"Shinano, wake up." Isaac said softly. He looked over at the bed and saw Friedrich sitting on the side, cradling Yume in her arms.
"Nng." Shinano groaned as she looked at Isaac.
"Is the baby hungry again?" Shinano asked sleepily.
"No. She's sleeping soundly with Friedrich. The reason I woke you is that the Bulins have reported the completion of your repairs. They are requesting that you jump start the boilers to see if their fix will hold or if we need to completely replace the screws and propeller shaft when we get to New Guinea." Isaac said.
Shinano pouted a bit.
"You woke me for that? Silly Isaac." Shinano said as Isaac felt the ship beneath him shudder as the engines fired up.
"Well... at least when you're awake, I know you can hear me..." Isaac said.
"I always listen for your voice, Isaac. Even in my deepest slumber, I listen for your voice. Not only as my Shikikan, but as my husband, your voice holds meaning to me." Shinano explained before smiling softly and returning to her sleep.
Isaac sighed with a smile.
"I got lucky... with all of you. I couldn't even imagine any other life now." Isaac said softly.
"And we got lucky to have you, Dear Husband." Friedrich spoke.
"Agreed. We all come from different nations, yet you don't seem to care. You don't hold one nation over another. You don't discriminate. You are one of the best Commanders I have served." Texas said.
"I know how discrimination can destroy people from the inside. It turns you against your better self and restricts your views. I dislike discrimination in all forms, which is why I try to keep it fair among the fleet." Isaac said.
"Is that why you punished Odin and I in Fiji?" Friedrich asked.
"Yes. Your treatment of Norfolk was on par with how the Union treated me. I don't stand for it." Isaac said as he sat next to Friedrich.
"I understand..." Friedrich started as she looked at Yume and softly petted the child's tails.
"... And I am glad you did that. I feel like that punishment alone was enough to help me understand you. To understand your anger and your pain." Friedrich said as Yume opened her eyes and yawned, causing Friedrich to coo over her immediately.
"I swear, I never expected a carrier and a battleship to be better than most mothers I have met." Isaac said as he scratched his head.
"I guess we're full of surprises." Friedrich said as a knock came to the door.
"Come in." Shinano spoke in her usual sleepy tone, her slumber undisturbed.
"So, where's the child?" Odin asked as she, Nimi, Norfolk, and Eagle made themselves known in the doorway.
"No need to sound so formal. Yume is here with Friedrich." Isaac said as he ushered his remaining lovers into the room.
Odin blushed as she and the other girls crowded around Friedrich in an effort to get their hands on Yume.
Isaac looked over and saw Yume's eyes wide open.
"She's adorable." Nimi said softly as she reached her hand out, only for Yume to grab her hand and refuse to let go.
"Friedrich, looks like Yume wishes to see Nimi. Would you mind handing her to Nimi?" Isaac asked.
Friedrich pouted slightly.
"Alright." Friedrich relented as she helped Nimi cradle Yume in her arms.
"You named her Yume?" Nimi asked.
"It means Dream in Shinano's native language." Isaac said as he looked around the room at all of his present lovers.
"Since you're all here... and Friedrich has made an excellent point... I feel I should say this now." Isaac said as everyone looked at him, save for Shinano, whose ears twitched, letting him know she was listening.
"Yume, while a blessing to this fleet, was not planned. I won't make excuses for you all. I know now, seeing this child, that some... or maybe all of you may be wishing for children of your own. I understand... and when this war comes to an end, and we can all rest easy from the Siren threat... I will deliver to any of you who wish to have a child." Isaac said as the girls looked at him.
"Does... that only apply to those who have rings?" 13 asked, causing Isaac to jump again.
"Jesus... I thought you had left already." Isaac said.
"Nope. I want to see the baby... but I now have a body that can produce one... so I ask again... are the ones with rings the only ones who can have your children?" 13 asked.
Isaac stood stunned as the wives behind him chuckled.
"Come on, Isaac. You know she's had a heart for you ever since you saved her back in Niue." Nimi said.
