2024.

Azur Lane HQ, Hospital.

"What happened!?" Vestal asks as a spasming Enterprise is rushed into the hospital on a stretcher.

"She had her rigging upgraded but then shen started having a seizure and hasn't stopped!" Belfast immediately answers, panicked.

"Get her in here, quick!" The repair ship orders. Once she's in the operating room with Enterprise, she orders everyone out except the Compiler and Graf Spee. The rest watch with nervousness in the observation room.

Belfast gently puts her ringed hand on the glass and whispers, "Please be okay, Enty…"

Vestal manages to get Enterprise under control with medicines and an oxygen mask. The Carrier finally passes out as her muscles relax and stop contracting. Her bpm slows down to a relaxed state.

Everyone except the Siren breathes a sigh of relief, until Vestal looks at her and calmly asks, "What did you do to her?"

The Compiler has never felt genuine fear before, but she's willing to bet that what she feels now as she looks back at the dark aura around the otherwise innocent-looking Vestal is a good example of it. The Siren struggles to form an explanation, "I… I offered an upgrade to a new rigging based on… on Warwolf 1's explanation of her ship in his world…"

"And you just forged data on righing that doesn't exist and expected it to work on a Kansen that already has rigging!?" Vestal explodes, "Or were you just running another fucking experiment on one of us, Siren!?"

"Negative… I… I… I wanted…" the Compiler reveals something about the Sirens nobody had ever expected.

They can cry.

"I'm… sorry… I… wanted to help… I just wanted to help…" she runs out of the building crying with Spee chasing after her.

Taken aback, Vestal stares at the door she ran through with wide eyes. "Was she just… crying?"

"Well, that was terrifying. If I could never go through that again, that'd be great…"

Vestal and everyone else look at Enterprise, now sitting up and smiling at the repair ship. Her clothes have been updated. Now hoe black coat has more medals and gold stripes on the sleeves, her hat has gold wreaths on the brim and on her face rest a pair of cool aviators.

Vestal gasps, "Enterprise? How… how are you feeling?" As the rest of the girls walk in to see her.

Taking off the sunglasses, she replies, "I'm fine, Vestal. I was just overcome by the amount of new power coursing through me. I think I got it under control now. Don't blame the Siren. She didn't expect me to react like that. Hell, I sure didn't want to spaz out like that." The Carrier stands up without even so much as a stumble.

"Sorry, Enty… I just… it's hard to trust any of them, especially as half of us were sunk and then something like this happens…"

She gets up and hugs the repair ship, "It's okay, Ves."

"You feelin' okay, sis?" Hornet asks. "Ya gave us a helluva scare just now."

"Yeah, don't worry, Hornet. In fact… I've never felt better. I feel like… everything I've been worried about recently has been lifted. I have a new ship, amazing sisters, an incredible repair ship, and the best wife I could ever ask for." She pulls a blushing Belfast close.

Yorktown smiles, "I'm so happy to you feeling better, little sister. I was so worried about your self-doubt."

"We all were." Belfast adds.

"Thanks, girls. Sorry for scaring you. Come on, we have to go find Compiler and let her know we're not angry at her." She puts the sunglasses back on with one swift motion, making Belfast swoon.

Back at the overlook where Enterprise collapsed, they find the Siren they're still crying with Spee cuddling her, trying to give some comfort.

Enterprise feels some level of guilt reacting the way she did, even if she couldn't help it. She starts, "Compiler?"

The Siren looks up at her and says, "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

The Carrier kneels down in front of her and softly says, "Hey, it's alright. You did good. I can protect my friends even more, now. Thank you. It's just unfortunate I didn't have this new form during OpSi." Enterprise comforts her and pats her head. She ruffles her hair and says, "Keep working on that little program of yours, okay? Maybe make it slower so it's not so overwhelming, or put Kansen to sleep or something first next time."

"Next… time?" The Compiler asks.

"Well, yeah. I guarantee the Fleet Admiral will want every Kansen with an available upgrade… well, upgraded after this. Speaking of which, we should go talk to him about this." When she sees the Siren look worried, she says, "Don't worry. I got your back." She gently takes the Siren by the hand and walks with her to the Fleet Admiral's office.

1998.

Schofields Plateau.

Pennant Squadron, an Allied rookie squad on a training exercise, is under attack by experienced Rebels. Luckily, Scarface Squadron arrives just in time to save them.

On Phoenix' behalf, Keynote reaches out to the rookies, "Allied fighters, do you copy? This is Scarface Squadron 37-18."

A rookie calls out, "Reinforcements! Thank God! This is Pennant 12-11! We were spotted by Rebel aircraft during a training mission! Help us out here!"

One of the Rebels remarks, "Looks like someone called for back-up. Nothing we can't handle. Take 'em out."

Feeling a lot better after defeating the ZOE and Cocoon Squadron in the same battle, Phoenix is right back in his comfort zone. One by one, the Rebel ambushers bite the dust.

