47 radioed in again.
"We've moved to the end of a long corridor. I see two doors on the right side, but the hall is being monitored by a Peace Breaker. They are standing about five feet to the right of the doors I mentioned. Any chance you could deal with it?" U-47 asked quietly.
Out on the nearby mountainside, Michael adjusted a couple of pebbles on the map of the Imperial Palace. Taking a look between the actual building and the map, he aimed his rifle towards the building. Taking a minute to do the math in his head, Michael activated his radio to contact Friedrich.
"I need another salvo. Same area. Are you anchored in the same position?" Michael asked.
"I have drifted fifteen meters further towards the bay mouth, but such distance should not hinder you if you are doing what I suspect. Expect a similar impact time, my child." Friedrich replied.
"Thank you. Fire now." Michael said softly.
Out in the bay, Friedrich fired again, a pair of sixteen inch shells flying towards the war torn palace grounds.
Michael focused solely on his target area on the wall. The moment his ears picked up the sound of crashing in the courtyard, he fired his twenty millimeter rifle into the palace of the Emperor, covered by the sound of the shells exploding in the courtyard.
Inside, 47 and Tony watched as a hole was punched in the wall and not a moment later, the head of the Peace Breaker was separated from its body. 47 scrambled quickly and quietly to catch the fallen head before it hit the floor.
"You were a bit high, Michael. You blew out its neck." 47 whispered.
"Then I hit my mark. Can't take too many chances with their armor. Is it dead?" Michael asked.
"Yes. You ripped its head from its shoulders you hit on the left side of the neck." 47 whispered.
"Got it. How far are you from the target room? It should be in the first door on your right." Michael asked.
"We're stacking on it right now. 47 is checking under the door to see what's inside." Tony whispered.
47 got low and angled a small mirror to see through a crack in between the door jam and the door.
"I'm seeing an Oceana as well as several Explorers. It looks like the Emperor is being held captive… but we can't know for sure. Oceana is in the center of the room… between us and the Emperor. The Explorers are scattered, with three of them surrounding the Emperor." 47 reported.
"Check the next room over. It shares a wall with the main room. If I take down the Oceana, they'll be expecting a frontal assault. If you attack from the other room, through the wall, you'll get the drop on them." Michael replied as he chambered another twenty millimeter round.
"Maybe we should leave a guy or two here. We have a few of the No.80 smokes from the British transport ship. We toss a couple of those in and confuse them, then bust through the wall." Tony suggested.
"You'll be relying heavily on 47 to tell where the enemy is. As far as I know, your equipment isn't as advanced as the Admiral's in terms of visual capability." Michael refuted.
"I'm okay with it. I can deal with any who get too close. If it keeps us safer by smoking up, then I'll take the risk." 47 spoke.
Michael sighed.
"Fine. But you had better make sure this goes off well. I won't be answering for the loss of men." Michael said. 47 and Tony silently designated two men to stand by the door of the main room with a pair of smoke grenades each. The rest of the men followed 47 and Tony to the adjacent room where, after checking the door, they found it full of crates and supplies. 47 focused on the room only to feel several presences.
"There's people in here…" 47 whispered.
Tony slowly cocked his sidearm.
"Hostile?" Tony asked.
"They're… human. No sirens in this space." 47 spoke as Tony opened the door and entered the room. 47 followed as the other men stacked up outside. 47 heard a muffled sound and whipped around to see a woman and several men tied up behind a crate. The woman and one of the men were tied together while the other men were tied together separately.
47 slowly advanced towards them, noticing that they were all blindfolded as well.
She took a look at the man and woman and gasped quietly.
"Michael. We have a problem." 47 whispered.
"What is it?" Michael asked.
"We have hostages… the Emperor isn't in the main room. He's tied up here in front of me. I assume the woman is his wife, and the men behind them are the aides… they've put an imposter on the throne." 47 whispered as Tony came over to confirm.
"She ain't lying… I'd recognize that face anywhere. Posters plastered everywhere back home. They're roughed up pretty bad. Looks like they tried to hold out." Tony spoke.
