Every day after work, I would visit Yorktown in the hospital, and we'd sit and talk until Vestal kicked me out to let her rest. Day after day, week after week, and month after month, I'd be by her side every free second I got. Hornet and Enterprise would stop by as well when they weren't on missions, as well as when I occasionally was off on mine.

No matter what was happening, she was never far from my mind, nor was my search for a way to heal her. But so far, everything we'd tried hadn't worked. It was doubly crushing each time. First in getting my own hopes up, only to have them dashed, second in having to go back to Yorktown and dashing hers by telling her I failed her. Again. Every time I came back with some new piece of intel on the Ashes, or METAmorphosis, or the Sirens, I would eagerly pass it along to Vestal in the vain hope that this time it would be the key to her recovery. And every time, it proved itself to be a futile effort.

Of course, things got worse once Operation Siren kicked off. I didn't know how long I'd be gone and I would be halfway around the world, to boot. To make matters worse, both Enterprise and Hornet had also been assigned to the operation, meaning Yorktown would be left in that hospital room, by herself, for God knows how long. To say I wasn't happy to bring her that news would be the understatement of the century.

She knew it wasn't good news as soon as I walked in. "That bad, huh?" she said, mustering up a faint smile for me.

I couldn't even fake a cheerful expression for her. I was just so tired, so defeated, and now to leave her like this…it was almost more than I could bear. "I'm afraid so," I sighed as I slumped into the chair next to her. "There's a big operation going on in the Atlantic, and Enterprise, Hornet, Northampton, and myself are all going."

"For how long?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "Probably months."

Her face fell, and she looked down at her bedsheets. "...I see."

My heart went out to her, and I took her hand in mine. "Hey. I'll write you every day, I promise. And I'll do everything I can to get back to you safe and sound. Your sisters, too. With a little luck, I'll be able to rotate them out, maybe get one of them back here for a bit."

"I could do with a little extra luck," Yorktown smiled sadly, and although it was meant to be a joking gesture, I still felt the stab in my heart.

"We all could," I quipped, giving her a tight smile I didn't feel.

Yorktown nodded, gazing into my eyes for a bit before she spoke up. "Max…could…could you do something for me?"

"Anything," I answered without hesitation.

She gingerly reached over to the other side of her bed and picked something up off the nightstand, pressing it gingerly into my hand. I looked down as she withdrew her hand, revealing a blue rose. The same blue rose she'd worn on her jacket. "I'd hoped to go with you to the Atlantic someday, to see London and Scapa Flow once more, but…if I can't be at your side, I'll at least be with you in spirit."

I wasted no time pinning it to my chest before I hugged her tightly. "I love you so much, Yorktown. One day, I promise. One day."

"I love you, too, Max," she softly replied, her lips brushing against my ear. "I'll hold you to that promise."

Operation Siren, much as I expected, ground on for several months as we slugged it out with the Sirens and their stronghold at the center of the Atlantic Ocean. I won't go into details here as Operation Siren and its aftermath have been the subject of numerous books by better authors than I. Suffice it to say, it was long, it was brutal, and in the end, we overcame the Sirens, securing a major win. I kept my word to Yorktown, writing to her every single day, along with group vid calls between her sisters and me when we were all available.

As soon as the operation ended, I sent Northampton and Hornet back to the Pacific, for much-needed rest and refit. Enterprise and I stayed behind to complete the final stages of Operation Siren, and the…incident…at Scapa Flow. While Enterprise's contributions to our victories cannot be understated, I sometimes still wonder how it would have played out had I sent Enterprise back to the Pacific instead…

"Mayday, mayday, this is Northampton calling any available Azur Lane ships! Urgent assistance is requested, we're under heavy fire!"

Enterprise and I were en route to the base, finally looking forward to some much-needed rest and refitting when the call came in over the radio. We both looked at each other, fear in our eyes, before we bolted for the bridge, the deck plates already vibrating as Enterprise's engines roared to flank speed.

