"Isaac. Incoming distress call. It's on an international channel." Norfolk spoke as she ran to his side.
"International? Who the hell is out here?" Isaac asked as he tapped the side of his helmet.
"We should be in visual range of their coordinates. It seems they are about twenty degrees off the port side of the formation." Norfolk said as Isaac shifted his gaze to see a small conglomeration of Drone vessels clumped around what looked like several Dragon Empery Cruisers.
"Dragon Empery? What the hell is the Republic of China doing this far out here?!" Isaac cried.
"It seems that they were heading south towards New Guinea with escapees before getting caught up in this mess." Norfolk said as she remembered back to the information given to her by the voice on the other end.
Isaac looked at the fleet before looking at the cruisers.
"What can we do to save them?" Isaac asked as an explosion rocked the smaller cruiser, starting a fire on her aft decks.
"If my scans are accurate, they are being assaulted not only by the drones, but there are elites on the bigger cruisers. We need to board while the fleet engages the drones." Zero spoke as she appeared next to Isaac.
"Zero... is this the best course?" Isaac asked.
"From what I can tell, there are mass produced versions of the Smasher Class Elite on the largest cruisers, identified as Ning Hai and Ping Hai of the Dragon Empery. The ship currently on fire has been identified as Yat Sen of the Dragon Empery. Radio chatter has them speaking of defending civilians." Zero explained.
"Alright. Norfolk, connect me to the fleet." Isaac said as a short burst of static was heard in his helmet.
"You're connected, Isaac. What are your orders?" Norfolk asked.
"Texas. Roon. Gangut. Meet me and Ben on the Enterprise with Jager and Michael. The rest of you, assume a defensive position around the battleships and aim at the targets off the port side of the formation" Isaac said as he handed Yume to Norfolk.
"Protect her with your life." Isaac spoke firmly as he ran towards the superstructure of the Norfolk.
"They won't harm a hair on her head, Isaac." Norfolk said as she felt two very powerful presences behind her.
"Damn right they won't." Friedrich spoke slowly as the Norfolk leaned steeply to starboard under the weight of Friedrich's rigging.
"My little one shall not be harmed." Shinano, now fully awake, spoke as blue butterflies floated gracefully around the fleet.
Isaac chuckled under his breath.
"My daughter has the best family I could give her... doesn't she?" Isaac spoke rhetorically to himself as he already knew the answer.
"Sister! Yat Sen is burning!" Ning Hai yelled over the radio as another wave of shells impacted her shields.
"You don't have time to worry about her. She will die here. Just like you. And just like that sister you hold so dear." The Smasher class elite spoke, the violence in her tone was almost tangible. Every word dripped with an eerie chill that sent shivers up Ning Hai's spine.
It was at this moment that Ping Hai's shields failed and allowed several massive high explosive shells to impact her deck.
"SISTER!" Ning Hai cried out. Static came over the radio as a weakened Ping Hai spoke.
"Si-ster..." Ping Hai spoke, her voice contorted in pain as if someone had a hand to her throat.
"No!" Ning Hai cried out as she fired a shell from what remained of her rigging in an attempt to injure or even distract the Smasher heading right towards her.
"Resistance is futile. Tester has ordered you and your refugees dead. We will not fail her." The Smasher spoke as she brushed off the glancing blow from the cruiser caliber rigging.
It was at this moment, with tears rolling down her cheeks and her options running out, that Ning Hai threw her head back and screamed into the sky, hoping somone would hear her cry for help.
"3..." Ning Hai's radio spoke in a new voice, confusing both Ning Hai and the Smasher.
"Who the fuck is that?!" Smasher spoke.
"2..." The voice continued.
"I... I don't know!" Ning Hai cried as she kept her eyes locked on the Smasher, looking for an escape.
"1... Impact." Isaac's voice, now clear as day, spoke as one of the Drone Battleships detonated off Ning Hai's Starboard bow, in clear view of the Smasher.
"What the!?" The Smasher exclaimed as one of the arms of her rigging was blown clean off, several seconds before the shot report was heard.
Ning Hai looked around, now terrified at what was transpiring. It was then that she looked to the sky and saw a large black aircraft flying low over the battlefield.
"I can't go any lower, Kommandant. I'll hit the radar towers." Wilhelm spoke as Ben and Isaac stood, held by Gangut and Roon respectively.
"Girls, are you sure you can make the landing?" Isaac asked.
"If we hit the water, we'll be fine. We've had much worse." Texas spoke as she cocked her shotgun.
"Texas, clear the Yat Sen of any siren fighters. Then aid in putting out the fires and getting people to safety. Gangut, You take Ping Hai with Ben. I want no Sirens left alive to report this. Our success in the Philippines hinges on our element of surprise." Isaac ordered.
Ben cocked the M97 in his hands.
"None shall live to see tomorrow." Gangut spoke with a nod from Ben.
"We'll take Ning Hai. Let's see the fire you have, Roon." Isaac said as Roon held him close.
"Be sure to watch me, Kommandant. I will show you the best I have." Roon spoke as a smile crossed her face.
"Let's make the drop. I can see their AA turning to track us." Wilhelm spoke as Isaac nodded.
"Go. Go. Go." Isaac ordered as Gangut jumped out with Ben in her arms. Texas followed, her dress billowing in the wind as she descended, splashing down on the ocean's surface before moving quickly towards the Yat Sen.
"Roon. Let's go." Isaac said as he and Roon fell out the side door of the Catalina. Isaac inhaled sharply as he saw that they had dropped directly over the Ning Hai.
"Roon!" Isaac cried out as her monstrous rigging took form beneath them.
"Shrimpy will assist us, Kommandant. Do not worry." Roon said as the four legged beast arrested their fall after digging all four of its mechanical legs into the deck.
