"Kommandant. We need to remove your vest. You are bleeding from your side and back." Odin said as Friedrich laid him on the deck of her ship.
"You, Z23. What happened back there." Odin asked.
"Kommandant and I along with four men from the rescued Sakura destroyer, Yukikaze, broke off from the first fleet to recon this city ahead of the main fleet's landing. Eagle described it as too quiet so the Kommandant ordered a small recon team. We entered the city to find ruined buildings, corpses, and general mayhem and destruction caused by Mikasa, a pre-dreadnaught battleship from the Sakura Empire." Nimi said.
"We gathered that from the fact that Taka was the one who flagged us down. What happened during the fight?" Odin asked, clearly not in the mood for a long winded explaination.
"Well... Kommandant ordered us to all fire on Mikasa from all angles but when that didn't work, she shot up into the building the Kommandant was taking cover in. It was four solid hits and from the time he left the window, he couldn't have been more than two maybe three feet away from the detonation sites." Nimi said.
"And his ability to continue fighting after sustaining such egregious damage?" Odin asked as Friedrich and Mainz both worked hastily to remove Isaac's blood-soaked flak vest.
"Well, that I'm not sure, but I would have to chalk it up to his adrenaline and his uncanny ability to continue fighting as long as it is for the sake of others. I could tell he was injured but I felt that the moment I told him, he would have collapsed and we would have been killed. His ruse was the only thing that kept us alive until you three arrived." Nimi said.
"I see. You do realize that he could be out for quite a while with blood loss and injuries like this, right?" Odin asked.
"It's... just a flesh... wound." Isaac managed to say as his mind fought through the pain and clung to consciousness.
"Kommandant. Can you give me any information regarding this incident?" Odin asked.
"Nimi summed it up pretty well. I think that the only thing I would add is that Mikasa wasn't purely trying to kill us. She was playing with us. She realized that we couldn't hurt her and decided to destroy our equipment before attempting to kill us." Isaac said as Friedrich rolled him on his good side.
"This is not going to feel good, Kommandant." Friedrich said as she began pulling the bigger pieces of shrapnel from Isaac's side and back.
"This...is nothing. I've been... through worse." Isaac said as Friedrich smiled.
"Such bold words, Kommandant. It's no wonder my child has a ring on her finger. If you keep doing brave things, You'll have a harem in no time at all." Friedrich said.
"A harem...huh?" Isaac said as he looked at the small pile of metal shards laying in a pool of blood a few inches below his face.
"So now what? How do we stitch him up?!" Nimi asked, clearly panicked by the sight of so much blood.
"I have a medical bag onboard, my child. The Kommandant will be okay." Friedrich said in a soft motherly tone.
Friedrich opened her medical bag and pulled out a needle, thread and several rolls of bandages. After about 20 minutes of stitching and wrapping, Isaac was back in working order. All his wounds had been stitched closed. He managed to sit up without busting his stitches.
"Kommandant. If you need to be transported, allow my serpentine friend here to carry you. You are in no condition to move." Friedrich said.
"Then please take me to Mikasa." Isaac said, earning a confused look from everyone.
"Are you sure you want to see her so soon, Kommandant? She did just spend the past half hour trying to kill you." Odin spoke.
"She was under some sort of mind control. That black slime creature... it was somehow controlling her actions. She likely does not know what has transpired here since the 10th of August." Isaac said.
"That poor girl. To have caused so much wonton destruction and not be the slightest bit aware... will she be able to handle the truth of this reality?" Mainz asked as she sipped from her tin.
"Do you have any extra? I left my canteen back on the Eagle." Isaac said, earning a scowl from Mainz before Odin slapped her across the back of the head.
"If you have extra, pour the Kommandant a cup. He risked his life to save a comrade and the life of his aggressor. The least he deserves is a cup of coffee." Odin said in an annoyed tone.
"Fine. But he better find me some good coffee here. If we leave without coffee, I'm not going to be happy." Mainz said as she passed Isaac a mug. He sipped deeply.
"Ah. Such a good cup of coffee. I never thought I'd get to taste such a wonderful cup again." Isaac said as he laid back slowly on the head of the giant metal serpent.
As Friedrich escorted Isaac to Mikasa, the remainder of the first fleet pulled into port, with everyone quickly disembarking to search for their commander.
A crowd formed behind Isaac as he sat in front of Mikasa, who was staring at him apologetically.
"I...did all that?" Mikasa asked as she brought her shackled hands up to cover her mouth.
"Yes. The lives of every soul that lived here is on you. Hopefully you stayed here." Isaac said.
"That I did. I never received an order to invade the rest of the island. The sirens said this was a decent place for mining wisdom ore." Mikasa said.
"I see. More to send back to Akashi. Do you remember anything else?" Isaac asked.
"No... Other than the suffering I caused you before I was freed... I can't remember anything else past what I have told you." Mikasa said.
"I see. Do you plan on surrendering to my fleet?" Isaac asked.
"I want a way to make amends for the lives I took. If that means that I must act as a shield for your fleet, I will do my very best to be a worthy shield." Mikasa said.
"No. You don't get to choose to die in battle. Those innocent people did not get to decide their fate. So neither will you. I will make the call. As your commander, I am ordering you to join up with the First fleet and fight with us. You will help us fight your old masters and you will liberate the world from their grasp." Isaac said.
"Then if that is your command, I will join your fleet. I have a desire to destroy those sirens who imprisoned me. So I have no qualms with your judgement." Mikasa said as Odin released her from her shackles. Isaac tried to stand but a sharp pain shot through his side. Friedrich noticed his discomfort and gently helped him onto the head of his temporary wheelchair.
"Commander!" Eagle cried as she pushed her way to the front of the crowd.
"Eagle. Everyone. It's good to see you all again." Isaac said as he addressed his fleet. He maneuvered the serpent out onto the main deck where the three Ironblood girls stood next to him.
"Looks like we have more introductions. From left to right... We have Friedrich der Große, Ironblood Battleship. Next is Mainz, Ironblood Cruiser. After that is Odin, our new Tactician and Ironblood Battleship. And finally, we have Mikasa, Sakura battleship. Despite her previous... shortcomings. She is to be regarded as a member of this fleet. If I hear anyone treating her differently, you will answer to me." Isaac said in a stern tone.
"Now what do we do? There is nobody here to aid us, and this is purely a civilian port." Eagle asked as Fusou and Richelieu nod.
"Well, you have the bulins, no?" Isaac asked as Fusou nodded.
"They have been wandering my ship for the past few days. Why?" She asked.
"Level the port. leave the warehouses until I have had a chance to inspect them first. But the offices and miscellaneous buildings can go. I'll have the bulins construct some small repair buildings and workshops. If we're lucky, we may find something useful here." Isaac said.
"Would you like me to aid you in your search, Kommandant?" Friedrich asked.
"Please. Your rigging makes it easy to get around without pain. So I am sorry for the inconvenience." Isaac spoke apologetically.
"Mein Kommandant. It is not of any concern. I am happy to assist you in any way you could need." Friedrich said as she brushed one of her metal tipped fingers across his face.
"If you continue doing that, Nimi and Eagle could get jealous." Isaac said.
"So? If I want you... there is nobody alive who could stop me from having you." Friedrich said in a spine-chillingly cold voice.
"Oh my god... what have I gotten myself into." Isaac thought to himself.
"Well. Let us worry about that later. Shall we begin our search?" Isaac asked.
"Of course, Mein Kommandant." Friedrich said as they made their way to the first of three warehouses.