"Battle stations!" Isaac yelled as the Sirens began blaring on the Iowa and the Benson. The Akashi backed off considerably after reducing her speed by nearly three quarters, distancing herself from the incoming threat.

From the purple orb, situated off the Iowa's Starboard Bow, came a single individual. Issac's eyes were glued to the scene as a shiver went down his spine. He tapped his helmet, changing the frequency of the radio to try and contact Norfolk.

"Norfolk, come in."

Silence.

"Norfolk, this is Isaac, come in."

A bead of sweat formed and rolled down Isaac's neck as the line remained silent.

"Admiral… this could be very bad." Iowa spoke slowly.

"We can't beat her if she chooses to engage us. Not with just you and Benson… and I doubt she'd come in close for a fist fight…" Isaac reasoned as the figure turned to look directly at the bridge of the Iowa.

"She's looking directly at me, Admiral." Iowa spoke softly as the figure began to move closer.

"Hold your fire… we can't afford to piss her off. Maybe if I had kept Richelieu we could have engaged and made a break for it. Her HE can melt through armor like that…" Isaac said as the figure jumped and landed on the deck of the Iowa.

"Admiral. You need to hide. I don't know who this Siren is, but I can tell she's powerful. She's making her way towards the bridge. Find somewhere to hide, make a run for the Akashi or the Benson while I have her distracted. She doesn't seem interested in them." Iowa deduced.

Isaac shook his head.

"Perkins would kill me if I came back without you. We'll face this one together." Isaac tried before being met by a slap.

"Listen here and listen well. This isn't like fighting Tester, or Explorers, or Enforcers. This one means business. Hide, or I will throw you overboard, Admiral." Iowa threatened as the sound of slow footsteps became apparent outside the bridge.

Isaac glared at Iowa beneath his helmet, but complied, running to a supply closet down the hall from the bridge, while remaining in earshot.

"Idiot…" Iowa thought to herself as the door to her bridge opened.

Iowa spun and activated her rigging, pointing it at the pale woman before her.

"Hmm. This is where Zero's cubes are… but I do not see her." The woman spoke.

"W-who are you?" Iowa demanded, the fear in her tone was barely audible, but present nonetheless.

"I am Temperance. Current overlord of the South American region of this planet." Temperance spoke neutrally, her tone indicating nothing about her current state of being.

"So you're one of the Arbiters… the ones Norfolk told me about." Iowa spoke.

"Norfolk? Who is that?" Temperance asked as she looked around the bridge of the Iowa, seeming to continue her search.

Iowa stood confused, keeping her rigging trained on Temperance despite the growing feeling that attacking the Siren would result in no damage being dealt, and Iowa's immediate death.

"None of your concern… why are you here? Are you here to kill me and my escort?" Iowa demanded with as much courage as she could muster.

"Not particularly… I can if you'd like me too. After all, the Human on board this vessel would lead me to believe that you are fighting under Admiral Isaac Garner. And considering you called him Admiral as I was boarding this vessel, I am inclined to believe that he is here. Am I wrong?" Temperance asked.

Iowa began sweating bullets.

"I have no humans on this hull. It's just Benson, Akashi, I-19 and myself out here." Iowa tried, cursing the fact that Isaac had hidden so close to the bridge.

"I can drag him out. It's not hard to sense where he is, between the radio chatter, your own words, and the sweat dripping from your forehead, you're lying through your teeth." Temperance spoke as she took a seat at the desk on Iowa's bridge.

Iowa gulped quietly. She had no idea what to do in this situation.

"Observer Zero's cubes… where are they? I detected their movement while I was back in South America. The movement was coming from this vessel." Temperance spoke, eyeing Iowa pointedly.

"You aren't going to like the answer." Iowa spoke, readying herself.

"Oh? Why is that?" Temperance asked.

"Because… My Admiral used those cubes to awaken me. Observer Zero's cubes awakened me." Iowa spoke as she made a show of putting herself on guard.

Temperance stood and walked towards Iowa.

Iowa could feel her heart racing more with each step the Siren took.

Temperance stopped just inside arm's reach of Iowa, reaching out and touching Iowa just below her neck.

"I see. You're telling me the truth. At least they were not wasted." Temperance said as she studied the American Battleship up close.

"Come to think of it, your form reminds me a great deal of Observer Zero… albeit much taller and… fuller." Temperance said as she turned for the door.

"So what… that's it?" Iowa asked.

"I merely came here to satisfy a curiosity I had. Whether or not I fight you, and Apollyon, is another matter that I am pondering at length. Perhaps, I may not be your enemy, should things progress in a certain way." Temperance spoke coolly.

"Lord Temperance. I did not realize you were paying a visit. Shall I come and escort you to India?" Complier's voice was heard from Temperance's rigging.

Every ounce of color drained from Iowa's already pale complexion.

"That will not be necessary, Compiler. I can see myself in. I am not as careless as Empress when it comes to my own safety." Temperance replied.

"Understood. I will await you at the capitol." Compiler spoke as Temperance walked off the bridge and closed the door.

Iowa fell to her knees and let out a breath as she watched the Siren disappear into another Mirror Sea.

A few seconds later, Isaac came running.

"Iowa." Isaac spoke as he knelt next to the battleship.

"I… I'm okay… I think." Iowa spoke as Isaac helped her to her feet.

"I heard everything… but I can't contact Norfolk nor anyone else in the fleet. We need to get away from here." Isaac spoke.

"I agree… we need to leave." Iowa said as the ship lurched forward beneath them.

"Akashi. Full steam ahead, we're getting out of the region." Isaac ordered.

"H-hai." Akashi said, clearly shaken up as she too had seen the Siren board the Iowa.

"What happened?" Isaac asked as he sat in his chair, noting a subtle warmness, indicating that someone had been sitting there.

"She… touched me." Iowa said.

"What?" Isaac asked, dumbfounded.

"She said she was looking for Zero's cubes… I told her that Zero's cubes were used to awaken me. She then touched my chest… somehow she was able to verify what I said… then she left." Iowa said.

Isaac scratched his head.

"Go get some rest. Keep your engines at flank speed if you're able. I'll follow Benson." Isaac said.

"Have you ever piloted a ship before, Admiral?" Iowa asked skeptically.

"Not at all. I was a mechanic, not a captain. But I'd feel better if you had some time to decompress what just happened. I'll send for you should that Siren return." Isaac said.

"Temperance." Iowa said.

"What did you say?" Isaac asked.

"The Siren… her name is Temperance."