"Tester, we lost another one." Chaser said as she snapped her eyes open.
"Odd. I felt it too. Have we pinpointed why we keep losing them?" Tester asked.
"No. One second their there, the next second, it's like they just vanish from our network." Chaser said.
"I see. This is the second time this has happened, no?" Tester asked as she stared out at a field of rice, and the tens of humans working it under heavy guard from other natives.
"That would be correct. Although this time it was a battleship class. Their hardware should have made it that much harder for us to lose track of them unless they were destroyed completely." Chaser said.
"And you would know that how?" Tester asked.
"Because I was the one to suggest the designs to the Empress before she agreed to using them. I guess it was a long time ago though so it would only be natural if you forgot." Chaser said.
"Are you calling me old, pipsqueak?" Tester asked as her main batteries turned to face the cruiser class siren.
"Well, I'm not saying that, but you have been around ever since I opened my eyes. So, you're older than me at least." Chaser said as she barely managed to dodge a massive blast of plasma.
"Temper, temper." Chaser said as she wagged her finger.
"Why are you even here? Aren't you supposed to be guarding Australia?" Tester asked, clearly annoyed at the cruiser that continued to defy her.
"The Empress told me to come here. Lurker gave her report from Suva. She said that it is prudent that I back you up due to the sheer size and strength of that cockroach's fleet." Chaser said with a shrug.
"Then just go away. Your very existence is a bother." Tester said as she returned to overseeing the rice field.
By the time Isaac woke up the next morning, the Bulins had already tore apart just under half of the battleship sitting in the shallow part of the port.
"Do those girls just not sleep?" Isaac asked aloud as a familiar voice and feeling surrounded him.
"You could always ask them, Herr Isaac." Friedrich spoke as Odin walked to Isaac's side.
"It looks like we are almost done constructing the hull of this new ship. Next will come the weapon mounts and ammunition hoists." Odin said as she looked at the blueprints.
"Not quite. I would like to have some input since there is to be a repair and medical section of the ship." Vestal said as she came up to Isaac.
"I'll let you pitch in, but you must finish your duties for the day. Richelieu will not be the only one on dorm duty." Isaac said firmly.
"I understand that. I once again thank you for your leniency. But as I have plenty of repair and medical expertise, I would like to have some input. It just would not do if you had inadequate resources and tools." Vestal said as she turned to leave.
"When you get most of your work done for the day, get with the bulins working on that part of the ship and give them a hand with how you want this done. I will be commanding the ship as far as I know so it has to be usable by a human." Isaac said.
"Not just you, Commander." A familiar voice called.
"Alice?!" Isaac said as he and Odin both turned to look at a small handful of nurses.
"You act like you're surprised to see me, Commander." Alice said with a hand on her hip as the other nurses marveled in wonder at the massive fleet of ships that had made the port their home.
"I honestly didn't know if you were going to come. It wouldn't have been hard for you to transfer to another hospital on the island so I didn't know it you would take that chance." Isaac said as he gave her a chase hug before turning to Friedrich and Odin.
"As you two know, this is Alice, My nurse from the hospital here in Suva. From the looks of it, she brought the entire staff from the hospital to serve on the new ship." Isaac said as he pointed to the ship under construction.
"We shall find a place to set up until the ship is complete. After that, we will move in and begin doing our duties." Alice said as she turned to the other nurses and began giving orders.
"Looks like they have their own system down, so we shouldn't have to worry about them." Isaac said as he turned for the dorms.
"Where are you off to Kommandant?" Odin asked.
"I'm going to talk with St. Louis. I have some questions I would like to ask her." Isaac said as he opened the door to the dorms.
"I see. then I shall continue to watch the rest of them along with Friedrich." Odin said as she practically dragged Fredrich along with her.
"I'll have to definitely make it up to her tonight." Isaac thought to himself as he walked towards the Brooklyn class cruisers. St. Louis stood protectively over her sister.
"Don't worry. I'm here as a friend." Isaac said as he held his hands so she could see them.
"What do you want, Commander?" St. Louis said as she continued to stand between him and Phoenix.
"How is she?" Isaac asked.
"She's better. What do you want?" St. Louis repeated.
"I am just coming to talk to you, nothing more, is that okay?" Isaac asked.
"What about?" St. Louis asked, her constant questioning was beginning to get on his nerves.
"About why you are the way you are. You were nowhere near this irritable when we last met in Norfolk." Isaac demanded.
"We... met?" St. Louis asked.
"I did a short stint in the Norfolk shipyards, which just so happened to be around the time you were completing your shakedown runs. I saw you running joyfully up and down your decks and conversing happily with the dock workers. Hell, you even cast a smile my way before you left for Panama." Isaac said as she looked at him, stunned.
"I... I'm sorry... So much has happened between then and now. So I am no longer the happy woman you saw all those years ago, Commander." St. Louis said.
"That is plain as day. I just want to know what happened to that passionate smile and wonderful personality." Isaac said softly as he sat on an empty bunk. St. Louis sat across from him on the edge of Phoenix's bed.
