A few days ago…
Location: Verusan Entente capital Cinigrad
*Tick…tock…tick…tock…*
Only the rhythmic beats of a grandfather clock could be heard as rays of light cut through the interior. Bathed only in the morning sun, a great chamber sat unveiled decorated with the heraldry of the nation: red, green, and gold. Long had they been the theme of unity that bound the disparate states into one even before Ulysses, and the banners continued to fly high even after the calamity that followed. Bound by ethnic ties and ruled by a shared ideology, the great union brandished another icon to their name that also adorned to tie the room's spirit together: a wreath of elk antlers around an iron five-pointed star.
The emblem of the Verusan Entente.
*Tick…tock…tick…tock…*
Three figures sat in hushed assembly around a semi-ringed table. Procedure within the Verusan Entente saw to the arrangement of the leadership made not with one sole figurehead but with a delegation. While a head was recognized, the Cervidae Presidium ensured that the will of the Entente rested in the hands of rational actresses, each intwined with their peers and the multi-varied fates of those they were beholden to lead. With the post-Ulysses catastrophe and an unknown future to carve ahead, one could not be too wary in which way the great ship steered.
Finally the double doors opened. With how quiet the atmosphere was, it came as a thunderous crack, all heads lifted towards the source. A recognized figure stood in the doorframe, a subordinate kansen of Verusan allegiance.
"Commissary. You have a visitor."
A figure in the center rose - the Presidium's head. Her thick fuzzy faded green coat and slick long black hair radiated against the sunlit windows behind her. Though cast in the shadows of the light and under her ebon hair, this figure's eyes were unmistakably soft and gentle.
Versuan Entente Aircraft Carrier
ADMIRAL TSANEV
The occasion was unexpected but a personal meeting was nothing too unusual for heads of state. "Welcome them in," replied Tsanev with a wave of her black-gloved hand.
The escort ship stepped aside and in her place, another filled the void. Instantly, Tsanev and her fellow Presidium betrayed a twinge in their expressions in sight of their visitor.
They had seen this person before.
Their visitor strode inside without awaiting permission, a look of amusement on her lips. "It has been a while, hasn't it?"
Tsanev did not reciprocate the sing-song opening. "Perhaps, but there is no way we can forget your repeat visits." She leaned forward, eager to get straight to the point. "Let me guess… you're here to revisit the subject once again."
Akagi smirked, yet Tsanev wondered if it was a ruse. "My, restless aren't you? And here I thought you were keen on rejecting my advances. Have you finally come around to my proposals?"
The Entente carrier gave a curt cough. "Your offers of a formal alliance between the Verusan Entente and the… Sakura Empire? The Crimson Axis?"
"I wouldn't mind if it was just us," purred Akagi. "A union between our two nations, a combined force that none could dare surpass. The Crimson Axis stands much to gain with your hand, and should you accept we will do whatever we can to repay the favor."
Right as Tsanev considered her response, another voice from the committee cut in. "Yet, you have failed to provide suitable incentives for us to accept this offer, much less convince us with your motives. Our Entente also finds your intentions dubious."
Akagi shifted her gaze to the speaker, a second member of the council. Occupying Tsanev's side was a sternly-dressed woman, with brown double-buttoned coat decorated with officious ranks, stripes, and iconography that she surmised to be those of the Entente. Her eyes met the woman's, one shining behind a monocle and the other concealed behind the prominent bangs of her auburn hair.
Verusan Entente Aircraft Carrier
ADMIRAL BASHEV
Akagi's temper flared up when their gazes met. Her own eyes narrowed as did Bashev's. Their mutual dislike was a curse they shared.
"You say that the Crimson Axis has much to gain from us. But what are we to gain in return? Certainly not the… primitive aspects of your world. Neither these… arcane arts your culture claims to possess."
Akagi felt Bashev's sharp glare bore into her like lasers. She felt their heat, their presumptuous edge piercing her exterior. The Sakura carrier's mood neared boiling point against this slight that insulted her. Primitive? Arcane? Who was this self-absorbed wretch to say such things?
Yet, she smiled.
