Hey everyone. It's rare for me to put one of these here, but I hope you'll understand. The main site for this story is reddit, and while I do respond to comments and reviews left here, not everything is fully explained here, so let me take a moment. From this chapter until the end of the Raid arc, I will be working with two authors on Reddit for a collaboration, so please understand the addition of seemingly unrelated characters if you have not followed on reddit. Other than that, thanks for hanging around. I appreciate your support. Thank you.

Thunder out.

"Musashi, how's the tie down going?" Isaac asked.

"She's bolted down, Admiral. The Odin isn't moving until you say so." Musashi's voice came over the soft crackle of Isaac's underwater welding.

"That's good. Kashino said that they are almost finished riveting the large piece of steel together to seal this large hole down here. On top of that, I've managed to seal all the small holes that can be welded shut." Isaac said as he put the finishing touches on the last piece of steel patchwork.

"Isaac… tired." Eldridge spoke softly as he felt her chest rise and fall against his back.

"We're all finished with what we can do, Eldridge. You did a really good job today." Isaac spoke softly.

"You're very good with the young ones, Admiral." Musashi spoke, her voice startling him slightly.

"Well… Eldridge and I have always had this kind of bond. Even back in the Union during the war. And of course, I have a daughter. So I guess it's just something that I do without thinking." Isaac said as he released Eldridge's rigging and allowed her to deactivate it.

"13, Bring us up please, that way the bulins can jump down here and finish off this big hole." Isaac said as he felt the hull of 13-s vessel shift slowly beneath him.

"Deep breath, Love. We're breaching." 13 said as Isaac and Eldridge took deep breaths before ascending to the surface.

The sub reached the surface, just barely scraping between the Kashino and the Odin. Isaac set Eldridge down and disconnected the hose from his back before pulling off Eldridge's diving helmet.

With a soft click, Isaac's helmet released, allowing him to take it off and take a deep breath of fresh air. Looking over at the Odin, Isaac could see torrents of water being pumped out, slowly but surely righting the massive battlecruiser. He could see the massive hole in the side peeking above the water as the bulins slowly moved the large chunks of riveted steel inside the hole to begin the final repairs from the inside.

Isaac picked up Eldridge and hugged her.

"Looks like the welds are holding, Eldridge. You did a wonderful job. I'm so very proud of you." Isaac said with a soft smile, causing the destroyer to blush.

"I did what Isaac told me…" Eldridge said.

"And you did it very well. Go ahead back to Yume. I'm sure Shinano will allow you two to nap together if you ask. So go ahead and get some rest." Isaac said as he put Eldridge down and pointed her towards her vessel.

Isaac was about to turn when a small pair of hands gripped his shoulders. With a soft tug, Isaac felt himself turned until a soft pair of lips touched his cheek. The contact against his cheek buzzed softly with a spark of electricity.

Without another word, Eldridge was off, returning to her post in Yume's shadow.

"You certainly know how to caress the heartstrings, Admiral." Musashi's voice was heard from directly behind him.

"Musashi?" Isaac asked as he turned, only for his vision to be consumed entirely by the sight of Musashi's milky white cleavage. Isaac couldn't pull himself together enough to look away.

"You like what you see, Admiral?" Musashi tittered softly as she pulled him into a hug.

"Lady Musashi… what are you doing to my husband?" 13 asked.

"Oh? Not only has he married those German girls and my sister, but even you, I-13? How interesting." Musashi said softly as she pushed Isaac's head into her chest while rubbing his head.

"Lady Musashi… if you wish to marry him, all you have to do is ask. Doing such things outside is indecent." 13 spoke as she walked over to them and pulled Isaac away, only to hug him herself.

"13… are you… jealous?" Isaac whispered.

"Maybe I am… but if she marries you, then it's fine. Because it would be her right to do things like this." 13 said as she hugged him tighter.

"Well… then how about the Admiral and I spend some time getting to know each other. After all, I'm sure he would like to check on Odin before anything is to be done regarding his love life." Musashi suggested.

