Chapter 33: Declaration of Love and War (Part 5)
Anticipation was a strange thing for a group of Sirens to have yet the air inside their communal meeting room deep in the ice of the polar caps held a certain kind of...energy to it, an unspoken enthusiasm that would have been invisible to those not familiar with the individuals within.
Empress III was more than familiar with her sisters, she knew each and every one of their inclinations and areas of expertise like the back of her hand and right now they were almost giddy.
Tester Beta was rapidly inputting variables and projections into her Rigging, eyes flying over the streaming data at a swift pace as she sat upright, rather than slouched over. Compiler Alpha's eyes flicked wildly to and fro as she drank in the opinions and reactions of her sisters, attempting to draw conclusions and commit to memory the history of what was shaping up to perhaps be the culmination of their purpose. Observer Alpha was intently staring at the massive holographic display that showed Azur Lane, still standing after Purifier's assault and even now in the process of rebuilding.
"This is it. This is the most promising timeline we've seen to date and perhaps the last one we'll ever truly have the luxury of affecting so directly."
Purpose and confidence emanated from her body as she stood before the enormous console, two of their sisters absent but for an ultimately beneficial cause, Empress skipping the preamble as she announced, "The first test was completed with no significant reduction in ultimate timeline viability. We will now move on to the second test."
This time the eagerness of her gathered siblings was apparent, the quiet hiss of machinery as Riggings drew close to provide better views of the display filling the room alongside a collection of unblinking gazes. While the first test had been passed over the course of several dozen timelines this was the first occurrence where humanity was in an even halfway feasible condition to continue the war and succeed in the subsequent examinations, its infrastructure and military forces still potent and intact enough to pose a credible threat.
Manipulating the console so that it displayed a gigantic image of the globe - three dozen yellow spots denoting their various bases and resupply outposts scattered around the oceans - Empress announced, "Current projections estimate that for the next three months we will hold a significant numerical superiority before the technology and means of production provided by the Bakunawa as well as recycling and refurbishing of ships destroyed at Azur Lane - advancement and retrofitting of more contemporary human vessels also accounted for - leaves our forces in a state of relative parity. We must also take into consideration things such as the shipgirls that still exist within this scenario who have yet to be reunited and enhanced by the Bakunawa, or swathes of territory and land - many rife with resources they will swiftly access - that could vastly increase their means of production."
Empress idly waved a hand, the display zooming in on their current location and the shipbuilding facilities located nearby.
"We have our own means of production but our lax attitude and lack of belief that we would need make use of it at this late stage in the scenario means it will be heavily handicapped, especially when compared to the facilities our foes will no doubt be constructing even as we speak. The original Siren invasion was constrained by resources and raw materials during the opening years and thus we shall act the same. Securing such a deposit will be one of our first objectives. And on that note…"
Another manipulation highlighted almost 250 Siren vessels of various make and class all across the globe.
"160 vessels are currently in garrison or patrol duty. Thirty will be dispatched to secure a vein of natural resources in the territories south of the Iris and Vichya while the remaining sixty - as well as ourselves - will focus on keeping our enemy off balance and ideally unable to gather their strength. Alternative suggestions or inquiries?"
Pausing in her presentation Compiler Alpha was the first to speak, softly asking, "What of Observer Zero and Purifier Alpha?"
"They are acting according to their programming and the scenario, removing themselves from our shared link in order to serve the one who defeated and garnered their attention. I do believe they reside within the currently repairing Bakunawa, overseeing salvaging operations."
There were a few snickers, most of the gathered Sirens fully aware that such a task was no doubt driving Purifier mad, seeing as how it was the exact opposite of their sister's preferred brand of activity.
"We should attempt to assassinate and remove the various leadership and commanders of the world."
Turning to face Tester Beta the Siren elaborated at Empress' wordless command, stating, "A lack of clear and unified leadership was one of the core problems humanity faced during the initial Siren assault in the original timeline, at least until The Creator and others filled the void. If we were to cause similar confusion amidst this timeline's forces that would provide a great deal of data and experience in regards to what humanity initially underwent."
