A/N: Due to FanFiction . net's extreme stance on external links, I ask that you all navigate to the /r/azurelane subreddit where I always cross-post my chapters if you wish to see the excellent fanart that accompanies this chapter.
"Nnngh, that is the first and last time I drink Western alcohol. Sake is truly the superior… oh gods, what did I-" Soryuu squeaked in a raspy, morning voice, acutely aware of a lingering headache and dry throat. Beside her, in a king-sized bed in one of Exeter Castle's many guest rooms, Thorson had slowly propped himself up on an elbow. To Soryuu's horror, her sister's long, white ears were poking out of the blankets on his other side.
"Good morning," the commander said cautiously, causing the cobalt-haired carrier to leap from the bed and dress herself as quickly as possible. Her face burned as she felt his eyes on her long, slim legs.
"It appears I made a grave mistake last night. I'm sorry. It will not happen again," she said with extraordinary control before fleeing the room and slamming the heavy oak door behind her. The noise caused Hiryuu to groan and rise from her deep slumber, ears twitching as she rubbed sleep from her eyes.
"Mmm, mornin' Shikikan. I guess we did it last night, huh? Was that Soryuu-nee just now?"
"It was," Thorson confirmed in a worried voice, looking down at the toned, disheveled rabbit beside him. She still bore plenty of damage from the fight at Plymouth, but it was superficial so far as he could tell. She smiled at him.
"I'll let her know after this that her 'womanly virtue' is still intact,' the carrier giggled. He nodded quickly, recalling how the rabbits had busted into his room the night prior insisting that it was theirs. Hiryuu had not allowed him to leave once he'd given up and made the decision to seek out somewhere else to spend the night.
"Thank you. That would be for the best I think, given that it's the truth."
"And what about mine?" she asked hopefully, causing Thorson's throat to go dry as he realized that Hiryuu and Soryuu both seemed to have selective memories of the prior evening. His silence caused the woman to smile brightly, however. She sat up and brushed her hair out of her eyes before draping her naked, muscular body over his. Her ears tickled the stubble on his chin as her calves slid smoothly over his legs and her fingers played across his sparse chest hair. "So… how was I, Shikikan~?"
"Forceful and energetic, like always," he told her honestly, placing one hand on her thigh and the other at the small of her back as he remembered a particular detail. "And you were, uh, arguing with yourself?"
"Oooh, yeah. I suppose I did, didn't I?" Hiryuu realized, moving a hand between his legs as their bodies warmed up despite the cool air and stones that made up the room. "I'm sorry about that. Must have been odd mating with so many of me at once. You see, a lot of us died early in the war, without ever knowing the touch of a man, so there was always going to be some debate if I decided to take the plunge. Don't worry though, Shikikan. We're all of a like mind now, I think. It's rather fun when you've got a strapping young man by his flight stick."
As if to prove her point, Hiryuu laid herself out on the mattress, dropped her head to his pelvis and began putting her lips to a very different and pleasurable use. The affectionate and lascivious attentions from the lapine carrier were more than enough to convince him that the rest of his fleet were likely enjoying clean sheets and a firm mattress as well, and that a half hour or so of morning relaxation wasn't the end of the world. He was forced to re-evaluate that stance as the door creaked open to reveal the prim and proper silhouette of Belfast carrying a silver tray on one hand.
"Good morning, Knight Commander. The Lady Warspite requested that I… deliver you morning tea. I see I'm interrupting, however."
"Oh, thanks for that!" Hiryuu said politely, lifting her head from his lap and tossing her hair over a shoulder. "I don't think he can hold out much longer, so no worries about it going cold!"
"...your reputation precedes you, Knight Commander. Good day," Belfast replied stiffly. Though her face was an impassive mask, Thorson noted a blush forming on her cheeks that he was sure mirrored his own. Hiryuu didn't let him linger on the embarrassment too long.
