebrow as he took the opened bottle of Samuel Adams from her. He wasn't complaining though, just curious.

"I thought you needed one after all of that. A bottle should fix you up. But no more than that because we're still at work," She answered as she backed up and leaned on the wall across from him.

"Huh, how thoughtful of you, Enterprise. Thank you."

"I'm your Secretary Ship, Eric. It's my job to look after you," She said with a coy smile.

"Well, thanks anyway," He replied with his own smile as he raised his bottle. "Cheers."

"Cheers."

They clinked their bottles and took a couple of big gulps each, savoring the taste of the alcoholic drink. Then they just took a few moments to let the alcohol sink in and calm their tired nerves. And because of that, their eyes started to roam toward all sorts of places, something that wasn't lost to Enterprise when she felt his gaze on her.

"Like what you see, Eric?" She asked with a teasing smile.

"What if I do?" He asked back with an equally playful expression after being caught eyeing up her 'deck plating' and 'propeller shafts'.

"I won't mind. I just want you to be upfront with me about it," She answered.

"Well, what do you want me to say? 'Hey, you're really pretty, let's go on a date.' Something like that?" He challenged.

"Would you date me?"

"Why not? No one's stopping me," He said casually. "I really do think you're very pretty though."

You'd turn any supermodel into a sobbing, insecure mess, He thought but did not say.

She blushed a bit. "Thanks." That's how it is, huh? Well, two can play that game! "I could say the same about you."

"Why thank you. I know I'm quite pretty too," He joked in an exaggerated girl voice.

"No, silly!" She laughed. "You got a girlfriend? I bet all the pretty girls at home are always all over someone as charming and handsome as you, hmm?"

He chuckled too and blushed a bit. "Nah, not right now. Too much work's got me down. And no one really likes that."

"Yeah." She doesn't know why, but she felt glad to hear that. "Speaking of which, congratulations on the job well done, Eric. No one's dead and the enemy was pushed back despite the surprises."

He nodded. "Thanks."

Silence fell on them as they took couple more sips from their bottles. Ryan frowned a minute later when he remembered the recent battle. It was nice of Enterprise to help him cool off, and she succeeded, but it doesn't erase the current problem. She immediately noticed his change in mood and frowned a bit too.

"Work's got you down, huh?" She asked.

"Yeah," He answered with a sigh. "In all respects, this was a flawless victory. But, I'm not very happy with the outcome."

She raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

"It's not as clean as I wanted it to be. There were too many close calls and people nearly died. We got really lucky, and I don't like that being the reason we succeeded. Especially Danny, although what he did was outstandingly idiotic, I've been around him long enough to know he doesn't do things without good reason. How is he, by the way?"

"He's fine. I put him in the hangar and made him clean up my air group. He's not going anywhere."

"Ah, that's good to know. Thanks," He breathed in relief then shrugged. "Yeah, I guess I could've done better."

She frowned. "You know that's unreasonable, right? You can't possibly control everything."

"I know. It's a mindset of mine to think like that, it makes sure I stay on top of things to ensure the best outcome. But it still bothers me. If someone dies because of my decisions, I just… I don't think I can handle it."

Enterprise understood exactly what he meant. It was terrible to lose someone under you especially if you think that if you make a better decision, they would still be alive. But the reality of war is that people will die, no matter what you do. It was good that Eric was careful, but he may be too careful. She needs to pull him out before he gets too deep in. But before she could respond, his phone beeped and he pulled it out of his pocket to turn it off.

"Alright, break's over. Those reports aren't gonna finish themselves," He said before taking one final swig. "Ah. Thanks for the beer, Enterprise. It made me feel much better. I'll catch you later."

She smiled and nodded. "Yeah. See you too, Eric."

He turned and left, disappearing into her ship. After a moment her smile disappeared, feeling lonely all of a sudden. Moreover, she felt worried for Eric. To always be on top of everything is something she knows very well. How do you think she became the Grey Ghost? But, it required stressing yourself to the point of breaking. Enterprise is still a hard worker to this day, but there was a time when she was exceptionally hardworking. Too much so even. That was during her darkest days as a Kansen when the burden of being the best was put on her shoulders. But now, she was a reformed person living her life well, and she would help her friend too.

"Friend, huh?" She smiled again, before downing the rest of her beer.

---

Date: 03/24/2016

Time: 1801 hours (GMT+12)

Location: 9° 36' 41.0" N, 167° 57' 55.9" E Marshall Islands

The fleet spent another two hours circling around and making sure the area really was clear and collecting floating Wisdom Cubes before proceeding to their next objective. In the time between, he got status reports from the other task forces who he updated with the current development and then ordered to rendezvous at Kwajalein where he could assess them and issue orders accordingly. For now, he had to deal with the new appearances.

With the fleet's speed down to 15 knots, it would take four hours to sail 115 kilometers south toward the designated meeting place. The sun was now coming down but it would still take another forty or so minutes for it to set, so the area was still more than well-illuminated.

"Well, there they are," Ryan said as looked at the approaching figures on the horizon from his binoculars. "There's quite a lot of them."

"I've never heard of Squadron 22. I think the Shikikan had restructured the fleet," Amagi remarked. "A wise decision, considering he technically lost us."

"And he may have to do it again it seems" He added.

Enterprise gave him the incoming fleet's position data with her scouts, and a Seahawk from Port Royal visually confirmed it some time but immediately left to not be misidentified as an enemy and shot down. Now that they could see them with their own eyes, they just needed to wait to talk to them, which is exactly what Ryan and the fleet reps were doing as they stood on Enterprise's bow.

"Ugh, the First Carrier Division," Shoukaku said distastefully before turning and spitting on the ground.

"You don't like them?" Ryan asked, having been surprised by the sudden action.

