1998.
Amber Mountains.
"Now entering combat airspace. We're almost at their frontline base, The Keep. This will most likely be against ground targets. Be careful out there. We've had reports of 'Sirens' in the area." Keynote warns.
Nagase asks, "Sirens, sir?"
"Those mysterious pale-skinned women we've seen glimpses off since the Belkan War. Apparently that's what they're called. They possess equipment similar to Kansen, but they're far more powerful. Exercise extreme caution. We don't know where they came from, but they can be incredibly violent."
"Understood, sir." Nagase switches to speak to Phoenix, "Lead aircraft, this is Edge. I'll be your second in this operation."
Phoenix looks over to her plane and nods to her with a thumbs-up.
"However, if you show any sign of being unfit to uphold your duties…"
Phoenix' hand returns quickly to his flight controls and he looks forward again as Keynote responds, "Loosen up, Lieutenant Nagase. Now then, Phoenix, show her what you're capable of."
After dive bombing old strongholds to make sure they can't reinforce The Keep, Scarface Squadron then proceeds to the castle itself.
The Keep.
A Rebel soldier reports to the Sirens, "The western stronghold's collapsed!"
"Yes, we know." The Empress waves him off. "Prepare the SAM sites."
"Yes, ma'am!" The soldier leaves.
"You're very confident today." The Observer… observes.
"That pilot… clearly he fears nothing, diving nose-first into a stronghold just to put a missile right in the centre of a fort… lets see him do that when a castle has anti-air missiles as a part of its battlements." The taller Siren replies.
"Such a shame our weapons aren't as powerful over land." The Observer teases. "What's an Empress without land to control?"
"I'm the Empress of the Seas, you insufferable little shit!" She hits her hand on her throne.
Nagase sees trailers of smoke coming from The Keep. Back when it was built, this fort would've been nigh-impossible to lay siege to. This time, however, the attackers have fighter jets. Edge warns, "They're firing anti-aircraft missile above the base. Be careful."
Phoenix makes a note of the SAMs as he dodges the missiles. As per the previous fortresses, he's going to have to have a steep angle of attack due to the strong and think solid stone walls of the castle, still providing cover to its inhabitants even centuries later. As Edge deals with the enemy fighters, Phoenix focuses on The Keep.
The Empress demurs, "I hate being on land so much… we can't even use our own fighters!"
The Observer rolls her eyes, "How many times must I remind you we only have limited amounts of fighter-bomber squadrons? Even if we could use them this far inland, we'd be wasting them on the Phoenix. He's too good to be shot down by them."
"We could always get lucky."
"Luck is for fools, Empress. We cannot rely on such human concepts." The Observer reminds her.
"Whatever."
Resembling a seagull fishing, Phoenix takes out target after target, wether it be oil tanks, barracks or air defences. Little by little, The Keep is gradually neutralised.
"I would recommend retreating before being crushed by centuries-old stone, but I know you prefer not to make the most sensible decisions." The Observer speaks up.
"Shut the fuck up." The Empress deadpans before opening her portal. They both step through right before their part of the castle collapses.
"The target has been taken out. We have captured The Keep. Phoenix, something tells me you've gained Lieutenant Nagase's trust." Keynote confirms.
Edge nods, "I'll admit, your combat skills were quite… admirable, but I'm reserving my final assessment."
"She's a tough one, Phoenix." Olsen jokingly warns.
The two Sirens re-emerge on an oil platform that's been taken over by the Rebels, who salute them after appearing.
Ignoring them, the Empress asks, "So this thing is their next target?"
The Observer nods, "After any losing the data, this seems to be the host probable. It would greatly hinder the Coup if this facility is taken out or captured."
"Do they have any intel regarding our forces here?"
"Regarding the importance of this one, I have reserved one of our own drone fighter squads to keep away spy planes. They only know that the Rebels control this place." The smaller Siren answers.
"Good. Make sure it stays that way, and get more defences up. That pilot is becoming a pain in the ass." The Empress mutters.
The Observer tilts her head in confusion, "Isn't the whole point of this campaign to test Phoenix?"
"That doesn't mean I have to bend over for him and let him have his way!" The Empress yells.
"I had no idea you were into such things, Your Horny-ness." The smug Siren teases more.