"That's fine… just please try to be modest, Lady Musashi. I know you haven't been awake too long, but please take a page from our book and do not accost the Admiral in view of the fleet. He too has a reputation." 13 said wisely.

"I see. Sage advice from the most famous Aviation Submarine in Sakura history. I'll keep that in mind." Musashi said as she stepped back and looked towards the Vestal.

"Shall we head back to the Union Repair ship?" Musashi asked.

"Yes. I'd like to see if my work has helped in any way." Isaac said as he gave 13 a tender kiss before turning to go.

"Why don't you two rest. I'll take you guys over." 13 said as Musashi and Isaac felt the I-400 class submarine back away from the work site and turn towards the repair wing of the fleet.

Isaac and Musashi entered the medical bay onboard the Vestal and immediately went to where Odin and Friedrich were being treated.

"I don't know what you did, my love… but I feel so much better already." Odin said upon seeing Isaac.

"I used Eldridge's electricity to weld all of the smaller holes in your hull closed. The Bulins are riveting in new steel in the massive hole in the center. So you should be feeling a lot better real soon." Isaac said.

"You used Eldridge?" Odin asked.

"Yeah. She can generate electricity via her rigging. So I just attached a rod to the end to focus the electrical current and welded your hull back together." Isaac said as he sat in his chair.

"I see… thank you for saving me, my love." Odin said.

"I'm upset with you, you know." Isaac said softly as he took her hand in his.

"What?" Odin asked.

"Don't hide your injuries from me. The best part about you all being warships, is that if something is hurting you, I can fix it. I'm a mechanic at my core. I get that you want to appear tough as nails all the time… but you're one of my wonderful wives. Losing you… is not an option. So if something hurts, or if you take damage in battle… tell me right away, and I will fix it myself if it comes down to it. Do not hide these things from me, Odin. I wouldn't have known what to do if I walked out there and didn't see your hull floating where it should have been." Isaac said as a single tear fell from his eyes.

Odin looked at him, then at Friedrich and Musashi.

"For a vice commander, you sure do know how to make your Admiral worry." Friedrich teased.

"I'd have to agree. Spending six hours underwater to weld your hull closed? I've never seen a man so dedicated. You should cherish him every second of every day. And he should be rewarded for his diligence." Musashi spoke.

Odin opened her mouth to talk, but no words would come. So instead she opted to sit up, with help from Isaac, and hug him for all she was worth.

"Thank you for saving me, my love." Odin whispered softly.

"It was my pleasure, my love." Isaac whispered in return.

"I'll get the girls together. Tonight we take care of you. Norfolk told us you had quite a scare on your return trip." Odin said.

"That I did." Isaac said as his mind was filled with excitement for the night to come.

"Back up!" Brooklyn yelled as she stood between Cole and the hooded figure.

"Oi! Put the guns down!" The tankers yelled as they leveled their rifles at Cole's group.

In return, the men in Cole's group leveled their rifles at the small group of tankers. It was then that Brooklyn saw a turret slowly turning their way.

"I don't think you want to do that, Tanker. My guns are a whole lot bigger than yours." Brooklyn spoke as the cannon from the tank leveled at her.

Out beyond the view from the beach, all fifteen guns of the Brooklyn turned to face the beach and loaded HE.

"Look man. Point that thing away from us, or I turn this beach to glass." Brooklyn spoke.

Lucia ran forward and turned to face Cole.

"Stop this! They're friendly, I swear on my life. These are some of the ones you're looking for!" Lucia spoke.

Cole thought for a moment.

"You, tall lady, what's your name?" Cole asked.

"Dutchess. My real name isn't important. Are you the commanding officer of your… group?" Dutchess asked.

"I am. Sergeant Cole Spirits. 82nd Airborne of the Union Army." Cole said.

"The 82nd?" Some of the tanker's whispered as they looked at each other.

"Brook. Lower your weapons." Cole spoke.

