"Oh boy, that's not good. Hold on you dorks!" Pennsylvania urged Yuudachi and her friends, feeling the sickly sensation of the mirror sea's oceans suddenly vanish from her hull. Instead of being replaced by the normal ocean, however, there was a distinct nothingness as the world around her spun and darkened before stormy skies turned to blue again. From a safe distance above, Enterprise's scout aircraft watched the phenomenon unfold.
"What in the world?" the veteran carrier murmured, surveying the battlefield with Hammann as the anomaly before them flickered, shuddered, and then ceased to exist in a blinding flash that caused many of Thorson's remaining kansen to yelp in discomfort. Enterprise's planes were some of the first to get a visual following the event. "I don't believe it. The trees, the explosion; it's like it never happened at all, like time reversed itself. And the Commander's fleet! Hornet, get your bombers airborne now! They're right in the middle of the enemy!"
"Hell yeah, they made it!" the younger Yorktown sister cheered, rallying her crew as she sent squadrons of heavy aircraft into the skies. "What's the target?"
"Everything hostile!" Enterprise insisted as the auxiliary fleet began steaming towards the Sanctuary, its final defenses shattered. Hornet grunted in dissatisfaction.
"And how the hell are we supposed to figure that out from here? Some of those Sakura boats are on our side!"
Enterprise scratched her head as she reviewed the intel from her aircraft. "Uh… good point."
Utter chaos would have been inadequate to describe the state of the Sakura fleets following the abrupt collapse of the mirror sea. Suddenly the dome around their home was gone, and in its place the enemy fleet literally fell from the sky, splashing down among them and sending powerful waves outward from the point of impact. Thorson's own kansen were no less shaken, but the positive of their situation was that they could point their cannons just about anywhere and find an enemy to shoot. The discombobulation caused Fubuki to fire a round that glanced harmlessly off of Pennsylvania's hull. The battleship ventilated her bow with a return salvo but otherwise restrained herself as Thorson found himself back on the radio.
"The mental link isn't working! Is everyone alright?" he demanded, finding that the neural network he'd enjoyed within the mirror sea refused to materialize back in the 'real world'. The shard in his chest, however, remained as proof of his misguided venture into Siren territory. Sweat dripped from his brow as dozens of ships tried to figure out what to do, the majority of the Sakura fleets shocked into silence as they beheld Union battleships far too close for comfort. Even Kirishima knew she would be outmatched, though she remained at Kaga's side high above the scrum.
"Akashi is here but the prisoners are not, nyaa! Atago, Takao, and Azuma are gone!" the minty kitty reported.
"Knight Commander, Ayanami is missing too!" Javelin wailed.
"I know where to find them tono-sama, but we will need to make landfall!" Fusou cut in, sending Arizona the coordinates of the main facilities of the Sanctuary. His plan laid out, all that remained was for Thorson to decide when or if to engage.
"Fusou, broadcast a request for unconditional surrender. Ships flying a white flag will not be fired upon unless they attack us," he demanded, taking a gamble on account of the enemy's lethargy. He could hardly blame them, feeling a modicum of pity for the unknown cruiser he saw staring down Tennessee and California's twin batteries. A voice fell over the battlefield in response, one he recognized as the carrier who had forced him into retreat at Java Sea.
"No one else needs to die, Knight of the Union. Find me, and we shall discuss the future of this conflict between us."
"Interesting choice of wording," Thorson remarked before sending a message to his carriers. "Enterprise, Hornet, it's damn good to see you both. Approach to a minimum safe distance and hold off your attack patterns. We may have an offer of surrender from the Sakura general."
"Understood, Commander," Enterprise radioed back. "What the hell happened in there?"
"Another time, I promise," Thorson replied before returning to his present dilemma. "Yamashiro, Fusou, I want you to come with me. You know this place. The rest of you know what to do. Defend Ark Royal and hopefully no one else has to die today."
"Hey, what about me?" came the voice of Hiryuu, whose modernized hull had slapped down far from the main fleet, confusing both ally and enemy alike. Even Kaga was left staring from atop the island, trying to understand what exactly she was looking at. She had never seen such a sleek, powerful flattop before and now there were two of them.