"I see you've done your homework, miss right-hand. You already know much about my homeland. Perhaps I can share you what I know of yours? You reign over a world superpower, the likes scarcely seen with hands that reach all corners of the globe. No land would go unheard from your influence, no domain free from your desires if you so wished. But you are not the only one to possess such enviable privilege."
Tsanev glanced away with a pensive look. "Yes, it is true that the Silver Star Federation also shares our status on the world stage. From economy, science, military projection, even our defense interests rival theirs. After the Temptation War we have chosen to coexist out of shared goodwill. But without a common foe, our alliance only wavered. Our nations are like two kings, yet we are to share the throne."
"And in the eyes of kings, they see no equal - only enemies and subordinates," Bashev added before turning her cynicism back towards their guest. "So what is your point in bringing this up?"
"Why, to see if you were aware of recent developments," teased Akagi. "You are mindful of the move the Federation has made solely for their benefit. A decision that has strengthened their position that can only threaten the balance of power - threaten you."
The Head Commissary sighed. "Yes, I am aware of their alliance with Eagle Union and Royal Navy. We too would have formally extended our hand but peacekeeping efforts are more the Silver Star Federation's forte. The recent Usean conflict has seen to that fact."
The bushy tails of their guest wagged lightly. "Does it not bother you so? To watch them standing shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand without you? Their union can only grow stronger with time, and there's no telling what is whispered between them in the shadows. With such strength, who would be able to oppose them? Who would stand up to their influence?
"... What will become of you and your nation should you fall prey to their whims?"
The Entente leadership exchanged furtive glances before its head spoke again. "... You're not suggesting that we consider the possibility of hostilities with the Federation and the Azur Lane."
Akagi snickered. "Let's not be coy here. If the Federation were wise, they would see your Entente as a threat and ensure that they cling to their place in the world. Meanwhile, Eagle Union and Royal Navy are among those deemed enemies by my Sakura Empire. Two rivalries of both worlds coming together - sounds like fate, does it not? Allow the Crimson Axis a place by your side and you shall meet them eye-to-eye."
Bashev quietly simmered at the proposition but as she considered her words she found herself unexpectedly cut off by her superior. Following her hand, Bashev caught sight of Tsanev's grave expression. Her eyes lost their luster.
"Akagi, I appreciate the offer you put forward to us, your consideration toward the concerns and needs of our Entente. What you say… there is a grain of truth in them. In a world where great powers reside, to think of perpetual peace would be naive."
"Fufufu… So you will deliberate on my proposal? After all my past attempts, have I finally come through?"
"But know this!" Like her interjection, Tsanev rose from her seat. Her gaze remained locked onto the Sakura carrier. "A peaceful world may be a childish fantasy but so is one of conflict! I have steered the Verusan Entente through trying times, all the way since the fires of the Temptation War that brought our world as one. And I will have you know that we have fought alongside the Federation, braving our enemy together. It was our combined might that stemmed the Tempted advance! It was our flags hung high that decorated the air when we pushed them back! Our histories before the calamity could never be anymore different, but the victory after made us sisters. I will not despoil years of harmony out of fear, let alone a war we have no stake in.
"The Verusan Entente may be a powerful country, but we do not serve at the whims of another… Consider this subject closed from here on out."
Silence. Like before, only the quiet chimes of the grandfather clock ruled the mood. A rhythmic beat filled the tense air between Akagi and Tsanev and Bashev as much as invisible electricity arced between their stares.
*Tick…tock…tick…tock…*
Time seem to slow. Seconds stretched to minutes before a relenting expression twitched on the Sakura ship.
"... As you wish," she hissed.
With a motion of her hand, Tsanev caught the attention of the ship that stood by the doorframe, in vigilant silence since Akagi's arrival. She straightened to attention as the Commissary spoke. "Escort our visitor out, please."
The ship gave a quick bow of her head. "At once, Commissary." Gesturing to the carrier, she led Akagi out of the room before disappearing into the darkness. The doors crawled shut behind them.
And now the room returned to the way it was minutes ago. The cycle was complete.
Tsanev sat back down, a weary sigh escaping her lips. She breathed in, before sighing again. "... I certainly hope that is the last we must speak of this."
"Hopefully, yes," nodded Bashev. "And although I hesitate to bring this up at such time, was this wise?"