Michael thought for a moment.
"Can you get them out quietly?" Michael asked.
"We can carry them… untying them could make more noise." Tony reasoned.
"Then let's get them out. I'll have Eugen and Friedrich level the palace. You have five minutes." Michael said as he cut the line.
Tony looked at 47.
"Tell them we're getting them out and we'll have them untied soon." Tony said.
47 nodded as she knelt down next to Emperor Hirohito.
"Your majesty… please remain quiet. We're here to get you and these other people out. Please try not to resist, we have no interest in hurting you." 47 spoke quietly. The Emperor, clearly shaken, nodded nonetheless.
The Emperor whispered to 47, drawing Tony's attention.
"What is he saying?" Tony asked.
"They've been here for three weeks. Very little food and water. He tried to reason with them, but when he wouldn't order the military to help, they replaced him with one of their own, meaning an Explorer meant to take his image." 47 spoke.
"He can spill the beans later. We need to go. We've only got five minutes to get them out." Tony said as he and his men cut some of the ropes tying the royal procession together and set about carrying them out into the hall.
As Tony passed the men by the first door, he whispered to them.
"When we reach the end of the hall, toss in a smoke and a frag each. Then run like hell." Tony whispered. The men nodded and prepared as Tony, 47 and their men swiftly carried the royals down the hall to the staircase.
As instructed, the two men tossed their grenades and booked it just as the yelling and plasma fire started, only to be interrupted by the dual explosions of the frag grenades.
With the option for stealth now gone, Tony and the black death bolted as fast as they could, getting clear of the imperial palace and into Michael's line of sight. With none of the guards coming up towards the palace, Michael relayed a message.
"Eugen, Friedrich, light this complex up. Scorched Earth." Michael ordered. Not a moment later, the distant sounds of sequential cannon fire was heard. Tony and the black death had just barely managed to get out of the courtyard and into the trees as the first shells landed, sending chunks of rock in every direction. Michael folded his map and set it alight before shouldering his weapon and heading down the path he had taken to reach this summit. As he descended, one of Friedrich's high explosive shells hit the main structure of the Palace and detonated just after penetration, sending the second floor components flying outward, decimating whatever was inside, including the Oceana and Explorers.
Minutes later, Michael regrouped with Tony and the others as they were untying the Emperor and his followers.
"Can they run?" Michael asked.
"We'll have to carry the wife. The rest should be okay. Do we have an exfiltration plan?" Tony asked.
Michael nodded.
"Eugen is anchored as close to our infiltration point as she can be without grounding herself. She's lowered one of her motorized lifeboats and is piloting it to our infill site. It'll be ready when we get there. But we need to move. If they get into the woods, they'll begin searching for us." Michael said as they all took off towards Tokyo bay.
Yamato boarded the Shimakaze once more. Shimakaze had refused to go inside despite the developing weather system outside of Yokosuka. As Yamato walked to her, carrying an umbrella, she saw Shimakaze sitting exposed on her forward turret, eyes locked forward like a prisoner heading for execution.
With a sigh, Yamato put a smile on her face and sat down next to Shimakaze, making sure to share the space under the umbrella with her.
"Why have you not gone inside? Surely you would be better off on your bridge where it isn't wet." Yamato suggested.
"Wet or dry… I face death all the same. That man is surely dead. And I have attacked ships belonging to an Admiral who has conquered the entire south pacific. I am surely going to die. So I shall do so in whichever way I deem appropriate… a choice I did not have when I was painfully forced into combat." Shimakaze spoke solemnly.
This angered Yamato.
Shimakaze did not have time to react as Yamato backhanded the destroyer, sending her reeling off the turret top and down onto the main deck.
