Location: SSF port facility, Eaglin Straits
Cleveland woke with an exasperated start.
She came to on her chosen bunk, dawn's light filtering into the dormitory in a glow that still had not yet aged yellow. Through tired eyes she made out the others - Brooklyn, Warspite, Vestal, Javelin, San Diego, and Enterprise - already stirring awake as she was: exhausted and groaning with irritation. But it was not out of recent wounds, a potential illness, an overdone celebration, or even one bottle of merry drink too many that caused this shared phenomenon.
It was the damned music that filled the air.
Cleveland could hear it clear as day: typical cliche, even tasteless rock music. She tried to block it out with her own pillow as a muffler but it was in vain. She could feel the reverbs from the walls, from the ceiling. It was as if her whole morning world had become this insufferable music.
The freaking music she swore she's been hearing for the past thirty minutes! And it was… not even six in the morning!
The sounds of curtains being drawn in flash unleashed a flood of sunlight into the room. Belfast turned to look at her colleagues as they tossed and turned, groaning at their rough night's sleep, suffering at the sounds of the obnoxious music that resonated through the dorm architecture.
The maid could only shake her head. "Of all the times to cause a ruckus…"
Rising from her bed as a tired mess, Enterprise was inclined to agree. "If I lay my hands on whoever's responsible, I'll make sure they never hear the end of this," she muttered.
Heaving herself to her feet, Enterprise stomped towards the window. Opening it, a cool morning air flooded the room. But she had no time to stop and smell the roses; poking her head out, Enterprise surveyed the outside wall.
The loud rock-n-roll music continued to blare as the Grey Ghost sought the source. Windows just like theirs lined the exterior of the dormitories, all closed shut like clones as Enterprise scanned through them for the slightest fault.
It was only when her eyes caught a window slightly ajar that they narrowed in confirmation. Her ears sensed the music at their loudest from there: two levels up, three rooms off to the side; the more secluded section where vacants got their individual rooms as opposed to the shared ones that the Azur Lane expedition had been consigned too.
Source identified, Enterprise took a breather. For once in her life, she felt this was too damn early in the morning, but to hell with it. Her carrier rigging appeared by her side and a Dauntless took flight in the daybreak. She guided it to circle up and around after its initial launch.
Then it fired its machine guns.
A quick burst of bullets splattered over the window, succeeding in smashing the glass. Her plane quickly peeled off and the effects came immediate. The now-shattered frame of the window was thrown open to reveal the room's occupant - the culprit.
"Agh! Just what was that for?!" a young voice angrily demanded, her curious hair of bright red and orange stripes arranged in punk mohawk making for a flamboyant sight that Enterprise wouldn't forget.
Her eyes quickly found Enterprise and was even quicker to put two and two together. She pointed at Enterprise in accusation. "Hey, watch where you shoot, man! Freaking ruined my jive and my stash!"
"Maybe you should be more mindful and turn it down!" Enterprise shot back. "We could use some sleep without having to hear that all day."
The punk-girl looked offended. "Watchu talking about, man? Music's got soul. You just don't get it."
The Eagle carrier rolled her eyes as she stepped back, shutting the window as she did. Realizing the day was now silent, she breathed easy as did Belfast. The maid chuckled behind her back. "Not quite how I'd resolve the matter, but well done Miss Enterprise."
Slinking back to her bed, the carrier slumped on the mattress. "Wake me up in a few hours. I want to catch up on my sleep…"
"But what of breakfast with freshly-brewed tea? I cannot let you miss out on the most important meal that arrives precisely at-"
"Zzzzzz…"
Now Belfast was in disbelief. Conceding to the Gray Ghost her sleep, she marched off to tend to other maid duties not yet fulfilled. The day had just begun and Belfast knew there was much to be done here at the new base tucked behind the frontlines. Out here, where the Silver Star Federation was gathering its strength, they could find respite while preparing for further trials to come.
Even here, the air suspiciously smelled of peace.
After morning proper came, Enterprise walked the halls of Eagle Straits base with Cleveland, Brooklyn, and Vestal for company. The titular strait could be glimpsed wherever they walked, a great river-like stretch of water that split the land in two with only a lone bridge spanning the gap like a thin thread. Arching support structures marked the crossing like a gate that served as ingress and egress to all who wished to dock at the prominent Federation base. Ports and support facilities stretched around the open waters as far as the eye could see under a white overcast sky.
Ever since she and the entire Azur Lane taskforce had been assigned here, Enterprise knew at first glance that something big was being planned, something that rivaled the size and scope of this base. Whatever it was, her ships were to be a small piece to the large puzzle being formed.
As she glanced out through the window, she caught glimpses of new faces. Even though she was already familiar with the colorful cast of characters that made up the Silver Star Federation, Enterprise still found herself taken aback by how many more she had never met, faces she had never seen and names she had never heard. Outside, she made out destroyers, aegis cruisers, and even aircraft carrier kansens that all made up the body of the Federation maritime forces that were being mobilized. The marshaling of forces was nearing completion - the war was going to take a new turn.
In the corner of her eye, the sight of Brooklyn witnessing something gave Enterprise pause. Following her gaze, she spotted the peculiarity: Buzzard, Vulture, and Cormorant crowded by a door, their ears intently listening in to what lay behind.
The group quickened their pace to meet them. "Buzzard. What's going on here?"
"Hey, Vulture! What trouble are you getting into now?" Cleveland joked.
The three whirled around, Vulture jumping with surprise. "God, Cleveland! Don't sneak up on us like that! And what do you mean what trouble I'm-"
"Quiet down," Buzzard ordered as her hand shot out to clamp over her sister's mouth. Nervously glancing at the door, she exhaled. "Hello to you all," she greeted tersely and secretively. "We were… listening in on the base commander."
"Wish I had proper sound recording equipment," muttered Cormorant as her video camera lay disadvantaged in her hands.
Enterprise took note of the unusual secrecy and the others followed along. Whispering, she asked. "Listening for what?"
Buzzard merely gestured for her to come close. Enterprise obliged… and listened in.
"... You sure about this?"
Seeing Warbler's incredulous stare, Kestrel could only sigh. "Yes, I am."
The officer ship turned to look at her side. Beside her, attending the hearing on behalf of the carrier Andromeda understood the silent intention and shook her head. "I made sure to run a systems scan on Kestrel immediately after RTB. Her scanners were all green; no issues."
"Yet our mystery person was confirmed not shown on radar, let alone on her HUD as you've attested?" questioned Warbler. "On top of vanishing out of thin air after breaking visual."
"... Yes."
"My guess is some kind of stealth coating or jamming equipment," the intelligence vessel hypothesized. "But one good enough to keep you hidden from sight is beyond me, beyond anything even we can come up with."
The aegis cruiser hummed with continued skepticism. Warbler mentally chewed over the descriptor that had been shared with her: a tall woman dressed almost entirely in gray, dark long coat with long dark-gray hair, yellow highlights…
"Are you certain she wasn't one of the Verusan Entente?" she questioned.
To that, the Federation carrier could only shake her head. "No… No she couldn't be."
"I highly doubt the Entente could have anyone with rigging like she could have according to what Kestrel saw," added Andromeda.
"Then she's probably a mercenary. That's an explanation I find most plausible. After all, a good number of ships roam these oceans as hired guns; I can already think of one."
Kestrel was not sure about the conclusion and neither was Andromeda. "Uh, Warbler, ma'am? I'm sure freelancers don't have the R&D to get invisibility."
"She has a point," agreed Kestrel, her eyes still deep in thought. "And… I don't think she's a mercenary. There's something about her… I can't quite explain it, but I feel I recognize her - the woman in gray!"
This caught Warbler's interest. "You've seen her before? Since when? Can you provide a name?"
"I…" Kestrel struggled as she tried to remember. "... I can't recall. All I can say is, I'm certain she was there… on the war-torn seas over a decade ago."
The officer cruiser raised her eyebrow. "You can't be serious. The Temptation War… the entire nation of the Tempted was literally wiped from the face of the earth!"
"But they were the ones who harnessed all the impossible powers," asserted Kestrel. "Terrifying weapons, formidable powers, unheard of technology, us… I know they were all destroyed at the end of the war but… But what if some of them-"
A raised hand put a halt to the carrier's words. "Kestrel, it's been over a decade since we last heard of the Tempted, let alone witness one in the flesh," Warbler sighed. "You sure you weren't seeing things back there? Hallucinations caused by battle fatigue? It would certainly explain some things."
