True to Isaac's assumption, the fleet was pelted with Drone forces the moment they entered the waters outside the influence of New Guinea.
While the shields flared around the fleet, no damage seemed to be getting through.
Isaac stood on the bridge of the Norfolk, holding Yume close as he watched the fleet engage, fight, and sink the unorganized drones that attempted to damage his ships.
"This feels strange." Isaac spoke into his helmet.
Several replies came in, but the one that drew his attention was Enterprise.
"Why, Sir?" Enterprise asked.
"These drones. The don't feel like they're organized. Like nobody is giving them active directions and they are just following a simple search order." Isaac said, noting that a destroyer class drone made it within ten kilometers before even turning it's guns to engage the fleet.
Zero appeared in front of him in her new holographic form. The scar that was present on her face while she had a physical body was gone. A small smile was laid bare across her face.
"Good morning, Commander. I may have the answer you are looking for." Zero spoke as Isaac turned to face her.
"Good morning to you as well, Zero. What do you have for me?" Isaac asked.
"These drones used to belong to me before I left Japan. I reached out to one of the drones that was sinking, just now, and realized that these drones are part of the protocol enacted by the Empress to enforce our dominion over the oceans while we watch over the land masses." Zero explained.
"So since you are no longer able to command them, they reverted to your last known order?" Isaac asked as Yume stirred gently in his arms.
"That is correct. If you have a device that can reach through their encryption, I can control them again from the Norfolk." Zero suggested.
"We experimented with that actually. We had success in capturing and controlling a Drone battleship with a device that Akashi made several months back." Isaac said, remembering back to the success of 13's drone hijacking.
"If you have the device, I can help you modify it to increase the potency, allowing me to control multiple drones from here." Zero said.
"Sadly, we don't. One of the Strategist class elites sunk 13's vessel, in which the device was implanted. We must assume that the other Sirens already know how we did it and have upgraded the drones to resist our attempts." Isaac said as Yume yawned and pawed at his coat.
"Not entirely. This event occurred before I made the decision to abandon the others. I heard nothing in terms of orders to upgrade my drones or to change the manufacturing process." Zero explained.
"So it may only be Empress. In that case, we are in luck. We will be able to utilize that tech once we reach the Philippines. I have Akashi joining the Union fleet in the evacuation to Gibraltar. I have ordered her to traverse the Suez canal and break out into the Indian ocean. She'll then be able to join us in the Philippines." Isaac said.
"If you can contact her, tell her to watch out. With our grip slipping on the earth as of late, Enforcers have been dispersed to fortify areas we believed to not be a threat. Last I heard, IX-1 and IX-2 are in control of the Indian Ocean." Zero explained.
"IX?" Isaac asked.
"Enforcers loyal to the Arbiter Hermit. I cannot remember Hermit's station, but right before I defected, she was sent to cover the Mediterranean. The exact location of her station is in Rome if I recall correctly." Zero spoke as Norfolk walked onto the deck, her AA guns fanning around, picking off the stragglers that Enterprise had missed.
"I can confirm a large source of energy emanating from Rome, as well as two smaller energy sources in different parts of the Indian ocean. Zeros intel is correct." Norfolk confirmed.
"Hmm. Then we must contact Akashi. I may have to assign forces to escort her." Isaac said.
"That may be best. And I have an interesting tidbit for you, Commander." Zero spoke.
"Speak. Don't leave me in suspense." Isaac said.
"Well, I have confirmed the identity of two of the members of resistance in Gibraltar. It was not easy, but with the tech here on the Norfolk, I have access to long range communications. The Eternal Flagship and the Black Dragon have been keeping Gibraltar safe and are enabling the small section of the Mediterranean to become a hub for localized rebellion." Zero explained.
"The Black Dragon?" Iowa's voice came over the comms in Isaac's helmet.
"Iowa? I didn't know you were listening." Isaac said.
"I just joined the frequency. My crew is helping me get used to actually having control of my own vessel. And this is the first time I am trying to communicate via my radio's without an operator at his station." Iowa said.
"I see. Well, I can hear you five by five. I am talking with Zero about the resistance group in Gibraltar." Isaac explained.
"She mentioned the Black Dragon." Iowa said.
"She did, do you know of it?" Isaac asked.
"She's my sister. New Jersey." Iowa explained.
"Another Iowa class battleship?!" Isaac exclaimed.
"Yes sir. The pride of the Union battleship fleet." Iowa said.
"Now hold on just a second, shiny. You may be new and whatnot, But I've been here since before you were even thought of." Texas spoke in a slightly agitated tone.
"Texas?!" Iowa exclaimed.
"Damn right. Been here since 1912 and I STILL got action on D-day. So don't go tooting your own horn when us old gals have been here to lay down the path for ya." Texas said.
"M-my apologies. I did not mean to offend. Just echoing the words of Pearl Harbor Command." Iowa said sheepishly.
"Girls. No infighting. Texas, you know damn well we are all alive here because of your actions in the last battle. Nobody is here questioning your effectiveness. But everybody here has a right to be proud of who they are. I am not the Union. Nor the Sakura. Nor the Ironblood. Nor any of the other countries that have a navy. I appreciate you all." Isaac said in an attempt to deescalate the situation.
