"Isaac." Norfolk spoke as he and Lizzy, along with the Yamato sisters and Yume entered the bridge of the Norfolk.
"Norfolk? Something wrong?" Isaac asked.
"Yes. New Jersey and her forces, as you know, have engaged Concealment in the Red Sea." Norfolk explained.
"Yeah? Has the situation updated?" Isaac asked.
"It has. Exploration, a battleship class Siren has joined the fight. Concealment's signature has gone dark, indicating that she has been destroyed. Exploration, however, has the ability to create her own army of Explorers. They are loyal only to her. Her forces have engaged New Jersey's group. There is also a spike in Hermit's energy reading. We may see a move from Hermit." Norfolk reported.
Isaac sighed.
"Is there anything we can do? One Enforcer is difficult enough according to Tirpitz. Having a fleet that small engaging two Enforcers with a possibility of being backed up by their master? That could end very poorly… considering the cargo being transported." Isaac said.
Norfolk looked at him.
"Do you want to send support? We can open a mirror sea." Norfolk suggested as she realized the answer was already on Isaac's face.
"Who are we sending?" Norfolk asked.
"Radio Iowa, Perkins and Richelieu. And ask Perkins if he'd allow me to command Iowa for this mission." Isaac said.
"I can't let you go, Isaac. It's dangerous." Norfolk said.
"And when has that stopped me? This is a direct order, Norfolk. Radio them." Isaac demanded.
Norfolk huffed and pouted. A few seconds later she walked forward and hugged Isaac before activating her radio.
"Fine. But you had better come back." Norfolk said softly.
"You and Odin will have complete control of the fleet until I return. Your objectives are to use this fleet to ensure the continued defense of the Philippines until I manage to bring in Akashi and her escorts. I will come back. I promise." Isaac said as there was a knock on the door.
"Come in." Norfolk called before Isaac could talk.
"You called for us?" Perkins asked as he, Iowa and Richelieu walked through the door.
"Yes, I did." Isaac replied as he turned to look at them.
"What can we do for you, Admiral?" Perkins asked.
"Perkins… What rank do you hold?" Isaac asked.
"Lieutenant Commander of the USS Iowa, sir." Perkins spoke as he snapped to attention.
"How would you like to earn a promotion?" Isaac asked as he flashed the Admiral pin awarded to him by Admiral Nimitz.
"It would help back home… once we take it back." Perkins said.
"I am giving you temporary command of this fleet. In return. I would like to take Iowa through a Mirror Sea to help her sister." Isaac said.
Perkins and Iowa were taken aback.
"Sir?" Perkins asked.
"You heard me. I want to take Iowa to back up New Jersey in her fight against Exploration. Norfolk has also detected an energy spike from Hermit in Italy. Having two lead ships of their class in the region would help bolster New Jersey and her forces, while also giving Hermit some pause." Isaac theorized.
Perkins turned to Iowa.
"Well? What do you think?" Perkins asked.
Iowa looked at Perkins.
"Please allow me to help my sister, Commander." Iowa requested, although the tone she took was hesitant.
Perkins looked at his feet before taking a deep breath. He then turned to face Isaac.
"I will take command, Admiral. I also relinquish Iowa to your care. Please take care of her… between her and Kaga, they mean the world to me." Perkins said.
Isaac smiled.
"She will come back to you unharmed. I will protect her with my life should it come down to it." Isaac said as Perkins rendered a salute.
"Are there any further orders, Admiral?" Perkins asked.
"Keep the fleet safe. Work with Ben, Michael, Jager and Stefan to ensure that rebuilding goes well. Terminate drone fleets should any wander too close. Other than that… help the girls relax and maintain their hulls. Take care of Yume." Isaac said as he turned to his daughter, kissing her forehead softly.
Isaac then turned to Shinano and kissed her lips, an act she graciously returned.
Yamato and Musashi developed a slight blush watching their sister engage like this with Isaac.
"Be safe, Dear husband." Shinano whispered.
"I will, my love." Isaac said as he stood and turned to Lizzy.
"Heading out to play the hero?" Lizzy asked.
Isaac nodded.
"You ain't leaving me behind. I won't stay, even if you order me. I refuse to let you leave my sight again." Lizzy spoke as she placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
Isaac sighed.
"Point made, your Majesty." Isaac said with a soft smile.
"Now. When do we depart?" Lizzy asked.
Isaac turned to Norfolk.
"Give me five minutes to prepare, then open the Mirror Sea." Isaac said as he walked to the closet on the bridge of the Norfolk, retrieving his armor and putting it on before turning to Iowa and Richelieu.
"Both of you, prepare for combat. We are heading to join New Jersey in battle." Isaac said as the two women nodded. Richelieu headed out immediately as Iowa turned to Perkins.
"Don't look so worried, honey. I'll be back in no time." Iowa said as she pulled Perkins close. Isaac couldn't help but chuckle at the fact that Iowa stood nearly a head taller than the man she called her lover.
Perkins shot him an annoyed glance.