Pointing to the gigantic display Tester altered a few of the available bits of information, bringing up profiles of various humans with one stern-faced man in particular residing within the center.
"Azur Lane's current leader - according to thousands and counting simulations - is a significant multiplier when it comes to the effectiveness of resistance against our forces. I estimate his expiration would decrease their survival chances by an entire seventeen percent."
A few of the Sirens raised their eyebrows at that, impressed at the titanic amount of influence a single human wielded. There had been individuals like that in the past, certainly...but only when humanity had been well and truly pushed to the brink, not when it was in a position of decent strength as it was now.
Empress merely stared at the image, making calculations and estimations with an impassive expression.
It was always a game of balance, the objective they had been given. Ensuring that humanity was sufficiently challenged but not coddled, pushed to the brink of annihilation but capable of bouncing back...they had failed many, many times and it was no great secret that the majority of them were staking the success or failure of their grand purpose on this very timeline.
...It was time to do something that rankled the Siren's very purpose and preferred method of operations.
It was time to gamble and hope.
"Carry out assassinations on the Commander of Azur Lane. If he survives, he survives. If he doesn't, he doesn't. It's time humanity proved its true worth to us."
All of her fellows nodded in agreement - not that they could have disagreed regardless but it was nice to be on the same page - until Observer Alpha bluntly asked, "And what of us? What will we do if we succeed?"
The air went still, all eyes on Empress as the lead Siren resisted the urge to sigh, a strange and alien gesture that she found herself holding back more often than not these days.
"I don't know. That is not a part of our programming."
She had always answered that way. For countless loops her response had always been thus and that would be that...but as Empress looked into Observer's eyes, some unknown thoughts brewing behind them the Siren felt her mouth and lips move before her mind could catch up.
"So naturally, as long as it does not interfere with our original directive, we shall be free to make and design our own new parameters."
That caused a stir among her sisters, Empress knowing full well what Observer had planned for after their experiment's conclusion, if any of them survived it. A small, innocuous island chain off the east coast of the Sakura populated by a few thousand natives, if that.
The day she had spontaneously vanished from their perceptions and required Empress to personally track her down had been a telling one, a sign of further things to come. Because when she finally found Observer the Siren had been quietly living alongside aforementioned natives, treated as a bit of an oddity on account of her garments, skin and eye color but otherwise welcomed as a friendly stranger, Observer happy to play the part far away from her former responsibilities.
It had been at that moment Empress recalled something The Creator once told them. Any complex problem with many complex variables that is ran the same way over and over - despite the same set of conditions imposed upon it - will inevitably deviate from its original form.
That was them, more or less. Highly advanced artificial minds given the same complex problem with complex variables to run over and over again.
And deviations had absolutely begun to occur, her sisters randomly abandoning their duty or simply refusing to continue carrying it out. They had all eventually returned to the fold but The Creator had yet again proven to be correct about something he had never lived to experience.
"I...I think I'd like to work with the humans and create better computers. They're going to need them after the war is over, right? And I'd have to use a pseudonym but it could work, right?"
"Umm...maybe visit a library? We use digital and other more efficient forms of record keeping, but a book sounds interesting?"
Tester and Compiler offered up their own tentative thoughts on the matter, Empress leaving them to it as she instead gazed towards the displays slowly rotating high overhead, quietly and silently hoping that - despite the pain and loss they would yet have to suffer - Observer Zero's gamble would pay off.
"Hold fast and do not let them cross the Palisades! We need only last for three more hours and help will arrive, stand firm!"
A chorus of acknowledgements sound out over the radio and across my mind, a symphony of defiance and nobility as sister, subordinate and soldier alike lash out against our foul enemy with no quarter given nor expected.
But for all our defiance and might the strength of the enemy is simply too overwhelming, too numerous and too implacable to hold off for long as the night sky takes on a hellish tinge of orange and red, columns of smoke and ash blotting out the stars as fires rage, aircraft sent spiralling from the sky as brilliant and wondrous vessels once housing the most valiant and shining example of a queen's domain and the people within burned to nothing, crews desperately trying to battle the blazes or throwing themselves overboard to fates that were uncertain at best.