"She's out, so I can tell the story I guess." St. Louis said as she began laying out everything that had happened to her in the Pacific theater. By the time she was done, the morning sun had lifted high into the light blue sky.
"I am so sorry, St. Louis. I truly am." Isaac said as he suddenly felt the happiness and feelings of content drain from his body.
"It wasn't your fault, Commander. I just did what I had to do to protect my sisters." St. Louis said.
"If he is still living as you say, he will not be welcome on this base or in this fleet. I will personally see to that." Isaac said.
"Please don't. He still holds that power... If he finds out I spoke... he might scrap them still." St. Louis said.
"Then we will find your sisters before he can touch them. And if we see him first... I will make sure he never gives that order." Isaac said, a new wave of fury washing through every cell in his body.
"Commander... please don't do anything on my behalf." St. Louis pleaded.
"Fine. But I will spread their names among the fleet. I can't personally control everyone." Isaac said with a stern look. A look of fear passed over St. Louis.
"Please don't, Commander. I just want this nightmare to be over." St. Louis said.
"St. Louis. I am a man. And as a man, I act like one. I do not condone the abuse of anyone in my fleet. And if he comes here and tries to do anything that goes against my command, I will string him up for treason. No ifs, ands, or buts." Isaac said.
"I... I understand, Commander. Please... just make sure he doesn't hurt my sisters." St. Louis said as she hung her head.
"St. Louis. Do you want to fight?" Isaac asked softly as he knelt to get eye level with her.
"I want to be useful, Sir." St. Louis said.
"Do you want to fight, or do you with to return to Niue with your sister? I could pull second fleet from Niue once you arrive if you don't wish to join us. Vestal I will ask to stay, however." Isaac said.
"Will... will you find my sisters?" St. Louis asked.
"I will. I promise. And when they are all with me, I will ensure you get to see them again." Isaac said.
"Then... I think I'd like to stay away from the front lines... as much as it hurts to say... I don't think I will be useful to you in any way until I am able to move past the painful memories." St. Louis said softly.
"Then as soon as you are able, I will send you and Phoenix to Niue to assist Akashi. I'm sure she will not mind the help." Isaac said.
"Thank you, Commander. I will be sure to join you in the future. It's just... right now... I can't. I cannot give you my all, not right now." St. Louis said softly.
"It's okay. After what happened to you, I do not blame you for wanting to take some time to heal your soul. I am not going to hold it against you, that I promise you." Isaac said as he bowed slightly. He was still burning with rage at the name he had been given. Vice Admiral Towers.
"I shall leave you be. You and your sister should continue to rest, Hawaii is a long way from here and you three didn't have the easiest journey." Isaac said as he turned to leave the room.
"Commander." St. Louis spoke up.
"Yes?" Isaac asked as he turned to face her, only to receive a hesitant but warm hug from St. Louis.
"Thank you. For listening to my tale... and giving me a choice." St. Louis said as she held him tight as she began to cry. Isaac slowly knelt to the floor to help keep her from collapsing.
"St. Louis. I am the commander, but I am also a shoulder to lean on and an ear to listen. Don't ever think that you or any of the other girls can't come and talk to me." Isaac said softly as he helped her up and led her to one of the bunks next to her sister.
By the time she hit the pillow, she had already fallen asleep.
"Have a good rest, St. Louis." Isaac said as he left the dorms.
"We need Pennsylvania before we can set off." Akagi said as she swung her legs off the end of her flight deck. a literal swarm of Zeros circled the island in her growing impatience.
"Just four more hours and she will be among us once again, you angry little fox." North Carolina said jokingly from the bridge of her battleship.
"Shut it, bunny girl. I still have half a mind to destroy you after our last mission." Akagi said.
"All I said was that if the Commander was really only seeing you, he wouldn't be sneaking into the Union dorms every other night." North Carolina said with a shrug.
"Shut up!" Akagi yelled as she send some of the Zeros at North Carolina, which her AA took care of in short order.
"Calm down, nyaa. Pennsylvania-san is almost done. So you all can head out shortly." Akashi yelled over the radio.
"Shut it, feline." Akagi said.
"Please don't talk to Akashi that way, Akagi. We all want to get to Fiji to assist Commander Garner. So please be patient." Helena said in her usual soft spoken tone.
"Ugh. Nearly two days I've been stuck here! I want to go!" Akagi yelled as the Zeros disappeared.
"Shortly, Miss Akagi. Please, enjoy some tea while we wait for our final Companion to come back to us." Belfast said as she jumped onto Akagi's flight deck.
"Fine, but only because your tea is second only to my sister's." Akagi said as she took a sip and immediately relaxed. Belfast looked out to the open sea.
"I too am eager to meet the new master." She said as the sun continued to burn high in the sky.
Hey everyone. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone who enjoys reading this story. As I will be with family tomorrow, the 25th, I will not be posting a chapter so this will be my Christmas present to you all. Once again, merry Christmas and I'll see you all again on the 25th.