"Hm?"
"The Silver Star Federation… their expanding alliance with the Azur Lane. The Usean affair was but a mere footnote of conflicts since the Temptation War but it demonstrated this fact clearly. Conflict will only bring them closer and all the while we have sat quietly in the sidelines."
Her advisor narrowed her eyes. "... Is it wise to disregard such concerns?"
Tsanev brooded over the question behind steepled fingers. As tiresome Akagi's visits were, she did not speak falsehoods. "I understand your worries, Bashev. I would be lying if I didn't feel intrigued at the latest developments. I too was stunned by the arrival of visitors from another dimension, one similar to ours. When the Rose Kingdom unexpectedly swept over the continent, we joined the Federation in voicing our disapproval but not in arms. Military intervention was not in our interests after all."
"Perhaps it is time that changes," muttered Bashev. "The Entente should consolidate its influence on the world stage if we are to-"
"Is it for the best, though?" Tsanev interrupted. "I'm sorry for cutting in but I want to be certain that as long as we are the Cervidae Presidium, we serve for the good of the Verusan Entente… and for this world. The peace we've helped fight for is proof of that duty. A reckless move against the Federation would be abandoning that duty. Rather… I simply wish to let the world be. Remember that the Federation are no strangers to us, and neither are the Azur Lane as we had met them at oversee the signing of the Megafloat Treaty. Talking to them, I sensed that even they wished the best for our world too."
Admiral Bashev stayed tight-lipped at those words. While it was true that the Cervidae Presidium was to consider the ideal path for the nation, their interpretations always differed. Where Tsanev sought compassion, Bashev saw opportunity; when Tsanev wished compromise, Bashev preferred the upper hand, trading acceptable losses for gains. All of this in the name of the Verusan Entente, her home.
Her shoulders slumped. As her gaze wondered, a moment of epiphany arrived. Bashev's lips curled with displeasure. "... Thank you for your input, Moleva. Your contributions were noteworthy."
At this, a new voice chuckled. Across from the advisor, forming the Commissary's left hand, the third figure in the room stirred awake. Lifting her spurred boots off the table, she sat forward to reveal her dull-red uniform wrapped by a leather duster and green red-striped scarf. A wide-brimmed hat hid a curtain of curly blue hair yet it could not conceal its neglected state, messy as the hat was weathered and old. Now awake, she sat upright and ready to complete the third piece of the trifacta this ship was to form.
Then she yawned.
"Hm? All done with the meeting? Reckon I didn't miss much."
Verusan Entente Aircraft Carrier
ADMIRAL MOLEVA
As she chuckled, Bashev groaned with chagrin. "We would greatly appreciate it if you participated in our affairs."
"Eh, that's what transcribers are for: writing reports," Moleva drawled lazily. "Sure helps filter out the unnecessary junk; they bore me."
Bashev's lips pursed tight as her mood simmered. "... Akagi came back just recently."
The rancher rested her chin on her hand, her lanky frame curved under the guise of her coat. "Yep, figures. That fox sure has an odor to her. And I'm betting she didn't visit us to brush her tails this time."
"No of course not," the monocled carrier scoffed. "This time though, it seems she has finally taken the hint that we have no intent on accepting her offers. Hopefully for good this time."
A jesting disposition spontaneously popped on Moleva's face. "Hope ya'll weren't too harsh. No mistress likes it rough."
"Perhaps you should have paid better attention and know who this Akagi was really like. A cunning fox is never one to be treated with altruism."
"Perhaps all the more better that we turned her away…" All heads turned to Tsanev as she rose from her seat, shuffling towards the wide windows with hands intertwined behind her back. "The Sakura Empire's representative does not bode a flattering image of her nation, or her promises. I could see it in her eyes - an intent far from what she sings to us. Even if we accepted out of concern for our interests… I cannot help but feel uncertain what her own interests are. I fear they would only be a detriment to us."
"Agreed."
"If you say so. Well, what's done is done. No use in frettin' about it; can't sleep on it if we do."