After having been saved, a rookie expresses gratitude, "Thanks, Scarface Squadron! You saved my life, but our Commander and his crew are still stranded to the northwest! You gotta go save them! Hurry!"

After getting within range of the Commander, they hear him beating himself up, "Can't believe they got us in the middle of training! How could I have been so stupid!? Scarface! Get as many of our men home as possible!"

Keynote gladly reports, "The first aircraft you saved has made it back." He switches to speak to the Commander, "Pennant 1, can you hear me? This is Scarface Squadron."

The flight leader responds, "You guys must be the rescue team! Couldn't be more glad to see you!"

As Nagase takes out another two, a different Rebel ace reports, "We have a suspected reconnaissance team invading our airspace. Don't let them get away!"

After a while of vicious dogfighting, Scarface and Pennant emerge victorious.

"No more enemy presence detected. All Rebel aircraft destroyed. Pennant Squadron is safe. Good job, Scarface."

Pennant 1 adds, "Thanks, Scarface Squadron. If it hadn't been for you…"

Keynote assures, "No need to thank us. We'll escort you to base. Bring it home, Phoenix."

"I can't believe they sent the Scarface Squadron to come get us! I'm letting all the guys know about it when I get back!" One of the rookies exclaims excitedly.

Unknown to them, Phoenix thinks he sees something in the corner of his eye…

"Would you knuckleheads learn to keep your mouths shut?" Pennant 1 retorts.

Phoenix' eyes widen and that familiar feeling sets in again.

"AAAHHH!" The rookie yells out as his plane is suddenly obliterated.

A red YF-23 Black Widow II flies by without an IFF signature.

It's the ZOE.

Top-Secret Gründer Industries research lab.

"Hehehehe…. HAHAHAHAHA!" The Purifer laughs maniacally as she remembers everything from her world, who she is and what her purpose is.

"Purity! Snap put of it!" Deutschland tries to calm her.

"MY NAME IS PURIFIER, AND I'M GONNA CARVE IT INTO YOUR CORPSE!" The broken Siren charges forward at her, her rigging peppering the ground around the Kansen in plasma.

"Sheiße!" Deutschland rolls out of the way as the Purifer charges past her like an enraged bull. "What is wrong with her? Even she's not usually this unhinged…" her train of thought is interrupted by the Siren circling around and kicking her in the face, sending her flying through the doors of the ZOE aircraft hangar and into the red Tomcat, bending the airframe behind repair.

"Ugh…" Deutschland shakes her head and stumbles getting back up. "So… that's how she wants to do this…" she snarls and cracks her knuckles. "If I can't talk her down…"

The Purifer walks menacingly into the room and the Kansen yells, "THEN I'LL MAKE YOU SUBMIT!" She fires all weapons of her rigging at her, staggering the Siren. When the Purifier looks back at bend again, she's sent flying even further away by the remains of the Tomcat after the Kansen threw it at her. Deutschland runs after her before she loses sight of her. "I'm going to enjoy mopping you up…"

Seeing the Purifier fly across the runway, Morgan mutters, "So… the modifications I made to her system makes her even more crazy and violent… I can only hope they make her obey my orders now…" he runs over to the Siren and shakes her back awake.

"Puri? Can you hear me?" He asks.

She looks at him.

"I order you to stop messing around and just kill that fucking thing!" He points to the rapidly approaching Kansen.

The Purifer stands up and glares at him, "You… you used me!" She grabs him by the neck.

Morgan struggles, "Puri… I saved you… I protected you… I…"

"And that gives you power over me, human filth?" She hisses.

"Puri… I…"

"MY NAME IS PURIFIER! WHEN I'M DONE WITH HER, I'M GONNA RIP YOUR HEART OUT, JUST LIKE YOU DID TO ME!" She throws the man at the Kansen, who catches him. She puts him down on the ground to his surprise and keeps sprinting towards the Siren.

Morgan tries to get up to run again, but his leg has been broken. He winces as he tries to put pressure on it and begins limping away.

"YOU LIED TO ME, BITCH! I TRUSTED YOU, AND YOU LIED TO ME!" The Purifier fires her cannons at Deutschland, who ducks and weaves during her sprint towards her. Eventually they engage in hand-to-hand, both attempting to use their riggings to gain the upper l

Not being as experienced in melee combat, the Purifier quickly finds herself on the back foot against the Iron Blood Pocket Battleship. Having trained with the Iron Blood for years fighting the Sirens, Deutschland gains the advantage and stuns the Purifier, grabs the memory stick in her head, puts her other hand on the Siren's shoulder and tries to pull the storage device out.

The memory stick detaches from the Siren's body, along with her entire head.

"Was…?"

The Purifier's head looks at her and says, "OH, YOU FUCKER!" Right before her body punches Deutschland in the face, but the Kansen keeps hold of the Siren's head as she tries to bite her.