"Hey, focus on me, Shikikan," she urged before descending on him once again. He placed a hand on her head, threw his own head back, and shut his eyes.
"You're an incredibly confident woman, Hiryuu," he complimented her as she attacked him mercilessly. The proud laugh from deep in her throat undid him, and true to the young woman's promise they were sampling the tea long before it grew lukewarm.
"Ah, that's much better! Don't get me wrong Shikikan, I enjoyed that a lot, but you don't taste great. Maybe it's all the salt water?" she guessed as she sipped curiously at an earl gray.
"Apologies," Thorson muttered before taking a bite of a simple raisin scone. The Sakura carrier was unperturbed.
"Oh there's no need for that! I would have hopped on your little steed instead, but there's a distinct soreness between my legs that I don't think has anything to do with the fight against the Ironblood the other day. Some other time, assuming the rest of your harem doesn't kill me?" she suggested, confident that they could not even if they wanted to.
"I'd like that," Thorson told her honestly, unable to stay worried for too long in the happy-go-lucky woman's presence. "I just hope your sister isn't too upset. I've relied on her advice in more than a few situations since we resolved the conflict between our navies."
"You worry about our next move, Shikikan. I'll worry about nee-san!" Hiryuu promised, finishing her tea. She stood to her full height, stretched her arms above her head, and gave him one last long look at her body before seeking out her own clothes. Thorson thought she looked more like an animated marble statue than a woman, minus the bruising, but found himself unable to express the sentiment as she busied herself and then departed with a final kiss. Thorson stared at the closed door as he was left in silence.
"Let's hope the Lady Belfast is a woman of discretion."
While Belfast may have been a woman of discretion, Sheffield was another story. Thorson entered the main hall of the castle anticipating a strategy meeting with Warspite and Queen Elizabeth over breakfast, only to find Sheffield and Tennessee facing each other down in the middle of the room, tables surrounding them like a ring.
"Time to put your money where your mouth is, squirt, and no bullshit weapons either. Fight me like a real woman or get lost," the tanned, blonde bombshell challenged, cracking her knuckles.
"Real woman? I guess there are a lot of dead, real women scattered across Europa right now," Sheffield stated dispassionately, drawing a pistol and firing a shot. Tennessee had her rigging out at the moment of the draw, not even bothering to shield herself properly as the bullet deflected off her turret and into the ceiling.
"My own Commander couldn't kill me. You won't, little girl. Now what will it be? You talked a big game about our lack of hand to hand this morning."
"That's an awfully roundabout way of saying 'the truth', but I suppose it cannot be helped," the short-haired maid replied. She reached down and took the hem of her long dress between her fingers as if to curtsey, but instead of gesturing respectfully to Tennessee all manner of armament came tumbling out of her clothing. Thorson cocked a brow as knives, brass knuckles, a pair of handcuffs, and other gear clattered to the floor. Sheffield was more careful with her firearms, removing her Webleys and placing them on a nearby table where Leander and several other Royals were seated. None of them seemed willing to speak up and dissuade Sheffield from her course of action.
"Mon dieu, we are jousting already?" Forbin observed as she arrived at the hall, escorted by Belfast. The head maid motioned that the former prisoner should join Thorson's company, cursing under her breath as she was given a brief moment of solitude to observe the behavior of her subordinates.
"I swear ta' the Lord an' all thas holy, we don' need any fookin' Ironblood harlots for a war. Just throw a bunch'a Yanks an' Brits inna dungeon an' have attem, eh?" the Irish lass allowed her roots to bubble to the surface for a moment, watching as Sheffield and Tennessee probed one another for weaknesses and gaps in one another's guard. Sheffield was nimble, shorter, and swift, but Tennessee had brute force, reach, and mass on her side. Both were well conditioned, and as the fight dragged on more and more kansen simply took their breakfast as spectators.
