Location: Silver Star Federation R&D

Sparks. Flashes. Crackle of electricity. Wisps of smoke.

Inside, behind closed doors, a certain performance played out for the past few days. Strange and new concoctions formulated like alchemy. Revolutionary ideas materialized like visions spawned from oracles. Implements were created that promised unheard-of spells.

But these were not the sights, sounds, and smell of magic. It was science.

Andromeda straightened up from her seat, wiping her brow with a sigh of relief. "Whew! That should do it."

Beside her, Reno was equally relieved but her eagerness overshadowed her tiredness. "Yeppers! We've done it!"

"After so many sleepless nights…"

"And restless working 'round the clock…"

Together, the two reached out and hoisted their latest creation. A curious webbing of metal and armature, like two limbs whose arms and hands were fuselages of steel. Adorned with weaponry and auxiliary systems, the device was the culmination of the duo's work.

It was Reno's own rigging but now decorated by subtle modifications, blessed by new technologies. The cooperative work of Reno and Andromeda - of both worlds - lay in their hands.

Setting it down on the shared worktable, Reno couldn't contain her own glee. "Oh my gosh oh my gosh ohmygosh! You have no idea how cool this is!"

"Nothing too farfetched for us, if I say so myself," the intelligence vessel replied with indulgent pride. "Of course, the biggest hurdles were working with the limitations. Older design and tech doesn't leave much room for the new stuff. Anything larger than software refits and internal system add-ons would necessitate a overhaul of your current rigging - and let's not get started on what it takes to go beyond that. Needless to say, Azur Lane equipment would need to be redesigned and rebuilt from scratch to even get to our level."

"Well, this'll be a start," Reno replied in good spirits. "Gotta start somewhere after all. As an aspiring superhero, that's why I helped out with this project. Ooooo, this is giving me goosebumps!"

Andromeda looked over their handiwork. As she did, she couldn't help but crack a smile. "Now then, here's a question for you, Reno… Are you prepared to heed the call of science?"

"Heck yeah!" the Eagle light cruiser answered with a resounding cheer. Picking up her rigging, Reno slipped it on her back but just shy of clipping it on.

"Ready!"

Racing back to her station, Andromeda gave a thumbs-up from behind a row of monitors. "Ready! Go ahead and put it on!"

Taking a breath, Reno took the bold step and plugged her rigging onto her back. Connection established, the sensations immediately poured in, mechanical nerves meeting natural ones as body and machine became one. The human body, meant for four limbs was now augmented by more. But as unusual the sensation was, it was nothing unaccustomed to a kansen, and before she knew it the phenomenon was over.

Reattached, the rigging now moved with perfect synchronization with Reno's thoughts. Two halves had returned to being whole. She tested their movements, probed their senses, assessing their functionality.

"Looks good; nothing unusual," Reno reported.

"So far so good," the intelligence vessel confirmed, stream of data covering her displays as the reunion brought the information to life. "Alright, now comes the important part."

Typing furiously on the keyboard, Andromeda went to work, bringing to life a new sensation. With physical hardline connections established between her computers and the rigging, the reaction was instantly felt by Reno. A new signal made its way through the cables, snaking its way through her machinery. It made Reno squirm as she felt it tingle in her spine.

She blinked, her vision fading, sharpening, and flickering. Strange shapes and lines appeared in her view and for a moment, Reno wondered if they were real. But just like it was with reconnecting with her rigging, the strange feeling ran its course just as quickly.

Rubbing her eyes, Reno nearly leapt at what she saw. "Woah, what is that?"

She reached out for it, yet she found it immaterial. She looked around, the strange things remaining in her field of view. But as she regained her senses, it was not long before Reno realized just what she was looking at.

"I take it that the HUD is up and working," Andromeda noted, watching the cruiser's eyes dart and fixate into empty space. But she knew better. As a shipgirl of Strangereal, Andromeda recognized all the telltale signs.

Still caught up in the moment, Reno couldn't help but grin at the new sights and senses. "Wow! Visual point-of-aim, azimuth and elevation indicators, speed, altitude, an actual radar minimap and status indicators?! You girls got everything!"

"Mm-hm. All the stuff one would want for an actual heads-up display, makes it all the more simple and easier to navigate around a combat zone. Throw in the data link and nothing'll get past you."

Reno's exhilaration remained high as she experienced the novelty, glancing around to and fro, seeing the hologram-like displays update and move with her in real time. She peered to the corner of her view where she found a friendly dot to indicate Andromeda in close proximity on her radar, then turned to the other to note rows of text and numbers, her very wellbeing quantified.

Andromeda allowed the cruiser to indulge in her curiosity for a little bit more until she decided to move on. "Alright, that's one key item off the checklist. Now onto the next item."

Reno knew what was next. "The alert system. That's what you hear when someone's trying to attack you, right?"

"Exactly. The same systems that helps missiles lock on to targets is also used to detect incoming danger, just in the opposite direction. With radar warning receivers scattered throughout the rigging, any outward attempt of a missile lock will be detected and thus inform the user of a threat. Absolutely crucial if the Azur Lane is expected to take on more opponents that employ this tech."

