Zero led Isaac and Taka through an actively burning warehouse to a set of concrete stairs that seemed to lead down into an old escape tunnel.
"Which blueprints did you say were here?" Isaac asked.
"Prototype Cruiser Ibuki and Prototype battleship design Izumo. Hakuryuu is in Yokosuka, but I wouldn't recommend having your rescue team attempt to retrieve it. I placed Hakuryuu under much tighter sentry security. And without me there, anyone entering that area will be shredded. We will get to her, but for now, focus on what is in front of you. Do exactly as I say, and you won't have to rely on your armor to get us out of this place." Zero spoke.
"You're sounding like the Zero that almost ate a bullet. I wholeheartedly believe you have no intention of doing anything to endanger us." Isaac retorted.
"No, sir. But I wish to say that these blueprints contain power that can easily stand against the arbiters. Hence the security on them is extremely high. That is why my warning sounds so dire." Zero spoke as Isaac and company reached a vault-like door. Noticing it was open, Isaac and Taka both reached for their weapons.
"I detect no signs of life inside the vault. All sensors are reading negative aside for the ones we are currently tripping." Zero spoke flatly.
"This thing isn't rigged to explode, is it?" Isaac asked.
"No." Zero spoke as Taka made the unfortunate decision to pull the vault door open further. The stench was unbearable.
"Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, what the hell is that smell?!" Isaac exclaimed as he and Taka both physically recoiled from the smell emanating from the bunker.
"Security countermeasures have been activated… three times since my departure. The longest activation was… five minutes of sustained fire. By my estimates, there are no less than thirty corpses in this front room." Zero explained as Isaac donned his helmet.
"Taka, stand guard a bit back from here. Call for some of the girls if we can spare the manpower. I'll go retrieve the blueprints since the helmet can filter out foreign entities." Isaac spoke.
"I do not envy your position, Admiral." Taka said as he walked back down the corridor and away from the visceral menagerie.
"The less people who enter, the better. Especially those who do not understand the Sirens. Be prepared, this will be quite the shock to the system." Zero warned.
"As if you guys could hit me with anything worse than you already have. I've already had to learn things that are apparently almost a century in the future on account of Yume and Elizabeth. Nothing you do will surprise me." Isaac spoke boldly.
"We'll see about that." Zero spoke as the two of them stepped over a small mountain of mutilated rotting corpses and into the bunker proper.
Vengeance stood on the bridge of her vessel, watching from the middle of the fleet as the fighting slowly dwindled. Fewer shells flying through the air. More planes returning to flight decks than departing. A general sense of calm had befallen the battlefield that was the Kure Naval Arsenal.
Vengeance sighed.
"I hope Russia has more for me to do. I've barely done anything so far." Vengeance grumbled.
"Don't sweat stuff like that. A lot of us are just here for support… man… it feels weird saying that to someone like you." A voice spoke as Vengeance whipped around to see Omaha standing on the bridge with her.
"When did you get onboard? How did you get so close to me without me noticing?" Vengeance demanded.
"Sounds more like a you problem… but honestly, you'd been quiet for most of the assault, so I figured I'd come check on you. My husband has quite the soft spot for you in terms of who he spends time with." Omaha reasoned.
Vengeance sighed.
"I… I'm sorry." Vengeance struggled.
"For what?" Omaha asked, shocked by the sudden apology.
"Zero, Norfolk, and I have introduced him to a world far beyond his understanding. He spends time with us to get to understand the things he cannot comprehend. And in turn it takes time away from you and those he has pledged his life to." Vengeance spoke, the words feeling foreign in her mouth as she struggled to keep composed.
"That's understandable. We all have our place. And like most of us who have rings, we will go to him if we find something unsatisfactory. I am okay with things as they are. And ultimately, I think everyone else is too. In the end, it seems like we all just want to rest. And in order to do so, some things take a back seat." Omaha replied sagely.
"A cruiser wise for her years… doesn't it bother you that he spends more time with the foxes of the Yamato class than he does with you or Eagle or Z-23? It's as if he gets distracted by the newest thing and forgets." Vengeance spoke.
"If that were the case, he would reject us when we go to him. But he doesn't. In fact… he is usually apologetic to an unhealthy degree. He has a lot on his plate. It can't be easy running a one man show when the fate of the world hangs on your success. If we became too selfish, it could lead to disaster. Friedrich and Roon are good examples. We deal with problems in our own way… we don't need to be stuck to him like glue. We are still independent in our actions, we just have a little more to fight for I guess." Omaha retorted.
Vengeance pondered.
"I guess when you look at it that way, it makes sense. To promise himself available to you when desired, but also independent enough to utilize that bond to fight harder so that the good times come. Is he some kind of genius?" Vengeance wondered aloud.
Omaha chuckled.
"Him? No way. Man is as dense as a box of rocks, and that's offensive to the rocks. You're reading way too deep into this. These rings… they are a promise… from him to us. He will be there for everyone, always. But when one of us… those with his rings… needs him, he will delegate his work to be sure he will be the one tending to us. He is our Admiral… but he is my husband. Does that make sense?" Omaha asked.
Vengeance chuckled.
"I like my definition better. But if you boil it down, you're right. I just hope he makes time for you all when this war is over." Vengeance said.
"He will. Friedrich already said she'd force him to retire once we retake America." Omaha said with a smile.
Vengeance was about to reply when something pinged on her long range radar.
"Yamato has returned. Please alert Odin and Norfolk." Vengeance said as Omaha nodded.
"You should come out of this hulk every now and again. Might get you some color on your pale skin… get to know the people you fight alongside." Omaha said as she left the bridge.
Vengeance sulked for a moment, but slowly began to smile.
"Maybe I should. Maybe I should." Vengeance whispered as she stepped off her bridge and out onto the flight deck of her vessel.