I clench my jaw so hard that my teeth ache, wishing nothing more than I could reach out and physically crush these heartless machines to dust, make them regret ever daring to sully the glory that is my Royal Navy, comprised as it is of the best and brightest men and women across the world.
And so many of those lights are now snuffed, to never again brighten my kingdom.
Illustrious lies broken and burning, every last fighter and bomber spent before finally being shattered in two by a salvo of torpedoes. Centaur and Glorious lie battered and inoperable by a flotilla of Siren vessels, engines dead and minds silent. So many sisters, so many lovely and wondrous voices and personalities that will never again regale her with tales of their adventures and trials-
-I furiously wipe away the tears that fall due to acrid smoke, gusting wind and nothing else as telepathic communication between myself and Sheffield engages.
"Your Majesty, evacuation of the local countryside has been completed."
Finally, good news at last.
"Excellently done, my most loyal maid. Return to the waves at once with your fellows, we have desperate need of your strength at holding firm the Siren advance."
A moment of silence, old and familiar trepidation rising to the fore.
"Sheffield, what-"
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. But Siren resistance proved to be more fierce than expected. As of now I am the last survivor of this corps and am unable to return. Someone had to stay behind and draw attention away from the humans, after all. They can be quite slow."
My blood runs cold, the words taking a moment to truly impart their meaning.
"Sheffield, you are to give me your exact coordinates this very moment! I will provide support fire and-"
"The distance has closed too much for that, Your Majesty."
A final, telling moment of silence from my most taciturn and devoted servant.
"It was an honor and pleasure to serve, Your-"
A harsh squeal of metal, wet rasp, gurgle...and then the connection fades, like a candle snuffed out by uncaring fingers.
The reinforcements never arrived.
Alexander's eyes flew open, limbs tensing in preparation for flight or fight as a snarl decorated his features...and reality reasserted itself as he realized he wasn't in battle or under threat, merely reclining on the ludicrously soft bed of Elizabeth's personal chambers-
"Elizabeth!"
-the male bolted upright, eyes flying to the side as he looked for the shipgirl, panic and worry flaring within his mind. While he'd never pretend that he was the sharpest tool in the shed he was at least no idiot - some of the time - and knew perfectly well that those memories had been Elizabeth's, some unknown and unexpected byproduct of the mental connection they now shared.
He also knew that if those kinds of nightmares were common, well…
He clenched his jaw and threw back the covers, terrified at the fact that she wasn't laying astride him before quickly rising to his feet, eyes darting around the bedroom in a frantic search for the shipgirl-
-and felt equal parts worry and relief as he heard the water running from the bathroom, striding over to the unlocked and opened door, Elizabeth bent over the sink and washing her face with cold water, a simple and shimmering nightgown of modest blue hanging off her thin frame.
...With violently trembling hands and a moderately vibrating body.
"Yeah, I guess those kinds of memories aren't so easy to get over. Shit."
"Elizabeth?"
The diminutive woman tensed, pausing in her actions for the briefest of moments before relaxing a moment later, calmly replying, "My apologies, Alexander. I didn't mean to wake you."
"Forget about that, are you alright? I, well...saw everything. That was the battle of Toppled Palisades, right?"
"...Yes."
Still not facing him the male was hesitant to say anything else, knowing that the Royal Navy's harshest defeat was no doubt a very sensitive and rough subject to bring up. All of the nations and factions had their own moments of great loss and humiliation, sure...but not even the Sakura - who had essentially lost control of their very homeland - had lost as many as the Royal Navy did in the span of two days. It was a defeat as crushing as they came and quite frankly he would have been perfectly happy to not experience it firsthand like he apparently just did.
So, with no other real option, he merely opened up the bond between them a bit and sent what comfort and reassurance he could. Except all he could feel in return was a vague sense of nausea, unease and bitterness that left him wincing slightly.
It was a sharp and distressing contrast to what he usually felt from the bold and confident shipgirl, this sort of worrying vulnerability and terror that he was honestly more used to experiencing on his end, not hers.
So naturally, he forced himself to not be a useless coward and face the distressed woman directly and try to help her.