"I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised the three of you aren't the root cause of today's trouble," Thorson said to Yukikaze, Shigure, and Yuudachi, finding the trio of dorks seated with an unfamiliar, surprisingly tanned member of the Maid Corps. "Are they giving you any trouble? I don't think we've been introduced. Commander Thorson of the Eagle Union."
"Oh not at all, Knight Commander. I was just learning all about the Sakura Empire from these three and teaching them about our superior varietals of tea. I am HMS Enterprise, and I'll be serving here until my retrofits are complete. Do let me know if there's anything I can do for you in the meantime?"
"Hey Shikikan, stop makin' us out to be the bad guys!" Shigure insisted, backed up by indignant 'wan's' and 'nanoda's' from her friends. He smiled at them and rubbed their heads.
"Don't mistake me, I'm very happy when you cause trouble for our enemies. Have a good time with your new friend," the Commander wished them well, crossing his arms over his chest and meeting Pennsylvania's eyes as the fight raged on. The composed battleship gave him the same sort of thin, almost imperceptible smile they tended to share in the mornings after an evening alone before looking at Tennessee. Sheffield had slipped through her defenses and pinned her arms uselessly behind her back, using leverage and positioning to minimize the amount of force the battleship might use to break free. Unfortunately for the maid, however, Tennessee was tall and at least sixty percent leg, legs that Sheffield had been unable to attend to while worried about her opponent's upper body.
"C'mon Tennessee, don't let her do that to you!" Minneapolis cheered. Thorson could only imagine the sort of ruckus that would have ensued if Downes and Cleveland had been present as well. Tennessee was obviously of a similar mind, leaping as high as she could and threatening to pulverize Sheffield beneath her as she came crashing down on the stone floor. The maid was forced to disengage, but wasn't quick enough to stop a hand from grabbing her ankle in a vice-like grip.
"Gotcha, squirt," Tennessee smirked from where she'd put a crack in the stone floor with her attack. From one knee she pivoted, turned, and threw Sheffield out of the ring of tables and into the far wall. Only the cruiser's cat-like reflexes stopped her from careening into the barrier, and she was able to arrest her horizontal momentum with her legs before falling unceremoniously to the floor. It was an inhuman feat of acrobatics on its own, but she'd technically lost. Tennessee was standing proudly, still inside the ring. Thorson made up his mind to intervene just as Sheffield dusted herself off and disengaged, seemingly no longer interested in the scrap.
"There's no reason to continue this pointless fight," she insisted dismissively while collecting her things and addressing Belfast. "With your permission?"
"Get yourself cleaned up and presentable. Your duties go unattended while you play around with our guests," Belfast scolded her lightly. Unwilling to just let the Royal go, Tennessee shouted at her retreating back.
"One day there's going to be an enemy that doesn't let you walk away," she challenged. Sheffield stopped as Thorson drew a hand over his face. To his relief, instead of taking the bait the maid simply looked over her shoulder, tilting her head back and over almost one hundred and eighty degrees. He couldn't help but wonder if she was part owl.
"One day there's going to be an enemy that doesn't 'fight fair'," the maid advised before departing out a side door. Thorson took a step forward to get his battleship's attention.
"You've made your point," he told her evenly. She nodded.
"Yes sir. With respect, we should up our game in hand to hand combat if we're going to be part of an invasion force, unless you'd rather we level every city and fortification we come across."
"I'll take that under advisement, Tennessee. Now enjoy your breakfast. I don't know when we'll be treated to a spread like this again," he concluded, exhaling as she saluted and found a seat next to Hiryuu. He didn't sense any bad blood between Tennessee and the rest of the Union kansen in his fleet, so he assumed it was a positive choice. The carrier seemed to welcome the company, whispering something to the tanned beauty that had her going white as a sheet before focusing fully on the food before her. Thorson had a pretty good idea of the subject matter and did his best to keep a straight face as he approached the table where Belfast, Elizabeth, Warspite, and Ark Royal sat. Forbin continued along with him, unsure of what else to do.
