"Empress." One of the many explorers spoke.
"Hmm?" Empress looked down from her rigging to see the mass produced destroyer class siren.
"Speak." Empress addressed the Explorer.
"We have found something of interest. The midwest region, hidden away in the mountains." The Explorer spoke.
"Okay? What makes it so interesting?" Empress asked skeptically.
"There is a Kansen inside. We don't know if they have a vessel considering that they are landlocked, but she has somehow managed to fly below the radar since we arrived." The Explorer spoke.
"Oh? Figure out who this Kansen is. Report to me when you do. I am being hailed by Tester and Purifier." Empress said as the Explorer bowed and ran from the room.
Empress then turned, bringing up screens of both Tester and Purifier.
"Both of you, report." Empress spoke coldly.
"Aw… Empress… why so cold. I thought we were friends." Purifier spoke in her usual singsong voice.
"Purifier. I'm not in the mood for games. What do you have to report?" Empress repeated.
"My work in the Northern Parliament is completed for the time being. Observer Alpha has recorded something going on in her area and would like for me to take a look. She said that now that she has to watch both sides of the English channel, that she can't take the time to properly address this situation." Purifier spoke.
"You completely subjugated the Northern Parliament?!" Empress asked, clearly surprised.
"Not the land, but I dealt with their naval forces to the point where it will draw in Apollyon. And with my Pack members here, if he tries to land, he will be decimated. He will find no Kansen support… especially since most of their vessels have been broken." Purifier explained with a crazy look in her eye.
"I suppose a well done is in order. I approve your temporary deployment to the Ironblood territory. I want whatever Alpha observed to be handled. Understood?" Empress spoke sternly.
"When have I ever failed you, Empress?" Purifier asked happily as her screen went dark.
"And what of you?" Empress asked Tester, who looked nervous.
Tester remained silent but the distant sounds of battle were heard.
"Answer me!" Empress growled.
"The defense is holding. But any advantage I had is gone. My trump card has been played and defeated. I fear that we may lose the Philippine Islands, and thus, Japan as a whole." Tester spoke.
Empress scowled.
"I expected a better performance from one of my top subordinates. Shall I send you reinforcements?" Empress asked.
"They have pushed into the city and are holding the line. My only guess now, since my Oceana was killed… is that they are preparing for a final push. Any reinforcements you have would help greatly." Tester spoke.
"Fine. I shall send a few of the older model Peace Breakers and Strategist class to reinforce your line. If they fall, and you contact me again, I will kill you myself." Empress spat coldly.
"Thank you, Empress. Should I fail, I will accept my death with grace." Tester spoke as a soft wave of relief crossed her eyes before her screen faded away.
Empress slammed her fist on one of the plates of her rigging.
"Useless! Useless! Useless!" Empress yelled, each word accompanied by a slamming of her clenched fist.
"Empress." The Explorer spoke as she entered the room.
"What?!" Empress roared.
"We have ascertained the location, condition, and name of the Kansen located in the mid western area." The Explorer spoke.
"Oh?" Empress asked. Her anger rapidly fading.
"It is the Kansen known as Yorktown. Head of her class. Three ships in her class, consisting of herself, Enterprise and Hornet. She is located in the medical wing in a secret research facility constructed by the Union during the war." The Explorer spoke.
"Yorktown, huh? Move to capture her. Maybe if we take her hostage, we can coerce Enterprise to rejoin our ranks and we can finally squash this troublesome Apollyon." Empress spoke as the Explorer nodded.
"It will be done." The Explorer spoke as she ran from the room.
A light rap on the door woke Yorktown from her slumber.
"Come in." She spoke, her gentle voice seeming to brighten the very room she laid in.
"Time for your morning coffee and breakfast, Miss Yorktown." A young man in a military uniform spoke.
"Corporal. Thank you once again." Yorktown spoke as she sat up slowly to place the tray in her lap.
"It's always a pleasure, Miss Yorktown. It's the least I can do to help serve someone with a reputation like yourself." The Corporal spoke as the base alarms began to blare.
"Corporal?" Yorktown asked.
"Something has breached the base perimeter." The Corporal spoke as he looked out the window of Yorktown's room.
"Something?" Yorktown asked as she tried to stand.
"Miss Yorktown, please. We can handle it." The corporal spoke as the sounds of machine guns clattered away throughout the facility.
