Location: Delta Coalition GHQ, North Point

Fort Grace took a moment to process what she had been told.

From where she was, the musty-aired cabin room was far from what any had in mind. Her desk found a homely but cramped company among clustered stacks of unsorted boxes and parcels that lined the plaster walls, still awaiting organization. The walls remained unadorned and bare, save for a world map hastily tacked on. To the uninitiated, one would be forgiven for mistaking the room for a disheveled living space for a new vacancy.

Certainly not the auspicious image of the new general headquarters of the allied forces.

She paced about in her office, deep in thought.

Sirens.

From what their Azur Lane allies warned, they were enigmatic yet deadly foes. Their intentions and plans, like their origins, remained a frustrating mystery. Possessing extraordinary power with their vast armies, the Sirens themselves held untold and otherworldly abilities over the workings of reality. One such ability, as their allies attested, was the power to bring worlds together. Yet rumors continued to bound about the alien's otherworldly abilities, one more incredulous and disturbing than the next.

And now, such enemy was at the Rose Kingdom's side.

Fort Grace's frown grew. This was the type of enemy the Delta Coalition had unknowingly faced ever since the Kingdom's invasion.

She looked out the window, the only luxury the room provided. But even as she did, the sight that filled her vision did not lift her mood.

More than 15 years ago, the sight from the window would have made for a scenic view of the mountains and beautiful temperate hills surrounding the city of North Point.

But now, all that remained was a gaping maw in the earth.

None of the ships could ever imagine the sort of hell the world was plunged into that day. Not one nation was unaffected from the calamity and the nations of this continent - the Rose Kingdom and the Delta Coalition homelands - were no different.

This was unlike anything one could ever forget. A fire could be put out, ruins could be rebuilt, and the dead could always be laid to rest.

But there was nothing that could heal the craters that marked the earth.

The fallout of the devastation had rendered many helpless. United in tragedy, the various nations of this continent banded together. Yet the unity was improvised, their diverse backgrounds and differences seeing to it that their recovery was left only with an incoherent vision. And all the while the continent teemed with refugees clinging to whatever hope they could grasp.

And now, this war happened.

Rapping knocks were reported outside her door. "Hey Grace! They're here."

"Come in." Turning, Fort Grace saw the door open with Cleveland stepping through. The carrier gave the cruiser a friendly nod then diverted her gaze to the guests she brought along. A cursory glance confirmed two things: they were no one Fort Grace recognized and that therefore they were the reinforcements sent by the Azur Lane.

Cleveland motioned towards each of the three figures, each in dignified and graceful attire of what Fort Grace learned was that of the Royal Navy.

The lead figure bowed while the other two, dressed as white-clothed maids, performed a curtsy. The maids, though dressed in similar fashion, could not be any more different in their subtleties and character.

The one towards the left was noted for her well-groomed white hair, some of which was braided. The dark sleeves and gloves, though a curious attire, did not detract from her dignified maid look. Yet the most distinct aspect of her appearance were those round spectacles of hers that seemingly translated her elegance into adorable charm.

Then, as she bowed in polite introduction, a gold bullion suddenly collapsed from beneath her skirt.

The maid scrambled, the elegance broken. "O-oh no! Not the precious bullion!" Then another one slipped out with a thud. "Aah!"

Royal Navy Light Cruiser
EDINBURGH

Adorable indeed. But clumsy.

The maid on the opposite side glanced at her companion with a look with those baleful orange eyes of hers, one of which concealed beneath the bangs of her hair. Dressed in a more stereotypical maid look, this ship exuded none of the other's clumsiness. Instead, her inscrutable expression and eyes of hers gave Fort Grace pause as to whether or not she was a maid… or something else.

It was said that looks could kill and that looks could also be deceiving. She was the epitome of both.

Royal Navy Light Cruiser
SHEFFIELD

Now glancing at the last figure, Fort Grace beheld a tall woman that was the amalgamation of elegance, charm, and boldness. Her deep blue coat and cape mixed with the casual red was pleasing to the eyes. The woman's face, half-hidden behind her curtain of brown, alluded to a character that was more than meets the eye.

Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier
ARK ROYAL

"Ark Royal, aircraft carrier hull number 91, reporting in!" she caroled. "The maids accompanying me are the bulwark of the Royal Navy reinforcements: Edinburgh, Sheffield. When word reached us of the presence of Sirens we were immediately dispatched to help deal with them!"