"Do your job well, Perkins." Isaac said.
"I'll do my best, Sir." Perkins spoke as he walked to the helm of the Norfolk.
"Good man." Isaac said as he, Lizzy and Iowa left the bridge.
"Who will you be riding with, Admiral?" Iowa asked.
"Would you mind if I hitched a ride with you, Iowa? I have a feeling Richelieu will break away from us almost immediately." Isaac said.
"Why do you say that my King?" Lizzy asked. Iowa nodded, indicating that she was wondering the same.
"Jean Bart is in New Jersey's escort fleet. She is Richelieu's sister." Isaac spoke.
"So, you'd rather let her go to her sister right away instead of waiting for orders?" Lizzy asked.
"Precisely. That said, if you are uncomfortable with us hitching a ride, Iowa, I can ride with Richelieu." Isaac said.
"I have no qualms, Admiral. Shall we be off?" Iowa asked as she summoned her massive rigging to give Lizzy and Isaac a ride over to her vessel.
"Let's get moving. I'd rather have our deterrent in place before Hermit makes her move." Isaac said as a massive purple orb appeared between the Richelieu and the Iowa, drawing the vessels in and causing them to disappear into thin air.
"Is that all you got, New Jersey? I was honestly expecting this to be a challenge." Exploration spoke as her shields blocked and deflected every shell fired from New Jersey's rigging.
"Just you wait until I finish off those drones…" New Jersey growled angrily.
"And what makes you think I'll let you live that long?" Exploration asked as she motioned over to the Jean Bart where Massachusetts was still hacking away at the seemingly endless swarm of explorers.
"She's getting worn down. Jean Bart is effectively useless now that she's been beaten half to death. And your rigging alone isn't enough to beat my shields.
New Jersey watched as the circle of Explorers closed closer on Massachusetts, whose rage had carried her past her limit and was now doing all she could to keep the anchors of her rigging swinging to keep the Explorers at bay.
"Akashi! Get out of here! Retreat to Gibraltar!" New Jersey yelled over the radio, realizing that the last of their energy would have to be spent guarding the repair ship's retreat for as long as their hulls kept the water out.
New Jersey looked back to see the Akashi remaining at its post, lashed to the side of the I-19, keeping the submarine afloat as the green cat worked on stabilizing her red-haired compatriot.
In that split second, New Jersey was assaulted by a barrage of plasma fire. The bolts burnt through her uniform before fizzling out on her skin, causing patches of red, burnt skin to appear.
New Jersey hissed at the pain and turned her attention back to the matter at hand, only to see the crazed face of Exploration coming closer with her hand wound back to deliver a massive sucker punch.
The world then seemed to slow as New Jersey heard the following words:
"Keep your mitts off my sis!"
New Jersey watched in awe as a full sized sixteen-inch shell slammed into the shields of Exploration, smashing them with a satisfying crash before sending the Siren flying into the waves.
New Jersey threw her head to the left to see a small speck in the distance. Focusing her eyes, she saw a familiar silhouette, one that was nearly identical to her own.
"What the…" New Jersey asked softly as a sound on her right drew her attention.
"How dare you!? You ruined the outfit Mistress Hermit made me!" Exploration yelled angrily as New Jersey turned the guns of her rigging to face Exploration, only for the area to be flooded with plasma bolts.
"Now all of you will suffer my wrath!" Exploration screamed, raising a secondary shield as New Jersey was subjected to wave after wave of burning plasma bolts, barely managing to raise her own shields to block the majority of the damage that would have been caused.
"New Jersey. Come in." A voice spoke over the radio.
"Admiral? How?" New Jersey asked.
"Back off and assist Massachusetts. It looks like she's about ready to collapse over there. Iowa and Lizzy can handle the Siren. Richelieu is En route now." Isaac spoke as New Jersey focused again, seeing the specks in the distance drawing closer by the second.
"So, you brought friends, how lovely. They can die too." Exploration spoke as her attention was turned to the sky as a whistling sound was heard.
Exploration was barely able to dodge out of the way when several more sixteen-inch shells fell from the sky, detonating below the waterline.
"Didn't you hear me, Siren? Keep. Ya. Mitts. Off. My. Sis." Iowa spoke as New Jersey felt a pair of boots hit the deck next to her. Looking over and up, she saw the pale skin of a woman she had never met, but a voice she knew all too well.
"I-Iowa?" New Jersey asked.
"Hey there, little sis. How's it goin?" Iowa asked with a caring smile. Tears welled in New Jersey's eyes.
Exploration scoffed.
"Another Iowa-class? If you're as weak as this one, then two of you shouldn't matter." Exploration spoke as a flash of sparks came from behind her back.
"Lucky for you, they aren't alone." Lizzy spoke as her sword buried itself into the deck of the Massachusetts, where all of this was going down.
"Who are you?" Exploration growled as she assessed the damage done to her back.
"None of your business, bitch. Not that I haven't fought and killed your kind before." Lizzy spoke as she stood up, pulling the sword from the wood before adjusting her crown.