A weary breath was let out of Kestrel. "I - No, I couldn't be…"
"Regardless, this ultimately doesn't change certain facts," continued Warbler, seizing the decisive tone. "As unusual as this encounter was, let's keep our heads focused on what's at hand. We are still at war. The Federation needs to build up a force to take the fight to the Entente. Unfamiliar face or not, this person you say - whoever she was - is to be considered an enemy, like all the others."
"But-"
"The base captain has made her decision, Kestrel. It is not our place to press questions. You of all ships should know this."
Joining the officer ship's side, Warbler's aide came forward in her defense. A petite girl with a strapless gray and red shirt and a dull-white skirt bearing a single maroon stripe running across it. Her short cape fluttered with her arrival, embroidery of stars, stripes, and winged eagles that seemingly sang the Federation's praises. Red hair, tied high in a ponytail like a knight's plume.
And like a knight, this one came to her superior's side.
Silver Star Federation Destroyer
CHIVALRY
"Warbler is right: there is still a war to win. This woman in gray you saw is the least of our concerns. Whatever has you worried will have to be put aside for the good of the Federation."
"Indeed," spoke up the cruiser. "We have a bigger fish to fry. We need to focus on fighting the enemy we know, not go on wild goose chases after claims that are… unconfirmed without observable evidence to corroborate what you've seen. I'm sorry, Kestrel."
Kestrel bit her lip, restraining her disappointment. In the vestige of her vision, she could see Chivalry judging her response with a critical eye. The way she watched reminded her too much of Barbet. But as let down as she was, the carrier had to yield. It was clear that her encounter, as wild as it was, had no place in her country's grand plans.
But it still didn't feel right to leave it all behind her. That woman she caught a glimpse of, so close to the site of battle, who fled upon realizing she had been seen; everything about her felt off. Her presence was too suspicious, there was no room for coincidences.
And the way she looked…
"May I request that this incident remain open to an investigation?" Kestrel asked.
Warbler gave it some thought. "... I suppose it won't hurt. I'll leave this to Andromeda, but that's the extent I'll permit for this incident. My plate's already full with this war and I know it's only going to get more filled.
"Alright, Kestrel. Dismissed. Return to your sisters and await further orders."
Meeting adjourned, the carrier and the intelligence vessel gave their quiet thanks and shuffled out of the room as Chivalry showed them the door. As the three stepped out they were struck by the unexpected encounter of seven ships gathered behind the door.
Andromeda gawked at the sheer number of eavesdroppers, yet Kestrel seemed not at all surprised upon seeing her own family and friends. "Hello Buzzard, Vulture. I'm sorry to have worried you."
"Not at all," Buzzard dismissed. "We were just curious. All of us, as it seemed."
"Something about seeing something or someone?"
"From what I managed to hear, it must be something that's been on your mind," Enterprise added.
Kestrel nodded. "Just someone strange that I caught in my last mission," she explained. "It was unusual. A woman in dark gray, with rigging I've never seen before."
The Grey Ghost ruminated over the description. "Hm. Doesn't sound like anyone that I know. Can't be from the Crimson Axis judging by what you've described."
"And it certainly wouldn't be anyone from the Verusan Entente," added Andromeda.
Buzzard nodded. "Agreed. If Kestrel encountered an unknown contact, then it only raises questions on who that woman was working for."
Kestrel and the others pondered over the questions, sharing the uncertainties of the mystery person and the significance she held. As they wondered, Cormorant was busy surveying the moment with her camera, glad to have something worth capturing on digital film. But as she panned it to the side as a sweeping shot, ending it with a brief glimpse of Warbler as she paced her office, a hand snatched the lens. Her view smashed to black in the shadow of a person's palm.
Chivalry looked at her with disapproval as she closed the door shut behind her. "Don't. Please no unauthorized photography."
Noticing a new face, Cleveland looked over the destroyer. An amused snicker quickly formed. "Hey there. Copying my look?"
"It was not my intention," replied Chivalry. "I simply wished to extol my allegiance to the Silver Star Federation, its leaders, and its ideals."
The Eagle Union's own knight of the sea shrugged with a smile. "Whatever works for you. Come to think of it, I kinda forgot why I went with this getup myself. I'm just used to wearing it!"
Chivalry merely gave her a curt nod but withheld on the warmth ('Mine's bigger...'). She turned back to face the others with a disappointed look. "The base commander's meeting was not meant for you to listen in on, especially you Vulture. Now the meeting's been concluded, everyone. The incident has been recorded and will be investigated."
"Perhaps there's something we can do to help," suggested Enterprise. "I have suspicions of my own; knowing the Sirens, something like this simply can't be ignored."
"The unusual sighting will be looked into in good time," sternly assured Chivalry. "This does not involve you, carrier Enterprise." As diminutive as the destroyer was, the sheer discrepancy between her and the famed carrier made for a ludicrous contest. Yet Chivalry's steadfast tone dared to challenge the Grey Ghost.
A hand gently gripped her shoulder. "I think we've overstayed our welcome," quietly advised Buzzard. "Come, we have other matters to attend to."
The Grey Ghost relented, turning her back to Chivalry. "You're right. Our enemies are out there, not amongst ourselves."
"For now, I should be off," continued Buzzard. "The time spent away from battle means time spent preparing for the next one. I'll be headed down to the academy… along with my little sister who I know could use a bit of training," she smirked as she gripped Vulture by the shoulder. The tomboy's groan was her only reply.
"Guess I should be heading back to work," said Andromeda. "Scanning, analyzing, coordinating, and now doing investigations on the side. Surprised that I- Oh right! Kestrel, everyone, I've got news I'd like to share with you."
All heads perked up, the three Federation carriers giving particular attention to the news. "What is it?" asked Kestrel.
"You certainly look excited," quipped Vulture.
True to her observation, the intelligence vessel indeed was. Her eyes sparkled, and when it came to the Federation's intelligence and weapons specialist they knew it meant something special. "Headquarters has finally given me the greenlight to begin working on retrofits!"
Kestrel and her sisters instantly brightened up. The radiance was even shared by their Azur Lane friends who knew how big of a news this was. In a world defined by naval warfare with the luxuries and terror of modern warfare, a kansen was but half of the actresses that competed on the global stage. The other half was their equipment that gave them distinguished power. The rigging was what set them apart from mere man and it was as much of a character as was the wielder. It was an integral part of who they were - some may even argue that it was an inseparable part of any shipgirl. Without it, they would not rule the seas as well as they did now.
But there were times when one's tools would be tested, broken, or worse, proven obsolete. Strength was a gift shared by all kansens, but it was not shared equally. Fortunately, like their human user, the equipment that extended a kansen's body could be improved, changed, adapted for the better. But these upgrades were rare - not all kansens had the leisure of evolving, which made breakthroughs such as this all the more significant.
As quickly as it happened, a composed look regained control of Buzzard's features. Her glasses nudging, though subtly hasty, she remembered to calm down. "Which of us has HQ authorized the upgrade for?" she inquired, hoping to catch the all-too predictable drawback from news considered too good to be true.
Yet Andromeda continued to grin. "Here's the best part: we've obtained enough data and blueprint fragments for not one, not two… but three retrofit packages! I'll have enough for all three of you!"
A second's pause froze Vulture's face before the implications dawned on her, and when it did, it was as if her expression went supernova. She punched the air, hollering. "HELL YEAH!"
Even Buzzard was taken aback to the news. "That's uh… that's… great! N-no, wonderful! E-exemplary, that's it!"
Kestrel felt a deluge of emotions flutter within her. Happiness whirling with joy, gratitude, disbelief. All her life, she never expected that she would be bestowed the privilege of a retrofit, let alone for all three of them. She struggled to think of what to say, to let those feelings come out.
So instead, she decided to let actions speak for her. Kneeling down Kestrel put her arms around Andromeda, wrapping her in a tight embrace. Only then did Kestrel put her thoughts into words, coming through choked tears.
"Andromeda… Thank you… Thank you for- for everything."
The intelligence vessel couldn't help but let herself sink in the carrier's arms. "I-it's nothing," she mumbled modestly. "It's just the least I could do."