"The Second Carrier Division is okay. But the First Carrier Division and with all their wisdom, they went and abandoned us, forcing me and Zuikaku to hold the line until our deaths," She answered bitterly, remembering every burden placed on the Fifth Carrier Division after the loss at Midway.

"Um, I think it's less that they abandoned you and more that they were killed and you had to take up their posts," He said.

"I know, Shikikan. But then Akagi-senpai and Kaga-senpai would go prancing around and proclaiming how great they are, even when it was us that had to pick up the pieces in the end," She explained.

Then, a single A6M2 Zero flew overhead and circled the fleet a couple of times before turning back. It had markings from the IJN Akagi, making Shoukaku frown even more.

"Well, if it's any consolation, I recognize the feats of the Fifth Carrier Division. As I've said, you were the most dangerous carriers we had to face. And you kept being a thorn in our side till '44. I don't think any other ship had a combat record like yours," He said.

Shoukaku smiled. "Thank you, Shikikan. It's good to know our exploits aren't forgotten."

"It's kind of hard to forget a pretty face like yours," He teased and she blushed lightly and giggled a bit. Then he took a more serious tone. "By the way, we'll be taking them in and it's guaranteed you'll work together again in the future. This beef between you and them won't cause problems in operations, right?"

She shook her head. "No, Shikikan. Akagi-senpai and I may have our differences, but we know how to stay professional in battle."

He nodded. "Good."

So they inherited the Japanese Military's tendency to fight each other too, huh? I'll have to watch out for that, He thought.

They all watched the fleet get closer and closer until the other fleet was only about a thousand meters away when they matched their heading which was going south. Then, he spotted two figures skating across the ocean surface toward them. It took some time, but two blurs shot up from in front of the ship and landed on the flight deck. And once Ryan's eyes locked onto them, he gave them a scan.

Both had fox ears and nine fluffy tails like Amagi. Both had spectral-like rigging in the shape of an aircraft carrier's flight deck formed on their left or right sides. One woman had long, dark brown hair and crimson eyes. The other had short white hair and blue eyes. They wore identical clothes consisting of sleeveless tops that showed a lot of cleavage, a short skirt, a loose haori, thigh-highs, and slippers with the difference between red and dark brown for the first woman, and blue and white for the second. It didn't take long for him to guess that this was the Kido Butai's First Carrier Division. And he was now meeting them.

"Nee-sama!" Red girl exclaimed happily as she charged toward Amagi who was ready to catch her.

"Hello, Akagi. How have you been?" She asked kindly as she embraced her sister who was clinging onto her for dear life while crying.

"I-I-I… I was so devastated to learn that you suddenly d-disappeared during an operation. I thought you would leave again, and this time for good!" Akagi choked in between sobs. "I-I didn't know what to do… I-I…"

"Shhhh, be at ease now, dear sister. I'm here and I'm okay," Amagi said softly as she stroked her hair.

"I'm so glad you're alright, nee-sama," Akagi cried as she hugged harder.

"I'm glad to see you're alright too, Akagi," Amagi said, feeling herself tear up too.

They embraced each other for a few moments more until Akagi had to reluctantly pull away to clean herself up. Amagi took this time to turn her attention to the other woman has was standing stiffly to the side. The battlecruiser smiled and opened her arms up again.

"Come here, Kaga," She requested.

Kaga approached carefully but it wasn't lost to anyone how quickly she still moved. Amagi pulled the carrier into her embrace while said carrier simply accepted it gratefully.

"It's good to see you alive and well, Amagi-san," Kaga said.

"I'm glad to see that you are well too, Kaga," Amagi replied. "Have you been taking care of yourself?"

"Hai."

All the while, Ryan and his entourage watched with smiles on their faces. The Commander didn't dare interrupt the tender moment between the family, and he observed that this little scene only further solidified the humanity of Kansen. Shoukaku also didn't interrupt, because although she had a dislike for Akagi, she knew it would be wrong to rob her of what made her happy. Besides, she respected and feared Amagi too much to get in her way too. The scene would last a few more moments before the battlecruiser spoke again.

"Before any of you ask, I've been well. The people here have been kind to me and the others. Especially the Shikikan," She said.

"Where is he now?" Akagi asked.

"Right here," Ryan said as he stepped forward.

Akagi's eyes instantly locked onto him as a wide smile formed on her face before she quickly moved to stand before him.

"We meet at last, Shikikan-sama. I am the glorious Akagi, the pride of the peerless First Carrier Division. With my famed air wing, I shall overcome any battle as long as you are with me," She declared before giggling. "Yes, Shikikan-sama, as long as we are together."

Then, the white-haired stepped forward and gave him an impassive nod. "I am Kaga, also of the First Carrier Division."

Although he kept a calm exterior, he felt a disturbance coming from their gaze. Specifically, Akagi's gaze. Kaga was alright but he didn't quite like the crazed look on the brunette's face. But figuring that it was just a quirk from her, he brushed it off and regarded them both with a polite nod.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you both too. I'm Commander Eric Halsey Ryan, United States Navy. We talked a few hours ago," He said.

"Yes, I remember perfectly. And I do have quite a number of questions. More, if it wasn't for my sister, Amagi. Speaking of which, thank you very much for looking after my sister. We are in your debt," She declared as she bowed down low along with Kaga.

"Your thanks are appreciated, but I only had this job for two weeks and Miss Amagi has been with us for months, so it should be the other guys you should be thanking."

"Well, even considering that, you are the Shikikan and my gratitude is yours! I'll pay in whatever way you'd like," She said suggestively as she took a step closer.

Ryan felt her burning gaze but held his ground. "Uh, of course, Miss Akagi. Now, let's move on to business. But first off, do you know where you are?"

"Yes," Akagi said as she looked around. "The air here… it feels different. Right, Kaga?"