A hand was offered which Ark Royal accepted. "Glad to have you join us. I have already briefed the others of the present situation facing us but to bring you up to speed..."

On the open blue plains, the day was peaceful. Though the weather was not clear, the placid mood was visible. The sun was warm, the winds were soft, and the skies were pure.

Yet, on the frontlines the deception was thick; rather than calm the nerves, the silence instead surged anticipation of an ongoing war whose fire could erupt at any moment.

"Hrmm. Still nothing," a short ship remarked, scanning the terrain yet again. Her tone was a mix of disappointment and annoyance. "Don't get why we're sent on pointless patrols if we got those cheap drones to do this instead."

"Aye, I hear ya matey," another replied. "'Least we get to sail the high seas, eh?"

The first simply chose not to answer for her position was ambivalent. Same could be said for the third ship accompanying them, though it was characteristic of her.

Their lone voyage was disturbed by the squawking of their radio.

"This is Geofon. Report."

The first ship swiftly picked up. "Gee, I wonder who else would be able to contact us," she replied, a response appropriate for her more childlike appearance.

"Report," Geofon repeated, her voice biting with cold even on a warm day.

"Nothing to see on radar or my scope, as expected," the ship replied flatly. "Maybe we can send those toys to do this instead if we're going to come up empty." As frigid as the carrier was, she was used to it; she had no reason to fear her due to her standing within the command chain.

Despite her size, she knew she was too talented and well-liked for Tanager - let alone Geofon - to get rid of.

"New orders: proceed to the following coordinates. Hostile ship was last spotted in the general vicinity. She is currently on her lonesome. Destroy it."

The ship's mood did a 180, now all smiles. "All right! Headed over ASAP!"

"Good." Then Geofon cut transmission.

It was all both parties needed to hear.

Outside Fort Grace's office, there wasn't much to look at.

The administration building, where the office was held within, was only a modest building, its walls smudged by nature and time. Beside it, smaller shacks and prefabs lined along the circular courtyard that lay as the gateway to the open sea.

An unremarkable base if one ever saw, but to a lady like Ark Royal she did not mind the adversity.

"Hmm. The sweet smell of the ocean sea, with the air of challenge that awaits us." She paused to take a sip from her tea. "I must say, I look forward to what surprises this world has in store for us."

Silently and swiftly, Sheffield tacitly refilled the cup. "I must say that I cannot fully agree to that sentiment. Whenever Sirens are involved, a great deal of these 'surprises' tend to be great nuisances."

A sudden clattering sound rang out and all eyes turned to see shattered china by Edinburgh's feet. "Oh! O-oh dear! I am so sorry!"

As she knelt over the broken set, Edinburgh found herself accompanied by a maid in blue. "Allow me to assist."

"T-thank you, miss…?"

"Tea Time," the cruiser answered, her blonde hair and bushy eyebrows seemingly glowing warmly as she smiled. "I must profess that tea parties such as this is an exciting first for me."

Sitting beside the Royal carrier, Kestrel looked up curious. "Is that so?"

"Indeed," Fort Grace answered, sitting across the white porcelain table and savoring the tea. "She has accompanied me throughout our service but up until now, it had just been her. So a tea party hosted by multiple maids is a refreshing experience for her."

The other two carriers nodded in understanding. Nestled by the coastline with the wide expanse of blue behind them, the carriers sat shaded from the sun. Only the cool late morning breeze was allowed to trespass in the fancy picnic.

Still… Kestrel wasn't entirely sure why she was invited to such an occasion.

"Um… was there a reason for my invitation here?" the carrier timidly asked.

Resting her teacup, Ark Royal looked thoughtful. "Hm. Yes, there was a reason I invited you here. You see, while we have been briefed on the current situation, we are still unfamiliar with this world."

The dots already began to connect. "So are there any questions you'd like to ask regarding this world?"

"Yes. There are a great deal of questions I have in store that I'd like addressed," Ark Royal replied. "For instance..."

Then she cleared her throat.

"... Does the coalition happen to have any destroyers?"

Instantly, Edinburgh's face deepend in red while Sheffield, her back turned, muttered darkly. "... Degenerate."