As the Eagle ships looked on with warmed hearts, Enterprise found herself with a peculiar feeling as she gazed at the scene. She felt confused as to why she felt this way; she wanted to congratulate them for the good news. Yet everytime Enterprise casted her eyes at Kestrel, she felt a certain pang in her chest. Like a longing she knew she couldn't get. Like jealousy…
The Grey Ghost mentally chided herself for such thoughts.
Suddenly, an earsplitting thunder rang out. The sound jolted everyone's nerves as the whole building shook. Glass panes shattered and the ceiling lights flickered. Then everything went still and silent. The stench of smoke filled the air before the noxious fumes washed over all like a tidal wave.
Enterprise sharpened her expression. "We're under attack!"
She sprinted off, making for the stairs in record time. The smoke intensified as she flew down the steps, barely aware of the others closely behind her. Enterprise fought through the smoke, the scent of burning embers hitting her nose. Loose debris already cluttered the floor as she made her way. The carrier braced for battle as did the others.
Until…
Coughing. Then through the haze a small figure appeared waving the choking air clean. "It's okay, it's okay! It's just me!"
Enterprise struggled to make out the identity in the stinging smoke. "Who is it?"
The fumes began to settle and the picture starting to come into clarity. A short girl came through, her thick work pants brushing past splinters and fragments. A loose sleeveless tank top emphasized this figure's small physique. Enterprise made out the girl's haphazard pattern of yellow and black hair tied in low-hanging twintails. Though appearing frail, a collection of protective elbow and knee pads, fingerless gloves, and a sturdy blast helmet contradicted this presumption.
And most curiously, she was absolutely slathered from head to toe in dark soot.
Silver Star Federation Destroyer
IOLITE
Despite her cough, Iolite remained all smiles. "Heya. What's cooking?"
Enterprise looked confused. "What's the situation? Are you all right?"
"Me? Never better!" the young girl cheerfully answered. "Just need to collect my stuff. Got it all lost under this rubble. Sorry about that by the way! Mind lending me a hand?"
"I… what?"
As Enterprise stared befuddled, Buzzard and her sisters came rushing past. The Federation carrier looked over the mess and upon catching sight of Iolite, could only groan with exasperation. "Ugh… Again?!"
"Hey, I said I was sorry, didn't I?... Oh wait, I only told her that. Sorry about that, Buzzard!" Kneeling down, Iolite plopped down a box of her belongings before sifting through the remains. Immediately Kestrel and Vulture joined in in clearing the rubble. Only after rolling her eyes did Buzzard follow suit, griping all the way. Cormorant lurked by the side, camera busy rolling.
Just then, another set of onlookers arrived at the scene, jaws dropped at the aftermath. Warspite looked over the mess with wide eyes as did Javelin and Belfast. "... What happened?!"
"Iolite," laconicly muttered Buzzard.
"To sum it up in four words: walking hazard strikes again," added Vulture.
"But ultimately nothing to worry about," assured Kestrel.
Seeing the Federation destroyer search through the rubble, Javelin jumped in to help retrieve her belongings. Carefully fishing through the debris, she pulled one out. "Hey Iolite! Found your dyna- d-dyna…mite." Her stare drooped to wordless shock when she realized what laid in her hand.
Iolite plucked it from her frozen fingers with a thankful smile. "Thanks! That's like one out of twenty I have! Or had."
Now aware of the nature of the contents, Belfast looked over at the box with worry. "Pray tell me… what else do you have in there?"
"Oh uh gunpowder, nitroglycerin, notepads, fuses, wicks, glue, and paperclips (the really big ones)," Iolite listed off with a fond smile. "You know, just office supplies!"
Buzzard slumped her shoulders. "I would still appreciate a day without an 'accident' going off…"
"Hehe, can't help it!" the destroyer nervously laughed. "Besides, 'accident' or not, nobody got hurt!... Well, nobody I knew. But hey, if I was a bad demo-girl, I wouldn't be here discussin' it with you now would I?"
Enterprise shook her head. Although she was relieved that the "attack" turned out to be a false alarm, the antic had ruffled her feathers. "Something tells me this isn't the first time," she dryly noted.
"Sadly won't be the last…" muttered Buzzard who wrinkled her nose in annoyance at the new gaping hole in the wall.
Quietness.
The silence became the reigning mood of the crew lounge later that day. Even when inhabited by vast occupants the reticence was enduring.
A warm aroma filled the air as Warspite took a sip from her tea. Across from her Javelin held onto her own cup as Belfast swiftly moved to refill the beverage. With a mere wooden coffee table as host to their rather contained tea party, the battleship took what solace she could find from what little accommodations they could make do in the base's rather spartan quarters. A small compact cell of plaster-white walls and paltry couches and armchairs became home to the sweet smell of Royal tea that invited a homely atmosphere to take place.
But the doldrum silence was also prevalent as the midday moment saw to a time of rest from training or to laze about awaiting the next assignment.
The temper was not aided by the view outside. Peering through the two-pane glass window, Warspite could behold only a cloudy view of the strait, the sun choked by white that threatened precipitation. And now the white wisps were creeping steadily over the land like snow blanketing over the world. Gone were the bright sun and blue sky, seemingly condemned to remain imprisoned behind the mist in perpetuity.
"The weather is rather dreary for what should be a sunny afternoon…"
The maid paused to share her sentiment. "Indeed it is. I have scarcely seen a day so gloomy as now."
"Think it'll rain?" wondered Javelin as she swung her legs in bored rhythm.
"Well, that'll be just our luck," a voice mumbled to break the ice from across the room. Slouched on the wide couch's armrest Cleveland lay sleepy and deflated. "Bet they'll still make us run outdoor drills."
Nearby, San Diego sneezed. On a separate armchair Brooklyn quietly yawned as she remained buried in a magazine plucked stray from its rack, the cover indicating topics of mundane and inconsequential importance or to her interests and attention.
Belfast glanced over their present peers with a sigh. But completing her turn, she spotted the last occupant in the room as she sat in solitude by the window that captured the same colorless view outside. With her black long coat, white hat, and long silver hair, the maid would have thought she was looking at Enterprise. But as the figure turned her head, she knew at once she was looking at Kestrel.
She watched as the Federation carrier sat alone, her expression in deep thought. Spying a small notebook and pen in her hand, Belfast found herself curious as to what was running through the carrier's mind. She walked over to Kestrel to catch what it could be.
"Something troubling you, Miss Kestrel?"
The carrier looked up to recognize the maid's presence right beside her with a friendly expression. "Oh, this? It's nothing serious. It's just… ever since I saw a strange woman out at sea, I could never get the question of who she was out of my head. Everything about her was peculiar… yet I swear I've seen her before. I've been trying to recall her appearance to help me remember."
"Someone mysterious yet familiar?" Belfast repeated, intrigued. She recalled hearing such thing from her Eagle peers earlier. "May I see?"
Reaching for the notebook, the maid now had the chance to see the secret before her eyes. She stopped upon witnessing what had been etched on paper, transcribed from Kestrel's memories. She wasn't sure what to make of it.
A stick figure, dressed in what was apparently a shaded long coat (looking more like a robe) with a mess of scribbles meant to denote hair. The face was… crude to say the least.
Kestrel sighed. "But no matter how much I try to remember, nothing comes to mind."
The Royal maid glanced aside with no comment. Silently she tiptoed away - she had nothing to assist the carrier with.
Javelin slumped over the table. "I'm bored~."
Instantly and without warning, San Diego bolted up from her seat, her energy shooting up like a volcano. "That settles it!" she shouted in declaration. "You, Kestrel! Let's have a little game between us two idols! Sing a verse and I shall sing every other line!"
Roused as everyone else, the carrier could only gape at her. "Er, if that is what you wish… Um, which particular song would you like to try?"
"Hmm. How about that one I've heard you singing often? You sing it to put the manjuus to sleep."
"The one…? Oh, I do believe I know what you speak of. Very well then." Taking a breath, Kestrel began. Even for a casual impromptu contest her voice came through committed and angelic. Already the lackluster mood buoyed from its presence.
But if the choir was a gradual euphoria, then San Diego's singing was more like shots of energy injected impatiently into the soul as she pranced about the lounge.
"The journey begins~~"
"Starts from within~! (Hey!)"