"Hai, Nee-sama. There can be no mistaaking it. This is the origin world. This is home, or much closer to it at least," Kaga said and turned to Ryan. "And if I assume correctly, the status quo between our nations has changed too, yes?"

"It changed by a lot. We're allies now, by the way," He answered. "It's good to know you're aware, but let's stick with the important bits first. Could you give me a list of your fleet composition and get some of them here?"

Akagi frowned at the thought of inviting more women here but obeyed anyway. Speaking of which, she saw quite a number of them already with him, probably to act as envoys. Most had neutral expressions, but there were two exceptions. Shoukaku was there and she regarded him with a positive expression that was obviously fake with an edge to her eyes. But that was to be expected of her. Enterprise regarded her with an impassive expression in her typical fashion, but there was more of an edge to it, like she was trying to convey a warning of sorts… She'll need to watch out for that.

After giving Ryan a list, Akagi called for some more in their fleet to come over to them. He spotted more figures skating on the ocean before more jumped onto Enterprise's flight deck. His side and their side spotted each other first before going to greet each other first.

"Oh yeah! The Second Carrier Divison is back in town!" A woman with long white hair tied in a ponytail, blue eyes, and two bunny ears on her head proclaimed excitedly.

"Hiryuu, stop playing around!" A woman with long, dark blue-green-colored hair, blue eyes behind a pair of round-frame glasses, and bunny ears chided.

"But, Souryuu-nee, it's been so long! Let me have some fun!" Hiryuu complained.

"You'll get it later," Souryuu rebuked before turning to Amagi. "It's very good to see you're alive and well, Amagi-sama."

While the Japanese talked amongst each other, a bunch of other ships went to greet those already here.

"Yorky! Enty! Horny!" A woman with long wavy blonde hair with two strands extending as if they were insect antennas and green eyes waved gleefully as she ran for the trio.

"Waspy!" Hornet exclaimed as she ran up to her and enveloped her in a hug.

"I'm doing great! Oh, thank God y'all are alive!" Wasp exclaimed. "I should be asking that question, where the hell have you been?!"

"It's a long story, Wasp," Enterprise said as she hugged the other carrier.

"No shit. We all thought you died or got eaten by a sea monster or something," Wasp remarked.

"Ha! As if some weird Siren bullshit will kill us!" Hornet laughed.

"Rest assured, we're just fine. Probably better than fine even. We're home or at least closer to it," Yorktown said with a smile. "Now you are too, Waspy."

"Yeah, I noticed that once I got a whiff of the air. I can't believe it," She stated as she went to hug Yorktown.

"We'll explain as much as we can. But, it's good to see you again, Wasp," Yorktown said as she returned the embrace.

"I'm good to see you too, sis," Wasp whispered, now reunited with her half-sisters. Now, the focus turned to other groups hugging it out.

"Jay!" A woman with long blonde tied in a partial crown braid and blue eyes exclaimed as she ran towards a certain battleship.

This woman wore a white blouse and black vest under a blue long long-sleeved top with gold trimmings, and a matching short cape with a high collar and epaulets. She also wore an armband of her namesake's flag on her right arm, a matching short pencil skirt with leg slits on both sides, black thigh highs with garter straps, blue heels with white and red patterns, black fingerless gloves, and a US naval officer's hat.

"Mo!" New Jersey exclaimed as she also ran up to the woman and glomped her in a hug.

Missouri accepted the hug eagerly and clung to her big sister tightly and exclaimed. "Oh my God, I thought whatever happened to you!"

"Oh quit being so dramatic! There aren't a lot of things that can kill the Black Dragon!"

"Still not helping sis!"

She barely got to see her even before, then she learned that she went missing. She had it rough but held onto hope that her sister was still alive. She was right to do so.

"Hey, Brook!" A woman with wavy ash-blonde hair and red eyes waved as she sped walked toward Brooklyn.

This woman wore a one-piece, short, strapless dress that was supported by two thick black straps attached to a black choker around her neck. The dress had a two-tone design with red on her sides and white everywhere else, and it also had two slits on the sides that showed her hips too. She also wore a white naval officer's jacket with a gold interior over her shoulder, black long fingerless gloves, thigh-highs with garter straps, black heels, and a white cowboy hat with a gold stripe.

"Nash! Thank goodness you're alright!" Brooklyn said happily as she embraced her sister.

"I'm glad you're alright too, big sis," Nashville replied with a thick accent. "Where the hell did y'all go?! Your fleets just suddenly fell out of the world one day!"

"It's a long story, sis. But, the Commander and us have got the time to explain it," Brooklyn replied.

Nashville furrowed her brow. "The Commander?"

These were only a few girls since more hulls were still out back. Ryan stood quietly by the side, deciding they deserved the time for themselves. As he silently watched, the Commander felt a headache forming as he was reminded of a fact. All of them are very pretty. As in very pretty. This Creator guy knew exactly what he was doing. Bodies as if they were carved by angels themselves with the generous proportions. In other words, smooth skin, luscious hair, curves for days, and a face to match. And because of his nature as a straight man, his mind went to all sorts of places despite his desperate attempts to keep it in place. Oh, dear God. This will kill him for sure.

"Lord, give me strength," He whispered to the sky above.

"Commander?"

He was snapped from his reverie when he heard his rank be called and looked down to see the new girls congregating in front of him. It's his turn again. So, he put on his best smile and stepped forward.

"Good evening, ladies. My name is Commander Eric Halsey Ryan, United States Navy. It's nice to meet you all," He introduced and they all took turns in greeting him.

"IJN Souryuu of the Second Carrier Division. It's a pleasure to meet you, Shikikan," She said with a polite nod.