However, Fort Grace and Kestrel remained oblivious, simply blinking at the inquiry.

Kestrel thought the question over. "Destroyers?... The Federation has them but none were sent here."

"And from what I remember, the Delta Coalition currently lacks any," added Fort Grace.

Suddenly, a crestfallen look appeared on Ark Royal's face. "I knew it..." she sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"N-nothing!" the carrier hastily denied. "I-I just wondered if our alliance had any! To think high command would send me here so as to intentionally deprive me of those sweet succulent girls! Of course, I am rather fond of those little ships; they're simply adorable! I could just -"

Ark Royal abruptly cut herself off, as if embarrassed. Faced with confused expressions, she tried to salvage her poise.

"Er, w-what I meant was… our combined fleet thus far is rather skewed in favor of carriers as opposed to a more well-rounded and balanced fleet! I was voicing my concern on whether or not this could be a problem as destroyers could give our forces a reconnaissance arm."

Behind Kestrel and Fort Grace, the two Royal maids made their reactions known (embarrassment from Edinburgh and a killer glare from Sheffield). Of course, neither of the carriers were aware.

"Hm. I suppose you have a point with our force composition," Fort Grace mused. "I suppose I should have mentioned it when I sent the request for reinforcements. However, beggars can't be choosers. We should be grateful with what we have; aircraft carriers are formidable pillars of all navies and the SSF has sent some of their best." At this, Kestrel shyly glanced away.

Fort Grace paused as she drank, the hot tea refreshing her thoughts.

"Speaking of carriers..."

"Fort Grace!"

All attention turned towards Andromeda as she ran up to the table, slipping past the maids. "I just received an aid request that came from outside secure waters. Encryption code signature matches ours!"

Hearing this, Fort Grace immediately rose to her feet. Sensing action, Ark Royal and Kestrel did the same.

One of theirs was out there.

The seas that made up the frontlines looked no different from anywhere.

The curse of the sea, to be bereaved of borders that would dictate the boundaries of war, however arbitrary it would be.

But even arbitrary borders were preferable to allowing the spirit of war to permeate everywhere.

The allied patrol fleet sailed in a loose staggered formation, all angles covered in anticipation of ambiguous threats. Fort Grace took the lead with Ark Royal and Kestrel assuming her vanguard. Tea Time, Cleveland, and Helena took positions surrounding the carriers.

"How much further?"

"About twenty klicks to go," Andromeda radioed back. "The transmission source was headed this way, so if you maintain course, you'll meet her."

"I wonder why an allied ship would be sailing on her lonesome out here," Ark Royal wondered aloud, speeding alongside the others with her own rigging of an archaic yet fashionable steampunk design.

"With our forces in retreat since the opening days of the war, we have been scattered and often forced to fend the enemy off on our lonesomes," Tea Time answered. "However, they can only hold them back for so long before they too are forced to withdraw. Now that our headquarters is firmly situated, the Delta Coalition has made consolidating our forces a top priority."

"I see. Well then, as the Royal Navy's distinguished Ark Royal-class carrier, allow me to contribute my skills to your cause!"

"It would be an honor," the maid-ship replied with a bow.

Meanwhile, Cleveland kept her eyes peeled. But it was out of precautionary habit than anything. "You see anything, Helena?"

"No, nothing yet," Helena answered, her attention instead fixated on listening to her instruments. Though they weren't much to look at, Cleveland knew they were buzzing with activity in search of the enemy.

"My SG is coming up empty so far… Wait - I've detected something! Multiple contacts ahead at our 1 o' clock!"

Everyone bore a serious expression. No one had to be reminded that this meant an enemy fleet was prowling the seas.

"All ships, prepare for battle!" Fort Grace swiftly ordered. "Cruisers, with me! We'll intercept the enemy fleet before they can do any real damage. Kestrel, remain in the reserve with Ark Royal."

"Understood!"

In another part of the ocean, a trio of ships eagerly sped towards their next hunt. But as they approached, they were met with unexpected developments.

"Ugh. I can't believe those dumb drones made it ahead of us," the lead ship complained. "Can I at least have some fun without them getting in our -"

She paused as she took a closer look at her radar.

"Aye, there somethin' wrong?" the second ship asked.