"Quite a start to the day, non?" the frenchwoman ventured tentatively as they sat and began piling fresh sausage, eggs, toast, and beans onto their plates. "It will be a joyeux occasion to no longer eat this every morning."
"I'd be careful what you wish for, Forbin, but you're more than welcome to discuss meals with Shiratsuyu once we're underway. Are we waiting on the Prime Minister?" he asked of Warspite. The battleship shook her head.
"Sadly, other obligations have pulled him back to London today, but he sends his regards and urged us to carry on where we left off last evening," she explained before offering Sir Raleigh a small bite of toast. Queen Elizabeth snuck a glance at the bird and Thorson thought there might have been a bit of jealousy on display.
"Then I'll ask you. How did you determine Gniesenau and Scharnhorst are in Tunisia?" Thorson wondered seriously. Elizabeth snorted.
"You mean other than one sighting after the other of their hulking hulls on the way south? The sudden increase in combat effectiveness of the Ironblood's armored divisions in the deserts? Those two harlots have always been experts at hit and run tactics and subterfuge, kept us busy in the Baltic and North Atlantic for years despite our superior numbers and firepower."
"Language, Your Majesty," Belfast urged as Ark Royal looked on quietly, seeming content to take in the sights and sounds of being back home after so long. Elizabeth was not having it.
"He's a sailor, and a Union one at that," the Royal leader countered, earning a smile from Thorson. It was one she did not return. "Then there are the scattered reports of… unbelievable events. Soldiers and sailors reporting visual sightings of the Sisters hundreds of kilometers away on the same day, airstrikes with no known airbases in range, artillery barrages from locations where not even a single spent shell can be found."
"Kaga, Akagi!" Thorson called out suddenly, causing Elizabeth to sit up straight as a rod while many kansen fell silent wondering what his sudden need was. Order returned as the Commander gestured that the two Sakura carriers should be seated at the table. "Sorry to take you away from your breakfast, but I was hoping you could give us some insight on the Siren technology you used to ambush my fleet in Java and outside your Sanctuary. What is its weakness?"
"Shikikan, if you wanted my presence at your table you need only have asked. No need to justify it," Akagi simpered sweetly, making Forbin noticeably uncomfortable as Ark Royal sighed, accustomed to the behavior. "You already know how to defeat Siren projection technology."
"Lure the user into a battle they cannot withdraw from, and crush them, as you did with her," Kaga added, taking her sister down a notch. Both kitsune fanned out their four tails at one another, but sparks didn't fly.
"It sounds as though that may be more difficult with these two in Africa. There's so much territory one might consider expendable, not to mention Gniesenau and Scharnhost seem more… deliberate than you, Akagi," Thorson tread carefully before extending a compliment. "Your tails look exceptionally fluffy today. Sleep well?"
"We never met them, so I could not say for sure," Kaga added between polite sips of tea, a twitch in the corner of her mouth the only indication that she appreciated the acknowledgement of her tails. "You never know a woman until you cross blades with her."
"Not the most favorable prospect for someone like me," Thorson chuckled before changing his perspective back to one more befitting his educational background. "So how does it work, exactly?"
"Powerful will and emotion," Akagi stated simply. The Royals were incredulous, but Kaga confirmed her sister's summary.
"We're discussing simulation technology. I don't know how it allows for projection in the real world, but when I fought you in Java it was both to avenge our fallen sisters and to one up my sister as she gallivanted around India. I also burned to test you for myself. If these Ironblood are doing the same, then they fight with an iron will for a cause they wholeheartedly believe in. I'm not sure, but I think that's why you damaged my sister strongly when you defeated her projection. She so desperately wanted to defeat you that when the connection was severed her body remained with her projection and some of herself was lost."
"You never told me that," Akagi whispered dangerously at her sister. Kaga met her fiery gaze with ice of her own.