I quickly snatched the microphone from the holotable and answered her call while Enterprise began to triangulate Northampton's signal. "Northampton, this is Enterprise, we're en route, calculating ETA now. What's your status?"

Her reply made my blood run cold. "I've sustained heavy damage, and Hornet's been knocked out of action. Sirens jumped us, we managed to fight them off, but Hornet got knocked out. I tried to tow her, but I can't do it. I'm sorry, Commander, I just…I just…" Her sobs filled the bridge, and I looked over at Enterprise as she rushed to plot our course. "I'm sorry, I can't get her to safety!"

"Hey, hey," I reassured her, nevertheless keeping some steel in my voice. "Don't worry about that right now. We're on our way and we'll help you out. In the meantime, you've got a duty to carry out: keep yourself and Hornet alive. Can you do that for me, Northampton?"

There was a momentary sniffle as she got herself under control. "Aye, sir."

"Good, we'll be there in…" I glanced over at Enterprise, who had just finished crunching the numbers. "Thirty minutes. We'll have air support overhead in fifteen. Just keep doing what you've gotta do to keep yourselves afloat, okay?"

"Yes, sir," Even through the static, I could tell she'd calmed down a bit more. "I'll do what I can."

"See you soon." As soon as the communication cut off, I turned to Enterprise and said, "I'll go prep the infirmary for their arrival."

"I'll let Vestal know we're going to be coming in with casualties." There was a pause, and I could almost hear the unspoken word. Again.

"Thanks."

I turned on my heel and made my way through the narrow corridors and steep ladders until I found the infirmary, right where I left it. I stepped inside, closed the door behind me…and let out a howl of grief and rage that echoed off the walls. First Yorktown, now Hornet and Northampton? It felt as though the Sirens were intentionally tearing this family apart, bit by bit. They were done trying to kill me directly and they instead decided to take out my support one at a time. And it was working.

Despite our recent successes, I never felt more defeated. I felt tired, frustrated, and helpless as I watched the people I cared about most go through an unbearable amount of pain. Sometimes I wished I could stoically soldier on like Enterprise, followed quickly by the question of whether she was actually managing to ignore the pain, or simply hiding it like I had been.

I took a deep breath and looked around the infirmary. Despite the anger and despair swirling around inside me, it wouldn't do anyone any good if we arrived on station and this place wasn't ready for Northampton and Hornet. With one last sigh, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work…

"Well, the good news is that it's just regular battle damage and we'll be able to get them fully repaired," Vestal said with a relieved sigh. "The bad news is that it'll take a few months."

I let out a sigh of my own as I leaned back against the wall. "I'm not happy about it, but at this point, I'll take what I can get. How's Yorktown?"

Her face fell and her eyes nervously darted from side to side. I felt an icy hand wrap itself around my heart as I realized there was more bad news to come.

"About that…" she began slowly as she set picked up Yorktown's chart. "There's been no change thus far…and that's becoming a problem."

"I don't understand, I thought you said she was stable."

"And she is," Vestal agreed. "But stable is good for the short term, not long term. While she isn't getting any worse, her rigging is trying to work around the damaged sections, or just not working at all in some areas. It means that she's still having to put in a lot of effort just to go about her daily routine, and it's beginning to take a toll on her Wisdom Cube."

She stared up at me, her eyes full of sympathy and pain, waiting for me to make the horrible realization myself. "...wait. Are you…?" My throat began to close up as if my body itself didn't want to face the reality of what was happening. "Are you saying she's dying?"

Vestal's answer was blunt. "If we don't find a way to repair her rigging, yes."

I wasn't ready for this. Not that you're ever truly ready to lose someone you love, but the timing of this seemed especially cruel. "How long does she have?"

"I don't know," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry. I wish I had better news. But all I know is that at some point, and soon, her Wisdom Cube is going to start to deteriorate. Slowly, at first, and then it's just going to pick up speed until she's gone."