The Kansen gets some distance from the body as the Purifier can't control it properly while her head is separated.

Deutschland prepares to tear the storage device from the head and the Siren yells, "DON'T YOU DARE!"

She finally dislodges the stick and yanks it out, followed by a bit of Siren blood.

The Kansen sees the Siren's body collapse as her head looks her in the eye and mutters, "…D…Deutschland… I… I'm so sorry…"

Deutschland looks sadly back at her, taking deep breaths to calm herself down. "… Es tut mir leid, Purity… You're a good girl underneath all those verdammt memories… Im going to make this right…" she pockets the memory stick and walks over to the Siren's body.

Purity feels immense guilt and whimpers, "I hurt you when we're supposed to be friends… can you forgive me?"

"It's not your fault, friend. It's mine for keeping the truth from you. Don't worry about it…" She sees in the corner of her eye Morgan trying to get to a car. "We're going to put this right, and he's going to help, wether he wants to or not…" she makes her way over to him.

Schofields Plateau.

After a few moments of Keynote scanning the red plane, the YF-23's IFF finally reappears so Scarface can lock onto it.

"Enemy reinforcements!?" Keynote exclaims, "Head's up, Phoenix. We've still got reinforcements! Damn, it's that red fighter again! He's even faster than before. Can't be the same pilot…"

Just when Phoenix thought he finally bested this damn thing, it's back in an even better plane. One that can easily match his F-22A Raptor. He shakes his head and focuses on it. He has to protect the rookies.

Nagase shakes her head in disbelief. How is this guy back again? "Scarface 1! Keep your cool. Let's do this just like last time!"

He nods and they attempt to do the same as before, only the ZOE doesn't do the same thing.

It mimics Scarface 1 perfectly.

"Those moves are unrivalled… it's like another Phoenix…" Nagase gasps.

Now less frightened of it and more annoyed that it's copying him, the real Phoenix gains the motivation to engage in a brutal dogfight, risking blacking out several times just to get a good lock on it, but it's extremely difficult when your opponent does the exact same thing as you do.

After all, there's only one Phoenix.

Luckily, it does also mean the ZOE is struggling to keep up with him, too.

"Time to get serious, Phoenix. There's no room for error. Stay on him as much as you can and make every hit count! This is a test of patience. Don't lose him. This could mean victory or defeat!"

Phoenix sees an opening. He pulls in right behind the ZOE, but immediately realises it's a trick when the red plane slams on its airbrakes and rolls to counter the manoeuvre, getting behind Phoenix.

One of his own moves.

Phoenix decides two can play at that game and does the same thing.

Both of them keep doing this like a game of reverse leapfrog if one of the rules is the first to backstab the other wins.

Nagase makes sure Pennant Squadron makes it back before coming back to help. Meanwhile, Phoenix tries something different. He pulls up instead of rolling. This throws off the ZOE and it leaves itself exposed trying to process the sudden change in tactics.

Phoenix has the ZOE in his sights again. He pulls the trigger on his guns and riddles the armour plating of the YF-23, causing it to start trailing smoke again, but it's still in the fight. It loops around back behind Scarface 1 again, who reverses so he's behind it once more, ready fire his gun again.

And that's when the ZOE pulls the exact manoeuvre Phoenix just did. Not expecting it to pick up his technique so quickly on the fly, he now finds himself in its sights.

The bullets never come, however, as it takes a direct missile hit and is knocked off course.

"I got him, but he's still going!" Edge announces, "Finish him off, Phoenix!"

Scarface 1 gladly carries out the finishing blow as he lines up on the ZOE with its crippled control surfaces and launches everything he has left.

Upon making contact, the ZOE finally, finally gets taken down and explodes mid-air.

Feeling an immense amount of relief wash over him, Phoenix slumps back in his flight seat and lets out the breath he wasn't aware he was holding.

"Enemy aircraft destroyed! You managed to take down that red SOB. Pennant Squadron has safely reached Allied airspace. It's time we head home, too."

Edge forms up with her flight lead. "Hey, Phoenix. How you holding up?" She looks at him in his cockpit.

He looks back and gives her a thumbs-up.

She chuckles and they make their way back.

Having jettisoned from the red plane, the ZOE AI pod parachutes down to the ground.

Then it falls through a Siren portal.

Estovakian research lab.

Corporal Voychek tracks down where Tester took Colonel Gustav, but the two of them are nowhere to be seen. He sees they have both the files on Chandelier and the Heavy Command Cruiser open and deduces that they must've gone to see one of them, but which one?

"Dammit… one of these is on the northern coast and the other on the southern…" he looks between them, trying to think of which the Siren would be more interested in.

"…surely she'd more intrigued by Chandelier… it can take cruise missiles and launch them at Mach speed…" he then looks at the other, "But Aigaion can dominate the airspace of any battlefield with the Nimbus…" he hits the console and goes to the military HQ. "Dammit… I'm going to need a lot of help on this one…"