"My lady, where do you want me?" Kirishima requested, still supporting her under one arm.
"I want you to take me to Amagi's resting place and then flee. Find Nagato and the rest. Save this empire. I will atone for what I allowed my sister to do," the kitsune insisted.
"But Lady Kaga-"
"That is my final order, Kirishima. Now go and prove your loyalty to me," she insisted in no uncertain terms. Kaga knew the shinobi kansen was likely frowning behind her mask. The thought made her smile in spite of herself.
"...I understand, my Lady. This way," she acquiesced, leading Kaga out of the main temple towards a smaller shrine. Far below, Thorson stepped onto solid ground with rifle in hand, accompanied by the two defected shrine maidens of the Sakura Empire. A haunting silence pervaded the surrounding battlefield, punctuated only by the sounds of aircraft high above. He prayed it would last as he began running at full sprint, taking the slate stone steps two or sometimes three at a time.
"Tono-sama please!" Yamashiro called out as they made all haste towards the pinnacle of the Sanctuary. "We are not as fit as you! And my body is very plump on account of my retrofit!"
"Then take your time!" He yelled, pushing himself forward as the shard in his chest seemed to lead his heartbeat, drawn to something nearby. He followed that intuition away from the largest structure, instead coming to a slow walk as he entered what he knew to be a shrine to the dead thanks to time spent with Yamashiro and Fusou. Senses on alert, he walked past flowering Sakura trees and large wooden gates, finding himself almost removed from the battlefield and the world itself in a dense bamboo grove. He could even hear a trickle of running water nearby. "How the hell did a place like this end up in Siren territory?" he murmured to himself, not allowing the peaceful atmosphere to lower his guard. Before him finally emerged a small wooden shrine, it's wooden door partially opened to reveal three white tails waving softly, though their owner and the other tails were still concealed. Thorson's heart hammered as he advanced, the sound of his boots on the river stone path alerting the sole occupant's fox-like ears.
"We meet at last Knight of the Union, face to face," a strong, solemn voice carried towards him from the shrine. "Will you shoot me?"
"Don't sound so excited about the prospect," he replied curtly, shouldering his rifle. The door, made of paper and light wood, would do nothing to stop a bullet if he chose to pull the trigger. "Surrender your fleet so we can end this."
"End? Do you believe your conflicts will end?" she wondered curiously.
"No. But if you want to tell me where your Siren overlords are before I send you to your gods I'd appreciate it," he growled.
"It appears that I will disappoint you one last time before you send me to join my sisters in the afterlife. The Siren is no more. I slew her with my own hands and destroyed even her cubes. There is nothing left of her in this world. But you defeated me even so, escaped from your prison. Now please, I cannot bear this shame any longer."
Thorson took another step towards the shrine, getting a fuller picture of Kaga's tails and short, straight hair each time he did so. Her kimono hung gracefully from her shoulders, secured around her waist by an armored belt. Even from that angle down the barrel of his gun, everything about her screamed grace and poise. He glanced behind him once but saw no sign of Yamashiro or Fusou, setting his nerves on edge. He stepped closer again, watching for any sign of fire or other magics like he'd seen Akagi perform. "So you are Kaga then?"
"I am," she replied simply. As he took the first step up onto the wooden stairs of the shrine he noticed a faint, blue glow from her lap. "Will you tell me your name before you kill me?"
"Commander Andrew Thorson, Union Navy," he said sternly, stepping up and around her. "You'll forgive me for not taking off my boots."
"I suppose by now those two would have taught you certain etiquette," Kaga mused, looking up from the cracked cubes in her lap to behold Thorson's face for the first time. He was looking just as intently at her, eyes travelling from her petite nose to her bold, red eye markings, to her petal pink lips. "How are they?"
"Don't presume I'm here to discuss anything other than your surrender. I have killed more than enough innocent women in this damned war."
"You think any of us innocent?" she asked, almost tauntingly.
"You are not. Those who follow you, perhaps. Many who have joined me are indeed innocent, far more than I. But even Soryuu and Hiryuu may find new cause against the Sirens. You, however, seem intent on death."
"You would really trust me after all I have done? After all my sister did before departing this world?" Kaga lamented.