"Killed my kind? I see. You're from another timeline." Exploration spoke as she turned towards Lizzy.
Using the distraction, Iowa pulled New Jersey to her feet.
"Go to Massachusetts, sister. It will take Richelieu some time to get there and assist her. We can handle this Siren, kay?" Iowa spoke softly.
New Jersey sniffled and hugged her sister.
Iowa sighed softly.
"Sis. We'll have plenty of time to do this later. Go help Massachusetts." Iowa said, slightly sterner in tone.
New Jersey nodded and stood slowly. She activated her rigging and took off in a sprint towards where Massachusetts was.
Massachusetts had allowed her anchors to fall, no longer capable of sustaining the energy output needed to continue her demonic dance. She had resorted to keeping herself planted between the Explorers and Jean Bart to keep them from harming her further.
"Just leave me. Save yourself." Jean Bart spoke as she managed to push herself into a sitting position, her busted rigging only being capable of keeping a couple of guns pointed outward.
"I refuse." Massachusetts spoke sternly, her shields taking hit after hit.
"Please. I've accepted my fate. Go before I have to watch you die too." Jean pleaded.
Massachusetts paused. The sound of gunfire continued pounding away at their ears.
"I refuse." Massachusetts spoke as her rigging turrets turned and fired, blowing a hole in the swarm of Explorers, only for that hole to be filled with nearly double the number of Sirens she had just obliterated.
Massachusetts poured her remaining energy into firing her guns, trying to thin the impossibly large herd of Explorers when another salvo hit the group.
"Keep going, Massachusetts! Help has arrived!" New Jersey yelled as she poured on fire from her own rigging to help thin down the swarm.
"Dearest Sister. Brace yourself… this will hurt." Richelieu's voice graced Jean Bart's ears.
"Lulu?" Jean asked as the bow of her vessel was set alight by a full salvo from Richelieu's main batteries. The shells exploded on the deck, wiping out hundreds of Explorers and setting an impenetrable lake of burning napalm between the Explorers and her sister.
The screams of the burning Explorers filled the air as their armor melted due to the extreme heat of Richelieu's flames.
"Burn. Be reduced to ash in the name of our Lord. Perish amongst the flames of war you sought to light. Become nothing. Return to the depths you foul heathens." Richelieu prayed as her flames burned brighter and hotter, making sure that every scrap of Explorer had been melted to the point of uselessness.
Exploration looked over from her battle, sensing that her minions had been destroyed.
"MY PRETTIES!" Exploration screamed as she was caught by a sucker punch launched by Iowa.
"The fight is back here, Siren. Focus here or die." Iowa spoke as her rigging fired at Exploration, her shells exploding on contact with the Siren's shields.
Exploration screamed as she felt her secondary shields crack under the explosive force.
"Come to me, my pretties! Help your master!" Exploration cried as the sea around her bubbled.
Lizzy spotted a single Explorer emerge from the depths.
"She's summoning more of them. Hit her now!" Lizzy yelled as she dashed ahead and decapitated the freshly summoned Explorer, prompting Iowa to unload a full salvo from both her rigging and her main guns.
Sure enough, the shells connected, shattering the shields before Iowa's rigging based shells hit Exploration, tearing through her armor and ripping off a leg and an arm before detonating, sending shrapnel into her spine.
The bubbling stopped as a scream pierced the air.
Lizzy took the courtesy and swung her sword down on the Siren's head, ending her suffering with a meaty crunch.
Iowa sighed happily.
"That was fun." Iowa spoke.
"I'm glad you had fun, Iowa. But could you please help the others in putting out the fires on the Jean Bart? Richelieu's holy flames melt through just about anything. If we aren't quick, the Jean Bart will sink." Isaac said.
"I understand, Admiral. And what of the retreating drone ships?" Iowa asked.
"Kill them." Isaac spoke bluntly.
"As you wish, Admiral." Iowa spoke.
Isaac, who was still on the deck of the Iowa, watched as the massive turrets turned and fired, sending six massive shells sailing directly into the retreating vessels. The shells detonated on contact, sending the few drones that had attempted to escape to the bottom of the Red Sea.
Iowa then turned her sights on the Jean Bart. She hopped to her own vessel as it passed and pulled alongside the burning French battleship. Wasting no time, Iowa's water cannons fired up and began spraying a foamy mixture over the burning Napalm and melted steel.
Isaac took the time to have Lizzy help him onto the deck of the Jean Bart, avoiding the flames and subsequent heat.
Isaac came to rest before Massachusetts, who had fallen to her knees, finally allowing the weakness in her legs to overcome her.
New Jersey looked over at Isaac, as did Jean Bart.
"Are you the Admiral?" New Jersey asked, tenderly touching the multitude of burns on her body.
With a slow movement, Isaac reached up and released the seal on his helmet and removed it.
"You four… well five, have done exceptionally well. My name is Admiral Isaac Garner. It is a pleasure to finally meet you all." Isaac said as the three battleships looked at the face of the man who had come to rescue them.