"IJN Hiryuu, also from the Second Carrier Division! Nice to meet 'ya, Shikikan!" She introduced with a wide smile.

"Heya, Commander! I'm USS Wasp CV-7! Nice to meet 'ya!" She beamed with a wave.

"I'm USS Missouri BB-63. It's a pleasure to meet you, Commander!" She said politely with a salute.

"Howdy, Commander! I'm USS Nashville CL-43! 'Pleasure to meet 'ya too!" She said with a tip of her hat.

"Y'all doing alright?" He asked.

"Yes, sir!"

"Great! Now, I know you have a ton of questions, and I'll try to answer them in due time. But, it's kind of uncomfortable to be standing in the open up here. So, why don't we head down to the officer's mess and discuss things over dinner there?" He suggested.

Taking the word of their friends and sisters, they agreed to his suggestion and followed him down into the ship. They mostly talked amongst themselves but shot him a few questions along the way that he answered. And as they entered the room, they came across the other male passenger of the ship…

Best, having finished earlier than expected which surprised himself and Enterprise, went to fill a cup with water in the officer's mess and came face to face with Ryan and a bunch of Kansen as they entered, some he knew and some he didn't. He just finished taking a shower and decided that a few biscuits and some water as a little snack before dinner wouldn't hurt. Now, about over a dozen pairs of eyes stared at him, waiting to make a move.

"Uh, good evening Commander, ladies," He greeted with a smile. Then he felt a burning gaze coming from the group and flinched a bit. He tracked it and locked eyes with a pair of burning red ones.

The moment Akagi's eyes fell on this young man, alarm bells started ringing in her head, screaming at her to get away from him. But, she couldn't understand why, so she brushed it off, despite her discomfort. She wanted to make a good impression, and to do that was to be polite to whoever the Shikikan's subordinates were.

"Oh, yeah, there's more than just me on this ship. Ladies, this is one of my juniors, but I'll let him handle his own introductions," Ryan said.

Ryan stepped aside while the girls stepped forward so he took this as his queue and got to it.

"I'm Lieutenant Junior Grade Daniel Mattis Best, US Navy. Nice to all of you," He said as he extended his hand.

Akagi was also reaching out to shake his hand until she heard his name. The fleet carrier gasped before drawing her hand back as quickly as she could and stepping back, an action everyone saw.

"Nee-sama?" Kaga spoke.

"Akagi, what's wrong?" Amagi asked with concern.

Akagi didn't listen as she put a hand on her head and groaned loudly as it felt like it was splitting open. Memories… they were pouring in…

"Sister!"

"Nee-sama!"

Her whole world shifted in an instant and she found herself staring at a sky on fire over the raging ocean. She was back there, at that moment. Various crews ran around tending to different tasks on a ship under attack. Pilots rushed to their planes to get airborne, deck crews frantically directing aircraft, and anti-aircraft gunners desperately getting their guns to bear on one target. Just one…

Three dive bombers blew straight through the anti-aircraft fire from her guns and her escorts as if they were simply droplets of rain. Then, their bombs fell. The first two bombs missed, but the last one is what would seal her fate when it hit just behind the amidships elevator, falling and detonating within the hangar that was full of ordnance and fuel.

Then they simply left her to die. The last one wagged his wings as if mocking her. And that was it…

Her honor was gone. She would never make it home. They would scuttle her hours later, even amidst the screams of her trapped crew members below deck. And the battle that sealed her nation's fate was concluded…

And now, she's back in the same world, face-to-face with the man that struck her down. Of course, she knew he was just the descendant, but his blood was still the same.

"Nee-sama, are you alright?" Kaga worriedly as she supported her sister. But she wasn't listening to her.

"You…" She spoke in a low tone as she stood back up and glared at him. "You…"

Best stuttered as he was put on the spot. "U-Um, I'm very sorry! Did I do something wrong?"

"You've come back. You've come back to finish it have you?!" She spat.

"Finish what?!" He exclaimed, confused by it all.

"You've come to kill me, haven't you?!" She growled.

"Wha-What?!" He spat as he backed off, shooting pleading glances toward Ryan and Enterprise who were just as confused but tried to do something.

Amagi immediately realized what was happening and put her hands on her sister's shoulders to calm her down.

"Sister, calm down. Let's talk about this," She said softly.

"Please calm down," Enterprise pleaded with her hands up.

But she just wasn't having it…

"Shut up, Grey Ghost! You've brought him here to kill me, didn't you?!" She spat as tears started to form in her eyes.

"Lady, I don't even know who you are!" Best exclaimed, completely fed up with everything already. But somehow, that just angered her further.

"My name is IJN Akagi! The flagship of the First Carrier Division and the Kido Butai! Your ancestor killed me! And then shamed me in front of the whole world!" She growled.

Akagi? Oh, shit… Akagi! This is the carrier great-grandpa killed! He thought as all the pieces fell in place. He now understood what was happening and feared even more.

"And now you've come to finish his mission. But I won't let you! Not again!" She growled as she stepped forward.

But, after she took the first step, she was stopped when a hand gripped her arm and anchored her in place. Turning to its owner, she was faced with Enterprise who had a flame in her eyes and a dark aura surrounding her.

"Akagi," She began in a low tone as she stared into her eyes. "I know how you feel and I honestly can't blame you. But, if you ever so much place a finger on my pilot, I will make you regret it. Is that clear?"

Although he's already heard that tone of voice from her, Ryan still found himself surprised. It was the same sentiment with everyone else in the room, especially when they processed another part of it.

"What?" Ryan said.

"What?" The other girls said.

"Nani?" Best said.

"Alright, enough of this! The both of stand down, now!" Ryan ordered.

Akagi and Enterprise maintained their glares at each other for a moment more before letting go and stepping away from each other. The Commander pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed before continuing.