"Things that I need~ to know~~"
"The song of the biiiiird~!"
Kestrel's serene facade found its first crack. "E-echoed in words-"
"Fly-ing for the neeeeeed to fly! (Fly!)
"Thoughts endless in flight~, day turns to night!
"Questions you ask your soul! (Huh, like what? The day we watched the night sky under clasped hands? Who's your one true passion? Who's the brightest star in town?)"
Kestrel's smile began to crumble as Eagle Union's self-professed top idol ran away with the song. "U-um, San Diego? I was- the stanzas… There's no need to dance around like so… Y-your tempo's all… T-that's not how the song goes!"
Then all of a sudden, as the light cruiser looped back around to the door, it suddenly swung open with such force that it smacked hard on San Diego's face, cutting off her liberal adaptation in light of the sudden new visitor and a new set of overbearing tunes that seized the air.
Glancing around, the new person hefted the source of the loud scratchy music on her shoulder, left bare by her sleeveless shirt. "Yo! Heard some jank gunk comin' from here. Figured I could join in on the fun. Wonder where it went…"
As she walked inside, all eyes took in the appearance of the new vacant as she strode in with black jeans that had seen better days, with pockmarks and gashes that scattered in haphazard yet strangely calculated ways. Light glittered from her studded belt as she walked in to set down the portable stereo player off her shoulder onto the nearest available surface.
But as unusual as her attire was, nothing drew the eye more than this girl's bright red-orange mohawk-like hair. That, combined with the loud choice of rock-n-roll, made Cleveland and the others quietly groan.
Silver Star Federation Destroyer
ROOSTER
The punk destroyer stood attending to her boombox, humming and headbanging to herself. Her enjoyment came oblivious to those around her, ignorant of the stares that remembered the racket from early morning all too well.
Then a shadow quickly slipped inside to herald yet another visitor. "Oh man, is that what I think it is?"
Rooster cracked a knowing grin as Vulture sauntered into the crew lounge. "Hell yeah, bro! 'Face of a Coin'! It's party time tonight."
Dragging herself to the wide sofa, Vulture flopped down right next to Cleveland with a gratified sigh. She sank into the cushion, bliss feeding into her tired body. The carrier felt her limbs become like melting butter: limp like one but tasting sweet like the relaxation was.
"Man, with Buzzard making things a pain in the ass I could really use this."
A figure took seat beside her. Vulture didn't need to crack her eye open to know that the warmth belonged to Kestrel.
"I take it that her lessons were more difficult than before?" she asked sympathetically.
"Ugh, if you can believe it," her sister groaned. "I know her training sessions, but goddamn was she really up our asses this time. Mine especially. I swear, it's like she really has it out for me…"
"Don't take it the bad way," reasoned Cleveland. "If it's anything like I've been through, it's all to make sure you're at your best."
"But I already am good," whined Vulture. "One of the best, if I humbly say so myself. Too bad Buzz doesn't think that way; always gotta be finding something to be critical of. Like nothing we do is ever good enough…"
Kestrel's eyes turned crestfallen. "That's not true, Vulture…"
Her sister threw her head back with a sigh. "Lemme guess, she's actually jealous of me."
A hand gripped her shoulder. Looking back down, Vulture was surprised to see Kestrel right before her. No longer beside her in a sisterly bond, the shadow that fell upon her only communicated her undivided attention. Although she had no reason to be afraid, Vulture gulped.
"Vulture, please listen to me… The days have been difficult for everyone, and it's not just you. This war has all of us worried, more so with what is to come. Buzzard is tough on you not because she believes you are imperfect or because she dislikes you, but because she's worried about you… about all of us. I pray for the best… but for Buzzard she can only prepare for the worst. As our older sibling she shoulders a great burden so that we do not."
The tomboy carrier glanced aside. "Maybe she needs to trust us more…"
"She does, sister. As do all of us," murmured Kestrel as she sat back down next to her. "Trust alone may not be enough to win this war, but it is our strength. The bond we share can endure any hardship that tests us. It is our gift, as sisters - as family… And trust comes before belief.
"Vulture, please believe in us as we do for you. Believe in us who know you are strong. Believe in your own sisters to have your best interests at heart.
"Believe in yourself who is as strong as you wish to be."
Vulture wasn't sure what to say; in the conflicting thoughts she fumbled her words. But those offered to her succeeded in making her feeling good about herself. With that in mind, her smile alone proved a sufficient response.
With a smile of her own, Kestrel accepted the reply. "... If you'd like, I can join you for practice next time."
"Eh, I don't think that'll be necessary," answered the carrier with a lazy wave of her hand. "Appreciate the thought. For now, I'm just gonna kick back and relax when I still can. Never say no to good 'ol rock music."
Next to her, Cleveland snorted. But having heard everything she decided to remain silent. She dared not detract from the tenderly moment between sisters. Though she was not the intended recipient, she understood what Kestrel said. She understood well the relationship between family, the kind that tethered souls together thick and thin no matter what. Those ties were what kept kansens together, made them or their ideals stronger than any steel hull.
But as she thought of her own sisters back home, Cleveland felt her heart ache. While she knew that faith was a powerful thing to hold onto, a part of her deep down knew it by itself wasn't enough to win any war. It also wasn't a guarantee to survive one either.
While Cleveland was fortunate enough to have all of her sisters up to this point, she personally knew some who never made it…
Vulture leaned back, her fingers and head lightly following the rhythm. "Man, I can't get tired listening to this. Gonna be sleeping well tonight, that's for sure!"
This earned a cackle of approval from Rooster. "Word!"
Warspite could not say the same as she tried to enjoy her tea. The brew was fresh but the tradition mixed well with stale rock-n-roll like pineapple on pizza (or so she had heard countless times). "Still would have preferred something more palatable to the ears…"
"Silence wouldn't be so bad either," muttered Brooklyn.
But as loud and irritating the music was, it was nothing compared to the klaxons that suddenly blared within the crew lounge. Trilling beeps screamed for all attention as everyone glanced up to catch the ensuing announcement. Through multiple speakers distributed throughout the base, Warbler's voice came out scratchy but distinct.
"All combat personnel, report to the docks for immediate sortie. I repeat, all combat personnel: scramble!"
To this, Vulture could only groan. "Aw, really?! Give me a break!"
"C'mon, let's go! Let's go!"
"What's the rush now…?"
"Can't be the enemy, can it?"
The same questions and thoughts swam through all heads as they descended - swarmed towards the harbor. Even immediately after the base-wide announcement, the kansens of the Azur Lane found themselves swept up in the pandemonium like fish in a turbulent estuary. And the same rivers that made the arteries of Eaglin Straits had already transformed into disheveled congestion of feet, bodies, and commotion that left no room for idleness or answers.
They would only be found at the murky seas.
Emerging outside, the Eagle Union and Royal Navy ships hurried to the port only to find it host to a jumble of personnel. Federation kansens of all shapes, sizes, and appearances took to the water like a mass exodus.
Warspite glanced around, reacting to snatch a familiar figure passing by. "Cormorant, do you know what's happening?"
The young destroyer could only gape without certainty. "I dunno. Must be something serious if it involves everyone… Hey, think you can lift me on your shoulders? I could get a real good shot of the crowd!"
"Over here!"
Everyone turned to see Enterprise standing tall among the masses as she waved them over, her rigging already summoned as did Vestal standing by her side. In unison, the Azur Lane wasted no time taking to the seas and falling in by the Gray Ghost's side.
"Enterprise, what's going on?" asked Cleveland.
"Not sure," admitted the carrier. "The alarms all sounded at once. Whatever the situation is, it could be trouble. Is this everyone?"
"All accounted for," Belfast answered.
"Especially me!" San Diego added, her expression already mired with signs of scuffle brunt during their way to the sea. It was evident that no one else bore the same signs or misfortune as the idol light cruiser.
Enterprise nodded. "Everyone, assume formations. Be prepared to move out!"
Javelin peered upward. Her eyes only met featureless white, so deprived of detail that the clouds seemed infinite. Reaching out, she felt she could even touch them. Gray skies were nothing unusual in the Royal Navy home islands yet this time, they felt off to her.
"Could the enemy really be attacking with weather like that…?"