"What the hell?!" The Smasher yelled as she turned to see Roon and Isaac behind her.
"Roon. Engage the enemy." Isaac ordered flatly, unphased by the unhinged Siren elite.
"Be sure to watch me!" Roon said happily as she cracked her knuckles beneath her metal gauntlets.
"A heavy cruiser? Taking on a battleship? You must be insane." The Smasher growled as she strode forward to stand off against Roon, only to have another arm of her rigging promptly removed by Roon.
"This heavy cruiser has a bit more bite than you might be anticipating." Isaac spoke as Ning Hai ran past the battling giants and hid behind Isaac.
"Who are you?" Ning Hai asked softly.
"Apollyon. At your service." Isaac said as he knelt down to eye level with Ning Hai.
"Please... my sister. Yat Sen..." Ning Hai spoke through tears.
"I have some of the best brawlers I got assisting them now. Right now, lets focus on the fleet surrounding us. Roon can handle a mass produced copy." Isaac said as he tapped his helmet.
"I have Ning Hai. Ben. Texas. Report." Isaac spoke.
"Ben is engaged with the Siren. I have collected Ping Hai, Comrade." Gangut spoke in her typical friendly tone.
"Ben is engaging the Siren?" Isaac asked as he looked over towards the Ping Hai, seeing Ben slamming away the pump on his M97, emptying chamber after chamber of buckshot towards a Smasher that was taking cover behind an Anchor winch clutching her arm.
"Well... I'll be damned." Isaac said as he watched Texas emerge from the bowels of the Yat Sen, followed quickly by a small group of refugees. Isaac spotted a woman in Texas's arms, further stoking the rage hidden beneath his calm demeanor.
"Enterprise, Richthofen. Launch dive bombers and take out this enemy fleet." Isaac ordered as he looked back to Ning Hai.
"Things are going to get hot really quick. Stay close, okay?" Isaac asked.
Ning Hai nodded quickly as she tightened her grip on Isaac's arm.
"Shot incoming." Michael's voice came over the radio.
"Roon! Hit the deck!" Isaac yelled, forcing Roon to duck as the Smasher she was fighting was caught square in the chest by a 20mm armor piercing round from Michael's modified Type 99.
"That's a direct hit." Isaac spoke.
"I know." Michael said as Isaac looked back towards his fleet, that was holding position nearly a three quarters of a mile behind them.
"Cocky bastard." Isaac muttered.
"Isaac." Zero spoke as she appeared on the display in his helmet.
"Zero?" Isaac asked.
"Norfolk has reported a confirmed kill on the Siren that Roon was engaged with. Michael does not have the shot to take out the other. Might I suggest having Roon aid Ben in the Smasher's destruction?" Zero asked.
"Good Idea. Have Jager swing the Catalina around once Enterprise and Richthofen make their bombing runs. Roon, assist Ben in disptaching the other Smasher." Isaac said as Roon nodded, running to the railing and jumping to the waves.
"Get below deck and check on your survivors." Isaac spoke softly. Ning Hai complied and ran off as Enterprise and Richthofen began their bombing runs on the fleet surrounding the Chinese cruisers, who had stopped firing at the cruisers and were now fully engaged with Isaac's gargantuan assault fleet.
"Texas, report in." Isaac spoke.
"Yat Sen is unconscious. She feels cold to the touch and her vessel is crackling with a weird energy. It was the same type of energy left behind on my vessel after I used my ability in Australia." Texas reported.
"She used an ability?" Isaac asked.
"So it seems." Texas replied.
"Do we know its effect?" Isaac asked.
"Judging by the damage sustained by the Ning Hai class cruisers, and the remaining yellow glow in her eyes, she is still using the ability. I think she is tanking their damage to keep them afloat." Texas reasoned.
"Shit. And when she activated it, they probably focused her anyway. She's taken too much damage." Isaac spoke as he tapped his helmet again.
"Vestal! I need you here now." Isaac yelled over the radio as the bombs dropped by Enterprise and Richthofen exploded within the enemy fleet.
"On my way, Commander." Vestal replied as she cut the line.
Isaac turned back to see the Vestal and Z-23 break formation and advance through diminishing fire towards the cruisers. Nimi took the lead, using her bow to deflect the slowly decreasing number of shells flying in their direction.
By the time Nimi and Vestal arrived, the surrounding drone fleet had been reduced to smoldering metal slowly foundering after the beating they took from the carriers. The last vestiges of the fight were snuffed out as Isaac watched from a distance as Roon locked the Smasher's head in a rear naked choke, weakening her slightly before using a free hand to grab her chin and pull violently to the right, snapping the Siren's neck as a result.
"Kill confirmed, Isaac." Zero spoke as Roon dropped the Siren to the deck of the Ping Hai.
"I... wouldn't have guessed." Isaac said as the Vestal pulled up to the smoldering hull of the Yat Sen. Bulins poured down the cargo nets and onto the Chinese cruisers to begin inspecting the damage as Vestal began checking for injuries before taking a closer look at Yat Sen.
Isaac looked around. While the fighting had been quick and intense, he was unsure of whether or not the enemy now knew if he was coming.
"Alright everyone. Form up on the three cruisers. Odin, do we have anywhere we can cast our anchors?" Isaac asked.
"If my map is correct, there is an island not far, maybe a day's trip or so from here called Palau. We can make repairs in the shallow's there and figure out what to do with these three." Odin spoke.
"Excellent. Send the coordinates to the fleet. Once we form up, we move out. Tester might have been alerted to our presence with this little scuffle." Isaac said as the fleet encapsulated the Chinese cruisers before making their way towards the island of Palau.