"There's a battle going up ahead..." Then her frown stretched into a smile. "... And it's not the ship we were looking for!"

"Say what?"

The first ship turned to her companions. "There's a few Delta Coalition ships preoccupied with fighting our fleet. Geofon said we were to track down one ship, but we got more than we asked for!"

A cocky grin appeared on the second ship's face. "Well blow me, ain't that good fortune?"

"Um, i-is it okay for us to get stuck in like that?" the third ship, for the first time, timidly asked. "T-there's only three of us and Geofon did tell us -"

"Oh grow up!" the lead ship griped. "Don't you know who I am? All you have to do is do is leave it to me! C'mon, just stick with me and cover my flanks." And with that, she immediately resumed her voyage, now with more haste than before. The two almost struggled to keep pace.

To her, the hunt was over.

Now, it was about to become a sport.

Flak fire filled the skies above. The air overhead was filled with danger, yet all it did was make Cleveland smile more than ever.

Shots rang out but found only empty air as she dashed past their marks with exercised ease. A Siren warship sat ahead of her, its inanimate mass of sharp black metal merely lumbering in the war-torn waters. Its cannons clumsily turned to face her but its spontaneous ambition was laid to rest as it blew up in smoke, courtesy of the light cruiser.

The ease at which the Siren drones were cut down rivaled that of a hot knife slicing through butter. From the myriad of countless battles Cleveland fought in, the black-clad warships were the same as she remembered: dumb, slow, and fit for the scraphead. Numbers and robotic stamina were their greatest assets, but they were no real substitute for experience.

The hissing sound of missiles cut through the air, followed swiftly by the rumblings of an explosion as another warship bit the dust. Cleveland looked up to see familiar shapes zip through the blue, flying in a wide formation. Like a grand scythe, they swept through the skies, their quarry below falling like dominoes one after another. Braving through whatever barrage was put up in desperate defense, the jet planes tore through the armada with an intensity and ferocity she had scarcely seen.

On the ocean waves, standing in the clearing untainted by wreckage of battle, stood Fort Grace. Striding confidently through smoke and embers yet untouched by both, the carrier appeared like a goddess of war.

Enemy cannonfire rained upon her, aware of her strength, yet they were like rain on rock. Like divine retribution, missiles smote all who dared to strike at her. The Phantoms circled like hawks, dominating the skies. The others worked in concert with the carrier yet Cleveland couldn't help but feel as though their combined efforts would barely rival Fort Grace's.

"Enemy reinforcements on radar!" Helena called out.

Fort Grace turned to see more shapes on the horizon - more black dots that polluted the innocent seas with their unwelcome outlines. "They're at our flanks. Kestrel, Ark Royal - they're all yours!"

From the outskirts of the battle, the two carriers immediately went forth, recognizing the imminent threat.

"Ark Royal, I'll take the lead!" Without so much as slowing down, Kestrel promptly launched her Tomcats into the air. Their sleek angular frames intrigued Ark Royal as she watched them shoot ahead to meet the enemy. Rocketing at breakneck speeds, the four black birds dove upon the Siren warships. Anti-air fire immediately began to filter the air but her jets skimmed past them, their speed outpacing the drone ships' tracking.

Only a second into battle and Kestrel had already laid the foundations of their victory.

Ark Royal could hardly believe her own eyes at the sight she beheld. She had personally bore witness to an aircraft carrier's might and the devastating impact of furious air attacks, but this was something else entirely.

The thundering roar of engines, the distant screams of missiles and bombs, the dizzying speed and agility of jet aircraft.

Truly, the power of this world's carriers.

"Are you normally this fierce?" the Royal carrier inquired, now studying her ally more closely.

Kestrel spared a surprised glance before turning away. "N-no. I'm not. I'm… just glad that there aren't any live people aboard those ships, even if they are the enemy..."

Ark Royal considered her words and decided not to push the matter. There was a battle to win.

There'll be time later to see with her own eyes how this carrier was the one who bested The Grey Ghost.

As Ark Royal unsheathed a massive rifle behind her, Kestrel's Tomcats were quickly joined by Swordfish biplanes as they wreaked havoc on the enemy fleet. The unmatched speeds of the black Tomcats and the bewildering agility of the slower Swordfishes, combined with the combat skills of their respective owners, confounded the warships down below, leading them to their systematic destruction. And for every gun that was diverted skyward was every gun not attentive to down below, with ships falling prey to ship-based missile fire.