"It's not exactly proper to keep a woman waiting." Eagle said as she winked at 13.
"Dear Husband, you wouldn't deny this submarine a ring, would you?" Friedrich asked.
"I..." Isaac started as he looked at 13.
"I figured it would happen eventually." Odin said as she walked over and gave him a small blue box.
Isaac looked at all of them with a look of utter confusion.
"Go ahead. You told me back in New Guinea that you love all of us. And that rings are reserved for those who return your love. So, you have a submarine confessing here and now that she loves you enough to desire having your child. Will you deny her?" Odin pressed further.
Isaac swallowed before opening the box.
"Is... is this what you want, 13?" Isaac asked.
"I have a body more proper for loving you the same way that the others do. To give myself to you now... is all I wish." 13 said as she held out her hand.
"If that is your wish... then I give myself to you, as you have given yourself to me." Isaac said as he slid the ring onto 13's finger.
13 held her hand so she could admire the ring Isaac had given her.
"And to answer your question... it would feel wrong to give anyone I am not married to a child. So... I guess the only ones who will have children from me... will be the ones with rings." Isaac said as 13 launched herself at him and hugged him around the neck.
"You have no idea how long I have held myself back from doing this." 13 said as she laid her lips on his, allowing Isaac to fully appreciate the new form his beloved Submarine had taken.
The other wives laughed as the mood in the room changed to accommodate both Yume and the impromptu Oath of 13.
"Now... can I see my Step Daughter?" 13 asked as the other girls gasped, realizing that she was right, and that Yume was a daughter to everyone present by marriage.
Isaac sighed softly.
"Nimi has her right now. But yes." Isaac said as they steamed forward, continuing their journey towards New Guinea.
"Tirpitz, we have passed Buenos Aires and are continuing south towards the tip of South America." Spee said as she trained her turrets on the coast of Sought America.
"Excellent. We are keeping good speed. Eugen, are you doing alright?" Tirpitz asked.
"Yes, Lady Tirpitz... I'm alright." Eugen replied in a stifled tone.
Tirpitz was going to say something, but a look from Illustrious kept her mouth shut.
"She was tortured by Sirens and implanted with a mind control cube. You and I both saw it, my love." Illustrious said.
"I know but..." Tirpitz started.
"No buts. She has worked hard to regain your favor. If you push her any farther, she may become depressed." Illustrious said.
Tirpitz sighed.
"Eugen, on my vessel, double time." Tirpitz said into her radio.
"On my way." Eugen said as she jumped to the waves and skated to the massive battleship.
Several minutes later, Eugen stood before Tirpitz and Illustrious, her face hidden by her disheveled bangs.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Tirpitz asked, softening her expression and relaxing her stance.
Eugen looked at Tirpitz, pushing her hair from her eyes to reveal bloodshot eyes and a pained expression.
"It... hurts." Eugen said softly.
"What does?!" Illustrious exclaimed as she ran to the heavy cruiser.
"It hurts... controlling my ship... it hurts." Eugen said as Tirpitz spotted a massive red spot on the back of Eugen's neck.
"The spot where they put that cube in you... it's red." Tirpitz observed.
"Every maneuver I make... that spot hurts. It hurts worse than the torpedo I took from the Trident." Eugen said as her hand shot to the back of her neck, where she began to scratch frantically.
"Eugen, enough. I will get Spee over here to see what we can do." Tirpitz said as she picked up the Radio.
"Spee, Eugen's injured, come quickly." Tirpitz spoke shortly.
Spee was on the deck of the Tirpitz within minutes.
"What can we do?" Spee asked.
"We may not have completely removed the cubes that were controlling her. Whenever she tries to control her ship, something in her neck causes pain." Tirpitz said.
"So I have to cut her again?" Spee asked dejectedly.
"It's to save her. We can't have her in this much pain, or the Kommandant may not accept her." Tirpitz said.
"I hate to have to cut her again... but if i must." Spee said as Eugen knelt on the deck. Tirpitz pushed down on her shoulders to keep her from moving.