Enterprise stayed silent, her own eyes to the skies. Above, a lone speck sailed across the mist. Raising her arm, the object quickly revealed itself to be none other than Grim Reaper as he returned to his owner's side. Now with everyone gathered, the Azur Lane was complete.
As comforting as it was to be surrounded by allies, the Gray Ghost knew better than to let down her guard. The clamor of ships scrambling to get ready and still wondering of the emergency perpetuated an air of unease. So many ships but so few answers to explain today's intent.
"Everyone, sound off!..."
"... Engines, check. Rudders, check. Radar… check."
"Heh. Think we're finally gonna see some action?"
"Better be something serious…"
Looking around, Enterprise saw a vast gathering taking place all around her: Cormorant worming her way through the brewing crowd, camera still in hand; Rooster dallying around, wresting with a sling onto her boombox where it lay powerless on her back before the impenetrable buzz that surrounded her; Iolite wandering with her rigging decorated with her stash of various explosive implements scattered all throughout its body which included a plunging stick of all things (worth noting that many took care to steer clear of her). A proverbial sea of people covered the docks, all as uncertain as she was. They gathered at the alert but Enterprise could see they were not yet properly assembled: a tangle of ships were ready with their riggings, but they loitered with no directive. The Eagle carrier conspicuously noted the absence of orders over the radio. She narrowed her gaze at the missing element.
'What's going on?'
Enterprise cast her gaze towards the horizons and the skies, determined to catch any potential adversary even in the abysmal visibility. But she found nothing - her eyes both natural and mechanical turned up nothing. She turned, hoping to catch a fleeting glimpse of Buzzard whom she had overseen extensive practice with, but through the number of heads that rivaled that of grass the sight of the bespectacled brunette was nowhere to be seen; another source of answer denied. Then as she pondered over the absence that was the root cause of this emergency, she slowly realized another: the air raid sirens had petered off.
And then the radios finally chirped to life. All heads - Federation and Azur Lane - instantly perked up at the commencement of yet another announcement, delivered once again by Warbler.
"Attention Eaglin Straits base. The alert has now ended. This has been a drill. All personnel present has been counted and assessment recorded. Readiness has been observed and will be assessed."
Instantly all talk of speculation and unease ended. But the answer they had been given was unlike what they had expected. The revelation stumped even Enterprise as her preparation now lost purpose. For the past fews hours or so, training and practicing exhaustively alongside Buzzard and a select few other kansens for the coming battles both small and brutal, Enterprise now found that the time spent enduring the rigors without rest was to be without reward.
If there was any silver lining, she could certainly picture Buzzard feeling the same disappointment.
As it turned out, that was just what she felt as she stood with her sisters. Buzzard heaved a weary sigh as she adjusted her glasses, the motion layered with fatigue and disappointment. Her chagrin was rivaled by Vulture who felt the same, grumbling of her forsaken respite minutes ago.
Kestrel remained still, her anxious glance fixated towards the sky.
"All ships, dismissed," continued the base commander. "Thank you for your time. Stand by for orders."
On cue the ranks of the Federation garrison began to disperse. The hastily-assembled formations of ships ready to go dissolved once more into a mess as many heads turned around to depart, veterans and fledglings alike murmuring their gripes as they slowly made their way back to dry land.
Enterprise didn't need to look behind her to see her friends' shoulders collectively sag. "Talk about false alarms," muttered Warspite.
"Tell me about it," Cleveland agreed. "Actually had me thinking this was a real deal."
"This almost feels like a prank…" Javelin bemoaned.
San Diego leapt up. "Yeah! I hate pranks!... Unless I'm the one doing them."
Brooklyn's elbow silently nudged against the idol's ribs. "I think such joke would be in poor taste."
Belfast could only tut to herself. "To think our brief tea time was interrupted by something so untimely…"
As disgruntled as she was, Vestal tried to wear a small optimism on her face. "Well then, I think this is as good a moment to catch some rest. Wouldn't you agree, Enterprise?"
"I'll be fine," grunted the carrier. "All I did then was work up a sweat. Why don't you go ahead and rest with the others? I'll meet you all at the mess hall by-"
"Hark! Listen!" a voice cried out.
Instantly her gaze zeroed in on the voice. Where many shuffled back to land, a lone figure stood out facing the sea. Enterprise and the rest knew not her name but took note of this kansen's rather uniform characteristic of blue: long smooth blue hair and a blue dress and sky-blue skirt. Yet her attire, though antiquated and royal, possessed a rather adventurous side with pieces of medieval armor and an open midriff. Her silky hair was curled with tips of yellow, and likewise her rigging bore exotic lines that twinkled with gold mystique.
Buzzard stopped in her tracks. "What is it?"
A pair of large octagonal panels that flanked the kansen in blue like shields shifted on their armatures as did her collection of missile tubes and cannons that bristled around them. Even to an uninformed observer, she was recognized as a ship who, with the style of two eras, was a cavalier of both.
To the Federation ships that recognized her, she was also the watchful aegis of the Federation.
Silver Star Federation Aegis Cruiser
EXCALIBUR
Excalibur's wide eyes skirted towards the gloomy sky. A radar dish behind her antenna-like hair clips spun energetically as the yellow trims on her body and rigging glowed with humming activity. "I sense… foreboding omen. Towards the horizons, from yonder where thee sun sets. Thy most peculiar tingling sensation innervates mine nerve!"
Vulture checked her radar but shrugged. "My scope's clear, man. Sure this isn't on your end?"
"Maybe Excalibur's hungry for microwave burritos again," a voice joked.
"Wouldn't be the first time food and her radar didn't mix…"
"Nay! Do not trifle me with such falsehoods," glared the aegis cruiser. "Mine SPY radar senses all like oracles they are! Thou claims of tin-wrapped vittles is naught but fantasy."
Tentatively, some eyes turned to the distance, seeing only the dense fog. Buzzard took a peek at her radar and although the thick clouds hampered it, what more it revealed than her own two eyes agreed with her sister's words. Peering around she caught similar conclusions from the visages of those around her. But in spite of the hard evidence, she frowned - her instincts suggested a different story…
Then glancing at her radar again, she stopped. A speck of red bright to her pupils. Then another - and more.
Buzzard gasped and she was not the only one. Vulture sputtered with surprise. "W-what the-? Is my radar on the fritz or something?"
"No, I see them too!" Kestrel exclaimed. "Warbler, Andromeda! Enemy spot-"
Suddenly missiles and bombs knifed through the mist in subtle streaks. At once the panicked beeps of radar locks screamed in their ears, the danger already upon them.
Only then did the beats of thunder roll over the straits.
Enterprise sprung into action with her bow raised. "We're under attack! Everyone…!"
"Bandits confirmed over Eaglin Straits airspace!" shouted Buzzard. "Andromeda, do you copy?!"
Over the radio, the intelligence vessel's disbelief was made palpable. "H-how the-? Where'd they come from?"
"Not important right now," growled the Eagle carrier. Hearing the tell-tale sounds of jet engines howling in the wind, Enterprise wasted no time launching her Dauntlesses to the air. Cleveland and San Diego tracked faint shadows darting through the mist above their heads but in the low visibility only found themselves chasing phantoms that readily melted from view. With no better option, the two commence anti-air fire. The fog swallowed the tracers and flak as much as it had done to the world around the Straits.
A subtle hiss was heard right before a missile slithered out from the clouds, nearly striking Cleveland as her reward for her efforts. Hearing the loud roar of jet engines, she peered up to see birds of Federation stripes ascend: Buzzard's F/A-18s, Kestrel's F-14s, and Vulture's F-15s. They hurriedly took flight to meet their aggressors as explosions then began to rock the base.
All hell broke loose when order and coherence became drowned by the tide of war that had unexpectedly come to them.
"H-hey!"
"What's going on?!"
"An enemy attack?! For real…?!"
"Warbler to all personnel: Eaglin Straits is under attack! I repeat, Eaglin Straits is under attack! All hands to action stations immediately! This is not a drill!"
"Oh thanks for clarifying!" a voice angrily snarked, bombs and shaken cries in the background.
The same ships that attended the drill began to flood back amid the smoke, embers, and disorder. Shots filled the air as wildly as the situation gripped them, smoke from the return fire adding to the chaos. AA fire from the Azur Lane was joined by streaks of missiles slung from the coastline as Federation automated SAMs trickled into action. The air became thick with munitions as much as the mist enveloped all.