I couldn't accept this, I just couldn't. "And there's nothing we can do?"

Her lips pursed tightly as she glanced down at her monitor. After a second of soul-searching, she nodded. "We have one option. We can put her into a coma. It won't halt the degradation completely, but it will give us years instead of months, maybe even a decade."

"How long would it take?"

"A few minutes. But I would need her explicit consent beforehand."

"What about Lexington?"

"The Microlayer didn't cover as much of her rigging, so she'll be able to hold out for a lot longer, even without being put into a coma."

I nodded slowly. "I'll go talk to Yorktown. While I'm doing that, can you find Enterprise and bring her here for me? And…let her know what's going on."

She eyed me warily, probably unsure about my mental state. And I couldn't blame her. I knew I was already on a knife's edge, and I'm sure it showed in my face. After a few long seconds, she nodded. "I'll go get her."

"Thank you," I said softly before I headed down to Yorktown's room. As soon as I entered, she turned to face me.

"Is Hornet alright?" She asked without preamble, her expression one of grave concern.

Even at death's door, her first thought was of others. I smiled softly at her selflessness and sat beside her, taking her hand in mine. "She'll be fine," I assured her. "No Microlayer particles, no permanent damage. She'll be laid up for a while, but Vestal will get her back on her feet, don't worry." I paused for a moment, terrified to take the next step. I couldn't bear losing Yorktown, but…this didn't feel much better. Still, she had a right to know and a right to choose. "Speaking of Vestal…she gave me an update on your condition…"

"Judging by your tone, it isn't good news, is it?" she said, that faint, sad smile on her face.

"If we don't find a way to repair the damage, you're going to die," I choked out, trying to fight the tears that were building. "She doesn't know how long you have, but sometime soon, your condition is just going to get worse and you'll…you'll…" I couldn't bear to say the words again.

Yorktown stared at me for a long time, that smile fading away into a look of grave concern. "Is there nothing we can do?"

I nodded, still trying to tamp down my emotions so I could get a sentence out without sobbing. "She can put you into a coma. It'll slow down the degradation long enough for you to last years."

Her blue eyes widened. "Do you think it could take years to find a cure?"

"At this point, I just…I don't know," I admitted, utterly exhausted. "I promise you I'll never stop looking, I'll never give up hope, but…I don't know how long this will take. We've been looking for months now with nothing to show for it. Something could fall into my lap tomorrow, or we could crack this open in a week, or a month, or a year. Either choice you make, my heart will break knowing you're not here with me, but…I would rather spend a year without you to get you back, than squander that time now, only to have an answer come when it's far too late."

Yorktown leaned back in the bed, staring off into the distance for a long time as she thought things over. "I need to talk to Enterprise before I make any decision," she finally said.

I gave her a tight smile as I reassuringly squeezed her hand. "She's on her way."

No sooner had those words left my mouth than Enterprise rushed into the room, Vestal following behind her. "Vestal's brought me up to speed," she stated, trying to remain stoic, but there was no hiding the worry and pain in her voice. "Has he…?"

Yorktown smiled at her sister's concern, reaching out to her with her free hand. "He's told me. About how much time I have left, and my options. But I want to hear your opinion, Enterprise."

A quiet gasp escaped Enterprise's lips as she balked momentarily. "I…I…I don't know. I don't want to see you slip away from us again." She paused, looking around at the rest of us before turning her gaze back to her sister. "What do you want to do?"

"I want to be out of this hospital bed," Yorktown answered with a grim smile. "But I don't want to feel as though I've abandoned you and left this terrible weight on your shoulders."

"It'll only be for a little while," her sister smiled softly. "Max and I will hold down the fort while you're sleeping."

My beloved carrier considered this for a moment before she nodded and looked to Vestal. "I'll do it. How long will it take to get ready?"