"You killed a Siren yourself, or so you claim. That automatically makes you of potential use to me, even if I can't trust you. There are more than a few guns on my side who would delight in executing you the moment you step out of line. Now tell your ships to stand down."
"They will not be harmed?" Kaga requested, her voice indicating she understood just how easily he could go back on his word.
"They will not, unless they attempt to harm us."
"Very well," she agreed, taking a moment to procure her rigging. Thorson stepped back one pace but found himself unmolested as Kaga frowned behind closed eyes. "...it appears we are both of us deceived. My hull is either sunk or occupied."
"And Yamashiro and Fusou are missing," Thorson ground out. "Were you expecting someone?"
"No. I came here to die," Kaga said with blunt truthfulness. "To join my sisters."
"You know your sister is sleeping on the Akashi in the middle of my fleet at this very moment, right?" Thorson asked her, fingering his trigger guard nervously as her eyes flashed open. He watched her and she watched him, on and on. Birds chirped pleasantly outside as wind gently slipped between the bamboo trunks and ruffled their leaves. Under any other circumstances, Thorson felt as though he might be silently communing with a lover of several years.
"That shard in your chest," she whispered.
"Ended up saving my life," he said. "It doesn't make up for Pearl Harbor, but it's something."
"Shall I give you my shard then? To make up for Java?"
"Don't get cute with me, Sakura. Your shard means nothing to me other than your surrender. I had to rip Akagi's from her body by force. She was defiant to the end, strong and stubborn."
"Of course she was," Kaga nodded, even allowing a smile to slip past her guard. "Let us say I am to believe you, what happens then?"
"We go figure out what the hell is going on down there, you surrender, the Pacific war ends, and I figure out how to best use you and your kin in my fight against the Sirens. Many of your number have responded favorably to that offer. If not, you will be held prisoner until a full cessation of warfare between our nations."
"Yes, I recall that little dog defecting right under my nose. She always was brave and foolish."
"She has a fast friend among the Union battleship fleet now. And she eats plenty of meat thanks to our supply lines. She can be with her sister every day," Thorson told Kaga.
"Is that so? And Yamashiro?"
"You ask because you tried to kill her?" he demanded hotly.
"I ask because I did nothing to stop it," Kaga clarified, feeling as though she were sharing her sins with the devil. "I don't even know why I'm telling you this, why I'm putting off the inevitable."
"Yamashiro is well. She is an aviation battleship now, continues to serve the gods and… I love her very much," he admitted solemnly as all color drained from Kaga's face.
"You… you took her to your bed?!"
"And her sister."
"You- you! Why?!" she blurted.
"I don't need to answer that question," Thorson explained coolly. "They trusted me out of desperation and found a new purpose. They still love their gods and their nation. It's not too late to stop all of this madness before it comes to the mainland and millions die. You will never strike at the Union again."
"May I ask you one final question, Knight of the Union?" Kaga whispered.
"You may. Doesn't mean I'll answer it."
"Did I fight well?"
Thorson was silent for a moment before allowing a small smile to crook the side of his lips. "If not for you, I would have ended this war weeks ago."
"You are kind, Knight of the Union, indulging your enemy in a final wish. I suppose I will take that small consolation with me when I go to meet my sister in hell. I don't believe you, of course, when you say she yet lives. Someone else… will need to tell Amagi my story."
"Those are her cubes?" Thorson guessed easily.
"They are," was all Kaga would say. Thorson approached a single step, and then another, shouldering his rifle in favor of his Colt as he knelt before her, watching her hands and tails like a hawk. "What are you doing?"
"You had your final wish. Your sister's shard has one as well," he explained, the blue glow under his uniform unmistakable at such a distance. With a .45 pistol in her face Kaga could do naught but accept, glancing down at the cubes in her lap as he reached for one with his free hand. The moment he brushed the cracked surface with his fingertip an entire childhood's worth of memories assaulted him, years through Akagi's eyes. He saw Kaga as a young warrior, a battleship. He saw the Sanctuary before the Sirens. And most of all he saw an elegant, brown furred kitsune with bold, purple eyes, a strategist's poise, and a kind expression. Then came the war, fear, despair, fleeting triumph, and disaster before they were both flung backward by a righteous anger. Thorson struggled to his feet quickly and reacquired his sight picture on Kaga, but it proved unnecessary as she was far too distracted by the bold, lavender cubes in her hand which seemed to swirl with intent.