The thunder, the fire, the shouts and screams. The cacophony of peace torn asunder into war. The calm before the unforeseen storm. A transformation so sudden it all felt surreal - like a dream, when the skies darkened and the oceans became bloodied with machines of war.
Enterprise shook the bad thoughts from her head as she focused. In spite of the zero visibility which left her disadvantaged in the face of modern avionics that both friend and foe wielded, she was determined to put up a valiant defense. The Grey Ghost had no intention of letting this handicap stop her from doing what she could to protect this base and its garrison.
She looked up in time to catch some of her dive bombers exploding, a shower of fragments punctuating the flyover of a Federation jet, an F/A-18 that represented their common naval bird.
"Hey!"
"Huh?! Oh my bad!" its owner, another carrier kansen, quickly apologized over the comms.
The Azur Lane task force put up a persistent stream of lead into the sky. San Diego made the air flourish with hot steel, lighting up even the world choked in haze as tracers flashed like sparklers. She kept up the fire until a hand bapped her in the back of her head, courtesy of a disgruntled Federation cruiser. "Hey! You blind or something?! You're nearly hitting our planes!"
Belfast overheard the two incidents with worry. "Things are out of control… We need to get a hold of the situation!"
Vulture grunted from a near-miss of a blast. "Just how many are there? It's like the whole sky's made of freaking aluminum or something!"
"How many do you see?"
"Too many! They're practically all over us!"
"... And yet, it doesn't quite feel that way," murmured Buzzard as she scrutinized the clouds. In the corner of her eye the radar was awash in red, enemy bandits littering the scope. Yet the moment they abruptly appeared over their heads, something didn't add up to her. Counting the density of the air attacks only endorsed that skepticism.
The carrier quickly dispatched a squadron of EA-18s whereupon they blended in with the myriad of other Hornets that belonged to her peers. They braved the blinding low clouds and chaotic fire to reach combat altitude, whereupon their electronic warfare kit hummed to work.
What she saw confirmed her suspicions.
"Buzzard to Andromeda, confirm picture."
"Picture… cleared up!" the intelligence vessel confirmed with enthusiasm. "Enemy ECM negated, their little trick's been unveiled. Relaying to all active personnel."
"Good work, Buzzard," congratulated Warbler. "All ships, maintain air defense! Excalibur, the show's yours."
The aegis cruiser straightened out with a confident smirk. "By your command, so shall it be! I shall clear thy air of miscreants like sorcery! Friends, heed mine eyes!"
As she braced herself, the yellow lights on her rigging and hair began to intensify. Her twin shields fidgeted and adjusted as though they were curious heads, Excalibur's SPY radar locating and tracking every and all airborne interlopers. With the enemy's illusory curtain lifted, all had become revealed. Even the impassable fog and discord of battle proved transparent to the advanced sensors wielded by Excalibur. And through her, all could see the truth that hid behind all illusions.
"Datalink received!"
"Got 'em in our sights now!"
"Heh. There ain't so many of 'em."
To that, Buzzard only narrowed her eyes. 'Why are there so few of them…?' she questioned, watching how the radar now showed only a fraction of the enemy contacts that once beset them. With the deception foiled, the truth only gave her more questions. 'Why employ a saturation-type decoy to exaggerate numbers for what should be a strategic raid?'
Vulture surged ahead, her Eagles encouraged as they charged towards the enemy birds. With clarity achieved, she now caught a more clean picture of the menace that harassed the skies. Through the mist they remained dark shadows, but one detail she caught were the birds' wings seemingly born backwards.
"Are those…"
"Su-47 Berkuts; can't miss those reverse-swept wings," informed Andromeda. "High-performance Verusan aircraft. The enemy must be dead serious if they're deploying more advanced fighters. Don't let its appearance fool you: it's got incredible maneuverability!"
Vulture scoffed as her Eagles gave chase. Even as the Su-47s fought back, determined to reclaim its role as hunter, the combined Federation air armada and defense gave them no quarter. "Whatever. No magic allowed!"
"Time to teach 'em to rain on our parade!" Spurred by the initiative, Cleveland and the other cruisers redoubled their efforts. Even without benefiting from their allies' shared combat information, they felt encouraged.
Rooster surged ahead, her missiles hot and hungry. "Alrighty you punks, time to get punked!"
Joining her, Iolite laughed as she rummaged through the stash tucked within her rigging, fishing out fistful of explosive implements with a wide grin. "Is it boom time? Yeah it's boom time! Got your fireworks right here!"
Cormorant peered over her camera with wide eyes. "Hey uh, Iolite… Where were you hiding that cruise missile?"
But the battle was far from over. Even without the aid of their ruse, the Verusan planes were not without teeth. True to Andromeda's warning, they zipped and twirled in the mist, dodging their pursuers and making surprising retaliations to ensure they continued to haunt the fog. And although Buzzard's EW had unmasked the Entente's trick, the possession of such technological sorcery on both sides only benefitted neither as both fought an invisible war. As useful the Growlers have been in past battles, all they had accomplished now was turn a surprise attack into a fair one.
And a fair battle meant that the pendulum could still swing either way.
While the air war remained contested, the Federation's birds enjoyed the advantage of aid from below, the endeavor spearheaded by Excalibur as light from her rigging and body exuded like the sun - missiles and AA fire its burning rays. "Anon! Begone ye foul birds, lest I smite thee like mine metaphorical namesake!"
Alongside her, Enterprise pitched in what she could with her own bow, sending bolt and dive-bomber after another to swat the swept-winged scourges. But she watched as they pursued their quest of destruction with dogged insistence, missiles and bombs still raining where possible.
The earth shuddered and Enterprise could see a building engulfed in flame behind her. The remains were yet another piece of land surrendered to ruin.
"Aah! My rock 'n roll records!" screeched Rooster. "They were in my room! It took me forever to collect those!"
"They're silencing our SAM sites!" Andromeda exclaimed. "Air defense network down to 50%!"
"At this rate, we won't have much of a base left!" cried Kestrel.
"This much damage from just a dozen aircraft? Are they using freaking black magic or something?!"
"They've taken out the storage shed too!"
"Docks Four and Three are on fire! We need someone to put it under control now!"
"Agh! Freaking debris is coming down on us!"
"H-hey, did the fuel refinery get hit or something…?!"
Belfast gasped as she saw slain birds fall to earth as dying phoenixes. But rather than plummet with dignity, their husks rained over land. Those that weren't rendered into scrap metal were left to crash on top of the base. Fuel and what ordinance they still possessed turned each destroyed Su-47 into potential missiles. So driven were the Entente aircraft in their raid that they remained dedicated to their mission even in death.
All who had enough piece of mind to gape were left stunned by what they saw. Embers rose; fire rained. The onslaught was committed no matter the obstacle hastily put in their way as the harbor crumbled. Each flaming streak that plunged to earth added their mark on the burning seas, their broken remains despoiling the waves. The water slowly began to darken with oil and worse, the fires began to spread its disease over the seas marked by floating debris and unmoving bodies.
Amid the merciless destruction, one hoped that the screams they heard were not from those taken by the flames.
Enterprise stood her ground fiercely as Vestal quietly went to work behind her, kneeling over a young Federation kansen. With only burnt pockmarks from where she was grievously struck some time ago, this girl whom they had not met was fortunate to be dragged away from the fires. Both nurse and warrior fought their own battles to ensure this wounded ship's luck remained.
Unbeknownst to her, Buzzard fought for the same as her remaining Hornets and Growlers continued the air war. Though the enemy number was thankfully dwindling, she knew that the damage was already done. A presence skidded to a stop by her side and for the first time, she found herself surprised to be graced by Warbler's presence.
"Warbler? What're you doing here?"
"Doing my part," the officer cruiser curtly answered, her words coming at a near growl at the destruction she witnessed. Behind her was Andromeda tailing in her superior's wake for safety but ladened with her equipment, her role now placing her in direct danger. Beside them slid Chivalry to act as their escort, her expression of resentment towards the actions of their enemy.
"New orders, Buzzard: we are evacuating Eaglin Straits."
Enterprise whirled around. "Evacuate? You want us to abandon this base?"