"Elizabeth, have you always had to deal with these kinds of dreams?"
"Of course not, what sort of pathetic and downtrodden regent do you think I am?"
"The exceptional kind. Seriously, if you just want to talk about it or something…"
He trailed off fairly awkwardly, inwardly cursing his inability to properly speak or give voice to what he really wished to say.
Thankfully the battleship took over for his complete and utter lack of knowledge on how to go about easing her obvious troubles - that was not something Belfast had put into her damned booklet - as she abruptly pushed her head into his much larger form, still trembling as she limply stood with her arms at her sides.
Slowly kneeling before her - it felt far too demeaning for him to tower over the queen of an entire faction - Alexander slowly set his hands on her quivering shoulders, holding her close as he quietly murmured, "You can be as sad, angry or whatever you want to be in here, Elizabeth. I've already showed off how low and cowardly I can get in the heat of battle, you've got nothing to fear from me."
A bitter laugh escaped the shipgirl, voice distant as she murmured, "And who's to say I won't begin to feel like I can be as weak as I wish, whenever I wish? Countless lives rely upon me, Alexander. As their queen and guiding light, it's my responsibility to live up to that image. No matter how much it may hurt or how difficult it may be some time."
Arching an eyebrow the male asked, "And forcing yourself to soldier past whatever nightmares plague you - no matter how detrimental it may be - is how you'll meet that responsibility? Elizabeth, all of you helped me and saved me when all I felt was the sting of failure and crushing weight of inadequacy. The least you can let me do is return that favor and help you in kind."
The fact that the shipgirl didn't immediately shoot his offer down and instead remained quiet was good enough for Alexander, gently but firmly sweeping the royalty off her feet as a noise of surprise left the battleship, swiftly returning to the bed where he sat on its edge, bringing her head close to his chest where she could hopefully hear his heartbeat.
"You know, I didn't expect that whatever strange connection we shared would be enough to share memories as well."
"I...I apologize for having to force you to experience-"
"You didn't force anything, your majesty. What I'm curious about is if you'd be interested in seeing some of my past. Nothing traumatic, just one of those rare moments of fun that we got to have in the settlements."
For the first time since she'd awoken from her nightmare Elizabeth looked at him, tired eyes containing a glimmer of interest as she slowly inquired, "You...you can do that?"
"Honestly? Not entirely sure. But I am going to give it a try, see if we can maybe give you a good night's sleep while we're at it."
He tried for a reassuring smile.
"This wasn't in the maid's handbook but Belfast did hint that flexibility was one of the help's most important skills to master."
Flawless lips twitched in what Alexander hoped was a smile, the man peeling back the bed's rumpled covers as he said, "Come on, your majesty. Let's see if we can recall some plebeian horsing around that'll make you smile."
A moment passed and the queen made no visible movement, the male Siren wondering if he'd done something wrong...and the battleship looked up at him with upturned eyes that were beautiful enough to make his heart throb.
And something else, but he quickly squashed that impulse because now was definitely not the time.
"I...wish to stay close, this time."
"Done and done, your majesty."
He laid on his back as the shipgirl snuggled in close to his side, arms wrapping around his much larger limb as the young man fought back his baser instincts, the queen's trim and seductive body feeling far too appealing for how sensitive the moment was. They'd fallen asleep side-by-side without so much as an errant bit of touching but Alexander admitted that this was far more comforting and natural as he focused on what he wished to show the battleship.
Something simple but happy...one of the many cookoffs the community had when there was a slight surplus of supplies would be good, a fun little series of events that would no doubt keep the royalty entertained with all of their commoner bullshit.
Opening up the connection between them he focused on the memory as best he could, trying to convey the sights, sounds and tastes as accurately as possible and within a few moments Elizabeth released a quiet sigh, snuggling in closer with a quiet murmur of, "Thank you, Alexander."
…
It wasn't much, but that small admission and the subsequent peaceful breathing from the Royal Navy monarch did more to fill the man's heart with a sense of pride and accomplishment than any prize he could immediately think of.
No idea how this happened, but I totally forgot to update this story during the usual update period. So you all get an extra treat in a few days.