"Do not think I don't understand your plight. I did not have a choice when I was used for the purpose of pleasing a man against my will. My sister would have met death if I refused. I made a decision too. One I did not want to make. One that pained my soul more than my body. He was the one to bring pain to my body. But I too fired upon a ship commanded by that man. I too fought, because my life and my sister's life was in danger. But here I am. I did not die. I wished to die, but that man insisted that I live… for the sake of my sisters. To this day, those thoughts remain. The pain of those regretful nights will haunt me forever. But to hear you so willingly accept death as a sure thing… when you were forced to make a choice similar to mine… you have angered me, Shimakaze. You have not been ordered to die. You have not been slated for death. And I refuse to allow you to die so shamefully. Now you will stand and you will walk inside to rest. Or I will drag you there myself. I do not wish to impose myself more than I have, but your actions have made that impossible. Stand on your feet and move." Yamato ordered as she stepped down in front of Shimakaze, who was still clutching her cheek.
Shimakaze hesitated long enough to anger Yamato more. The battleship then walked over and yanked Shimakaze off the deck and pulled her arm, forcing the destroyer to walk behind her as Yamato led Shimakaze into the superstructure of the destroyer.
Opening the door to the Captain's quarters, Yamato practically tossed the destroyer inside before closing the door behind her. Shaking off the umbrella, Yamato opened the door to the bathroom and turned on the shower.
"I will be waiting here for you to finish cleaning yourself." Yamato spoke as she sat at the desk across the room from the bed.
Shimakaze, unwilling to refuse at this point, did as prompted and closed the bathroom door behind her.
Yamato sighed.
"Perhaps I was too forceful? Perhaps that was her way of taking back control?" Yamato muttered to herself.
With another sigh, Yamato took off her kimono, revealing a modest suite of undergarments.
Minutes later, Shimakaze emerged in a white top and pair of underwear. Seeing Yamato in a state of undress as well, the destroyer spoke up.
"Why have you removed your kimono, Lady Yamato?" Shimakaze asked. Yamato looked over to see a red mark on Shimakaze's cheek from where she had hit the destroyer.
"It was rather wet… so much so it was becoming uncomfortable. Despite the umbrella, we are in the midst of a coastal storm. And rather than running all the way back to my vessel, I felt the need to keep my eyes on you. With that said and done, I shall remove myself so you may rest." Yamato said as she stood and grabbed her kimono before heading to the door.
Shimakaze fidgeted for a bit before speaking.
"Y-you don't have to go… I… haven't been sleeping well. Even before the incident… I refused to sleep… to let them take control. Back during the war… for the short time I knew Shinano… your sister. She would let me sleep on her tails… I remember those nights as the best sleep I have had." Shimakaze said, seemingly embarrassed to outright say what she wanted.
Yamato was visibly stoic, but inside she smiled.
"If it helps you to rest… that I shall allow such a request." Yamato spoke flatly as she hung her kimono once more. She sat on the edge of the bed and unfurled her tails to cover the mattress. Shimakaze gingerly climbed into bed and curled up under Yamato's tails. Within minutes, the destroyer was deeply asleep, the result of many sleepless nights.
Yamato smiled as she laid down beside the destroyer.
"I'm not as soft as my sister… but I hope I will suffice." Yamato whispered as she rubbed the mark on Shimakaze's cheek. She too allowed herself to fall asleep, lulled by the rocking of the waves.
"This is the first time you haven't dragged me to my quarters, Taihou. Are you alright?" Stefan asked.
"I would, but I have not been feeling well as of late. And rather than burden you with my care, I have decided to let you rest. Besides, we are on a task given directly by the Admiral. It would be uncouth to remain locked in the bedroom for the entirety of the trip." The carrier replied.
"Not feeling well? Are you sure you haven't… you know…" Stefan asked.
"Gotten pregnant like Shinano and Kashino? Not possible. Even with Otto and the Admiral's theories, no dates coincide with the nights we have made love. If the theories are to be believed, we have a month before one of the dates… which would be my commissioning. I have just been feeling a bit unwell." Taihou explained.
"I see. Well, I shall petition the Admiral to get me some foodstuffs to make some food from my home country. Perhaps something other than rations may do you well." Stefan suggested.
Taihou smiled.
"Even though I did not wish to inconvenience you… thank you, dear." Taihou said as she walked over to sit with Stefan.