"Look around you," argued Warbler. "The enemy air raid has decimated our garrison and has jeopardized all our operations. Even in better circumstances, we have been proven highly vulnerable. Unless you'd prefer the Entente keep picking apart our forces, we'll lose the counteroffensive before it's even begun. We lose our forces, we lose this war."
The carrier grimaced at the sight of the devastation around her. With land ruined and even the sea now turning to flame, there was no solace to be found. Nowhere but the straits that fed them into the oceans unknown.
Buzzard yielded to the news with a defeated sigh. "What is the mission now, ma'am?"
"I need you and your sisters to be our rear guard," ordered the cruiser. "All hands not ordered to hold are to depart immediately. That includes you too, Enterprise."
Both Eagle and Federation carrier exchanged glances. Buzzard could see in Enterprise's eyes how she wished to stand and protect everyone rather than cut and run.
"It's alright," she reassured. "I have this handled. The rest of us need you."
The Grey Ghost relented after a second. She turned to depart, but not before leaving behind one last reply. "... See you on the other side."
The bespectacled carrier merely scoffed. "No need to make it sound so severe."
Enterprise allowed herself the sliverest of smirks which Buzzard mirrored. The shared look could have gone on a second longer had circumstances not demanded otherwise.
Finally the Grey Ghost turned away to join the evacuation, leaving behind Buzzard in the destroyed harbor.
News of the evacuation spread fast - compliance to the orders, even faster.
On a different day, the vast fleet gathered at the Straits would have been made scarce at the call for deployment, the day where their powers and presence would be needed. The day in which, through their departure, victory could be seized on land, sea, and air. But no victory was to be found. Under the eyes of charred smoky columns and predatory birds, a defeated exodus took place.
Battered and weary, Warspite watched as ships conducted the retreat: some limped, some had to be carried, only a few could remain standing tall. Those who remained uninjured were left burdened with the casualties. Strength, numbers, and morale sapped, the process went slow as the fleet as a whole staggered their way out to safety. The narrow channel that led them straight out to sea became the pilgrimage of a rout - a deployment no one had envisioned to turn the tide of the war.
"Miss Warspite, you should go on ahead. Cleveland and Brooklyn will watch the skies."
The battleship sighed as Belfast helped her out. She spotted Vestal and Javelin doing the same for the garrison's number of wounded, San Diego among them as an unfortunate victim. With the thunder overhead still ringing, the air of danger remained thick and heavy as the war became delegated to the aircraft above. Escorting the evacuees, Enterprise and the light cruisers kept a watchful guard as ships trickled under the arching bridge that marked the Strait's mouth. Warbler and her command awaited there to see the ships off.
"Let's go, people!" barked Warbler as she gestured to the ocean. "Open waters! The sooner you get to the fall-back point, the better!"
"Do not stop for anything!" shouted Chivalry. "Make way for all those behind you!"
"Clear a path for the wounded!"
"Screw this place. Glad I can bail…"
"Hey what's the hold up? Can we go now?!"
"C'mon, let us through already!"
"In due time you will," Chivalry scolded. "But until that time comes, you will maintain discipline. Stand fast as per orders!"
Warbler motioned on as she looked over the evacuation with a solemn visage. Entrusted to oversee the gathering of the Federation's rank and file for a great crusade, she had scarcely believed she would be responsible for their retreat. The war had progressed for weeks and already it felt like the doomed end was already upon them as a train of the beaten, weary, and tired clogged up the only egress, impatient to flee from the columns of smoke that choked the whole skyline. It was like a scene straight out of the end of the world. It reminded Warbler of what the world must have underwent during Ulysses.
And speaking of the apocalypse…
'Barbet's gonna kill me…'
Dark white.
If Buzzard could be asked what color the sky was, that would be it. All throughout the day, the damnable fog persisted as did the enemy craft. Even in spite of the losses suffered, the Su-47s that remained were dogmatic in their duty.
Fortunately, so would she and her sisters. They and their respective planes carried the defense, backed by whatever remnant fighter that was spared by a fellow Federation carrier and Excalibur. The cruiser's ever vigilant eye continued to be invaluable as ever.
Buzzard grit her teeth as her birds hunted down their evil prey, their endurance the most torturous. Yet even as she scowled with disgust at them, one new observation kept nagging her.
The enemy missiles, once hellbent on destroying their base, now seemed absent for the tenants below. The evacuation was going rather smoothly.
Too smoothly.
"I just don't get it… Where is the bandits' ferocity? Why was the enemy so committed to attacking the base itself? Why aren't they concentrating their fire on the evacuation where we're most vulnerable? Try to at least cut us off…?"
"Shut up Buzz. You're gonna give 'em ideas if you keep yapping like that!"
"'Shut up Buzzard'," the carrier corrected. "I told you to stop calling me by that nickname."
"Yeah yeah," nagged Vulture. "Just saying you gotta keep your head in the game. Last thing we need is our beloved smarty-pants getting sidetracked."
Kestrel hummed. Tired as she was, she gave her sister's observation some thought. "No, Buzzard's right. They're not attacking as strongly as they have before."
'So it's not just me,' Buzzard wondered. 'So what's going on? Are they getting close to Winchester after having used up their ammo on the harbor? But then why not exfil? Why keep fighting if their primary target has been neutralized?
'... What even is their objective then?'
AA fire and relays from Excalibur flowed unabated, along with Andromeda's reports. "You're doing good, guys. Just hang in there. Every second you give us is another Federation ship who gets to live another day."
"How are things on your end, Andromeda?" Kestrel asked, always appreciative to hear the voice of a friend. "Are you somewhere safe?"
"Got sent off with the first set of evacuees; Warbler's orders. Our scope's clean so we're good. Taken the liberty of dispatching emergency alerts to all nearby installations. We'll have support coming very soon."
Vulture chuckled. "Glad you're on our side."
"Always," reciprocated the intelligence vessel. "Unless you're in danger, in which case I'm several klicks out."
Buzzard rolled her eyes. "Very funny, Andromeda."
It was then that Excalibur's voice entered with a new finding. "Hark! Mine sensors sense another presence, encroaching from ye horizon from whence they came! "
"Confirmed. Incoming blips detected from the east, same vector as where they came from," Andromeda warned.
Instantly everyone grimaced at the assumption of the worst. They knew that if the enemy's stunning accomplishment had set the precedent, then the prospect of enemy reinforcement was the pretext of another nightmare. With their forces beaten and the weight of the defense squarely on their limited shoulders, the three carrier sisters found their chances grim.
They never sat well with Buzzard as her mind raced to consider their options. 'More enemy assets inbound; more of those Su-47s?... Their ETA versus our reinforcements: too likely. We won't hold them for long before…
'No, wait. The harbor is already neutralized. They must know we are on the run yet they do not stop us. Just what are they after now?'
"Hm?... Wait a second…"
Kestrel picked up on the odd follow-up. "What is it, Andromeda?"
'They've destroyed the Eaglin Straits installation. The Verusan Entente has proven we are not as safe as we assumed. But is that all this was?'
"They're not… That can't be right..."
'We would simply rebuild our forces elsewhere, so why let us withdraw? Why not destroy us with the harbor? It's almost as if-
'... As if they wanted us to run. Where we'll have nowhere to hide.'
"Oh no… Andromeda to all ships, I repeat, Andromeda to all ships: multiple cruise missiles inbound! Burst warheads! Signature's off the charts! Whole straits in the kill-zone!"
'... Shit.'
"Get out of there, NOW!"
Vulture gulped. She never heard Andromeda lose her calm like that. And neither did Warbler as she made haste for her next command.
"Everyone to the evac point, on the double!"
All at once, order and discipline crumbled away as everyone abandoned everything to flee. The single announcement rendered the once broken fleet into a panicked mob as every kansen desperately clambered for the exit. The shadow of death that their far-seeing eyes warned them of gripped all hearts with fear and despair, leaving them with but one order: survival.
Kestrel tried to remain calm amid the frantic panicking air. But the howls of despair stole her breath away as any semblance of calm was abandoned. Everything, even the fallen, were left to their fate in an effort to save their own.
"First wave of missiles inbound, 10 seconds to impact!"
A chill went down Kestrel's spine. There wasn't enough time.
"Aw shit!" swore Vulture. "We're not gonna make it. We're not gonna-!"
Suddenly both of them felt a forceful shove behind them. Hands seized them by the collars as they were pushed further away from the harbor, startled to see that they belonged to Buzzard.