" I must remind you of something: the war has long been over. The world and the people in it have changed. Japan and America are close allies now. Of course, it doesn't bury the past, but it helps to reconcile with it. Look, from one warfighter to another, I think I understand completely how you may feel, Miss Akagi. I've read your history after all. But, if you assault my subordinates, not only will you be facing serious repercussions, but you will also be playing yourself as you solve nothing. Is that clear?"

He delivered that line with as much conviction as he can to get through her head and it seemed to work. Akagi mulled it over for a moment before nodding.

"Hai, I understand, Shikikan-sama," She said and then bowed a bit. "If I may, I would like to return to my hull, please."

He nodded. "Of course. You're dismissed."

"We'll come with you," Amagi said and Kaga agreed, but the carrier shook her head.

"No, I'd like to be alone for some time, please," She pleaded.

"Nee-sama—"

"Will you be alright, Akagi?" Amagi asked.

"Hai. I just need to clear my head, nee-sama," She answered.

"... Okay. Kaga, please escort her out then come back here," Amagi instructed.

Kaga was about to argue when she saw the look on both her sisters, so she just nodded and complied.

"Hai, Amagi-san," She said before helping her sister out. Afterward, it was just silence as the rest of them tried to process what just happened.

"Well, that was a thing," Nashville said moments later before they started to take seats.

"Shikikan-sama," Amagi spoke and bowed lowly in front of him. "Please forgive Akagi for her outburst, and please forgive me for not expecting this."

He shook his head. "No, I think I know why she acted like that. And I guess I should've expected that too. Sorry."

"She's my sister, Shikikan-sama. I know her the best," She insisted.

"Yes, but I've already seen something like this happen before. Too many times even…" He exhaled. "Besides, I'm the superior here. I should've known better. Is she going to be alright?"

"She'll need time, but she will be alright. I'll go to see her later once she's calmed down," Amagi replied.

"Good," He said and turned to Best. "You alright, Danny?"

He nodded shakily. "Y-Yeah. Damn, that just became the scariest thing to happen all day."

"No shit," Ryan breathed. "Well, ladies, this is Lieutenant Best, he's one of my juniors. Anyone else has any beef that needs to be settled?"

Although it was more of a joke, it still invoked one of them to step forward toward the Pilot.

"You're seriously Dick Best's descendant?!" Hiryuu demanded.

"U-Uh, yeah. He's my great-grandpa," He squeaked after being put on the spot again.

Ryan and Enterprise began moving to defend him again, but then she did something that was even more unexpected. She smiled widely and grabbed his hands.

"That is so cool! I'm Hiryuu, Second Carrier Division of the Kido Butai! It's nice to meet you!" She said happily. "Your great-grandpa bombed me too! Well, it was him and three other guys, but he still did!"

"Nice to meet you too, Miss Hiryuu," He replied carefully. "You're not mad?"

"Mad? Why would I be mad? Your great-grandpa and I were combatants in war. It's natural for us to try and kill each other. It was our job!" She explained.

"It's just, Miss Akagi—" He started but was cut off.

"Akagi-senpai just has some issues. Well, all of us do actually, but some of us deal with it better. Me, it's like I said, we were doing our jobs," Hiryuu explained and chuckled. "And let me tell you, your great gramps did an awesome job! The little bastard zoomed straight through my CAP fighters, through the combined AA fire from me and my escorts, then put a bomb right where my emblem is! And he did the on the same day after hitting Akagi-senpai! Holy shit, if that's not awesome, I don't know what is!"

"Well, that's great-grandpa for 'ya. But he's him and I'm just me," He said simply.

"You say that, but you literally just stole an airplane and shot five bogeys this morning," Hornet remarked.

"He what?" The new carriers demanded.

"Yeah, he really did that. He almost got himself killed too!" Zuikaku laughed. "But, that was some of the best flying I've seen since Santa Cruz! Souryuu-senpai, Hiryuu-senpai, this kid is the real deal!"

"What's more is that Enterprise seems to have taken him in and designated him as her pilot too," Yorktown added with crossed arms. "When exactly did this happen?"

Enterprise blushed in embarrassment. "Earlier this afternoon right after lunch. I confronted him on his stunt, called him out on his stupidity, commended his bravery and skill, and he asked if he could fly for me."

"And you agreed?" Ryan asked with a flat tone.

"Why not?" Enterprise said with a smile.

"I wanted to develop my skills further, Commander. So, I went to an expert, hehe," Best added awkwardly.

Ryan stared at them with a flat look for a few moments before exhaling in frustration and rubbing his face.

"We're kind of getting off track here. Let's get dinner going first and deal with the rest later," Ryan said as he sat down. "Don't think this is over though. I'm only delaying it."

"Yes, sir!"

"I can't believe Enterprise found herself a pilot already," Wasp muttered.

Dinner began cooking shortly after with Belfast leading the charge. In that time, Ryan was introduced to more newcomers who were invited on board along with Kaga who reported that Akagi had safely returned to her hull but there was a chance she might return. Ryan and Enterprise were worried but decided to allow her to come back as long as she doesn't try to cause any more trouble. She still needs to be briefed too. Ryan and the rest of them would just have to be ready.

And sure enough, after thirty minutes when the food was served and everyone was about to eat, the fox woman showed up. Enterprise notified him the moment she set foot and it was just a waiting game afterward. Then there was a knock on the door, a reply to come in by Ryan, and in came the woman of the hour. Her ears were drooped low, she was looking down, and she had her hands in front of her to show she wasn't armed. She was evidently very embarrassed.

"Good evening again, Shikikan-sama," She greeted with a tamed tone.

"Good evening, Miss Akagi. Would you care to join us for dinner?" He asked.

She gave a little nod. "I would be delighted. But… some things need to be said first."

