Chapter 37: Declaration of Love and War (Part 9)

"Y-you are an insatiable beast! What manner of perverse stamina do you possess to last for such an unreal amount of time?!"

Calmly brewing morning tea for the duo of royalty - and keeping his satisfied smirk hidden from view - Alexander replied to Elizabeth's dismayed words with, "That indignation isn't what I heard spilling from your lips last night, your majesty. Mostly it was just moans and cries of pleasure as I filled your tight, snug little-"

"Desist with such vulgar commentary!"

Chuckling under his breath the Aloadae finished brewing the tea and returned to their table, fighting down yet more laughter at their completely opposite demeanors. Nagato was kneeling before the table with a blissful expression, enlightened smile upon her lips and dreamy eyes focused on the male's as she contentedly accepted the beverage with a lazy nod, obviously having come out of the night feeling all the better for it.

Elizabeth was almost the complete opposite, blushing scarlet and hiding behind a decorative pillow as sky-blue eyes accusingly stared at Curtis even as she squirmed and shifted with clear desire, a contrasting image that made him want to tease her relentlessly until she was a mewling, teary mess.

...Apparently the constant stream of fucking had awoken his inner sadist, now that he was reasonably confident no hearts or bodies were going to be broken. The shipgirls were no delicate wallflowers, tough in both mind and elasticity.

"Aw heck, now I'm starting to get ideas. Oh well, they should have just kept me morose and half a trauma away from mental breakdown, now they get to deal with me as I actively search for a way to turn them into gooey messes."

Forcing away the less than pure thoughts for the moment as the Royal Navy monarch grudgingly accepted her tea Alexander stated, "We have to figure out what our next course of action is and it might not be as simple as we hoped. Free the Sakura Empire, sure, but there's a couple of possible ways to go about doing that, each of them with their own upsides and downsides."

Elizabeth begrudgingly lost some of her indignation, inquiring, "Then speak of them and we shall come to a decision."

Retrieving a tablet from his armor and setting it on the table a display powered on, reflecting off of the polished surface and revealing the latest overhead images courtesy of some drone flyover he'd scheduled after Nagato stated her desire to take back their lands.

"From what I've been able to gather we have five moderate problems on our hands and one big one."

He highlighted five locations scattered at even intervals around the island's coastal waters, stating, "Siren airbases and weapons platforms are at these locales and launch regular survey flights and such, also operating as small but effective refueling stations that can handle several smaller vessels or one larger class. While not armed to the same extent Azur Lane is - no railguns or other class of weaponry that heavy - they do have extensive missile batteries and point-defense armaments alongside what I imagine is a shielding system at least the strength of a carrier's, if not a supercarrier."

Both royals grimly nodded, immediately spotting the problems presented.

"Elizabeth, Warspite and myself will be able to outrange the platforms but we will require escort to fend off the missile and fighter attacks. And if we were to attack the three platforms simultaneously that would additionally stretch our resources."

The Royal Navy queen additionally pointed out, "There also exists the possibility of using I-13, Essex or Enterprise to assault the remaining two but we then face the rather daunting task of having completely ignored the largest threat that will be quickly reacting to our movements."

Sighing in agreement Alexander zoomed in on Tokyo bay, where the Sirens had established a significant base of operations that wouldn't be an easy nut to crack.

"Haven't found any signs of kinetic weaponry that can match our range but that's kinda the least of our worries. Land-based generators means shielding is going to be tough while airfields, missile silos and what looks like a ship-building facility are there in force...not to mention the garrison itself."

Twenty destroyers, ten cruisers, eight battleships and three carriers alongside an indeterminable number of subs, all complemented by the local aircraft garrisons.

"To use a more mundane phrase, 'this is something of a pickle'. May we rely on resistance cells or other allies to perhaps sabotage Siren efforts?"

Nagato shook her head even as Alexander snorted with amusement, responding, "From what little we've gathered of sporadic communication with more militant groups all of their effort is focused on keeping Siren air raids and ground assaults at bay, not going on the offensive."

The trio fell silent, trying to think of an inspired way to solve their problem. It wasn't so much of a question as to whether they could retake the Sakura homeland - they absolutely could, right at this very moment if they wished to - but it was a matter of what they lose doing so that had to be taken into consideration. The sight of the ship-building facility just drove the point home that they were on the clock and didn't have any easy means of reinforcement, while the Sirens could hit full production at any moment. Until their own factories and such were online they couldn't afford so much as a single casualty.