"What good would it have done, pointing out that your worst tendencies led to your downfall and, thankfully, were stripped from you in the process?"
"But she was a shell of her former self until she made contact with her shard again, after it had been within a Mirror Sea," Thorson pointed out as Akagi looked down at her lap. It was comforting to the Commander that even a woman like her could prove capable of self-examination given extreme enough circumstances.
"Yes, I took back what you ripped away from me… but I took some of you as well."
"Are you lost too, Sir Raleigh?" Warspite asked her companion, who replied with a long, exasperated 'juuu'. Thorson smiled at them and tried to summarize.
"So what we've gathered so far is that someone with a strong enough will can use this Siren technology to bend reality to their will, but it can backfire if interrupted?"
"The way Tester explained it to me, before I immolated her, was that part of my sister had become lost to… something. I won't say The Creator, but she seemed confident that they could piece her back together, or create something from it. I don't know which."
That news had everyone looking at their plates in subdued thought. Forbin especially seemed out of place, suddenly party to talk of the grand battle behind the war. It was that moment that Ark chose to speak. "I doubt she intended it, but Akagi failed to become an anchor between worlds and part of her was lost in the process. We retrieved it in the same place that I united with my own anchor, Hiryuu as well."
"That would mean every Mirror Sea is connected somehow, no?" Thorson jumped suddenly to a conclusion no one could confirm or deny. He elaborated as fast as his brain could make connections of dubious accuracy. "Akagi's essence, your and Hiryuu's other selves, Bismarck and her armada of Siren ships, it all happens within the same sort of tempestuous pocket dimensions. Why shouldn't they be literally connected? All we need to understand is the difference between Akagi and Bismarck and you, Ark."
Kaga and Akagi both looked at Ark Royal with predatory eyes. Thorson's words had been clear. The carrier possessed something that neither of them did. To everyone's surprise, it was Forbin who murmured 'l'esprit du corps'. The Iris squire blushed as all at the table shifted their attention to her. "Pardonnez-moi, what I mean was the spirit of the body, literally this is the translation. We Templar believe faith is stronger than any armor, that the righteous warrior can transcend the battlefield. What you speak of, madame Ark, sounds to me like the ultimate realization of that ideal. I am jalouse, I must say."
"This has become something of a philosophical debate, one that I want to continue perhaps on the voyage to Africa," Thorson decided. "Akagi, Kaga, I'll have to think more on this but I thank you for your insight. If you come up with any other ideas on how to combat this technology we assume they are using, do let me know."
"We will, Shikikan. Thank you for your hospitality," Kaga said to the Royals before departing with Akagi. Queen Elizabeth cleared her throat and did her best to sound confident in the wake of meeting the Sakura's military leadership.
"Yes well, this sort of expertise is why I summoned you here in the first place, Knight Commander. The Royal Navy shall take the lead on this fight here in the European theater! So now… um, Belfast?" she leaned over and implored her head maid. The light cruiser smiled politely.
"Yes, let us return to more practical matters of timetable and forces shall we? The invasion is slated for the 6th of November, and as the Prime Minister mentioned you will be attached to General Patton's landing force, Knight Commander. As far as I know he will be the one to make the final decision on whether your fleet pushes inward or is reassigned after the landings."
"I… very well. I'll speak with the Major General about that," Thorson said neutrally, unable to conceptualize his kansen force as a proper mechanized division. He was sure Akashi would love the idea on account of its absurdity, but it was a discussion for another time. "What about your forces, Belfast?"
"Warspite and I are going with you!" Queen Elizabeth stated immediately before catching herself. "A-Ark Royal can come too!"
Thorson stroked his chin and took a bite of sausage before speaking. "Far be it from me to question royalty, but is your naval high command amenable to that?"