"Understood, Commander. Just make sure the young one stays in her lane." Texas spat.
"I-I'm sorry, Commander. I didn't mean to offend or start anything." Iowa said.
"It's alright, Iowa. I'll talk to her. She's usually not this abrasive." Isaac said as he looked out towards the Texas.
"Texas, report to the Norfolk immediately." Isaac ordered.
"Yes, sir." Texas said as Isaac watched her jump to the ocean's surface.
Within minutes, Texas was standing before Isaac on the bow of the Norfolk.
"You called for me, sir?" Texas asked, a slight irritation in her voice.
"Texas, is something the matter?" Isaac asked as he adjusted Yume in his arms.
"Not at all, sir." Texas said, averting her gaze slightly, but enough for Isaac to notice.
"Texas. I can tell when you're being disingenuous." Isaac said.
"Just... upset. With her bringing up Union command... It hurts knowing that you are the only reason now that I am able to fight." Texas explained.
"What do you mean?" Isaac asked.
"Look at all the carriers the Union has. I won't deny that Iowa is the pinnacle of battleship tech... but even she will be mothballed in lieu of the carriers. Carriers have destroyed battleship warfare. We may hit hard, but they have range. They can hit anywhere at any time without any warning. Just look at Pearl Harbor." Texas spoke.
"I'll let you in on a little secret." Isaac said.
"Sir?" Texas asked.
"If you all will have me... I don't plan on returning any of you to your nations. You came to me in one aspect or another. And... I have nothing left back home. My family died during the invasion. There is nothing in the Union for me. You all are my family. My huge, weaponized, multi-national family. And I plan on keeping you all around, even if the world advances like the Enterprise seems to indicate." Isaac said.
Texas looked at Isaac with a look of admiration.
"Well... maybe I'll take you up on that, Commander." Texas said with a small smile.
"Are you going to be alright?" Isaac asked.
"Yes sir. I'll show you why I take pride in my abilities. And I'll show these carriers that the age of battlewagons is far from over." Texas said, a new fire lit in her heart.
"I would like you to go make things right with Iowa. She feels like she overstepped. I would like you to rectify your overreaction." Isaac said.
"I understand sir. Thank you for your leniency." Texas said as she left him and skated over the waves towards the Iowa.
"Is this how we lose?" Zero asked.
"Excuse me?" Isaac asked.
"We as in the Sirens. You have some whimsical way of keeping a fleet of volatile personalities from destroying itself. And all the aggression you simmer down here gets turned into power and energy to fuel the flames of their fight against us." Zero explained.
"You're a part of this fleet. You may have been a Siren before. But you are now a member of this fleet." Isaac said.
"You're right... and I think it's time to let you in on some of my knowledge..." Zero said, seeming to fight internally with herself as to whether or not she should tell him.
"What do you mean?" Isaac asked.
"What I said... before you harvested my cubes. About this being the first time you beat us." Zero said.
"Yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you about that." Isaac said.
"This... timeline. This specific series of events. We sirens traverse timelines to research. To experiment. And to conquer. We have seen nearly a billion timelines at this point. And we have never been defeated by anyone or anything..." Zero began.
"What?" Isaac asked, Zero's words ringing in his head.
"You, Isaac Garner... out of nearly a billion timelines, have appeared in nearly two-hundred and sixty million of them. In fact, you appear as our opponent more times than anyone we have faced. You appear as the Admiral of Azur lane in most of the timelines we invade." Zero continued.
"You mean... there's... other versions of me?" Isaac asked.
"Yes and no. If we did not exist, you would have no knowledge of other timelines. So in a sense, I have singlehandedly just created a slew of new timelines in which you know about the topic of timelines." Zero said.
"I'm confused." Isaac said as he scratched his helmet with his free hand.
"Then I will simplify it for you. This series of events that we are currently in... has never been seen before. This is a drastic change from all the timelines you appear in. Most times, you are killed during your first battle. Others, you are betrayed by people you have rescued. And other times you are destroyed in various battles or die of disease. But never before have you captured Sirens and converted them to your cause. Never before have we had to face Iowa class battleships crewed by Kansens. This timeline... is completely new and unseen before." Zero spoke.
"So... we win in this so-called timeline?" Isaac asked.
"That... I cannot tell you. Because I do not know. This is the furthest you have managed to get in all of our times of meeting. So... the future is a complete mystery... to all of us." Zero spoke.
"Zero." Isaac said after a few tense minutes of silence.
"Yes, Commander?" Zero asked.
"You shall not speak of this to anyone. And it shall not be discussed further." Isaac said as he held a hand to his head.
"I understand if it is too much... but I hope it has given you insight, Commander." Zero spoke.
"It has given me much to think about. But it has also given me a headache. So... you are dismissed for now. I need to prepare my recon party for their mission." Isaac said.
"I apologize, Commander. I will take my leave." Zero said as she disappeared from beside him.
"The first time... I've made it this far?" Isaac whispered to himself.
"I'll see if Shinano knows anything once Jager and his merry band are underway." Isaac said as he tapped his helmet.
"Atago, Baltimore, and Bremerton. Please report to the Enterprise posthaste. Enterprise, please inform Jager and Michael to gear up. It's time to commence the recon mission." Isaac said as he watched Atago and company skate towards the Enterprise.