Vulture sputtered. "Wha- what're you-"
"Saving your asses!" shouted their older sibling. "Just shut the hell up and run! Get out of here!"
Kestrel was stunned silent. As much as she recognized her, she felt she was staring at a whole new person. "Buzzard…?"
"... I'm sorry," quietly muttered the bespectacled carrier. Buzzard's breath came shallow, her hand on her shoulder quivering.
Tears were in her eyes.
"Goddamnit. I should've known…"
The two gaped at the unusual behavior. The uncharacteristic frightened them more than the coming death. "B-Buzzard, are you…"
"I didn't want you to see me like this," she replied, her throat increasingly choked with emotion. "But I don't want either of you die. Not if there's anything I can do about it.
"Kestrel, Vulture, I… there's a lot of things I never got the chance to say. Too many. I'm- I'm sorry that I wasn't better; that I can't be with you."
Tears began to well up in Kestrel and Vulture's eyes in spite of their determined grimaces. "No… no don't be like that!"
"Buzzard, please-"
"But know that no matter what-"
The radio roared to life with Andromeda's cry. "... three, two… Brace for impact!"
Flashes of light, each bright as the sun. In a split-second they flared up high like stars that even the impenetrable fog could not hide. Clouds and mist were expelled, the heavens torn asunder from the light. In that instant, the final verdict was declared: Eaglin Straits and all those still caught within - were declared guilty.
The only sentence was death.
Kestrel and Vulture fell over, tumbling from the throw. As blinding as the light was, they caught one final glimpse at their sister. Against the glow, Buzzard's flowing brown hair and tied ribbon were captured in an almost ethereal light. Their sister was bathed in heaven-like radiance as she looked one last time at her two sisters.
A tender smile was etched onto her visage before the light consumed her.
"... I love you all."
When the thunder came, it was like the deathblow of the gods whose very hand which seldom raised, came down to bring final judgement upon the world. Screaming sheer winds, the roaring earth gouged open to weep fire, the seas split in disfigurement. The burst missiles that enveloped Eaglin Straits delivered the decree without fail, without exception, and without mercy.
In the end, there was only white nothingness.
Far away, the perpetrators relished at their great atrocity as the distant horizon flashed like thunder to their own eyes. But as exuberant as she was to bring ruin, Scinfaxi found one thing to pick on.
"You idiot, ignore their shitty base! We just bombed it!"
"Don't call me an idiot," shot back Hrimfaxi, her reaction mirrored by her leviathan mount as it snapped its jaws at Scinfaxi. "I'd kill you if you weren't my sister."
"Oh try it," she snarled. "Either way, we've killed those bitches. I don't care which one, or how many."
"Heh. Mess with the anthill and burn 'em all when they scatter," snickered Hrimfaxi. "Thinking like a true villain, I like that."
The two shared a cruel laugh before Scinfaxi tugged on her beast's reins. "Well whatevs. I've used up all those burst missiles. We're done here."
"Heh. Think we got 'em all? Y'know, the ones we were told to kill?"
"Who knows, doesn't matter." Then Scinfaxi grinned maniacally. "I can just kill 'em again later."
Hrimfaxi shared her sister's sentiment before the two willed their riggings around to send them back home. They slunk into the misty waters, their terrible deed done… and more to come in the future.
Unbeknownst to even them, a silent eye had seen them depart as the only witness. High above even the heavens a lone object drifted lazily, its hide as furtive as was its wordless observation. It blended almost like smoke in the upper atmosphere, the lone eye having caught the two submarines at the scene of their crime.
Through the drone, it was not the only witness who had captured the act.
"Holy… D-did you see that?"
"Of course I did nu! How could have I not noticed?!"
Gathered before a lone monitor that tracked the lone watcher's orbit, a small audience beheld the Scinfaxis' work. Behind the Beowulves and the control console, the Sirens hummed impressed.
"Impressive…" murmured Observer Alpha.
"They have exceeded all parameters," noted Tester Beta. "A pity the Entente's leaders of old wished to merely lock them up rather than exploit them."
"Haha! Boooom! Now we're talking!" cackled Purifier.
And behind them all, lurking in the shadows were no light could reach her, the woman in gray watched with silent approval. She basked in the sight of a land wiped clean from the world, a void where life once was. She was satisfied to see the presumptuous Silver Star Federation, so assured of their place as a world superpower, be humbled on the bodies of their fallen. She knew that from such tragedy, the ensuing escalation would only be enriching for her services and her accomplices.
And most of all, the woman took solace in knowing that somewhere in the hellscape carved by the hands of monsters unleashed upon the world, that Kestrel and her sisters were their victims.
She let out a wistful hum. The sooner she dealt with them, the sooner she could return to seeing the world powers slaughter each other. Business as usual.
"... Damage report!"
"W-what the hell was that?!"
"Who- who got hit?"
"The harbor… Ah shit, the whole harbor's gone!"
'Gone…?' As Enterprise raced back to the blast site, her bewilderment turned into horror upon realizing that their temporary home was indeed gone. Burned as it was in the early stage of the raid, it was nothing compared to the complete annihilation and desecration dealt by the splitting suns. Where there would be ridges of buildings and facilities, there was nothing. Nothing but an empty crater, devoid of life, safety, and proof of a home that once was. Nothing but death remained, a grave lacking in tombstone but no shortage of corpses to occupy it.
The sight of them all made Enterprise sick to her stomach.
'This- this can't be real…'
Even if Andromeda couldn't see it, the data she received painted the atrocious picture for her. "I… I can't believe it… So many contacts just… just gone!"
One by one, chatter began to trickle back over the comms. But only anguish filled the air the moment the dust settled and all were presented with a world reduced to nothing. No one but the dead and the petrified survivors were left to inherit the wasteland.
"... Gone!… She was just right next to me and she just…!"
"Someone… anyone… please!"
"No, no no nonononoNO!"
One by one, the many terrified voices became muted out as the Grey Ghost stumbled through the charred waters in stunned silence.
Then crying. The sounds of sobbing.
It wasn't over the radio, nor was it hers. It was close-by.
From someone she knew.
She moved forward, her steps matching her heart as she followed the sounds. Then she chased after them, pushing through the misty hazy air that hung low like a graveyard fog until-
Enterprise stopped in her tracks. She was too dumbfounded by what she saw. Even as she recognized the cries, a foolish part of her wanted to believe it wasn't true. That it wouldn't manifest into reality on this day.
It was Kestrel. Knelt down low, she cradled Buzzard in her arms. Tears and scars of battle and fire scorched her sister's exterior. Tears streamed down her cheeks as Kestrel wept.
"... please… Please don't… Buzzard… Buzzard…"
But no amount of crying or begging would ever spur Buzzard from her sleep.
Vulture withheld her silence as if aware of this bitter fact as she kneeled in resignation. Her hands threatened to quiver into fists as she fought back tears of her own.
Enterprise couldn't turn away. No matter how much she told herself this was war, the curse could not be ignored. Her mind had no choice but to watch as the two sisters grieved, the scene searing itself in her brain.
This wasn't the first time she had seen such tragedy before.
The open sea. A land between worlds. The ocean stretching to eternity now strewn in fire, the skies twisting with black clouds even as the sun rose high. The site of a hard-fought battle to decide the fates of many.
To think so much could happen within five minutes. Years of training, preparation, and anticipation - all in one day vanish so quickly and so viciously.
Enterprise always knew this was war. It was a curse none could be spared from. It could have happened to anyone else, someone far away.
So why her?
She inherited a legacy, and Enterprise had since remained steadfast and dutiful. Yet even after all these months she wished she didn't have to.
Strong as she was, she still refused to accept the curse placed upon her.
And now here she was, watching history repeat all over again, now on a different world. Now it was Kestrel's turn to suffer as she had.
"Please… Buzzard…
"... stay… stay with us…"
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
This is way late to bring this up, but if you've enjoyed the story thus far, please go ahead and leave a comment or a review. The complete drought in feedback has been more and more noticeable and I would greatly appreciate hearing from you guys. Even a simple one-sentence comment can go a long way in making our day and letting me know that you're still out there with us even in spite of the prolonged delays.
And of course, feel free to leave behind any ideas on what you'd like to see in the future. Perhaps I may even find a way to incorporate your ideas later down the line ;)