"BY THE CREATOR, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU WHEN WE GET BACK!"
2024.
Admiral Graf Spee escorts the Compileraround the Azur Lane HQ. Despite the hopes of the Fleet Admiral, pretty much everyone knows about her presence now, and Spee has had to fend off a few overly emotional Kansen. Luckily, her huge mechanical gauntlets make it easy for her.
The childlike Siren asks, "Miss Spee… they…"
"Hmm?"
"They do not like me, do they?"
"Nein. Es tut mir leid."
"But why? I followed orders. I never stepped out of line under Observer Zero, and I haven't done anything against you since you captured me." The Compiler asks, genuinely oblivious to the obvious.
Spee finds a bench and she has the Siren sit next to her. The Complier finds it awkward at first, considering the heavy device on her ankle that blocks her access to her rigging, but she boosts herself up on the seat, her feet dangling above the ground. She kicks back and forth as she keeps playing with the toy car she had brought with her.
The Iron Blood Cruiser looks at her and says, "You see… when you were following orders… you ended up… hurting… many of our fellow Kansen. Your orders were to prevent us reaching your Atlantic Stronghold, but that included…"
"Sinking you?"
"…Ja. Many of the Schiffsmädchen you and your comrades ended up sinking had sisters here. Those were the ones that tried to grab you earlier. They don't like you because you took away their sisters… just like mine…"
"Deutschland? I remember her. She stormed ahead of you all and tried to grab me. My automated defences neutralised her." The Compiler says absent-mindedly.
Spee remains silent for a few seconds. She softly asks, "…did she feel it?"
"It is highly improbable that she did." She looks up at her, "If you also lost a sister to me, then why do you not feel the same way as the others earlier?"
"…Because she can finally rest. I now finally know what her name means, and as long as I remember that, she can rest."
"If that brings you comfort, I will not argue." The Siren says.
"Danke…"
"This place… the stones on the grass… is this what the humans call a cemetery?" The Compiler asks.
"Was?" Spee looks around. She hadn't realised until now where they are. "Oh. Ja. It is. It's a lot… more filled now…"
"From the lack of body-sized graves, I assume that this cemetery is for Kansen, meaning there are Wisdom Cubes inside them." The Siren guesses.
"Ja. Correct. This one is dedicated to Schiffsmädchen. The much bigger one over there is for humans." Spee responds. She looks down and adds, "My schwester… couldn't be buried here… her Cubes couldn't be found…"
The Compiler gets up and approaches a group of Kansen sisters from the Eagle Union who were there before them. Not wanting things to escalate, Spee follows her, "Nein! Compiler!"
Montpelier, Denver, Columbia, Biloxi and Birmingham stand in front of a gravestone in silence.
Monty starts, "…we miss you, sis…"
"Yeah… why'd you have to go in like that?" Denver adds.
Columbia says, "You… you dumbass… always being our big sis… always having to protect us…"
Before anyone else can speak, they hear from behind them, "I am sorry."
They all turn around to see the Siren that took their fallen sister from them.
"YOU-" Monty yells, silencing herself out of respect for the dead. She hisses, "What do you think you're doing here?"
Ignoring the question, the Compiler asks, "I am sorry for taking your sister away. May I see her Cube?"
"You think a simple 'sorry' would make things okay between us!?" Denver takes a step forward. "And you have the nerve to ask if you can dig up what's left of her!?"
Columbia adds, "Maybe we should dig her up! Then put you in her place!"
Graf finally catches up. "I am deeply sorry. Compiler, we must leave them to grieve! Come with me." She grabs the Siren and tries to pull her away.
But she doesn't move, as if rooted into the ground like a tree.
"…was…?" The Iron Blood whispers.
"You'd better heed your friend's advice, Siren." Birmingham says, summoning her rigging along with her sisters.
The only one not to follow suit, the more level-headed sister of the group, finally chimes in. Biloxi steps in between them and gets down on the Compiler's eye level. She softly asks, "Why do you want to see my sister's Wisdom Cube, child?"
The Siren answers, "I would like to see if this program of mine still works now that my rigging is repaired."
"What does this program do?" Biloxi asks.
"It is my Kansen Revival Protocol, only for emergency use should a Kansen perish in a failed experiment, but is not enough to warrant a complete timeline reset." The Compiler answers.