"Not long," Vestal said softly. "I just need to get the drugs to do it. Should give you time to…say your goodbyes." With that, she turned and left, leaving just the three of us.

"I'm-" My words caught in my throat as the tears began to roll down my cheeks. "I'm going to miss you. So much."

"It'll only be a little while," Yorktown said with a wisp of a smile, repeating Enterprise's words. "I'll keep you in my dreams."

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you, too. Come here." She pulled me forward and guided me to her for one, last gentle kiss. When we parted, she turned her attention to Enterprise. "Take good care of Grim for me, will you? And I'll want to hear all about your victories when wake up."

The younger sister, barely able to keep the tears from her eyes herself, nodded. "He's in good hands, I promise."

Vestal returned, syringe in hand as she looked around at all of us. "Are you ready?"

Yorktown nodded, still smiling despite the dark mood that had settled over the room. "Yes."

The repair ship nodded solemnly, walked over to Yorktown's IV drip, inserted the needle, and began the injection. "You'll feel very sleepy in a few moments, and the next thing you know, you'll be waking up."

"Hope it'll be soon…" the carrier murmured as her eyelids fluttered, trying to stay awake as long as possible. Her eyes locked on mine as she said, "See you in a bit, honey…"

And with that, her eyes closed and she slipped into her coma. For a long moment, nobody said anything, nobody did anything. I held onto her hand, even as Vestal, then Enterprise, left. Even as night fell and the hour grew late, I held on. I thought back to that night of the party when she got drunk and held my hand the entire night as she dozed off in a drunken stupor. She never let go of my hand. Not once. Now, her hand was limp in mine and part of me felt as though I'd lost her. But I couldn't help her by simply holding onto her hand and magically wishing her to get better.

With a heavy sigh, I let her go, stood up, and headed for my painfully empty apartment. I had a lot of work to do.

And work I did. I used the relative calm following Compiler's destruction to search far and wide. I went to the World Expo, saw what the other factions had to offer, and I even used back channels to swap information with Bismarck and the Iron Blood. All came up empty. I was beginning to lose all hope. That's when Memphis approached me with an offer.

I was at my desk, filing the usual mountain of reports when she poked her head in, knocking on the doorframe as she did so. "Got a minute, Commander?"

"Sure," I sighed as I put down my pen and gave her my full attention. "What's on your mind?"

Memphis peered around the room before she shut and locked the door behind her. I raised an eyebrow at her but decided to see how this would play out. "It's about the Sea of Stars. We're experimenting with some new technology, and you've been invited to help test it."

That certainly piqued my curiosity. "Invited? By who?"

"TB, actually," she sheepishly admitted. "She said you would be the perfect candidate due to your high Wisdom Cube resonance."

My eyebrow arched even higher. "So what is this glorious new tech I would be testing out for you."

"It's called the Reality Lens," she began as she tried to explain. "Ahem... You could kind of compare it to lucid dreaming, I guess. First, it reads your brainwaves and analyzes what you're imagining in the form of data. Then, it feeds it back to you in a kind of lucid dream."

"Sounds neat," I remarked, "but what's the end goal? I'm not averse to some kind of super-VR experience, but I don't see how this factors into Wisdom Cubes or why it would warrant dragging me away from my command."

"Because Wisdom Cubes are tied into the thoughts and feelings of humans, the Reality Lens is a way to sort of…deep dive into a Wisdom Cube with the hopes of correcting any aberration or defect."

That immediately got my attention. This could be the answer I'd been searching for. The way to save Yorktown. "Alright, I'm in," I blurted out as I got to my feet. "Tell Saratoga she's in charge while I'm gone. I'll be done packing and meet you at the docks in one hour."

Before she could stammer out a reply, I was already out the door. I thought I would find a way to cure Yorktown. But what was waiting for me was something I could never have imagined…

A/N-In the darkening depths of despair, a faint hope glimmers... Until next time, fair winds and following seas!