"She demands a return," he said quietly. Kaga glared angrily at him.
"How would you know?! You dare disturb the dead?"
"She is hardly dead," he remarked. "I've seen this before, when I brought my flagship back."
Kaga did not dare look away from him, even as a cacophony of horns and other sounds reached their ears from below. "It appears events are moving apace without us."
"Then we need to go," Thorson insisted. "Are you going to move or am I going to kill you?"
Kaga stood slowly, not a wrinkle visible in her kimono as her tails fanned to full spread. "Every time I have denied my gut, disaster has befallen my cause. I hope that you will not be the first," she replied, stowing Amagi's wisdom cubes safely away within her clothing before reaching behind her neck. Thorson moved quickly as he watched her grimace in pain, bright blue fire burning away seven of her eight tails before she collapsed to the tatami floor. Thorson was forced to collect Amagi's cubes and the shard, pocketing both as he helped Kaga sit up.
"I have the cubes and will return them when this is over. You can move?"
"I believe so. I suppose I am your prisoner now," she said weakly, utterly drained by her efforts to hold up the mirror seas and the removal of her rigging.
"Then let's move," Thorson insisted, forcing her to proceed in front of him as they moved from the shrine to the top of the island. Thorson dropped his sidearm to his hip as they beheld the scene. "Mother of God."
Below them in the bay the smaller islands of the Sanctuary were collapsing, rocks, trees and buildings plummeting into the ocean below. A second Sakura fleet had appeared out of nowhere from the west and north, featuring a massive pair of battleships as well as the fifth carrier division, whose aircraft were engaged in skirmishes with Ark Royal, Enterprise, and Hornet. Below them, Hiryuu seemed to be having trouble getting anything more advanced than a Zero into the air, and Thorson noticed that Ark had reverted to using her P-40's.
"Tono-sama, tono-sama!" Thorson turned to find Yamashiro and Fusou breathing heavily but safe, rushing up towards him accompanied by a young woman who looked no older than fifteen, a competent looking kansen dressed in an old Sakura military uniform who sported curled horns atop her head, and a frowning fox kansen who carried a long blade. "Nagato-sama this is our tono-sama, the one who saved us!"
Thorson initially looked at the older kansen, but bore a look of surprise as the dainty, almost fragile looking woman approached him before activating her rigging. The four dual gun mounts were easily twice her size, and she looked like a cross between a battleship and Fusou's shrine back at base. When she spoke to him, he was given the impression of youth forced into adulthood by the crushing reality of war. "You are the one who broke the Creator's hold on the souls of Kaga's living and my dead? I am Nagato, high priestess of the Sakura Empire. I would speak with you, Union shikikan."
"Kaga, where are Atago and Takao?" Thorson demanded. "You, Lady Nagato? Fusou and Yamashiro speak highly of you but now is not the time. This whole place is coming down and there is someone I need to get out of here."
"Then I will await you aboard my ship. Kawakaze, Mikasa?"
"Of course, my lady. Hold tight!" the fox insisted, taking her up and leaping into the air and over the cliff face. Mikasa waved happily at them all before following suit as suddenly Thorson found a blade at his throat. Yamashiro and Fusou had their guns trained on Kirishima in an instant, but Kaga held up her hand.
"Kirishima, it's over. I no longer have the strength. Yamashiro and Fusou will take him to the Hall of Sculptures and you will see me to Nagato-sama's hull where I will await my fate."
"Tch, you bastard," Kirishima spat, looking down and finding Thorson's pistol pointed at her belly. "I would still consider it a fair trade, but my lady commands otherwise."
The ninja and kitsune were gone in a flash, leaving Thorson to follow after the shrine maidens as they raced against the clock and increasingly powerful tremors into the bowels of the main island. Fusou and Yamashiro blasted their way through doors and walls, delivering them quickly to a circular room full of conductive matrices, four of them filled. Thorson gave the orders. "We don't have time. Smash them out and let's go!"
