"First, Second, and Third fleets. I want you to mobilize towards Niue under the guidance of Navigator and Smasher. I want that base eradicated so that cockroach can no longer have a place to call home. I want him to know that there is no way he can win." Observer Zero said as the Cruiser and Battleship class Siren elites took their place at the head of the three drone fleets.
"Are you sure you want to attack such a target? Any ships that have went there have been lost." Smasher said over her radio as the fleets made their way through the fog. Bombs and torpedoes went off around them, but Observer had planned for this by increasing the strength of the drone fleet's shields.
"Alphy said that most of his ships are with him on his way to New Guinea. Niue should be rather lightly defended." Observer Zero said.
"Understood, Observer. We shall not fail." Smasher said as she and Navigator broke through the fog along with over 80 percent of the drone force.
"No, that can't be right." Norfolk said as she looked at her index.
"Commander. Come in." Norfolk said over the radio.
"What is it, Norfolk?" Isaac asked as he moved from crewmate to crewmate.
"You need to return to the Norfolk Immediately. There is something going on that I cannot comprehend." Norfolk said.
"Understood. I'll need a ride." Isaac said as he looked down off the side of the ship, seeing a small yellow rubber raft with a bulin inside.
"I have already sent one for you, Commander. Please hurry. This may be something very bad." Norfolk said.
"Why are our repair craft yellow?" Isaac asked as he climbed down a rope ladder into the raft.
"The bulins expressed a strange affection for... ducks." Norfolk said in a tone where Isaac could almost hear the facepalm.
"So we now have a raft of ducks for our repair fleet?" Isaac asked as he too held his head in his hands.
"It would appear so, Commander. Vestal has been instrumental in helping them achieve this dream. She had appointed herself as their leader, despite not residing on the Norfolk." Norfolk said.
"I see. Well, I am on the boat and we are headed back now. How did you build this engine?" Isaac asked.
"We actually found them shortly before we left Fiji. I decided to make use of them for the Bulins." Norfolk said.
"I see. Well, I guess as long as they are effective, we can use it." Isaac said, not exactly thrilled to have his repair teams consisting of ducks.
"We are getting off track." Norfolk said as Isaac stepped aboard the Norfolk.
"What is going on that I was brought back here?" Isaac asked.
"Navigator, Smasher, and Observer Zero have all increased their energy output by a substantial amount. Considering the loss of their spy on Niue... I assume you can connect the two." Norfolk said as she showed Isaac the screen through his helmet.
"They're moving to attack Niue. And all we have there is Akashi. We need to get in contact with her, now." Isaac said urgently.
"I tried, Commander. The spies onboard that transport seem to have placed a jammer somewhere within the ship. I cannot contact anyone outside the fleet." Norfolk said.
"We can't sink that ship, we need ground forces." Isaac said as he pulled his helmet off.
"Commander. You have the decision to make. What do we do?" Norfolk asked.
"Can you do any calculations, using Odin's tactical data?" Isaac asked.
"I already have. If we sink the transport, we have a 30% chance to take our port in New Guinea without destruction of vital resources, but we save Akashi. If we leave the transport alone and fail to find the device, there is no chance we can save Akashi, or the island." Norfolk said.
"Damn it. These spies have hit us hard. Any chance that the spies are jamming our transmissions without a device? If we eliminate the threat, will we be able to get through to Akashi?" Isaac asked.
"No. Usually I can scramble my frequency fast enough to stay ahead of their jammers. But this is a hardwired device, connected directly to the radio that my encryption affects. I cannot outrun that, Commander." Norfolk said sadly.
"Shit." Isaac said as he put his helmet back on.
"Odin. Come in." Isaac spoke.
"Ja, Kommandant?" Odin asked.
"How is the search coming?" Isaac asked.
"Not too good, Kommandant. Nobody has come up on Norfolk's scans, and I'm only 50 members in. Friedrich has already dispatched one, but according to Norfolk, there are two more." Odin said.
"Okay. Let Friedrich find them. She can hold her own against them. I need you to search that vessel, now. There is a jammer somewhere aboard that vessel that is keeping Norfolk from attempting long range transmission." Isaac said.
"Understood, may I be briefed as well?" Odin asked.
"Observer is sending her Lackies to attack Niue. We need to send an evacuation order to Akashi. From the readings, Observer has given an eradication order." Isaac said.
"Verdammt! I will find it on the double, Kommandant. Keep trying to reach her, I will also order Intrepid to launch a fighter to attempt to get there if we fail." Odin said as she cut the line.
"Damn it!" Isaac said as he slammed his fist on the table.
"Commander. Pull it together, we can't let emotions cloud our judgement here." Norfolk said as she turned towards the head of the fleet.
"I have a feeling that wasn't the only thing." Isaac said as he looked out the window, seeing a cloud of aircraft heading straight for the fleet.
"The carriers have been updating me by the minute. We are now within 50 miles of Lurker's fleet." Norfolk said as she turned to Isaac.
"Son of a bitch. We just can't catch a break, can we?" Isaac said as he addressed the fleet.