"You are speaking with Royal Naval High Command," Belfast reminded him politely, eyes closed and teacup between two fingers. "By Prime Minister Churchill's orders we were granted autonomy to meet and combat the enemy wherever we see fit, in coordination with Britannia's manned fleets of course. That being said, Your Majesty, let's not make any rash decisions on account of our recent victory. The African campaign will be-"
"Look, Belfast," Elizabeth interrupted calmly, pushing two newspapers across the table. "This is what you and Sheffield wanted, is it not?"
Thorson turned his head slightly to get a better view of the headlines around his teacup. The Daily Mail and Daily Express had of course run articles about the latest incursion by the Luftwaffe, with grim headlines from the morning print replaced by triumphant, front page articles about subsequent Royal victory and the role played by Queen Elizabeth, Warspite, and even Ark Royal. That Ark Royal was serving as part of a joint fleet including Sakura kansen and headed by an Eagle Union commander was conveniently left out so far as Thorson could tell. Photographs of the triumphant Royal kansen featured prominently on the gray pages. Belfast shook her head.
"Your Majesty, defense of the Homefront is one thing. Bringing this war to a favorable conclusion is another still."
"And how am I to do that without taking the fight to the enemy?!" the young woman demanded, her crown slightly askew and wavy blonde hair quaking lightly as she jabbed a finger Belfast's way. "How am I supposed to inspire a nation by sitting here on my pert little butt?"
"Her what now?" Forbin whispered to Thorson as Ark Royal and Warspite regarded one another with silent patience as Belfast's face drew into a thin mask, cornered by Elizabeth's reasoning.
"Language, Your Majesty-"
"Ha! So you admit I'm right!" the queen exclaimed, startling Sir Raleigh who chirped indinantly at her before settling back into Warspite's hair. "Duke of York and Victorious have exhibited both excellent battle performance and the ability to lead under fire. They can carry on the campaigns in the Baltic and North Seas, hopefully take some of the pressure off of the Northern Parliament."
"More like the Northern Dictatorship," Belfast clarified icily before pinching the bridge of her nose and exhaling strongly. "It seems you have made up your mind, Your Majesty. I will do what I can here to-"
"Leave that to my father, Belfast. I want you and Sheffield to come with us! The Maid Corps deserves a chance at glory as well after everything we've been through these last couple years," Elizabeth insisted, her spirits clearly buoyed by their recent victory. The thin smile on Warspite's face seemed to indicate her approval of the plan.
"It will allow you to keep a closer eye on her Majesty, Lady Belfast," the corgi-like battleship pointed out. The maid arched a perfect brow at her.
"Is that an admission that you intend to lead her into hell and back?"
"Belli dura despicio, but who should bear those hardships if not us?" Warspite countered unconcernedly. Thorson's attention slowly drifted away as the Royal delegation gradually and naturally arrived at the foregone conclusion that some contingent would have to accompany Thorson's fleet in the quest to liberate North Africa and deliver a blow to the underside of the Ironblood's European fortress. He watched for a few minutes as Akashi engaged in animated conversation with Enterprise and the dork squad, no doubt interested in a business proposal involving tea or some other luxury good.
"Well, Knight Commander?" Ark Royal asked, bringing him back to the present. He shook his head quickly.
"I'm sorry, my mind was on other things for a moment. Could you repeat the question?" he requested.
"It would seem the Knight Commander experienced a restless night, perhaps too accustomed to the lull of the waves to sleep well on solid land," Belfast suggested, though he knew she knew better. "Her Majesty wishes to understand the command structure of your fleet."
"You wouldn't be given autonomous operation, but if our Royal contingent grows someone would need to lead them. For example, Kaga is the de facto commander of my Sakura forces. I give the final orders, however," Thorson explained in a manner he hoped would not sour Elizabeth's desire to join him. Every gun on his side was a welcome addition. Yet again the leader of the Royal Navy surprised him.
"Then you will have the command, Warspite. I have every faith in you to lead us to honor and glory," Elizabeth told her sister. "You have also worked briefly with the Knight Commander before, have you not?"