The rest of the Presidium sat back in silence as Tsanev idly gazed out. The view outside the Cervidae Presidium's chamber was one fitting of the head that ruled the gargantuan body of the state. From up high, Tsanev beheld the urban land that was named Cinigrad, throne of the Entente. A sprawling field of gray concrete dotted with maroon roofs; spire-like chimneys cluttered like masts as far into the distance, she could spy the busy harbor, the sea cloaked behind the veil that was the urban landscape.
A hazy overcast sky draped from the horizon. Sunrays beamed brightly through yet Tsanev could see that the clouds remained thick and as she recalled the weather earlier this morning, thicker still. Daylight was waning; she worried for another dreary mood in the weather. The bland gray smothered the Commissary's spirits just as much as it did the bright blue sky that she imagined awaited behind the gloomy clouds.
*Tick…tock…tick…tock…*
Tsanev thought about turning away but stopped. Resuming her gaze to the skies, the carrier noticed black specks in the distance, loitering before the drab weather. In numbers to be considered a flock but in formation quite unnatural, the objects drifted in the skies.
They were in motion, their destination or make indeterminate. The more she stared, the more Tsanev's frown grew.
She wasn't sure why there were birds - aircraft - in the air above Cinigrad. To whom did they belong to? It couldn't be a routine air patrol, even if-
It then dawned on her that they were inching closer. Towards the city. Towards the center of the Entente capital.
Towards her.
Tsanev's eyes grew wide.
Akagi held her silence as she followed her escort. She stared straight ahead, uncaring about the decorated halls that were adorned with velvet-like surfaces, bronze furniture, and nondescript portraits. But their frozen stares now seemed mocking as they passed by. Her mood remained simmering. Her footsteps rang more like stomping as her thoughts continued to laugh.
"Enterprise… you'll pay for this. One day…"
The head from her escort turned towards her, the first overt sign of life from the Entente ship. A curious eyebrow was raised towards Akagi, her gaze cutting from the shadows of her large peaked cap. "... Who is this Enterprise?"
"The bane of my existence, a torment that defies my will like a damned phantom," the Sakura carrier answered with a venomous hiss. "She and her precious Eagle Union has been naught but a blight towards the divine destiny of our sacred Sakura Empire. Them and their so-called liberties and freedom that they and the Azur Lane so espouse with triteness."
Her Entente escort simply offered a nod as she returned to looking ahead, presenting the guest with the sight of her back once more. "I see… And they're the ones who've made bedfellows with the Federation. Quaint…"
Akagi studied the ship with intrigued eyes. Looking her over, she noted this kansen's thick brown coat supplemented with armored collars and epaulettes. She took note of her short curly brown hair, but like before the focus of her head was the peaked cap seemingly made of armored plates, all adorned with iconography of her home country.
"If only the Presidium understood…"
The carrier sensed an opportunity and took it. "Yes, if only your matriarchs would see the gains to be had, and the dangers for letting them slip by."
The ship's grimace stretched. "They'd be careless to allow the Silver Star Federation to get away with this. The skirmish in Usea is just a taste for what is to come. 'Peacekeepers'... Pah! Opportunists and hypocrites are what they are."
Verusan Entente Battlecruiser
UMELY
A sly smile formed over Akagi's features. In no time her indignation had become forgotten in light of a new acquaintance.
"Yes, just like Eagle Union and their allies. How appropriate that those who proclaim themselves protectors of peace would unite. We of the Crimson Axis simply wished to pursue our own interests, yet they would not let us be. We will have much to fear should the Federation's power be subsumed into the Azur Lane's fold."
Umely agreed with a curt grunt as she approached the double doors, cracking them open. Light flooded through the open portal and as Akagi stepped out she was swiftly greeted by a small figure. "So you finally came back. Nothing good happened, did it?"
Akagi donned a weary facade; she couldn't bring herself to use a charming smile for the bad news. "It was a pity, my dear Ayanami. I was so looking forward to seeing my earnest efforts be rewarded, but alas my proposal was disgraced by their leaders yet again."
"Again? Why am I not surprised, Dear Sister. Perhaps we should have dispatched someone to approach them from a different angle…"
Akagi tilted her gaze at the voice. As cynical as the words were, she found herself amused by them. Her eyes caught a third figure that had accompanied her to this brief expedition. A ship who, unlike her underlings and subordinates, she found herself not able to look down on her; a person whose bond was ironclad and wrought with sacred vows of sisterhood.