"All hands, prepare for combat. Captains, you have control of your respective ships." Isaac said as the radio remained silent. He looked around and saw the guns of the fleet turning to the sky, tracking the incoming aircraft.
"Taka, have you had anyone working the radio room?" Odin asked as she made her way onto the bridge.
"No. That room has been locked to everyone besides Fu and Kido." Taka said.
"I know for a fact that you four are not spies, so is there any way you could have lost your key? Any way someone could have tampered with the radio in some manner?" Odin asked.
"Not that we know of, lady Odin. Is there another issue?" Taka asked.
"Niue is now under an Eradication order by the sirens. We need to get rid of the jammer that someone has put on our radio system so Norfolk can contact the green cat." Odin said.
"I will accompany you. I have a key. You three, check the mast and antenna's. I want this ship torn apart until we find that device." Taka ordered as the other three men scrambled to begin their task.
"Let's go, then." Odin said as she and Taka made their way down from the bridge and into the bowels of the ship as the sound of AA fire began to fill the air.
"Tch. Another one lost. I guess we should put an end to their little ground force now." Alpha said as she turned to a computer. her tendrils began tapping away at several screens, giving commands to the last two spies onboard Isaac's transport ship.
"Friedrich, come in!" Norfolk said urgently.
"Ja, what is it?" Friedrich asked.
"Two energy signatures are quickly making their way away from you and towards the engine room of the transport ship. They have activated their rigging and are going to destroy the engine and fuel system!" Norfolk said as Friedrich scanned the crowd in front of her, seeing two figures clad in black and blue heading down further into the ship.
"Ah. There they are." Friedrich said as she forced everyone back.
"Clear the area. If you wish not to die, then make your way above deck, now." Friedrich said as the men scrambled past her and towards top deck.
"Good. Now, my friends, let's make a shortcut." Friedrich said as her two iron serpents tore their way through the floor to drop her onto the deck below, putting her slightly behind the two spies. She hit the ground running and chased them towards the engine room.
"They must be destroyer class sirens then. They are definitely fast for their size." Friedrich said as she looked around before commanding her serpents to tear through another layer of the deck to drop her directly into the engine room.
"I will apologize to those cute little bulins later." Friedrich said as she stood imposingly in front of door to the engine room, seeing the two sirens round the corner at the end of the corridor. Her dark dress kept her hidden until they were almost on top of her.
"I found you." Friedrich said in a sadistic tone as the two sirens now stared down an angry demonic battleship.
"Ha. Give it up, battleboat. You're outnumbered. You can't effectively use your rigging in these tight spaces without risking the integrity of the ship. We win." One of the Explorers said as she fired her plasma weapons at Friedrich, who made no attempt to block the attack.
"Is that all?" Friedrich asked as she stepped forward and grabbed the offending Siren, clasping her gloved hand around the blue eyed girl's throat.
"That should have done something!" The other Explorer spoke, a hint of fear beginning to infect her tone.
"Oh it did... it made me angry." Friedrich said as she closed her hand, resulting in a cracking sound filling the corridor before dropping the first Siren to the ground in a heap. The second siren shook for a second, as if fighting herself. After a few seconds, Friedrich took a step forward, causing the siren to turn and run away, firing her plasma weapons behind her in a futile attempt to damage the raging battleship.
"Go, my friend, eat." Friedrich said as she summoned one of the serpents from her rigging and directed him down the corridor. His gaping maw tore through the metal bulkheads as he gained ground on the running siren before trapping her against the wall, closing her off from the rest of the ship.
"Any last words, siren scum?" Friedrich asked as she stepped through the decimated corridor, admiring the path of destruction that her pet had created.
"Death to the resistance." The Siren spoke before the gaping maw of Friedrich's rigging clamped down on her, eliciting a scream that Friedrich seemed to savor as black liquid coated the wall, before silence took it's hold on the darkened corridor.
"We shall prevail. Mission completed." Friedrich said, her yellow eyes glowing faintly in the blacked out corridor.
"Herr Isaac~~~" Friedrich's jovial voice graced Isaac's ears.
"What is it Friedrich? We're a bit busy up here." Isaac said, helping Norfolk aim the guns by keeping his eyes on the sky.
"The enemies have been dealt with. We may need to repair some of the floors and bulkheads, but the ship will not be lost." Friedrich reported.
"Good. Thank God for that. Let Odin finish her investigation and return to your ship, we are under air attack up here." Isaac said.
"Will do, Herr Isaac. Everything I do, I do for you." Friedrich said as she cut the line.
"Hello, little one." Azuma said as she came across Mutsuki.
"Who are you?" Mutsuki asked softly, she tiny frame shaking a bit in fear of meeting someone new.
"Don't worry little one. I am a friend. My name is Azuma. I am a large cruiser." Azuma said as she extended her arms.
"You won't hurt Mutsuki?" Mutsuki asked softly.
"Of course not, young one." Azuma said as she gently picked up the small brown haired kitten and held her to her chest.
"Can Mutsuki call you mommy?" Mutsuki asked.
"Can you say Azuma?" Azuma asked.
"A-zu-ma. Azumama" Mutsuki said as she hugged Azuma.
