"Laffey feels like a spy," Laffey whispered to Thorson as they stepped through the sands of one of the formerly volcanic island's many beaches. Thorson had given silent thanks for such features, dreading the idea of rocky outcrops and otherwise treacherous footing with no margin of error. Instead they'd had a pleasant walk since stashing one of the USS Laffey's life rafts on shore underneath some local foliage. Thorson turned and smiled at the shipgirl but held a finger to his lips.
"For all intents and purposes you are, maybe the first shipgirl spy ever. So keep it quiet unless it's necessary," he admonished her gently. She nodded eagerly, clearly excited about the idea of infiltrating an enemy facility on foot, certainly not a typical endeavor for a ship or a shipgirl. With perky ears and surprisingly fluid movement, Laffey followed Thorson as they reached the cement stairs that led up from the beach to the eastern edge of the main facility. The two of them crouched in the safety of the stair walls to observe their surroundings. "Well I'll be, this is really quite the place," Thorson remarked. Laffey tugged on his sleeve and shushed him right back. He nodded, pointing her forward as they tentatively moved in.
The facility was massive by any standard, even military. They were currently at the far end of what appeared to be some sort of attempt at recreating a pseudo-civilian environment amongst what was obviously a military base. It was hard to tell in the dark of night, the only light being the diffuse moon and starlight, as well as the floodlights father down the docks, but Thorson thought he could make out a trading post, a canteen, an almost boardwalk-like set of shops, and a two-building academy. He pointed them out to Laffey and nodded a question at her.
"That was the school. Laffey fell asleep a lot in class. Over there is where Laffey would eat with all the other girls." She motioned towards the canteen. Thorson nodded again in acknowledgment. If possible he wanted to return to this part of the base during a less trying time.
"Let's go see what our visitors are up to," he suggested. The two of them stood cautiously and walked through the abandoned base, passing an inactive fountain at the center of the civilian area in the shape of an anchor. Thorson thought it bore a striking resemblance to the charm on Pennsylvania's bra, but quickly chastised himself for thinking about a battleship's breasts while involved in an infiltration mission. Soon he and Laffey passed the last of the shops, finding themselves on a large cement dock complex full of cranes, ammunition and fuel storehouses, a few buildings he presumed were labs or miscellaneous storage, and a significant number of wet docks. The carried on in silence, doing their best to keep their footfalls silent.
As they passed toward the middle of the line of docks and closer to the beginning of the currently active lights, Thorson spared a glance to his left. The island sloped upward quickly from the docks, and he could faintly make out a large complex of buildings at the top of a winding staircase built into the terrain. Returning his attention to their current objective, he and Laffey stopped two docks away from the first sign of enemy presence other than the active lights. "Just one ship?" Thorson muttered aloud, looking through his binoculars which he'd hung around his neck. He couldn't make out the silhouette with any certainty, the harsh beams of industrial light towers adding a hazy glare to the ship's features, but it was clear it wasn't an offensive warship. There weren't any major guns aboard. He looked at Laffey. "Any idea if the Eagle Union has repair ships in the area?" He asked. Laffey shook her head.
"Vestal is with Miss Enterprise almost always. She would not be here," Laffey reasoned. Thorson felt his adrenaline surge.
"Then it's the Sakura. Looks like they're investigating the dry docks. That building is too large to be a storehouse. I can't believe I'm saying that, but it is. Combine that with the noise and that's gotta be one hell of a generator. I think that's where the conductive matrix lab is, Laffey."
"What's a conductive matrix?" She asked innocently, looking down at her pistol as if to confirm it was still there and that she'd not fired it.
"It's the technology that was used to create you, Laffey," Thorson told her. Laffey's eyes grew wide.
"No one ever told Laffey what it was called. Laffey just remembers falling."
"Things are going to be different from now on, assuming we can secure this place tonight. Consider yourself promoted from shipgirl to Private via field promotion," Thorson told her seriously. Laffey's eyes opened fully for what he thought was the first time he'd ever seen. She looked ready to cry, but they were utterly beautiful. He rubbed her head gently. "Keep it together. First we scout the ship, figure out if it's crewed or if we're dealing with a shipgirl. If it's the former, we retreat back to the Laffey, attack them in dock, and sink them. If it's a shipgirl…we take her down and learn everything we can about the Sakura's current plans for war. Understood?"
Laffey switched her pistol to her left hand, allowing her to render a salute from her crouched position behind a large docking pylon. "Laffey understands. Laffey will follow the Commander."
"Then let's go."