The only one whom Akagi looked to as an equal.
Sakura Empire Aircraft Carrier
KAGA
With a lofty hand, Akagi played along. "Perhaps… But would we risk sending a lesser steward to delegate such a task that came from our own mouths? For such a great undertaking, one should entrust only their own hands."
Kaga barely contained an unamused scoff. "I see that sound advice has served us well."
"Fufu… Careful now, sister Kaga. Were you not my dear sibling, there would be a terrible tragedy befit of the less fortunate."
"And if I were not, who would be there to rein you in?" retorted the other hand of Sakura Empire's 1st Carrier Division. "Regardless, our moment here has passed. We should return to rethink our plans."
"So we shall," replied Akagi, her intonation narrowing like her eyes, dark thoughts already swirling in her head. "So we shall… We must not allow the Azur Lane cretins to get away with their advantage. The powers they seek shall be ours as well…"
Standing off to the side in the shadow of neglect, Umely couldn't help but linger as she watched their guests openly conspire in front of her, unaware or uncaring of the outsider's presence. She turned towards Ayanami as she too stood to the side waiting for the Sakura carriers to finish colluding. "You have quite the… interesting people in your fleet."
The destroyer shrugged indifferently. "I don't get them sometimes. But that's how they're like."
Umely only conceded with a nod and a faint murmur of agreement as she turned away. Even with her back turned however, her gaze continued to gravitate towards the Sakura ships, still intrigued by their unusual features. She spared their bushy fan-like tails one last glance before committing to her duties. "The visit is now over. Safe journeys back home. Until next time… or not."
Ayanami exchanged her last look to the Entente battlecruiser, offering a casual wave goodbye. The sojourn's end was implicitly known to Akagi and Kaga as they already began strolling away without parting a slightest farewell. Umely watched as they departed for the Cinigrad streets, their backs the last thing she witnessed before she would close the gates to the grand palace shut; once out of sight, they would be out of mind.
It was then explosions rocked the building.
Umely jolted to alarm, nerves strung tense and eyes frantic for the source. The echoing howl of engines drew her gaze up, catching sight of darting shapes before they vanished into the distance. Her anger flared at the sight of the perceived culprits but a cry directed her attention elsewhere. Following the gaze of the Sakura ships that were just about to depart, Umely whirled around and her eyes became those of horror.
At the top of the Entente parliament building, the columns and painted domes became plumes of fire and smoke. Brick and mortar became scorched black and fire ate away at the wood like acid. The whole upper floor had become a funeral pyre.
The same floor where their leaders resided mere minutes ago.
Umely rushed back inside, slamming the doors aside as she hurtled upstairs. A concoction of emotions spared no room to observe protocol as she raced to the roof, pushing aside other startled ships and the increasing cloud of choking dust and miasma. The acrid smell grew strong, and the once venerable halls of glory and prestige became ash and wreckage as she braved her destination. With one last push, Umely reached the wreckage of the Presidium chamber.
She saw nothing but ruin. Umely gingerly clambered through the destroyed remains of the room in muted shock. Groping through the stinging fumes, the battlecruiser found the still forms of Admirals Moleva, Bashev, and Tsanev amid the rubble. She quickly descended upon them, looking over their battered and wounded bodies. Checking them over, she was relieved that they were alive.
Alive, but in grievous condition. And the ones responsible still remained at large.
An aghast congregation brewed behind her. "What happened?"
"What the-? How did this happen?"
"Who could have done this?!"
Umely's eyes bulged, her mind gripped on those same questions. Everything that happened up until now no longer mattered: her nation, her peers, not even the Sakura visitors who gawked at the vicious display.
This was deliberate; this was an attack. They were attacked - the Verusan Entente was suddenly and savagely struck. But with the heads of the nation gone…
"W-what should we do…?"
"Find the ones responsible for this." Heads turned as Umely stood straight, her voice strangely controlled. "Consider the suspects; mobilize our fleets; safeguard the Presidium and the Entente as they would have wanted…
"As I hold the highest rank, these are to be your orders as the new acting Commissary!"