The silence of everyone is deafening. Pushing Biloxi aside, Denver grabs the Siren and asks, "You can bring her back!? Tell me you're not joking!"
Monty adds, "If you are, you'll be joining her!"
Columbia yells, "She can still live!?"
Unphased by the raw emotion being practically fired at her like an artillery bombardment, the Siren nods, "If the program still works, yes. May I attempt it?"
Letting go of her, Graf Spee waits in stunned silence.
Monty turns to the grave of her sister, gently brushing aside the layers of dirt. While a human would need a shovel, she naturally finds it easy to use her hands with her Kansen strength.
Standing up while gingerly holding the Wisdom Cubes, she turns back around and the Compiler says, "We must ask permission from your Fleet Admiral to allow me to use my rigging." She turns to leave the cemetery for the HQ with the sisters and a now silent Spee in tow.
1998.
Coup d' état oil facilities.
The Empress observes the many oil platforms that will supply the Rebels, taken from the Usean Allied Forces. The clear skies allows them to maintain vigilant watch for enemy aircraft.
"Hmm…"
"What is it?" The Observer asks.
"It's quiet… too quiet."
Right on cue, they see the flash of the first oil platform explode, the hear it along with the shockwave.
"Ugh… now it's too loud. I preferred it when it was quiet… call everyone to battle stations!" The Empress demands.
"Immediately, oh Great Mistress of Evil." The smaller Siren mocks before leaving to start organising the defence.
"She's just asking to be deleted…" the deflated Empress sighs, secretly getting rather used to the teasing. "Let's see how quickly the Phoenix finishes this mission…"
As if hearing her, the ace in question picks up the pace, strafing the oil platforms, knocking them down like dominoes while Nagase cleans up any stragglers.
"Phoenix, you see the underwater pipeline? Once you're done with the platforms, follow it to the storage facilities." Keynote orders.
"CONTACT OPERA HOUSE! THE ALLIED FORCES ARE HERE!" A Rebel soldier yells.
Phoenix finds an island covered in fuel tanks. He gets in close, fires a missile and moves on.
The island no longer has fuel tanks on it.
"Well, there goes half of the fuel already…" the Empress growls.
The Observer returns, "It would see, the Rebels are losing another battle…" she says, cheerful to see her comrade miserable.
"I realise that, Captain Obvious… how the hell are you so calm while we lose more men!? Amused, even!?" The Empress demands.
"Why, Empress… one would think you're actually starting to care about these Rebels. These… human… Rebels."
"SILENCE!" She yells as more and more oil platforms are turned into future coral reefs. They run away using their portals again before the one they're on explodes.
With all storage and production facilities gone, Keynote radios, "The target has been destroyed. Opera House is now ours. Excellent work. Both of you, come on home and let the Allied Forces clean up here."
Nagase asks, "Keynote, any word on that downed Siren fighter from the mountains yet?"
"Unfortunately, the top brass took it away. I doubt we'll be hearing about it anytime soon."
"Damn…"
Spring Sea.
Captain Torres looks over the smouldering wreck of the now beached Siren Pawn. As Herne works on putting out her fires and performing basic repairs on her ship, he took a dinghy over to the defeated Destroyer.
He rummages through the machinery and computers. "So… it was unmanned. Just where the hell did it come from?"
Finding a device about the size of a single door household fridge, he cautiously presses a button and it re-activates, generating an energy shield around the Pawn. The same shield that Herne had just had trouble penetrating. She had to hold out until the shield had to switch off to recharge.
Turning it off again, he mutters, "huh… I wonder…" as he looks out at his Kansen's Destroyer, the fires reduced to faint plumes of smoke.
"Herne, come in." He radios.
"What's up, Captain?"
"How are the repairs going?" Torres asks.
"Ship-shape and ready to get back underway, sir! All patched up and according to my radar, the surrounding area is clear!" Herne answers.
"Didn't you say on the way here that you have an empty space for a piece of tech?"
"The space about the size of my fridge back in my dorm? I was gonna move the fridge to my ship because I like to bring along snacks, but…" The Destroyer answers.
Interrupting her before she goes on a tangent, Torres says, "Good. Come on over here. I think I've found just the thing…"