Thorson and Laffey took their time approaching the support ship at dock, checking every few paces for any sign of crew, be it lights, silhouettes on deck, or anything else. They saw nothing. The ship looked as dead as the USS Laffey had when they'd left it. Satisfied that they were now dealing with a shipgirl and not an armed force, Thorson led Laffey into the shadows that were cast by the floodlights between the edge of the dock and the rest of the island. Slowly they crept forward along the last few dry docks until they stood across the concrete from one of the largest warehouses Thorson had ever seen. The large, corrugated steel doors remained shut, but a standard door for personnel had been left ajar on the right side of the building, allowing the light inside to flood out onto the dock. Massive metal tubes were attached to the wall of the building facing the docks and connected to other machinery in the dock itself. All of that had been left wide open, the lights on. Thorson shook his head. He was no expert in stealth but the situation reeked of carelessness on behalf of the enemy. Sure it was likely no one would expect the Union to be at the facility, but whoever it was inside seemed awfully nonchalant given that there was a war on. Never interrupt your enemy when he's making a mistake, right? At Thorson's signal he and Laffey sprinted across the open dock, minimizing their time in the light. Thorson reached the walls of the structure easily ahead of Laffey thanks to his longer stride, turning to find her barreling toward him in an effort to not be left behind. He shifted his carbine to one hand, bracing himself as Laffey crashed into him. Her momentum was easily arrested by his sturdy frame.
"You alright?" He asked with concern. Laffey nodded against his chest.
"Laffey didn't want to be left behind," she whispered. "Laffey's heart is beating so fast, never beats like this before."
"I know, but it's not over yet. Can you focus?" He demanded. She took a moment to calm herself with deep breaths and then nodded. Thorson took her hand and led her to the corner of the building, kneeling down and peeking around to see if he could locate their quarry through the opened door. He could see nothing, but he did hear a voice within. It sounded like a girl's, eager and excited, searching for something. It seemed there would be no need to go sneaking through the storehouse. Thorson looked down at Laffey. "Listen, when I throw that door open I'm going to be exposed. I need you to cover me, alright?" Laffey responded by hugging him tightly, draping her arms over his back.
"Laffey covers the Commander." Thorson allowed himself to spend a moment in pleased shock before patting her back and pushing her softly away.
"If I'm gonna die that'll have been a nice sending off. See to it I don't, alright? I trust you," he told her, turning and moving towards the door. Laffey followed close behind, feeling more alive than she could ever remember. The whole situation had her stressed and excited all at once. She didn't even feel like napping! Thorson raised his fist and they halted. The Commander lifted three fingers in the air and counted down. At zero Thorson grabbed the door handle, opened it as quickly as he could and turned the corner, carbine leveled and ready to fire. Laffey bounded in after him with her own firearm at the ready, pointing to the right as Thorson had the center covered. The Commander spotted their target immediately, a pair of mint green cat ears behind a row of torpedoes.
"On the ground with your hands on your head, now!" Thorson shouted. The disruption took the unknown shipgirl completely off-guard and she stumbled backward and out into the walkway between the torpedoes and rows of oil barrels against the near wall. Thorson pointed his rifle at her and repeated his demands as she stood slowly and rubbed her behind, her white jacket sleeves far too long for her arms. "I said on your knees, Sakura. Now!"
"Nyaa! Please don't shoot Akashi, nyaa!" The shipgirl cried as she noticed the weapon pointed at her, falling to her knees as her tail began waving frantically behind her body. Thorson stared down the barrel of his rifle in disbelief.
"You have a tail," he stated. The shipgirl named Akashi stopped crying and stared at him.
"What a hotshot Shikikan, so useless," a lethargic voice called from slightly further down the warehouse as a slim Japanese shipgirl floated into view. Her kimono was black with flaming red accents and she sat in some sort of chair that sported Sakura destroyer main guns, torpedoes, and even a lifesaver. Atop her head was a pair of what appeared to be real rabbit ears held together by metal staples, as well as some sort of ghost with an AA gun atop its featureless body. Laffey leveled her colt at the intruder.
"Laffey doesn't trust ships with real ears. On knees like the Commander said," she attempted to order the newcomer. The shipgirl looked at them all with tired eyes.
"I think I'll just float here." Thorson took one look at her gun and shot her in response. The bullet passed straight through her.
"NYAA! Please don't shoot Akashi's friend, NYAAAAA!" The catgirl pleaded with him, reaching out from where she remained on the ground.
"How the fuck can I shoot her if she's already dead? Are you dead? What the hell are you?!" He shouted, turning his carbine back to the one target that seemed legitimately afraid of being shot.
"Sakura Empire Kagerou-class destroyer, Shiranui. Sorry to disappoint you, idiot Eagle Union Shikikan. Akagi already killed me. You'll have to make do," she insisted in a dull, disinterested voice.
"Shiranui," Thorson repeated. "Mysterious fire? What do you mean you were killed?"
"Shiranui-chan was sunk by Akagi for opposing the Sirens, nyaa. Akashi rescues Shiranui," the green-haired shipgirl offered in defense of her friend. "You must believe Akashi! Don't shoot anymore, scary Eagle Shikikan!"
"Why the hell should I believe anything either of you say?!" Thorson roared. "You just attacked us! Our nations are at war because your empire attacked my base and you have the gall to act like I'm the bad guy here? The only reason I didn't execute you on the spot is because you look like you're eleven years old and there's something inside of me that recoils at the idea of shooting children. Now Shiranui, if you don't mind come float next to Akashi," Thorson ordered. The two Sakura shipgirls looked at one another, a sudden sadness visible in Shiranui's eyes. That's the first emotion she's shown, not even when I fired at her. She's got guts, I'll give her that. Or she's really a ghost ship?