The Commander turned his rifle butt against the glass of Ayanami's prison, catching the soaking girl as she fell forward in a torrent of brackish seawater, coughing and spluttering to life. Fusou retrieved Azuma while Yamashiro liberated Atago, with Thorson moving to Takao's pod after confirming Ayanami was fit to make her own escape to reunite with her friends. When the glass refused to shatter, an unfamiliar voice called to him.
"Stand aside, I will do it!" Atago yelled. "Maidens, Azuma will need you!"
"Just go!" Thorson agreed as the ceiling above them began to crack. The shrine maidens fled with the unconscious Azuma carried between them as Atago slashed and smashed against her sister's prison. Between the blade and hilt of her sword the glass eventually chipped. "Move!"
Atago yelped as Thorson struck at the weak point and they were drenched anew, with Takao falling to hands and knees on the rough stone floor. She reached out as though in darkness, struggling to get her footing.
"A-Atago? I can't- I can't see. Atago are you there?"
"What's wrong with her? Nee-san!" Atago gasped, yipping like a struck puppy as Thorson pushed her aside and took the woman in his arms.
"We're all going to die if you don't move now! I have her, go!" he insisted, causing Atago to sprint for the exit as fast as she could while he brought up the rear with Takao. "Why does it always end like this?" he demanded, recalling his rescue of Yamashiro. Fortunately for all involved, he was able to clear the underground structure in time, finding Fusou and Yamashiro waiting for him along with Yuudachi, Yukikaze, and Shigure. Between the lot of them they were more than capable of spiriting the former prisoners away from the sinking island, reaching a safe distance before Thorson ordered Atago disarmed and returned to the Akashi along with her sister and Azuma. Ayanami he allowed free reign given that she was in for an imminent mobbing by Z23, Laffey, and Javelin, the lights on those three destroyers flashing jubilantly as they sailed across the ocean to meet them. He thanked the Sakura 'dork' trio profusely before returning to his position on the bridge of the Arizona.
"Andrew!" she shouted, meeting him at the ladder at deck level.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," he assured her, holding her briefly before rushing to the radio. "But I need to get in touch with that second fleet before this standoff boils over."
"They've been at it for almost an hour now," Arizona commented, pointing up at the various dogfights between the Fifth Carrier Division, Hiryuu, Ark Royal, and the Yorktown sisters. "What happened?!"
"No idea regarding the collapse, but we haven't exactly been gentle with this place. I secured the surrender of the rest of the First Carrier Division just in time for that other fleet to show up. The woman Yamashiro and Fusou kept talking about, the spiritual leader of the fleets, is with it. I guess we'll see if she was sincere about talking or if we're going to have one last fight."
"We're ready regardless," his lover insisted, having reformed the fleet into a proper formation that pinned Kaga's remaining ships between it and the small formation that featured Shoukaku, Zuikaku and the Nagato.
"I would expect nothing less from… my girls," Thorson replied quietly, more than a bit of tired relief in his voice at having survived to that point of the battle in the first place. "But if it's all the same to you Arizona, I'm tired of fighting and killing them."
The battleship beamed radiantly at him, handing him her radio receiver and allowing her hand to linger gently atop his. She could sense the waning distress in his body, the joy of being back within the human world. "It's already tuned to the major Sakura frequencies."
"Make sure the rest of them remain armed and ready, and tell your sister that I applaud her restraint. She could have easily vaporized that destroyer," he replied. Arizona leaned in and brushed her lips against his stubbled cheek before backing away a pace and ensuring his messages reached the rest of the fleet. Thorson cleared his throat as the combined air groups of Ark Royal, Hornet, and Enterprise progressively cleared the airspace of Zuikaku and Shoukaku's aircraft. Hiryuu appeared content to sit out the confrontation, happy to just be flying again. "This is Commander Andrew Thorson of the Union Navy. kansen Nagato, respond. I wish to discuss the terms of your Empire's surrender before more kansen are needlessly killed."
The reply came shortly thereafter, the small girl clearing her throat before speaking. "Commander Thorson this is Nagato, high priestess of the Sakura fleets. I do not have the authority to surrender on behalf of either the Sakura Navy or the Sakura Empire, but I speak for the kansen of our empire. I would like to speak with you in person aboard my ship."