But their hands were pretty much tied right now. They could either launch individual assaults on the outlying bases and risk the main Siren garrison converging on their scattered numbers or move as one large group to either assault the outlying platforms or the main base as a single, powerful unit. Except the grouped strategy would take time and make them easy targets for any reinforcements or massed assaults. Even more limiting was the fact that unlike with their previous campaign they didn't have the luxury of retreating to Azur Lane's relative safety, they were the ones going after a fortified position.

And reinforcements from the various factions would be of limited use and availability, since they would have to be mustered on short notice with both ammunition and crews, all briefed on their own objectives and role while staying supplied.

Alexander sighed, remarking, "You were right, Elizabeth. One hell of a pickle."

"Quite so. And it isn't as if we can back out or delay for too long either."

She was right on that one, they'd announced the retaking of the Sakura Empire as a major propaganda campaign, the final nail in the coffin of believability that would lead towards a Human victory. Proof that they could not only win on the defensive but the offensive as well. To falter and fail now would bring back a whole slew of doubts.

And the real kicker was that he couldn't just muster up the Bakunawa and have it steamroll the Siren defensive positions with the HELGA, it was still undergoing repairs that would leave it vulnerable and was still their main means of production for the coming weeks, if not months. Taking it away from that duty would be just as detrimental to their cause - if not more so - than simply failing to take their objective.

"What a clusterfuck of tactical nightmares. We could really do with some-"

[Designation Shipgirls detected in designation 'Antarctica', location and movement has halted.]

Blinking at his Rigging's sudden statement Alexander felt a surge of excitement percolate within his chest, Nagato and Elizabeth noting his glee as the Aloadae stated, "Get us moving as quickly as possible, get the Commander on the horn and contact the rest of your sisters, we've got a detour to make."

"You're certain? Beyond a shadow of a doubt?"

"Beyond a shadow of any doubt, Enterprise. The drones don't lie while Nagato, Elizabeth and the Commander confirmed it. Jeanne d'Arc, Émile Bertin, Jean Bart, Le Malin, Chao Ho, Ying Swei, Tashkent and Sovetskaya Rossiya are all accounted for and present within the Antarctic wastes."

Alexander felt an unstoppable grin pull at his lips, sheer joy and anticipation sending electricity racing through his veins.

"We're not alone in this."

Elizabeth and Nagato shared his euphoria at having found their wayward sisters - the realization they weren't alone any more - while the Commander had a fire in his eyes, staring out at the passing ocean waves as they made best speed towards Azur Lane, the rest of the shipgirls mentally communicating with them as Alexander used his Rigging as a audio device so the Commander could listen in.

"Well our next goal is fairly simple, isn't it boys and girls? We're going to go and rescue our comrades and have Alexander upgrade em' just like he did the rest of you."

A smug, accomplished grin appeared on the man's features as he laced his fingers together.

"We're going to have a proper fleet again as well as provide yet another morale boost to the world, the return of heroes who were protecting civilians this whole time."

"Civilians?"

Eugen's confused words coincided with Alexander explaining, "In addition to their ships we also found a number of non-military vessels that they're assumedly guarding and escorting through the ice shelves. It seems a safe bet that - since each and every one of them was assumed KIA or MIA - the shipgirls had to flee Siren patrols or sieges while running escort duty, finding shelter or sanctuary in the Antarctic since electronics behave kinda wonky up there, part of the reason it took so damn long to spot them in the first place."

Nagato giggled, remarking, "Our Northern Parliament sisters no doubt played a significant role in ensuring such a large group's survival in adverse conditions, considering how inhospitable their homeland is."

"Even if that's right it nonetheless means the people and shipgirls there have been living lean for a long time now. The sooner we get out there and rescue them the better."

The Commander's words sobered them slightly, Alexander fully able to sympathize with what he was saying. In addition to constantly being under threat from Siren patrols - even if the Antarctic was a colossal patch of terrain to keep an eye on - factor in the cold, meager food sources and radio silence with the rest of the world and he couldn't help but admire their persistence in surviving for so long.

Actually, how the hell had they survived for so long? Wouldn't fuel and power be a resource damn near impossible to replenish?