"I knew this would come to pass the moment Nagato-sama vanished," Shiranui whispered, obeying Thorson's order and moving to float next to Akashi who remained trembling on her knees. Thorson took a moment to look her over, finding that she sported rigging just like her comrade. Once he got past the tail and ears the rigging was what held his attention by far. He'd never seen it on an Eagle Union shipgirl. Akashi's took the form of a crane, mast, and an AA gun, as well as a large, blunt looking blade whose hilt could probably double as a multi-purpose tool. The hem of her white dress sported the golden cogs of a gear and the sleeves featured large, stylized cat's paws. Thorson wondered how he was supposed to shoot something so damned adorable. She even had a bell on a red ribbon tied around her neck. Thorson cleared his throat as Laffey moved to his side, keeping her gun trained on Shiranui.
"Why are you here and what do you know about the attack on Pearl Harbor," Thorson demanded.
"And how did you get real ears?" Laffey added jealously. Shiranui scoffed.
"Foolish Union girls."
"Enough! Answer my question. Laffey, you can interrogate her later."
"Yes, Commander," the destroyer answered.
"The human commands your loyalty, nyaa?" Akashi asked Laffey with ill-concealed curiosity. Laffey looked at Thorson. He let out a frustrated sigh but nodded, allowing her to explain.
"Laffey gives the Commander her trust. Laffey likes the Commander. He trusts Laffey." Akashi's ears twitched at Laffey's words.
"The Shikikan is an interesting human, nyaa. Sakura ships obey no humans anymore. Shikikan works with Akashi?"
Thorson narrowed his eyes at her. "You are going to tell my why you're at a top secret Azur Lane facility or I'm going to kill you. How does that sound for cooperation? That's your ship in dock, right? You'll be sunk too."
"Just tell him, Akashi. We already made enough enemies," Shiranui advised, though it sounded as though it pained her to do so. Akashi nodded quickly.
"Akashi knows of this base because she used to come here to fix ships and equipment, nyaa. Akashi is here now because Akashi has nowhere left to go. Akashi is banished, nyaa."
"Stop being dramatic. You were never banished," Shiranui cut in before turning to Thorson. "She left."
"Elaborate," Thorson said, lowering his rifle a measure as a peace offering. Akashi nodded.
"Akashi feels better when she doesn't have a gun pointed at her, nyaa. What is the Shikikan's name?" Thorson furrowed his brow but figured it couldn't hurt. He had no intention of letting them leave and both had given him their names.
"Andrew Thorson."
"Thorson, nyaa? Shiranui and other ships protested Akagi and Kaga's plan to ally with the Sirens. She was made example of. Shiranui is Akashi's friend, so Akashi recovers her body from the wreckage and escapes. Akashi comes here to evade Sakura patrols; location is not on any maps."
"But it's where many shipgirls were born. They know of its existence," Thorson countered. Akashi went pale as her 'foolproof' plan was shot full of holes. "Why did…Akagi and Kaga you said? Why did they ally with the Sirens?" He asked.
"The inability to accept death," came Shiranui's curt reply.
"Says the ghost ship?" Laffey retorted. Thorson glanced at his partner with no small measure of pride.
"Nice one."
"Commander's praise makes Laffey happy," she smiled.
"Go sleep together. You make me sick," Shiranui said emotionlessly. "My death was foisted upon me by a powerful tyrant. All I ever wanted to do was run my shop. The death Akagi could not accept was willingly received."
"Akashi and Shiranui had a small shop together in Kyoto, nyaa." Akashi cut in. "Akashi likes shiny things and fine goods, not war. Akashi does not agree with attacking the Eagles. Akashi likes their goods! Union is better at manufacturing, lots of things to take apart, nyaa!"
"Can you manage supply lines?" Thorson asked.
"Shiranui is good with details," Akashi told him happily, though he could see her shifting her weight uncomfortably. Her knees had to be hurting against the hard floor.
"Did you just volunteer me to serve this Union idiot?" Shiranui demanded.
"I forgive you because I shot you in the head, but you're not exactly in charge here. If you can't take hits I'm willing to bet those guns of yours are just for show and…yes, Laffey?" Thorson asked impatiently as the Union destroyer tugged at his sleeve.
"Can we make friends with them? Laffey would like her own guns and torpedoes," she requested.
"They're Sakura, Laffey. We're at war with them."
"They left the Sakura, they said so."
"They could be lying."
"Akashi is not lying, nyaa! Akashi knows how to give the bunny girl her own rigging!" Akashi pleaded. Thorson looked down at her with sudden interest. He had no idea how powerful rigging was, but it was more than apparent that the Sakura had completely outclassed the Union if he didn't even know it existed or what it could do. Taking what was admittedly a risk, Thorson shouldered his weapon and extended a hand to Akashi. "Stand and let's get somewhere more comfortable. If you run, I'll shoot to kill. If you attempt to sail from here we will find you and sink you. If you wish to cooperate with us…I'm willing to hear you out."