Andromeda went back to work, returning to the keyboard. "Alright. We'll be testing the alert system with a false positive. Commencing in three… two…"

Right on cue, it happened all at once. Almost suddenly, Reno nearly jumped when her senses had become upended. Pitched beeping filled her ears in regular staccato while her vision, her HUD, became dominated by a sole message in blood-red, accompanied by a monotone voice that read it aloud.

*Beep-beep!*
"Missile."

Sounds and sights of danger, delivered so forcibly to the young cruiser. Unnerved but not unprepared, Reno nodded in her partner's direction. "Alright, it's working. (Holy warning signs Metal-Man, they're really in your face…)"

Andromeda nodded back, content. "Good. Now then…"

*Beep-beep!*
"Missile."

Reno blinked. "Uh, Andromeda?"

"... perform some minor calibrations before we-"

*Beep-beep!*
"Missile."

A worried look crossed Reno's features. "Andromeda, are you hearing this?"

The intelligence ship looked up. "Hear what?"

*Beep-beep!*
"Missile."

"That! I'm still hearing the missile alert!"

Now Andromeda looked concerned. "Um, hang on-"

*Beep-beep!*
"Missile."

"... must be a glitch in the software. Here, let's try this…" Tapping the final keystroke, Andromeda looked with anticipation.

But the alerts continued to ring in Reno's ears.

*Beep-beep!*
"Missile."

She sighed. "No good. Still hearing that voice."

Andromeda studied her monitoring equipment in confusion. "Okay… Just what could be-"

*Beep-beep!*
"Missile."

Reno fidgeted, the noise beginning to make her restless. She dug wax out of her ears but found the attempt be for naught as the din blared inside her head. She tried to be patient.

*Beep-beep!*
"Missile."

But needless to say, the warning was starting to drive Reno up the wall.

She tried to wait a little longer. Her breathing was already heavier with annoyance.

*Beep-beep!*
"Missile."

Andromeda's eyes were glued to her screens. "Okay, lines 46 through 109 look fine, moving on to next subset-"

Reno's shoulders began to shake.

*Beep-beep!*
"Missile."

"... hmm, not finding the issue here. Maybe this file ought to be the culprit. If my suspicions are correct-"

*Beep-beep!*
"Missile."

"... no, not good. Come on, where could the problem be?"

Reno's eyebrow began to twitch.

*Beep-beep!*
"Missile."

The Oakland-class light cruiser grumbled. Her visage twitched and scrunched up in an attempt to restrain her vexations. But she was like a kettle nearing the boiling point. Her whining steadily became higher.

*Beep-beep!*
"Missile."

Her fists clenched. Her face quivered with irritation. Steam became hissing from her ears.

*Beep-beep!*
"Missile."

Reno growled aloud, having had enough. "Alright, that's it! I can't take this super-annoying noise anymore! I'm pulling the plug!"

Andromeda glanced up to see her partner's hands seize the various plugs and cables surrounding her rigging. "W-wait, hold on! The connections can't-"

*Beep-beep!*
"Missile."

"Rragh! Can't - get - these - off!" Reno yanked hard over and over but the attachments remained steadfast. The noises continued to ring in her head, and with no way to combat it she turned her ire towards the anchoring cables.

Furiously, the cruiser tried to wrench the wires free, succeeding only in pulling and yanking on her own rigging. Agitated and restless, Reno could only jostle herself around, the snake-like cables caring not for her predicament until…

"W-woah, hold on! Watch your feet!"

Too late. So entrenched she was with the annoying sounds and her own bid to free herself from them, Reno failed to take heed of her surroundings. She tripped, coming down with a crash as girl and machine fell together, done in by the very restraints she sought to break from.

Reno clutched her head, wincing in pain. "Owww…"

*Wrrrp!*
"Pull up."

The discomfort was nothing compared to the annoyance that reminded her. "Gee, thanks."

She sat up with a groan, weary in her continued existence of having her inner ears cursed with the overly-repetitive beepings. But right as the same accursed warning sound was about to grace her senses, it finally ceased. Blinking in surprise, Reno was more so bewildered when her vision came clear: no more red cautions, no more green; no more numbers, text, icons, and more. While she was more than thankful to be liberated from the damned noise, she almost felt blinded by the sudden loss of her HUD.

Andromeda breathed deep as she slumped down in her chair. "Whew. Judging by your reactions, terminating the program must have done it."

She hoisted herself from her seat to help Reno unplug the cables from her rigging. "Agh… wowwzers, how does anyone not go crazy with that noise?"

"We manage," replied the intelligence vessel. "Considering what we deal with, it's worth putting up with. Although I reckon everyone switches off the voice first chance they get and leave it that way. Even our patience has limits."

Reno looked up. "... There was a mute button?"

"Well, yeah there is. Generally not recommended since an auditory warning is considered just as important, if not more so, than a visual one but…" Andromeda bit her lip, a creeping feeling sliding down her spine and into her gut. "E-er, I uh, suppose I forgot to bring that up so… H-heh…

"R-Reno?"

Andromeda reacted but as a noncombatant and situated right beside a certain unamused ship, she had zero chance as a pair of metallic gauntlets was upon on her in flash. Iron-clad fingers pinched onto her cheeks, they pulled.

"Reno Cheekpull!"

"Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow! R-Reno, s-stahp! I… it's naht vewy heroic of yew to do dat…"