"Cole. I will not. That hooded woman is a Siren. I can see her eyes. Those are the same eyes you'd see on an Oceana class siren. These creatures killed Benson." Brooklyn spoke with tears in her eyes.

"I'll ask you to kindly point your guns away from my ally. She is no threat to you." Dutchess spoke, seeing Lucia and trying to smooth things over.

"And why should I believe you? I"ve seen normal everyday people swayed by the Sirens. Normal people who killed my friend. For all I know, you're a Siren cultist trying to lower our guard to kill us off. I will not rest. Not with her here." Brook spoke, glaring daggers at the cloaked Siren.

"She has a name. It's Ania. She's a defective Siren. She's been following me around for some time now. She's the one who patched up my arm." Dutchess said as she unveiled a metal arm plated with Siren armor.

"So you ARE a cultist. I knew it would have been better to blow you away." Brooklyn ground out as one of the tanks off to the side aimed the cannon squarely at her.

Less than a hundred meters to the left of both groups, a pillar of sand shot into the air, followed by a deafening boom and the sight of a hole being poked in the fog.

"Get. That. Gun. Away. From. Us." Brooklyn ground out slowly.

"What was that?!" The tankers shouted.

"If you don't want me to miss… keep aiming those guns at me. The next shell won't be a warning shot." Brooklyn spoke menacingly.

"You threaten them with death?!" Dutchess growled as she walked forward and grabbed Brooklyn by her shirt, using her other hand to keep the barrels of Brook's rigging away from her face.

Even with Brooklyn being a Kansen, and a powerful one at that, she could not escape the grasp of the large Dutch woman who held her captive.

"Put her down!" Cole yelled as he leveled his rifle at Dutchess.

"All of you knock it the hell off!" Lucia yelled angrily, seemingly annoyed at being ignored for so long.

"Lucia?" Dutchess asked.

"Yes. It's me… again. Look, these guys are super sketchy around Sirens, okay? Just keep Ania away from Brooklyn. I think once they see she isn't going to hurt them, they'll calm down." Lucia explained.

Cole felt a tingle down his spine.

"Brook… if you fire your guns, we'll all be killed. I'm ordering you to return your batteries to rest." Cole spoke, sensing that Brooklyn had adjusted her firing calculations to target the tanks.

"Then tell them the same!" Brooklyn yelled as she struggled in Dutchess's ironclad grip.

"Tankers, if you are Union, I'm absorbing you under my command, as acting Commander in the region serving under Fleet Admiral Nimitz. Return your guns to rest and lay down your arms. We will be doing the same." Cole shouted.

No movement.

"I'm serious. You are about to be shelled into oblivion by all fifteen six inch guns on a Brooklyn class cruiser. Your tanks will not protect you. Lay down your arms… I can't hold her temper forever." Cole spoke as the men realized that the woman in Dutchess's grip was actively controlling the warship in the water behind them. Without a moment to spare, the men threw down their weapons and turned the tank turrets away.

"Brook. They're unarmed. Do as I asked, please. And deactivate your rigging. Dutchess, can you put her down please?" Cole asked as he lowered his weapon.

"Fine… but if she pulls something like that again, I won't hold back." Dutchess growled as she dropped Brooklyn to the ground before walking to Ania and sitting next to her, as if she was comforting her.

"Brook, you alright?" Cole asked.

"That thing… She's changed that woman. Her strength is unlike anything I've seen a human put out. And her eye… it's not normal. Whoever Ania is… she's dangerous. Keep your guard up." Brooklyn whispered as an uneasy peace fell over the group.

"Get out of the water and build some fires to dry off. We gotta figure out our next move before beelining it towards Wilhelmshaven." Cole said as he pulled a map from his breast pocket.

"Wilhelmshaven?" Dutchess asked.

"Yeah?" Cole asked.

"We were heading there ourselves actually. Quite a coincidence." Dutchess said as she stood up and walked to Lucia before giving her a hug.

"Good to see you made it." Dutchess whispered.