Thorson and Arizona shared a knowing look before he nodded curtly to her. "Nagato, please be aware that we have several prisoners of war on board the Akashi, currently serving as part of my fleet. In the event that your intentions are less than pure they will all be killed."
Several moments passed before Nagato replied, her voice shaken. "I- I apologize for my presumptuous request, Commander. If you would designate your flagship to me I would be happy to meet you there instead."
"Well now I feel bad. Girl is a priestess, not a warrior. Huge rigging though," Thorson remarked privately to Arizona who placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You should invite her here then, Andrew. Let's end this war as best we can. I will go and gather Akagi. I believe we should offer her up in good faith, especially if you just encountered her sister."
"You would know far better than I about the bonds of sisterhood," Thorson agreed. "I'll send the invitation. You're dismissed, Arizona."
"As you command, Andrew. I'll be back in a few minutes."
Thorson sighed heavily, looking out at a lone seagull that hand landed on Arizona's deck, blissfully oblivious to the tension all around it. "Just don't build a nest there, little one. High Priestess Nagato? This is Commander Thorson. I am sending Fusou and Yamashiro to meet you now. They will bring you to my flagship, the Arizona. Bring Kaga with you and whatever advisors you have at your side. I wish to return something of great value to the silver haired fox."
"Nagato-sama, if he makes to harm you go with Kirishima. I will do what I can," Kaga whispered to the priestess from atop one of her rigging's batteries. It was a great shame to be unable to traverse the seas herself, but she did her best to remain poised as the mammoth hull of the Arizona grew larger and larger on their journey. She was joined by the Tennessee, Pennsylvania, California, South Dakota, Colorado, Maryland, and West Virginia, a statement of steel and raw power that spoke louder than any air group or statement from Thorson himself. "These beasts…" Kaga murmured as Fusou climbed the ladder first, followed by Nagato.
"If only the Yamato had taken a wisdom cube to her heart, perhaps we would be the victorious ones. But now is the time to negotiate. Thank you, Kaga," the slim priestess offered, wobbling slightly on her way up as she refused to deactivate her rigging. In time the grim face of the Union sailor she'd met atop the crumbling Sanctuary grew close. He reached out and helped her aboard, his hand dwarfing hers.
"I've heard much about you, High Priestess." When Yamashiro, Kirishima, and Mikasa had also ascended onto deck the two sides parted, with the two neko priestesses standing to either side of Thorson as Nagato, gun barrels on full display despite her nervous and child-like face, was flanked by Mikasa,l Kawakaze, and Kirishima. Kaga stood to Kirishima's side, her head lowered in disgrace as her lone tail hung limply behind her.
"Before we begin in earnest," Thorson began as he heard footsteps behind him, raising his voice above the sound of surf, engines, and gulls. "I wish to offer you a token of our sincerity in these negotiations."
"Akagi!" Kaga shrieked, rushing forward before coming to a stop just inches from Arizona. "Y-you…"
"The fates of war are fickle, aren't they?" the angelic Union battleship mused, her teardrop hair accent glittering proudly in the sun along with her medals. "She has not woken since her defeat, but she is alive."
"I- may I?" Kaga requested as Thorson and Nagato watched silently. Arizona nodded and extended her arms slightly, transferring the limp kitsune to the care of her sister before stepping back to join her commander. She activated her rigging as well, if only to match Nagato's. Kaga managed to keep a straight face long enough to turn away from the Union delegation, her shoulders heaving as she felt the warmth of the sister she'd thought lost to her forever. She knelt on the deck, holding Akagi gently and nodding to the rest of the Sakura to proceed. Mikasa leaned over and whispered something to Nagato. The young woman nodded and stepped forward.
"Commander Thorson, might I ask whether you have the authority to speak for the Union Navy in its entirety?" she questioned.
"I was given the authority to strike at and destroy the Sanctuary. I do not speak for the Union Navy, but I do not need to," he insisted calmly. "Why are you here, now of all times?"
Nagato looked sadly at her feet. "The brave Cranes reminded me of my purpose, of my duty. I would prefer not to fire my main batteries again, but I cannot preside over our destruction either. I have done so from afar for far too long."