"It was contentious, but productive," Warspite said shortly, not showing any surprise as Lizzie's decision even if she felt it. "How is that little destroyer, by the way?"
"Reunited with her friends and her Fuhrer, a tactical mind, and a solid marksman," Thorson defended Z23 proudly. The battleship nodded curtly.
"So long as your zealous battleships keep their guns on the enemy we should have no problems then, though I can't say I ever imagined we might serve side by side with the command structure of the Crimson Axis."
"War makes for the strangest of bedfellows," Belfast opined sagely, again leading Thorson to wonder if she was speaking about him and the Second Carrier Division. "But it is undeniable that the handful of Ironblood with the Knight Commander fought alongside their Sakura counterparts in defense of the dockyard. If this is your final decision, Your Majesty?"
Queen Elizabeth plucked her teacup and saucer from the table with dainty fingers and practiced grace. She spoke seriously. "It is, Belfast. Boys from the Union and Britannia are going to be the backbone of this invasion. We cannot remain here in relative safety. This will not be another Gallipoli."
Belfast dabbed her lips with a cloth napkin and stood from the table. "Then if you will kindly excuse me I must make all necessary preparations, as well as notify Sheffield that she will need to bury the hatchet, so to speak. Oh, and Knight Commander?"
"Yes, Belfast?"
The woman withdrew a folded missive from her ample bosom and presented it to him. "You appear to have earned yourself the attention of Lt. General Eisenhower, or at least his command office."
Thorson's mouth went dry at the mention of the man in charge of the entirety of Torch from the Union side. He excused himself quickly from the table and found himself a secluded corner in which to unfold the slightly yellowed paper.
To Nimitz's golden boy, be careful.
"T-That's it?" the man muttered to himself, turning around instinctively but finding no one sneaking up on or otherwise threatening him. Pocketing the letter he turned back to the main hall where activity seemed to be ramping up as breakfast concluded and the Royal Navy prepared itself for invasion and escort duty.
"Is something the matter, Commander?" Arizona asked, approaching him as more and more of his ships looked to him for orders. His brow furrowed.
"Maybe."
"Pack your bags, Knight Commander!" Warspite called out from afar. "We're going to Scotland!"
"And so our journey ends. It was beautiful while it lasted," South Dakota expressed her feelings on traveling through the Britannia countryside as Thorson and his fleet arrived at the dockyards in Clyde, one of the major staging areas for the Royal forces preparing to invade North Africa. Royal commandos, soldiers, and sailors were there, as well as members of the Union's 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, the 1st Infantry Division, and the 1st Armored Division. Even among that rowdy bunch, Thorson's group, as well as the kansen they were meeting there, drew even more attention.
In addition to Victorious and Formidable, two of the most heavily endowed carriers he'd ever seen, Thorson and Queen Elizabeth met with Duke of York, who had traveled South from Scapa and arrived in the dead of night.
"Ah, it all makes sense now," the man chuckled as he realized where Vampire had acquired her strange behavior. If the young destroyer was a vampire, Duke of York was Dracula herself. The imposing battleship wore a rapier on her waist, sported pointed ears and fangs, and spoke just as anachronistically as her smaller counterpart. Upon learning that she'd been appointed commander of all Royal kansen in the Northern and Baltic seas, she swept into a low bow that still wasn't low enough to make her shorter than Queen Elizabeth.
"Our enemies shall quake in fear of mine approach. May thy campaign bring all of us honor and glory, Your Majesty. And thou, Knight Commander, I would entrust thee with mine daughter once more. It is most apparent how she became smitten with thy rugged countenance and the scent of thine essence."
"She's saying she'd like for Vampire to come along with us," Warspite felt the need to clarify in a mildly exasperated tone. Thorson nodded.
"No no, I got that much. And I won't say no to another escort and submarine hunter. Where is she though?" he wondered. Duke of York just smiled, showing off her exceptional canines.