Thoughts for another time.

"Very well, let's decide who's going to go and save the day. I have a roster in mind but input would be appreciated."

Elizabeth blinked, posing, "You have a plan, Commander? Then let us hear it, you have not lead us astray thus far!"

Alexander nodded in agreement, the rest of the shipgirls also mentally sitting up in anticipation as the older man tapped his chin, commenting, "Well I think it's fairly simple. I-13, Akashi, Kawakaze, Vampire and Alexander will swiftly make their way to where our comrades are currently hiding out in the ice and escort them back to Azur Lane while everyone else runs a diversionary assault on the Sakura homeland."

No shortage of bewildered gazes - present or not - were sent the older man's way, Alexander awkwardly asking, "Umm...why such a small group? And if I don't have the Bakunawa with me what the hell use am I going to be going with the rescue group?"

The Commander bluntly replied, "All of you are the fastest ships we currently possess and have a mix of necessary armament and qualifications. The destroyers can provide anti-air and missile support, I-13 stealth and ambushes while Akashi can keep our comrades and civilians patched if any attacks do make it through. You're not going on this op in order to fight a battle so a force larger than that runs the risks of detection. Once you're in open waters we can break off our attack or partition heavier assets your way if it becomes necessary."

They all slowly nodded, not finding any particular problem with the Commander's plan. Sure, it was risky but so was going as one big ball of guns and metal while drawing every Siren eye their way. And there was no guarantee that their wayward allies were going to stay in their current location for very long, the sooner they got there the better.

"Okay, that makes sense...but why me?"

This time it was Warspite that answered him, bluntly stating, "Because you have a strange magnetism and allure to you, my liege. I refer not to the mental connection you share with us but the circumstances of who you are and who you desire to be. Never mind that - despite your claims to the contrary - you have nonetheless been the guarantor of victory after victory. The Commander no doubt expects that property to bear fruit in the operation."

A round of mental nods and agreements sounded throughout his head, the Aloadae blinking in surprise as Nagato and Elizabeth also seemed perfectly content with the explanation while the Commander finished things off with, "Yes, mistakes and misjudgements were made while losses that could have perhaps been avoided were suffered...but we're still here, still fighting and with a tangible means to win. And you were there for every step of that process. I want you to be there for the next one as well."

Alexander opened his mouth to argue-

-and heaved out a sigh of defeat, Belfast teasingly commenting, "Oh my, is our master perhaps learning?"

"Save it, this is all still new to me."

"Oh~? Just what parts exactly, Alexander?"

Nagato's cheerful inquiry - and amused ear twitching - told the Aloadae that she was referring to his prowess in the bedroom disguised as an innocent statement. And that he was basically forbidden from retorting unless the Commander got a front row seat to their private life.

"Yeah, not happening."

Running a hand through his hair the male asked, "Akashi, I-13, Essex? Any updates on those ship-boarding drones we were talking about last time?"

"We made six that haven't really been tested, nya."

"Yeah, we're pretty sure they won't go crazy and kill anyone on our side but that's something we still need to double check, eh heh heh~!"

"Why exactly did you laugh at the prospect of friendly fire?"

"...Because we were trying to make things less serious, nya?"

"While I perhaps wouldn't put it so bluntly we are trying to make these things work despite the Siren programming that had them exclusively targeting humans and shipgirls. It's slow and careful going, to say the least."

Essex's reassurance was about the best they could honestly hope for, all things considered. Probably wouldn't endear many people to their side if the first case of their weapons being fielded resulted in large numbers of 'whoops' moments.

"I'm just going to go ahead and try not to remember the time they almost killed the president via overcharged engine."

Leaning back in his chair as the conversation turned more towards the logistical side of things, of how they were going to actually go about resupplying and arming the coming mission Alexander fought down a scowl, knowing that he was going to need help on this one...help he wasn't exactly looking forward to working with.

"Done. I'll do fucking ANYTHING to get away from this mind-numbing reduce reuse and recycle crap. And you want me to fight and blow stuff up?"

Purifier's face was that of a child as Christmas came eleven months early.

"I am SO down for that~!"

"My more brutish and unrefined sister's commentary aside it's gratifying to know that you have begun to trust us with some measure of responsibility. You will surely become an even greater subject than my expectations first suggested, if you are this adaptable."