Thorson looked at Fusou and Yamashiro, finding rare, conflicted expressions on their faces, their tails waving behind them agitatedly. "If she agrees to a ceasefire, will the rest follow?" he demanded.
"They will, tono-sama. I am sure of it," Fusou replied, her voice almost pleading with him. He nodded curtly and turned back to Nagato.
"Allow me to make my position clear then, High Priestess. My orders to this day have always been to combat and defeat the Sirens. Many of your number have joined me in that fight. With the Sanctuary's destruction there is no reason for us to consider ourselves enemies, but I cannot allow you to continue independent operations, not after everything that has happened," he declared, looking pointedly at Kaga. The carrier met his eyes and did not look away, displaying confidence if not remorse. "Your fleets will either lay down their arms or join me against the Sirens. There will be no middle ground. It's your choice."
Nagato looked back at Kawakaze and Mikasa. The former was glaring daggers at Thorson, but the elder battleship took a knee at her side. "You did what you thought was right when Akagi and Kaga chose to strike at the Union. Now, in their defeat, you must rise and shoulder the burden of leadership that you neglected. The Union shikikan offers partnership or surrender. Neither is ideal, but worse offers have been made in the history of warfare. If you choose to fight to the last kansen, I will be at your side."
"No, too much blood has been shed for such a thing. Too many souls have already gone to that tortured plane far from the gentle touch of the gods; and I can no longer protect them from the Creator." Nagato stepped forward again into the space between the two sides. Commander Thorson glanced quickly at his own kansen and moved to meet her, hand on his hip near his sidearm. "Commander Thorson, my station as High Priestess precludes me from surrender, but I offer my hand to you in partnership. There are other ways to secure a formal agreement or even an alliance between the Sakura kansen and your fleet, and I wish to see the Sirens defeated just as much as you."
"That's welcome news, but understand my position, High Priestess. I cannot simply return home with a combat ready Sakura fleet in tow that has not surrendered to the Union. There are also the ongoing hostilities between the broader Union and Empire to consider. The rest of the Union Navy will continue to be engaged with whatever is left of the Sakura Navy as well as the Empire's ground forces."
"Then it falls to us to make peace so that others might follow our example," Nagato replied with wisdom beyond her apparent years. "You are a most curious man, Andrew Thorson. You are named for the first disciple of Jesus Christ, a man of peace. And yet you also claim the lineage of Thor, warrior and god of thunder. Your many battleships certainly herald such terrible warfare. It may be presumptuous of me, but it seems that Yamashiro and Fusou have seen both sides of your person. There are ways to bind our two fates together, to fight the Sirens and hopefully bring peace before war destroys our nations entirely. They are old ways, powerful ways that I am sure you and Kaga will both recoil from."
"N-Nagato-sama?" the kitsune questioned as Akagi finally began to stir weakly in her arms.
"I'm not sure I like the sound of that," Thorson found himself agreeing with his former arch enemy. "But out of deference and respect to the service of Fusou, Yamashiro, and all of the others who have flown the Sakura flag under my command I will hear you out, High Priestess. What is your proposition?"
Nagato placed her hands together and bowed respectfully to Thorson. "I suggest an event that will bring our fleets together both in celebration of our liberation from the Sirens and in preparation for the conflicts to come, a union that will tie our fleets' fates together so that all will know we stand as one against a true enemy, a symbol of each of our commitment to this endeavor." Nagato paused for a moment and cleared her throat in a polite cough, her cheeks turning slightly rosy. "Were it not for my duties as the high priestess I would offer myself, but such a thing is forbidden by the most ancient of laws. In my own stead I propose a bond of marriage between our forces, Commander Thorson."
"I'm sorry, a what?" the sailor demanded, placed on the back foot for the first time since meeting the child-like, kitsune battleship. Nagato looked regretfully over her shoulder at Kaga, whose eyes grew wide with fear, horror, and anger.
"A marriage between the leaders of our forces, Commander Thorson. As High Priestess of the Sakura fleets, in recognition of your victories and in the hopes of forging a new alliance from the ashes of our battles, I offer you Kaga's hand in marriage."