"Indeed. So, please go on ahead," He gestured but stopped her when she started approaching him and took a stern tone. "Whoa, not me. It wasn't me you threatened and it wasn't me whose day you soured."

Akagi's hands clenched as she took a deep breath. She glanced at her older sister to her with a neutral expression as she remained seated. Even Kaga did not move. They had no reason to move, this was her problem, not theirs. So it was up to her to fix it. Ryan also carefully observed her. He could tell that this was hard for her. Moreover, he could tell from her expression and body language that she was genuinely ashamed about it.

"My apologies," She said.

Then, with a deep breath, the fleet carrier turned and walked over to where Best was sitting and stood before him. The pilot was already on guard the moment she entered the room, and he was even more alert now. But, he refused to flinch and regarded her with a neutral gaze as he waited for what she will do next. Then, showed bowed low, so low that she was making a 90-degree angle, before speaking.

"Kaigun Shōi-sama, I… I have committed a terrible act against you without provocation. I recognize that what I have done was wrong and I make no excuses. Please forgive me."

Her apology was quick concise, and straight to the point. No beating around the bush or anything. And both men appreciated that. But, the pilot wanted to get behind the whole thing and find out why she did what she did. Actually, he thinks he already knows why, but he wants to hear from her own mouth.

"Please raise your head, Miss Akagi," He requested and she obeyed, straightening up and looking into his eyes. "I'll forgive you, but I want to know why you did what you did."

Akagi clenched her hands. She was a very prideful individual and she never like admitting her faults. In fact, if they met a few years earlier, she would not be seeking his forgiveness now. But, she has changed since then. With another deep breath to keep her emotions in check, she continued.

"When you introduced yourself, I found out exactly who you are. And I was reminded of that moment. The moment I was struck down by the Grey Ghost and your ancestor. Then I was reminded of my shame and the dishonor of my failure to bring glory to my nation. And then I was reminded of the crew I lost because I had failed them…" She trailed off as tears formed in her eyes and as her lips quivered. But she reeled herself in before continuing. "But those are not excuses. What I did to you a while ago was wrong. Period. To pretend that it wasn't would be even more of a disgrace. Therefore I ask for your forgiveness, and if you would request it, I will make it up to you as well."

Best remained silent afterward, keeping his expression neutral as he stared at her. From her expression, he could tell that she was being genuine and sincere. Ryan also drew the same conclusion. The fleet carrier really was ashamed of what she's done.

However, Akagi was keeping herself from flinching. It was funny, a superhuman woman like her bowing down to a feeble being like him. Truly the Grey Ghost and her filthy home nation foster demons. Most humans she has met tremble under her gaze. This one right here was among the exception. If only she could read his mind and find out what he was thinking right now…

Holy shit, what the hell do I say to that?! Damnit, this woman is just a sad person who needs a hug! I need to be careful with this. But I need to say something now for God's sake! U-Uh… H-Hold on! Give me a second, will 'ya!

Well, she did say that she'll do anything to make it up to him… what if he's thinking about making her lie in bed with him?! Although, if she was being honest, he didn't look half bad. A cute face on a well-built body thanks to military conditioning and other goodies. But to be in a relationship with the descendant of the man that killed you? Talk about scandalous! Well, she wasn't averse to scandalous, it just wasn't the kind of scandalous she liked.

"Um," Best began. "There's no need for you to make it up to me, Miss Akagi. I think I understand where you're coming from. But I need you to promise me that you will never freak out like that again to me or anyone else."

"Hai, Kaigun Shōi-sama. I promise," She said with a nod.

"Very good, then I forgive you," He said with a smile before standing up. "Now let's try this one more time. Hello, I'm Lieutenant Junior Grade Daniel Mattis Best, USN. It's nice to meet you."

She eyed his hand for a moment before gently taking it in her own and giving him a small smile.

"I am IJN Akagi, flagship of the First Carrier Division. It's nice to meet you too," She introduced. And, oddly enough, she felt good. Much better than if she attacked him again.

Then the crowd around them cheered, approving of her apology and his forgiveness. Amagi was most especially happy to see how much her little sister has grown. Kaga was also happy. And it wasn't just them, Ryan was happy to see his junior act maturely for once and Enterprise was proud of her new pilot.

"Very well done, the both of you. Now please take a seat, and let's get this meal started," Ryan said.

The meal began with a prayer and most conversations that happened immediately after were only amongst those at the same table. Then as they progressed, Ryan found it a good time to brief them on the situation. He first asked some basic questions like whether were they alright and if they were aware of where they were. He was pleased to know they were fine and aware. And then he moved on to the problem at large, about how the Sirens were now leaking into their world. Their true home world. And then he explained the USNKC, its purposes, and everything, and then finished with their recent and also first operation ever.

"... And here we are. There's more, but that's the gist of everything," He said.

Silence ensued as Ryan allowed the girls to process the information while he finished up his mashed potatoes. The girls talked amongst each other, likely discussing the problem until they turned to him again.

"What happens to us?" Nashville asked.

"Once we head back to base, we'll make a file with your picture on it as documentation that you're here and be given housing within. Then you'll be given a choice to join Kansen Command. For the non-Americans, your home countries are still figuring things out, but they'll come for you soon and we'll send you back. We can't force you into anything and we definitely can't lock you up, we know you'll just escape. Besides, you have your rights. We won't infringe on your rights. And if you choose us, all your needs will be taken care of by us and the American taxpayer," He explained. "There are a few more things like rules and regulations, but they're about what you would expect. If you need more proof just talk to the others. Yorktown and a few others are working with us to guarantee your rights. Besides, the fact is we need you. If we hold you back or hurt you, we also hurt ourselves."

More conversation ensued as the girls talked amongst each other some more. This lasted for about a couple of minutes before they turned to him again.