Curtis felt a strong urge to take a swing at Zero but forced it down. Firstly, the Siren was just being her usual self and he may as well get mad at a dog for shedding. Secondly - and most importantly - she wasn't actually there at the moment, just a ghostly doppelganger. Any swing he took at her would end with his knuckles embedded in a wall.

"Yeah yeah warm fuzzies all around. Just be ready to make the journey when those four depart, I've already talked to them and they're willing to give you a ride."

Purifier perked, opening her mouth-

"On the condition you don't you talk, breath or exist in the same room as them. Believe it or not they still aren't your biggest fans."

"Pfft, that's just because they haven't had a chance to talk with me yet. I can be perfectly friendly!"

"Falser words were never spoken."

Driving the heel of his palms into his eyes Alexander growled, "Look, I don't really care how you feel or think about this you are going to follow my orders, end of discussion."

He met both the Siren's eyes, daring them to contradict his instructions.

"Ugh, what a killjoy. Whatever, I'll behave myself as long as I get to fight things when we get where we're going."

Purifier paused, childlike curiosity glittering in her pale yellow eyes.

"Where are we going, exactly?"

Alexander had to perform the mental equivalent of counting to ten.

"Look what you did to the armor, nya!"

"Look what I did? I was inside the thing, Akashi. I experienced what happened to the armor."

He gave the Sakura a perplexed look as he clambered out of his Rigging after it had deposited him onto her vessel, metal suit and all.

"Nice to see you too."

"Not when you broke my things!"

Alexander's eye twitched at the harsh greeting-

-and felt his lips quirk as the tiny shipgirl promptly jumped onto the ragged and patchwork suit, clinging to it and him as she carefully observed each and every nook and cranny while remembering something very important about cats.

They might be pissy, prideful and dismissive...but that was sometimes just how they showed their affection. A cat that didn't like you would just stay the fuck away or take a good, hard swipe.

"I missed you too, crazy."

He offered her ears a good scratch as the repair ship purred at the action, blissfully stating, "Don't think I'm letting you off the hook for breaking my things."

"Saving your empress and the four representatives wasn't enough of a sell?"

"Saving Lady Nagato was. Rescuing those old farts brought you back into neutral status, nya."

The Aloadae snorted at that, amused at her commentary even as she affectionately butted her head against his, finally leaping down from her inspection and whipping out a clipboard from the pile of tools she'd brought, pen in sleeved hand as she rapidly asked, "So what do you think of it, nya? Improvement or alterations, maybe?"

"Honestly it worked like a charm. Survived a freakin' missile strike more or less intact and it still worked even after that, if a bit raggedly. Although what the hell drugs did you put in the thing?"

The minty kitty paused, cocking her head as she innocently asked, "Drugs?"

"Yeah, drugs. Whatever the suit pumped into me when I got hit worked wonders."

Alexander felt the oddest sense of foreboding as the Sakura paled, yellow eyes widening as she nervously laughed, "O-oh, right. That! Hah hah hah. Umm...you didn't feel anything bad...right?"

"Akashi, you're scaring me."

The Sakura gulped, met the male's gaze-

-and didn't quite escape in time as his hand closed around the back of her neck like a vice, lifting the catgirl high very much like a misbehaving feline as she went limp, slitted eyes awkwardly shifting back-and-forth in a failed bid to seem innocent.

"What and how much did you put in the damn suit, Akashi?"

"W-well there was a bit that we'd intended to put inside as emergency meds in case of-"

"How much?"

A solid gulp left the Sakura.

"I, uhh, eh heh heh...kinda forgot to dilute the solution so a bunch of morphine that was something like sixteen grams concentration-"

"Sixteen grams?! Woman are you trying to kill me?! That's ten times more than someone is supposed to take in a DAY!"

"T-there was a lot of different stuff I was trying to keep track of, nya!"

Releasing a defeated sigh and setting the repair ship back onto her feet the Aloadae muttered, "I better not get addicted because of this...whatever, it's fine. My body must just be super efficient because all I really felt was numb rather than violently catatonic."

"See? Everything worked out just fine-"

"Forget basic chemistry rules one more time and I'm pumping you full of enough morphine to kill a bull."

A coquettish sleeve was raised to cover the lower half of the shipgirl's facial features, eyes narrowing as she teased, "Oh? Do you want to maybe fill me full of something else, nya~?"