She marched back inside, the crowd parting to allow respectful passage. No objection was made; no challenge to the authority declared. Even Akagi and Kaga watched in silence as Umely paced past, standing amid the Entente personnel in spite of their foreign origins. The unexpected turn of events had left everyone too stunned to say anything.
Yet Akagi was the only one who found a smile in the surprising development.
As Umely descended back into darkness, her feet swung on their own for her mind was preoccupied in furious thought. Questions echoed in her head in cacophony, her own voice joined in the din.
"What happened?"
'Unknown craft struck at us, tried to decapitate our command. This was a strategic decision…'
"How did this happen?"
'We allowed the peace to dull us. We allowed the calm to make us complacent. They must have known we would let our guard down. Not for long…
"Who could have done this?!"'
The question resounded at the forefront of her mind. It rang over and over until it was pounding, demanding an answer. Without a clue, one would be haunted by the mystery.
But Umely had her suspicions.
And to that, now it was two who found the mood to smile amidst such tragedy.
"A-are you sure?"
Gathered in the great audience hall, that one inquiry rang loud as the de facto voice for the vast maritime body of the Verusan Entente. Ships of all class and types assembled, from destroyers, aegis cruisers, battlecruisers, to even carriers that were - to their fortunes - had not been members of the Cervidae Presidium. A great disquieting mood was innately understood as the fleet was called up on that fateful day. Upon hearing the words from their new Commissary, their worst fears only materialized.
Umely turned toward the source of the voice, glaring as if insulted by the question. "I am. The intruding aircraft were first spotted over Cinigrad harbor at 1314 hours. While our sentries were unable to sound the alarm before they attacked a few short minutes later, they have obtained visual record of the bandits."
On cue, a grainy image of the airborne assailants appeared, a near-fuzzy bird against a drab gray background. Although the capture was not pristine, the quality was enough that their unknown attacker bore distinct characteristics: broad wings, angular tails, a slender fuselage unlike the birds employed by the Entente…
… And a roundel of silver stars.
Gasps were heard as the fleet was sparked by the evidence, the visual confirmation sending doubts reeling as everyone exchanged looks that fueled a mixture of disbelief and outrage.
Umely surveyed their reactions, a strange satisfaction stirring within her at seeing her comrades in shock. Before it wore off, she continued, determined to keep things going. "Their attack coincided with the daily Presidium summit, all present when their bombs fell."
And stepping forward beside her, Umely was readily joined by Akagi. "And it also just so happens that they struck on the same day your leaders invited us to negotiate a pact. Had they not so eagerly accepted our bargain and allowed us home, my kin and I would have fallen victim to this tragedy as well…"
She punctuated her testimony that would have garnered sympathy. But underneath her facade, she grinned at her faux delivery.
And so too did Umely as she snuck a sly conspiring glance at the carrier. "The timing is too convenient, the circumstances too contrived," Umely resumed. "Make no mistake, comrades - this was a deliberate act by the Silver Star Federation and their accomplices, the Azur Lane! They intended to strike us down because they believe us to be a threat!"
More murmurs, more looks of incredulity, this time with more intensity as the Entente ships fell to the sway of their leader's words. A surge of voices began to steadily ring, a rising tide of anger that rose in volume in concordance with the accusation. At the same time, voices in differing opinion rose to challenge them. The once hushed union had soon transformed into a disharmonious cacophony as believers and skeptics argued and debated over the reality that unexpectedly befell them.
Yet in the din, one voice stood out.
"But Commissary, can we certain that it was them? How do we know that they sent the planes?"
Umely and Akagi blinked, ripped from their respective trances as they searched for the dissenting voice with resentful glares. When she found it, Umely's eyes narrowed.
"You. Name and classification."
A girl shot up, rising no higher than the compatriots that sat around her. Her bland khaki field uniform and dark-green skirt hardly emboldened her diminutive size. Peaking through her black hair trimmed to officious regulations, her light-blue eyes glimmered in the overhead lights. But what caught Umely's eyes the most was a single green antler hair clip emblazoned on her head.
Verusan Entente Destroyer
PITOMNIK
"Krivak-class destroyer Pitomnik, ma'am!" the young ship answered with a snapping salute. She answered loudly, but while it rang without fear it wavered with a slight lapse in confidence.