"Where do we sign?" Wasp asked eagerly.

"Go relax and cool your heads first. You can further get into it once we get back to base."

"You make it sound like we have a choice," Kaga stated.

"Because you do. Although we have to keep you close to us to make sure you don't get into trouble, I will not accept any conscripts in my fleet, only volunteers. So if you're just going to be forced, then you'll be patrolling the immediate area around the base at best or just staying in port," He answered firmly.

Kaga squinted her eyes a bit, scrutinizing his words and expressions. Naturally, she was skeptical of this man and decided to test him to see if he was worth trusting. Ryan, however, expected this and made sure to answer as truthfully as he could. He didn't want to hide anything from them, because if they found out themselves, they'll lose trust in him. And after moments later, she sighed and spoke again.

"I suppose that's fair. I'm sorry, Shikikan," She replied.

"No need, I understand why you're cautious. But, we are the United States of America, a nation of civilized people with morals. Not a bunch of warmongering savages. You don't have to be afraid, we will help you," He said kindly.

Kaga regarded his words and found herself smiling just a tiny bit. "Thank you, Shikikan."

"Hmmm," He hummed. "Alright, not that we that out of the way, are there any other concerns?"

"Oh, yes!" Missiour spoke. "During, uh, whatever put us here happened, we were attacked by Sirens, and some in our fleet were separated from us and we lost track of them."

"I was wondering when you'd bring that up. Before heading back to base, we'll be stopping by Kwajalein first. The military base there reported a ship with big guns pulling up at their pier. Going by the description I was given, it's definitely a shipgirl. I even talked to her too, it's Prinz Eugen. If there are more then they're probably there too. If not, we'll find them," He answered. "We'll also be rendezvousing with the other task forces there so I can assess them and issue new orders accordingly. So if there are people among them you know, you can go and greet them."

She nodded. "Okay, thank you, Commander."

"Any other concerns?" He asked and everyone shook their heads. "Alright, now it's my turn for questions. How did you all end up here?"

"We're not sure. This fleet was formed by the Shikikan after the others disappeared. Two weeks ago, we were dispatched to deal with Siren attacks against Sakura Empire territories in the South Pacific. The operation was a success and shipping lanes were opened again. Afterward, we were to return to base, but as we were en route, we were caught in a storm and suddenly ended up here," Souryuu answered.

"Then we instantly lost contact with HQ, of course, freaking us out. Then we were attacked and separated. It's definitely something the Sirens pulled, but it's completely new to us," Hiryuu added.

"I see," Ryan said and turned to Enterprise. "Sounds a lot like how you described your arrival too."

"Yes, sir. If it wasn't obvious before, it is now. The Sirens are now turning their attention to this world. That or they're just handing us free tickets home. Thanks, I guess," Enterprise agreed, mumbling the last part.

"Well, whatever the reason is, we'll beat them out of our rock one way or another," Ryan said and leaned back. "And, that should be all the important bits. Now, Miss Akagi?"

"Yes, Shikikan-sama?"

"Since you're the flagship of this flotilla, I'd like a report of everything that happened from the beginning of the storm that was mentioned till your meeting with us. Be sure to add in position data too. We're trying to get to the bottom of this, and maybe we can find out how you all got here," He requested.

"Of course, Shikikan-sama."

"And that's about it, I think all the important bits have been covered. A more thorough briefing will be done at Pearl, but for now, we just have to safely get back to base."

"We're going to… Pearl Harbor?" Akagi almost whispered.

"Yes."

"Hmmm," He hummed, noting her trepidation but decided to leave it alone or now. "You're all free to head back to your hulls and get some rest. We've still got a few days of sailing ahead of us."

"Yes, sir!"

He watched them get up and start cleaning up or preparing to leave when he remembered something.

"Oh wait! The rest of you can go, but Enterprise and Danny, meet me in my office," He requested before promptly leaving.

Both carrier and pilot flinched a bit upon hearing that and looked at each, silently communicating what they should do. They knew they had to go, but they were worried about what might happen. So, with a deep breath each, they went on their way.

"I will take care of this, Miss Enterprise. You should go," Belfast said.

"Okay. Thanks, Belfast," Enterprise replied and turned to Best and regarded him with a kind smile. "Well, it's time to face the music. Don't worry, Lieutenant, I'll cover you."

He smiled too. "Thanks, Miss Enterprise."

The other girls said their farewells and they returned them before leaving the mess hall to head to the Commander's office. It took about five minutes of walking through the halls of the ship to arrive at the office door. They both took a deep breath before walking in at the same time. Ryan was calmly typing away on his laptop with only his desk light on. Best closed the door behind him and stood in front of the Commander's desk for the second time in the day. And interestingly, Enterprise simply stood beside him casually with her arms crossed. Then, Ryan stopped typing and stared at them.

"Well, here we are again. We're all tired, so I'll just get to it. How did such a thought enter your brain?" He demanded.

"Sir, it's as I've said, I wanted to learn from the best, and who better to ask than Miss Enterprise? I saw an opportunity during her confrontation, and I took it. I also think that it would still be a while before I am assigned to a squadron, so I figured that this would be a good way to kill time," He explained.

"It's probably a good way to get yourself killed too," Ryan remarked sardonically. "What makes you think you're even cut out for what you asked for?

"I don't know, sir," He answered truthfully.

The Commander raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"

"Well, sir, I can go on a long speech about my qualifications and family lineage, but I don't think that's appropriate. I also want to know what has drawn me to naval aviation aside from my blood, sir," Best explained.

Ryan squinted his eyes as he scrutinized the pilot before exhaling loudly and shaking his head. Then he turned to Enterprise.

"And you accepted his request. Why?" He demanded.