Blinking at Akashi's sudden teasing Alexander couldn't help but chuckle, their back-and-forth put on hold as Vampire, Kawakaze and I-13 ran up next to them, the silverette eagerly launching herself into an affectionate hug while proclaiming, "Oh how thy favorite destroyer missed thee, Alexander~! Has thou felt the same, perchance?"

Matching the Royal Navy shipgirl's enthusiasm with a soft stroking of her silky hair the Aloadae replied, "You know I can't go playing favorites, Vampire. But…"

He bent low, placing a heated kiss directly onto the eager woman's lips.

"I did indeed miss you."

Grinning like the cat ate the canary Vampire happily hugged one of his hands into her slim chest before encircling it with soft and delicate limbs, his gaze landing on Kawakaze as the Sakura offered a shy smile that he answered with a simple ear scratch, the reserved destroyer accepting the gesture with all the grace and poise of a noblewoman.

"Wow, they really did a number on you, huh? Was it an aircraft strike? I bet it was, fighters and bombers can do a lot of damage!"

Smirking at I-13's hyper-focused attention on his damaged suit the male explained, "Sub strike, practically guaranteed. On a slightly more dour note, however...what about our two guests?"

All four shipgirls soured at his inquiry, Kawakaze gesturing with one of her swords towards her fast-moving destroyer as a distant but distinctive pair of figures waved their way, Alexander grimacing.

"Sorry, but when it comes to our mission and what's at stake-"

"Dismiss such childish thoughts, Alexander. While distasteful and aggravating their strength will undoubtedly prove worth any amount of churlish and disgusting effrontery."

Kawakaze stoically nodded, quietly remarking, "They have kept to themselves thus far, citing that it was your orders they do so."

I-13 suddenly tugged on all of their hands or articles of clothing, chirping, "C'mon, enough of all the dour talk and stuff, let me show you what Akashi, Essex and I made up~!"

Amused at the tiny subs unbridled enthusiasm Alexander let himself be yanked along, sending a final glance towards where the rest of the fleet was departing for the Sakura mainland, a brief burst of emotion translating roughly to 'good luck' passing between them as they each got back to their respective assignments, the pair of engineeringly-oriented shipgirls leading them deep into the depths of Akashi's vessel as he gratefully shed the armor into a repair bay.

"Man, feels good to be out of that...so what's with the latest and greatest?"

Akashi and I-13 enthusiastically gestured to a collection of eight drones sequestered away into mechanical berths right alongside his armor, Vampire and Kawakaze quietly following along as Curtis almost recoiled at the sight. The machines reminded him uncomfortably much of the land-based assault troops Zero had used to wipe out his coworkers and the special forces before he got turned into a Siren himself.

Vaguely shark and squid-like in appearance the things were armed with a variety of laser, projectile and close-range weaponry that meant they were equally effective at ripping apart either infantry or light vehicles, the heavier versions not included among the octuplet.

What did appear different was that each drone had some kind of battering-ram like structure on top of their head that looked like some kind of focusing lens, their stabilizing limbs jury-rigged with disposable boosters and engines as the male asked, "So what's with the story on the additions, hmm?"

Akashi eagerly smacked one of the constructs with her sleeve, proudly stating, "Pirate drones, nya~! The big ol' gun on top of their head is a powerful but unstable laser that can melt through even battleship plate before overheating and being ditched while the boosters on the back can give them exactly two minutes of flight before expiring!"

I-13 crossed her arms, authoritatively nodding as she added, "We only had enough time to mess with their programming and slap on those two additions, we're going to use the rest of the trip to work out any last bugs and paint them a less evil color so people don't get them mixed up."

Alexander glanced to the side, finding a collection of paints and cans of blue and white coloration matching the Azur Lane scheme, remarking, "You got this done way ahead of time. Nice work."

He gave the eight machines a closer look, the pair of tinkerers preening under his words as the Aloadae felt resolve pool in his gut. These new additions would help a great deal in the coming assignment if fighting did indeed break out. They didn't have much in the way of heavy armor or guns outside of missile strikes and being able to launch a few drones onto an enemy battleship or carrier from either air or water would be a massively more preferable scenario compared to slugging it out.

"This time? This time I'll have the right tools to ensure everyone makes it out alive or die trying."