Umely sighed internally as now recognized the destroyer. 'Ah yes, the greenhorn…' She glowered at Pitomnik. "Comrade Pitmonik, do you doubt the evidence presented? It is clear that it was an SSF aircraft that attempted assassination on our leaders!"
"But… why didn't they show up on radar?" asked Pitomnik. "Our comrades wouldn't be this careless to let them close to our capital."
"Pleased to hear such reassurance from you," Umely replied dryly. Akagi barely restrained herself from rolling her eyes. "We may not know how they eluded our patrols and detection systems, but rest assured we will make them pay for their cowardly transgression with their blood."
"B-but ma'am, I feel like we're jumping to conclusions! Weren't we allies with the Federation years ago? Why would they-"
"Silence!" a great shout erupted from the battlecruiser. "Remember that I am your acting Commissary now, you will refer to me as such! And remember that our Cervidae Presidium is in critical condition, our glorious union has been dealt a treacherous blow, we yearn for vengeance, and here you suggest-!"
But even as she uttered her response, Umely could see that the differing opinion had taken root in her audience. Already their furor was given pause, looks of skepticism spreading like a disease. She had lost the initiative and now it rested in the rookie's hands as she continued, oblivious to the tactical gain she had achieved as she braved the silence as a cue to proceed.
"Um, perhaps we should be extra certain of our course of action. Determine what our enemy- er, rival's intent is. J-just in case, Commissary."
Umely glossed over the rest of the fleet and found expecting eyes. As their new leader, they all looked to her for guidance in this troubling times, but even under new management and circumstances, it was evident that they still sought careful consideration - the one last chance from war.
The battlecruiser relented in fuming silence. Bringing up a new screen, the audience was beheld a projection of the world, the Ceres Ocean in its focus as a particular dot crawled eastward over the display.
"A spy plane has been dispatched. It will be nearing Federation waters shortly."
Umely watched as the blip inched across the graph, a lone entity sailing over the vast sea that separated east from west, from the Verusan Entente and the Silver Star Federation. Thousands of miles away, a probe sent on a faraway voyage. A sole expedition to explore the unknown, the uncertain.
Even in this day and age, the spy plane would be sent to uncover the shroud that hung in these uncertain times. It would lift the veil over the Federation intent.
An anxious eye tracked the plane's progress. "They won't mistake it for a warplane, will they?"
"It's a small drone, like any other," a voice in the crowd replied. "One its own, it won't attract any attention and we'll find out what's going on over at-"
Then the dot disappeared. The persistent blips that accompanied its movements turned to dead silence. Telemetry data that once streamed through suddenly dried up as though a great hand had closed a valve shut.
The spy plane was gone.
The unsettling silence provoked unease as the reality began to set in, seeping into the cracks of the fleets' doubts.
And in their place was definitive proof - the Silver Star Federation had just shot down their reconnaissance drone.
Umely and Akagi could see it now. Faces awash with conviction, more than ever before. The proof, reinforced and undeniable before every wide eyes. More evidence to enact glorious revenge.
The voices clamored forth, sparked once more by today's events. The tide surged back now greater than before, the audience more animate. More convinced. This time, the sole voice were those in favor of Umely.
The battlecruiser scanned her comrades, the rising shared patriotism warming her demeanor. As she basked in the glorious union, her wandering eyes stopped at the certain destroyer amongst them. Nestled between the agitated acceptance, the desire for war, and thirst for vengeance around her, Pitmonik sat precariously. She remained unconvinced, fearful even, of the sweeping attitude swirling around her, possessing the Entente's spirit.
But she did not resist. Against the current, she was but one ship. She would have no choice but to obey orders.
Her orders. And to that, Umely glanced away, paying the child no mind.
Underneath the commotion, an Entente subordinate slipped to Umely's side. Catching her gaze, she leaned close.
"Um, Commissary? You have a visitor."
Neither Umely, Akagi, nor any of the Sakura ships were sure what to think upon stepping inside and finding a woman in gray awaiting them. An Entente escort stood at attention behind her, so whoever she was she had arrived with innocuous intentions.