"Commander," She began while staring him down. "I know you know how these things go. I will not pretend he made a smart decision because it was not. But he made a decision when it was needed and I think that's what matters. One day, Lieutenant Best's hands will be forced again and he'll have to take action, again. So I think we should make sure he has the skills he needs instead of pinning him down and making him act on his own again."

"How sure are you of that?"

She smirked. "I have the memories of the thousands of men of all ages that had served aboard me, Commander. I think I'm a fairly good judge of character."

Ryan stared at them for some time again before groaning and rubbing his face. Then he simply pinched the bridge of his nose with his eyes closed.

"Danny, you do not know how much I want to clip your wings right now," He said coldly before shaking his head and looking up again. "But, the truth is that you are a very talented pilot. To remove your wings or tied you to the ground would be a disservice to this country that needs pilots and unfair treatment for you who had worked so hard to get where you are now. You're going to continue flying."

Best could barely contain his relief and happiness as he fought to keep his lips from curving upward. In the first sentence, a figurative storm cloud formed over his head until it was all blown away to show a sunny sky in his next statement.

"But, if you screw up again just by this much," Ryan said, almost pinching his index and thumb together as a gesture to him. "You'll be flying a cargo plane full of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong!"

"Yes, sir!" Best sounded off.

Ryan then turned to the carrier. "Enterprise, you have the go-ahead to school him. Make sure to beat him into the ground until he can stand on his own. No mercy. Ask for help from the other carriers too. I want him to be sure of what he's asking for."

"Got it, sir," She sounded off with a smile.

Ryan sat back in his chair. "That's all, you're both dismissed."

Best saluted and turned to leave, casting a glance at Enterprise who didn't move, surprisingly enough. She smiled warmly at him and gave him a wink, as if quietly saying 'See, I got your back' to him. He returned the smile and gave her a grateful nod before leaving.

Then there were two…

Once he was out, Ryan rested his face on his hands with his elbows on his desk before groaning. Enterprise walked around the desk to stand beside him and put a hand on his shoulder before giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"This job is gonna be the death of me," He muttered. "But I already knew that. And I also know it's only gonna get worse from here. This is just the beginning. Oh well, whatever. Thanks for asking, Enterprise. I'm just fine. Why'd you stay behind?"

"I can't make sure my commander is okay?" She asked with a furrowed brow.

"I'm just fine, Enterprise. Really, thank you for sticking out for me. But, I think I need to deal with this on my own, it's my responsibility," He said with a smile.

"That's where you're wrong, Eric," She stated firmly. "Just because you're our leader does not mean you have to carry everything on your shoulders. Come to us. Come to me. I'm your Secretary Ship and I'm here to help you. You just need to come to me."

He sighed and shook his head. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry, I guess I just got used to doing things on my own for so long. Thanks again, Enterprise. I'm fine now, really."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I think I'm just tired. It's been a long day. I've got one more paragraph on this report and I'm heading to bed," He replied before a smirk formed on his face. "But if you've got any more hot chocolate on you, I can stay up a bit longer."

"Sorry, Eric, but not tonight. I'm kinda tired too and you need to go to bed," She replied with a smirk too.

"Aw, damnit, alright then. Good night, Enterprise, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night, Eric, see you too," She replied and turned to leave. But then, she remembered something and turned back around. "Oh, one last thing?"

"Hmm?" Ryan hummed while looking back up.

"You did great, Commander. Your instruction saved us all," She said with a smile.

He smiled back and nodded. "Thank you."

She nodded before turning and finally leaving. Once the door was closed, his smile fell and he sighed. The truth was they only made it by the skin of their teeth. It wasn't good enough in his eyes, he needed to get better. And with that, he continued his work, starting with the after-action report he needs to submit before writing up a report to the other task forces.

---

AN: It got too long again, so I had to cut it, and boom.

Once again, I'm sorry for the long dialogue. But if I want to make something natural, I have to add in all sorts of things. And it ends up being long as hell. It annoys me too, trust me, and I'm trying to work my way around it.

Nashville is based on Nashville from Operation Rumor Mill but with a few of my own additions to her design. Missouri is based on a piece of art I found on Danbooru that has an AL tag interestingly enough. But it's over five years old, I think it was a proposal that didn't get accepted. And as I've said, if these boats come in the game, and I like their design, I'll edit them. Maybe, I dunno.

Wasp! In case you don't know, the USS Wasp CV-7 was basically a scaled-down Yorktown-class carrier meant to fill in the remaining tonnage left out from the Washington Naval Treaty. So, she's, in essence, a half-sister to the Yorktowns, and her in-game dialogue even has her referring to the Yorktowns as sisters. Although, she's often forgotten which is a bummer. By I haven't forgotten her so, here she is!

Kansen's memories and past traumas. Akagi freaking out is something I think she would've done. However, she wouldn't have made a turn like that and apologized to Danny that easily. Why did that happen? Well, I've been hinting at this already, but basically, most of these girls have already been given what they need to heal, and most of them are more mellow now. That includes yandere types like Akagi. It's been years already for them at this point and they've already mostly fixed themselves. Only mostly because, realistically, the pain of some wounds will be remembered for a long long time. So, there will still be scenes showing trauma from the past. And that makes me excited for the next chapter because a specific shipgirl with a lot of trauma will finally be introduced. Can you guess who she is?

Oh yeah, this is also where the 'happy family' starts with Enterprise as the mom, Ryan as the dad, and Best as the kid. But they won't realize that because they're too tone-deaf for it. I'm excited to write the interactions of these three (soon to be four), it's gonna be hilarious, I hope.

I'll save the rest of the announcement for the next chapter. This is it for now.

And once again, thank you very much for reading! Please leave a review to tell me what I can improve or any ideas you have, and I'll see you all in the next one! Peace out!