Try as they may, the weapons of the enemy were ultimately inadequate as they accomplished little more than staving off their destruction for a mere second.

"Enemy fleet down to 50%!" announced the intelligence vessel.

Fort Grace quickly scanned around her. "Good. The sooner we've dealt with them, the sooner we can link up with the friendly ship that's out here. But let's not rest easy just yet. We still have -"

*Boom...!*

An explosion, though restrained in magnitude, suddenly erupted against her massive rigging, forcing the carrier back with a grunt.

"Fort Grace, are you alright?!"

Though caught off-guard, Fort Grace waved the concern off. "I'm fine. Damage is minimal; nothing that can't be repaired back at base." But as minor the damage was, all expressions were serious as to the attack's whereabouts.

"Where'd that shot come from?"
"Was it from one of those unmanned ships?"
"Can't be, she wasn't hit before!"

*... Boom…!*

Another explosion, this time with a different victim.

"Tea Time!"

Down a carrier and a cruiser, the situation was now looking grim. "I-I don't understand where the attack is coming from!" Helena cried. "My radar hasn't spotted any new contacts!"

"No… there is." Rising carefully, Fort Grace spoke with serious clarity. "... And these long-range attacks can only be the work of one specific ship…!"

Her gaze cast towards the distant beyond, she spotted the cause. Far across the whole stretch of sea, barely perceptible to even the eyes of their displays. Yet however indiscernible the figure was, Fort Grace could already see who it was.

A whole sea away, standing atop the waves, stood a uniformed girl identical to that of the queen she served. Though military in nature, her attire bespoke of the person's more child-like aspects via her white socks and school shoes. Her curly black twintails swayed gently in the breeze. A large metal plate rested on her left shoulder, its emblem of the Rose Kingdom displayed with unmistakable pride, but what was most noticeable was the lance-like cannon in her hands; the gun of a frigate with a pronounced scope mounted on top and its barrel longer as she was tall.

She took a quick second to discharge a round before sliding another one in with a bolt action.

Rose Kingdom Destroyer
HERNE

"Two out of two hits!" Herne beamed. "Third one's gonna be a cinch!"

Exasperated looks spilled over everyone's faces.

Cleveland was in disbelief. "T-there's no way anyone can make a shot from that distance..."

"And she's out of range of our weaponry as well!" Helena added.

"But we cannot simply turn our back right now." Though damaged, Tea Time was able to stand. Her rigging was intact save for blemishes surrounding the pockmark in the hull. "Not while one of our own still remains at sea."

"Okay, so now what?"

Another distant bang. Then another impact that grazed the carrier.

Fort Grace thought grimly. "We can't let the enemy fleet get the better of us like this. So long as we're tied down fighting this fleet, Herne will only pick us off.

"... We have little options. We must prioritize that destroyer! Tea Time?"

The maid-ship nodded. "Cleveland, Helena, with me! Ignore the other ships, we must strike Herne directly!"

"Got it!"

As if seeking to deter their plan, a Siren warship lumbered forward guns ready until a swooping shadow put an end to its plan.

"Go! I'll keep these ships busy!"

As the three cruisers broke through the enemy line, the last they saw of Fort Grace was her striding once more like a goddess of war. But amid the fire, wreckage, and the mass of black and red steel of the enemy fleet, she was no longer by their side - no longer among them as a pillar of victory.

It was if they were abandoning her to her fate.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

HistoricHippos:

The Ace Combat games made the mistake of designating frigates as destroyers way back in Ace Combat 04 and since then has carried those misdesignations into later games. While the wiki considers the Herne to be a frigate and that it could be argued that frigates are different from destroyers on a technical sense, I couldn't really find much substantial differences between frigates and destroyers in terms of role and capabilities. If anything, they share a lot of overlap to the point where "frigate" and "destroyer" designations seem arbitrary.

Therefore, to help streamline the story and characters, all frigates will henceforth be considered as destroyers.

Sidenote: I've based Herne's appearance and character off of Uni from the Neptunia series. You can imagine them to be similar except Herne is a Uni that's more… evil? Not quite sure how to best describe it but we'll see.