"The daughters of night shall always find themselves precisely where they need be. Thou hast my thanks, Knight Commander. In her youth she almost fell victim to the follies of love. Even we are not immune to the darkness of the heart. Do your best to survive the sun-scorched fields you set off to conquer, would you? We both yearn to taste of your blood one day. Farewell."
"I sincerely apologize, Knight Commander," Queen Elizabeth said, shaking her head as Duke of York transformed into the largest bat he'd ever had the misfortune of seeing and set off into the night towards her home base of Scapa. "But her prowess in combat is equal to her… force of personality. I shudder to think what will happen if she chooses to sortie against Tirpitz once again. I hope Vampire will not be too great an imposition?"
"Not at all," Thorson assured her, shaking his head as he looked out the window of the small cottage where they'd taken their meeting. The situation in the north would have to wait for another day. Lights and activity were a constant at the dockyards no matter the hour. He checked his watch, seeing that it was just past midnight, local time. "I guess it's October 30th. We set sail today."
"You sound as nervous as I feel, Knight Commander," Elizabeth admitted as they headed for the docks under guard of Warspite and South Dakota. "But I don't know that I'd feel any better staying."
"Having met with Duke of York, Formidable, and Victorious, as well as the rest of the Maid Corps, I think you're leaving the Royal Navy's Homefront efforts in good hands," he assured her truthfully. "But this isn't exactly your first campaign, is it?"
"No, but this one feels different," Warspite opined from the Queen's other side. He nodded curtly.
"Fair enough. Thank you both for your hospitality during our brief stay. It's a shame we didn't get to say farewell to the Prime Minister but I know he's a busy man. I should probably see to my fleet's final preparations if we're to be underway before sunrise."
"Indeed, and we should go oversee the loading of the troop transports, let them know they'll be protected by the Queen herself!" Elizabeth stated proudly.
"In that case, best of luck to you and we will reunify command in Africa when we meet up with the Western invasion force," Thorson agreed, referring to Major General Patton's forces, which were en route along with Ranger directly from the Union. Queen Elizabeth reached out and shook his hand firmly. "And Belfast?"
"When she is satisfied that the supply convoy we used to pull away the U-boats is relatively safe she will rendezvous," Warspite recalled the order of operations. "We look forward to working with you again, Knight Commander. Fair winds and Godspeed."
"And to you," Thorson saluted, having only a moment to himself before Akashi came scampering up to him.
"Shikikan, Akashi has made a breakthrough, nyaa! There is an arbitrage opportunity if we fill our hulls with black tea and guns to trade in the East Indies for-"
"Akashi, you didn't sacrifice oil capacity for tea, did you? He asked her accusingly, thinking for a moment she might have had a report about the strange, Siren-like tissue that formed Graf Spee's tail. The minty cat gave him a forced laugh.
"O-of course not, Shikikan! Akashi just made some spare room with the depth charges and-"
"Akashi!" Thorson shouted in exasperation. Again a letter was thrust into his hand, this one from Akashi's sleeve.
"Brooklyn and Captain Stevens got married! Be happy!" She commanded before fleeing into the scrum of soldiers, tanks, and crates. South Dakota placed a hand on his shoulder.
"We will see to it, sir. You should review that letter. Brooklyn would not write just to inform us of her nuptials."
The commander nodded at her wisdom. "I will. Let me know if anything is amiss with Kasumi as well."
South Dakota looked to the sky, where the stars hid behind clouds and light pollution from the docks. "We sail for a land where the spirits are strong. You should give your attention to the squire from the Orthodoxy. She still has hope but her faith is shaken and her soldiers scattered… that is my suggestion."
"Duly noted, South Dakota. Goodnight," he offered as they approached the berth where her hull sat proudly and silently at the ready.
"I will see you to your quarters, sir. Then we will ensure we are prepared for war."