"Do it quickly so we can get her patched up." Tirpitz said as Spee flexed her mechanical hand.
"Ready?" Spee asked in a gentle tone, prompting Eugen to nod.
"Please... I want the pain to stop." Eugen said as Spee used the tip of her finger to slice into the soft reddened skin of Eugen's neck, earning a soft groan of pain from the heavy cruiser.
"There. There it is!" Spee said as she pointed to a broken black shard sticking into the flesh in Eugen's neck.
"Illustrious, grab towels, quickly." Tirpitz said as she removed her glove and used her own fingers to slowly remove the broken shard pieces, trying to keep Eugen's pain to a minimum.
The relief on Eugen's face the moment that Tirpitz removed the shards was nearly palpable.
"What was that?" Spee asked as Tirpitz pulled out a black cube from her pocket. Spee noticed immediately that a corner of the cube was sheared off, and the missing pieces were the ones in Tirpitz's hand.
"I had thought the damage came from when I dropped it a couple weeks back, but i think that it broke during the battle between you, me and Eugen. And that shard was enough to trigger her pain whenever she maneuvered." Tirpitz said.
"These black cubes are fragile then?" Spee asked as Illustrious helped Eugen to her feet and covered her neck with the towel.
"I think... it might be a way to force suffering in those who are rescued. I mean, think about it, we removed it in the heat of battle. The shard was easy to miss. What if these cubes were made to be fragile and that when the person under its effect is rescued, the cube breaks and causes pain bad enough to nearly cripple any Kansen affected. That could easily incapacitate the affected victim." Tirpitz reasoned.
"That's... brutal. Even for the Sirens." Illustrious said.
"Well... they have complete control of the planet. Nobody but the Kommandant has stood up to them and it shows." Tirpitz said as she turned to Eugen.
"Eugen... do you feel... better?" Tirpitz asked.
"Yes. The pain I felt is gone." Eugen said as Illustrious looked at Tirpitz with a smile.
"Rest in my medical bay until you feel well enough to return to your ship." Tirpitz ordered.
"Yes, lady Tirpitz." Eugen said as she held the towel to her neck and walked quickly to the superstructure of the Tirpitz.
"I told you. Don't push her. She didn't wish to fight her friends." Illustrious said.
"It... goes deeper than that." Tirpitz said.
"Oh?" Illustrious asked.
"Tirpitz and Eugen have been on bad terms since Bismarck sunk. Tirpitz blames Eugen for allowing Bismarck to sink." Spee blurted out.
"Spee!" Tirpitz cried as Illustrious glared at Tirpitz.
"Tirpy... you need to settle your differences. Eugen is not to blame for the sinking of Bismarck." Illustrious said, forcing Tirpitz to stifle the comment she was about to make.
"Then... what do I do?" Tirpitz asked.
"You drop it. Your sister has returned, so your grudge should fall away. And better yet, you will be reunited with your sister. Eugen hasn't had that gift. Where is Admiral Hipper? Where is Tallinn? Eugen has nobody. You have been given back your own sister. I do not feel I should explain further." Illustrious said, showing Spee why it is unwise to upset a Royal Carrier.
"I... I didn't think of it that way..." Tirpitz said as she hung her head.
"Go and apologize. I won't forgive you until you do." Illustrious said as she crossed her arms.
Tirpitz was about to protest but a Swordfish shimmering to life on Illustrious's flight deck made her reconsider.
"I'll talk to her." Tirpitz said as the swordfish faded away.
"Good. Now go." Illustrious said as she walked over to Spee, keeping her back to Tirpitz so that the Frozen Queen of the North wouldn't see her tears.
Tirpitz walked down the length of her ship and entered the superstructure before Illustrious finally let the façade break.
"Illustrious?" Spee asked.
"I hate yelling at her... I love her. But she can be so stubborn." Illustrious said as she wiped her tears.
"To be fair... this is the most I have seen her take orders from anyone, even her sister would be hard pressed to get this much done." Spee said.
"I know... but it hurts whenever I have to raise my voice at her." Illustrious said as they four ships continued their trek south.