"It sounds like a lot. I still have my rigging. I can still help." Yorktown pleaded.
"After your injuries at Midway, you're in no condition to fight, Miss Yorktown. Please, let us take care of it." The Corporal said as he drew his sidearm.
"No. I've laid in this bed and stayed within this room since I arrived here in 1942. I wish to stretch my legs." Yorktown spoke as she managed, with difficulty, to produce her rigging along with several small dauntless dive bombers.
"Miss Yorktown…" The Corporal spoke as an explosion rocked the building.
"Still think you can handle it, Corporal?" Yorktown asked as she launched her miniature planes into the hallway to begin searching for targets.
"Yorktown. Please! You're in no condition to fight!" The Corporal spoke.
"I'll be alright!" Yorktown yelled as they both felt another explosion rock the building.
"They've breached the building…" The corporal spoke softly.
"Yeah… I see them. Sirens." Yorktown spoke.
Norfolk's face twisted as she sat in the medical bay on her vessel.
"Norfolk?" Shinano asked as she walked over.
"Something is out there, Shinano. I can feel it. Something is telling me that we are being watched." Norfolk said as she adjusted her sensors to attempt a better reading.
"Shall I send out a spotter plane? Perhaps you may have better results?" Shinano asked.
Norfolk shook her head.
"It's not friendly, whatever it is. It's blocking every single attempt I am making to identify it. I know it's watching. My short time living in this world has given me a sixth sense as to when I'm being watched, and I can feel eyes boring into me." Norfolk said.
"We're being watched by an enemy?! Then I shall launch a full squadron." Shinano said as she focused.
On the flight deck of the Shinano, a full complement of Zeros lined up and launched from the deck, taking to the skies above the fleet.
"Where am I sending them?" Shinano asked.
"Siquijor island to the south. I can feel eyes on me from that direction. I'm going to keep trying to identify them." Norfolk spoke as her face twisted again.
"We need to leave." The Second watcher spoke.
"What? Why?" The first watcher asked.
"Whatever is in that fleet. That cruiser. It's doing a damn good job trying to break through my radar jamming. And with that cloud of Zeros coming our way, we might be spotted by that massive carrier." The Second watcher explained.
The first watcher frowned.
"Do we really have to leave? I'd hate to leave him now…" The first watcher spoke.
"If you want to stay and get caught, be my guest. But I have no interest… wait…" The second watcher spoke.
"What is it?" The first watcher asked.
"There's something I must tend to. Make your choice." The Second watcher said.
A second of silence and the first watcher balled her fist.
"I'll stay. I can feel a mirror sea opening in the Union. I fear that without my intervention here now… Apollyon may not see the rest of this war." The first watcher said as the second watcher opened a mirror sea of her own.
"I will investigate this on the other side. Godspeed… and may the seas fare better for you here." The second watcher spoke as she entered the Mirror sea, vanishing from the island.
"Zero! Sound the alarm!" Norfolk yelled suddenly, waking everyone in the medical bay besides Yamato and Yume.
Within the hull, the siren began blaring as radio transmissions came in from the fleet.
"What is going on?" Zero asked.
"I have detected multiple mirror sea openings. One on the island to the south of us, and on towards the city center on Cebu. We need to raise the fleet to red alert if they are not there already." Norfolk spoke frantically.
Zero nodded and set about raising the alert level of the fleet.
"Norfolk, report. Why is the fleet raising the alert level?" Isaac's voice graced her ears.
"Multiple mirror seas detected. We must raise the alert to prepare for combat on multiple fronts. Where are you?!" Norfolk cried.
"I'm onboard the Yamato. We just sailed into radio range and are now being bombarded with radio messages." Isaac said.
"What do we do!?" Norfolk cried.
"Odin's on the ground dealing with the front. Let's clear the rear before we face down what's in front of us." Isaac said.
"I understand… I eagerly await your arrival." Norfolk said as she scrunched up her face.
"Something else?" Shinano asked.
"The target I was tracking is gone now… All that effort meant nothing." Norfolk said as a soft arm encircled her.
"You did your best, Norfolk. Besides… without you, I wouldn't have found what I just did." Shinano said.
"What did you find?" Norfolk asked.
"It's a girl. A blond girl with… a sword?" Shinano asked.