"That will work. You're just an adorable little kitten." Azuma said as she scratched Mutsuki's head between her ears. She was rewarded with a soft purr from the neko destroyer.
"So, you're Azuma, huh?" Another voice asked.
"I am, and who are you?" Azuma asked.
"Kitakaze. Sakura Destroyer." Kitakaze said in an uninterested tone.
"I see. Welcome, Kitakaze, to Azur Lane." Azuma said with a bow.
"I have been told to head out immediately." Kitakaze said.
"Oh? Where to?" Azuma asked.
"New Guinea. I'm supposed to meet up with the Shikikan." Kitakaze said.
"Are you heading out now?" Azuma asked.
"Yes. I am just making a round of the base before I head out." Kitakaze said.
"We found it, Kommandant." Odin's voice came over the radio.
"Good. Excellent work. Norfolk, send it!" Isaac ordered as his eyes jumped from target to target, the AA guns of the Norfolk following his gaze, gunning down aircraft left and right.
"Sending it now." Norfolk said as she tapped out the message to Akashi.
"Sirens inbound. Evacuate base. Evacuate." Norfolk's message was sent.
"Nyaa?!" Akashi cried out as she recieved the message from Norfolk. Akashi scrambled around before running to the base's siren system and pushing the button, sounding the alarm.
"Sirens inbound, nyaa. Grab what you can and Evacuate, nyaa." Akashi spoke into the loudspeaker before running back to the lab.
"Akashi needs to bring the computer and the machine, nyaa." Akashi said as she scrambled to find a way to take the device with them.
"Buli." The MK2 Bulin grabbed Akashi's sleeve.
"Nyaa?" Akashi asked.
"We can rebuild the device, buli. Grab blueprints, files and cubes. We need to go, Buli." The bulin said as the rest of the bulins grabbed ore, blueprints, and the filing cabinets before heading to the French cargo ship.
"Nyaa! We need to load oil!" Akashi cried as she began helping the bulins load the cargo ship.
"Looks like we are going out to sea, huh?" Azuma asked as she entered the lab carrying Mutsuki.
"Hai! Sirens are coming, nyaa." Akashi said, fear flooding her voice.
"Alright then. How much longer do we have?" Azuma asked.
"Norfolk-san didn't say. But Akashi doesn't want to be here to find out, nyaa." Akashi said as she scampered off.
"Mutsuki agrees with that. Mutsuki is scared of the sirens. The sirens destroyed Mutsuki's ship." Mutsuki said softly.
"Just stay with mama. Azumama will protect you." Azuma said as she held the kitten tighter.
"Looks like the crew of that cargo vessel managed to fix it. So we can leave as soon as she is loaded." One of the bulins said.
"Excellent. My ship is ready to go." Kitakaze said as she looked at the teary eyed destroyer.
"Don't worry little one. Nothing will happen to you." Kitakaze said as she ran to release her ship.
"The message has been received, Commander." Norfolk said as she turned her eyes back to the battle.
"Good. Hopefully we made it in time. Now, keep pushing our AA. The end of this wave is in sight." Isaac said as the numbers of aircraft attacking the fleet dwindled quickly. Unsurprisingly, in accordance with Norfolk's description, there was no real damage done to the fleet by the aircraft as their payloads were underpowered.
"I Wouldn't celebrate too early, Shikikan. The main fleet is now within gun range." Akagi said as she surveyed the battlefield.
"Understood." Isaac said as he addressed the fleet.
"Alright everyone. Take aim at the enemy fleet. Cruisers will take on AA responsibility alongside Akagi and Intrepid. Everyone else, engage the enemy." Isaac ordered as his fleet jumped into action.
The battleships moved forward as the support ships fell back with the carriers. The big guns took aim as Eagle took to the skies with her bomb laden Albacores.
"This is our first fight with a Siren elite. Let's show them that humanity is not done yet." Isaac ordered as war cries sounded throughout the fleet.
"We are passing Midway now." Perkins said as he took stock in their position on the map.
"Permission to break away and perform a search and rescue?" Kaga asked.
"I don't see why not, just don't make a career out of it." Perkins said.
"Thank you, Lieutenant." Kaga said as she jumped from her deck to begin skating throughout the atoll, picking up cubes that were floating around.
"Anyone you know?" Perkins asked.
"Yes sir. We lost Mikuma, Hiryu and Soryu. You lost Yorktown and Hammann. I figured I would bring them home." Kaga said as she quickly plucked the remaining cubes from the water before heading to the Iowa.
"Here. Yorktown and Hammann." Kaga said as she handed three cubes to Perkins.
"Thank you. I know us humans used you girls for our own war, but I refused to command a ship sporting a Kansen. I hold you all to the same respect as I do my fellow officers. The lives of these two... are much appreciated, Kaga." Perkins said.
"Hmm. Maybe you Union officers arent so bad." Kaga said as she cradled five cubes to her chest.
"Sadly, Kaga, officers like me are few and far between. But I promise you, You're in good company." Perkins said as he took off his jacket and folded it, laying the three cubes on it to keep them off the cold metal table.
"Well... Let us continue. We still have a ways to go to catch up to Garner Shikikan." Kaga said as she vacated the bridge of the Iowa.