After waving away the subordinates, Umely studied the visitor carefully. "State your name and purpose of visit."
The woman simply smiled. "Quite the unusual reception. I had hoped for something more accommodating upon my arrival."
The Commissary glowered at the guest. "Name and intent."
"Who am I? Well… I believe something fantastic has transpired here, has it not? The uncharacteristic atmosphere, the shift in mood… the winds of peace are dying down, are they?"
Umely looked at the woman quizzically but held her guard. "... And what if they are? Why are you here?"
The gray woman remained smirking, her nondescript coat unlike any uniform they have ever seen. The sharp strips of yellow seemed to dazzle and glow before their eyes, teasing them with clues beyond their understanding.
The stranger chuckled. "Another storm is looming, isn't it. I can sense it in the air, see it in your eyes. That longing you two share; you wish it to be fulfilled. Something that peace has deprived you of."
Umely paused. Akagi shared her suspicions yet gazing into the stranger's face, she caught a brief glimmer in her eyes - something kindred. "A storm is coming. As a matter of fact, we wish for it to happen."
The smile grew wider. The gray woman's demeanor became something intimately familiar to the Sakura carrier. "... Then allow me to help grant you that wish. Allow me and my associates to satisfy your every desire."
Reaching into her cloak, the woman unveiled a card, presenting it before the two. They peered at it, but only Umely recognized it. She snatched it from her hands, holding it in her own in bafflement.
"Y- Are you…?"
The woman grew more amused. "Someone with connections, yes. A vast intricate web… now at your service. Anything you wish, you and your fleet will be satiated.
"... I look forward to us working together, Commissary. Congratulations on your promotion."
An ecstatic look swiftly appeared on Umely's visage as the implications set in. "Everything we need… Whatever we want… We now have the means to enact our righteous vengeance! The Silver Star Federation and their puppets will rue the day they insulted us with their false beliefs and empty promises!"
"And we will spill the blood of Eagle Union and Royal Navy along the way!" Akagi added, her eyes gleaming with malevolence under the shadows. "By the will of our sacred Sakura, we will crush our enemies!"
"An opportunity to bring destruction to our foes," nodded Kaga. "With a powerful ally, we cannot let this chance pass by!"
Akagi could barely hide her mirthful spirits. Containing them would have been for naught as her tails all quivered in anticipation. And even if they were not extensions of her soul, one only needed to glimpse at her dark expression to know that the storm was not only coming.
She would be the storm itself.
"Are we… really doing this?"
"Hm?" Akagi turned to catch Ayanami by her side. Her blank stare beckoned for a response.
"We're getting involved. But this wasn't part of the plan. I don't think-"
A playful chuckle rang out, but to Ayanami's ears they came off as dangerous. Coming from Akagi, they always were. "Just what would compel you to lose heart, my dear Ayanami? Is waging battle with the Azur Lane not our purpose?
"You seem to have forgotten our reason for being here. We came so that we may meet our foes, to match them step by step, eye to eye, a blow for a blow. Our battles are but expressions of our true feelings towards our adversaries. And our enemies… are to be despised.
"... Remember this, Ayanami, and do be more mindful of your questions from now on."
The carrier and her sister sauntered off, departing the room alongside Umely and their new guest - their new abettor. An eager air weaved them together as they walked away. To think that they were all strangers up until now was long forgotten as plots and schemes already began to simmer between them.
With reluctance, Ayanami followed suit after them, trailing her kin. But none paid her any mind, too embroiled in their own conniving whispers.
She didn't want them to leave her behind, just as they did to the peace of this world.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
HistoricHippos:
And here we get to see the perspective and get introduced to the characters of the not-Yuktobanians. IDK if anyone remembers, but the faction, the Verusan Entente, was mentioned as far back as chapter 6. Only name-drops and briefest of exposition on who they were but I've mentioned it again here as a reminder to who they are as well as introducing some notable names.
As for characters, the aircraft carrier Admiral Tsanev was based on Nikanor's appearance in AC5. Admiral Moleva was based off of Grit from Advance Wars. Bashev was based on no one in particular but was envisioned with traits and design aspects that I have not yet used, such as the monocle. (They'd probably stand out more if they were drawn than described…)