"Commander Thorson, I thought I told you to send her to God," Major General Patton reminded the young sailor gruffly as he strode into a meeting room aboard the South Dakota, riding crop in hand. Some time on dry land getting his boots dirty seemed to have put an extra spring in his step after many days at sea. His eyes flicked to Shiratsuyu as he surveyed the room and its several occupants, the dog-like destroyer having frozen in place the moment he'd entered the room. She'd been in the midst of serving coffee and tea to the other guests, and was quickly passed over by his attention, drawn to more impactful individuals. "And the Ironblood?"

"Sounds like a long story, George, and one we may not have time for," Rear Admiral Hewitt informed his counterpart with a curt nod. He gestured briefly to Brooklyn, South Dakota, Massachusetts, Jean Bart, Kaga, Soryuu, and Bismarck. "As you can see we're only a couple of kansen short of a full deck as far as the major factions are concerned. How did your troops find the city? We might have a situation in the Orthodoxy that needs to be addressed posthaste, if we can spare the forces."

"Folded like a house of cards," Patton said of the Vichya garrison, keeping with the playing card theme. The Major General paced the room slowly, arms folded behind his back. "We'll get the rest of the armor ashore and begin pushing inland to link up with the forces at Oran and Algiers. Shouldn't be any interruptions from here on out."

"What do you intend to do about Rommel?" Jean Bart spoke for the first time that night, her posture rigid as she tapped the fingers of her right hand against her left arm in agitation. Patton's brow furrowed.

"He's on the other side of the Sahara. Why isn't she in chains, Thorson?"

The young Commander cleared his throat after being called on directly. "Major General, there was a significant garrison of Vichya soldiers aboard the Jean Bart, drawn both from Casablanca and Oran. They report that Rommel's armored divisions assaulted Oran, and perhaps other targets along the Mediterranean, just hours before our invasion. I don't have any hard evidence to support this, but he must have had help from the Sirens or Siren-affiliated Ironblood forces to move that quickly."

Jean nodded her head and stepped forward to add to Thorson's report. "Your naval forces did their very best to arrange a meeting between me and God today, Major General Patton. The Lord refused to speak with me directly, and I am no friend of the Ironblood. You may not be aware, but the sudden advance of Rommel into West Africa caused several elements of the Vichya garrison in Casablanca to attempt a coup. The effort was piecemeal and unorganized, perhaps a result of panic and assuming a rushed timetable. I take it there were backroom negotiations with the Union and Britannia?"

Hewitt and Patton looked at one another. Neither seemed surprised about the Vichya. Rommel was another matter. The Admiral spoke first. "It would explain quite a bit, George. The Vichya were in disarray when we showed up, but most of our contacts were MIA. We took some casualties, but it was a walk in the park all things considered."

"And if Rommel was at Oran or Algiers?" Patton demanded angrily, slamming a palm onto the table. "We didn't come equipped to land against a competent, dug-in armored division! He was supposed to be tied up with the Royal armored divisions in Egypt!"

"All the more reason I think we should listen to Jean Bart's proposal for a formal alliance," Thorson interjected tentatively as Shiratsuyu departed with barely a peep. Patton, if nothing else, seemed to appreciate the steaming mug of coffee. "The Ironblood stole a march on us, and we have every reason to suspect this move against the Vichya won't remain contained to Africa. There are more than a dozen kansen in Toulon along with the majority of the crewed Vichya fleet, effectively political prisoners. We all believe they will be the most immediate target of Ironblood divisions stationed in Italy. I have no idea how, but if we can somehow beat them there or at least contest them…"

"They will follow me, and I will pledge my sword to your cause if I have your promise of a rescue operation," Jean Bart confirmed with a pointed look at Bismarck. "Unless you have designs to conquer the Orthodoxy, Major General, there is no reason we should continue to be opposed."

"Is this degree of turncoating common in your line of work, Commander?" Patton wondered suspiciously. Jean Bart held her tongue but Thorson actually chuckled.

"Yes sir, and I'd be dead if not. Brooklyn likely has a copy of the after action report if you're interested," the man replied before returning his gaze to the map of the Mediterranean spread out before them all. Small wooden blocks representing fleets, armored divisions, and infantry battalions littered the African coastline. "Jean Bart owes me her life. I think that counts for something here, at least."

"A life for a fleet, is that it?" Patton surmised, shaking his head. "Well, Hewitt? He's technically assigned to you. Were it not for those reports of what you did in the Pacific, Thorson, I'd have you court-martialed for rendering assistance to an enemy commander. But if those two Oriental girls are any indication, you did what they say you did. And if I need to rout Rommel, I'd prefer to do so with overwhelming naval fire support. You and your girls did damn well today, near as I can tell. And I care about results above all else. So can you do it? Can you get to Toulon before the damn fascists?"

Hewitt took his chin between his fingers and shook his head as the tungsten bulbs in the room flickered momentarily. South Dakota grunted and power was restored. "It would take us days to sail there in force, and there are the Mediterranean Wolfpacks to consider. And that's if we leave immediately. Our best anti-submarine capability is with the screening fleet, and they're half a day away at least."

Silence reigned in response to the Rear Admiral's clear-headed evaluation of the situation. Jean Bart showed not anger, but sadness as she wondered how her fellow Templar would react to an Ironblood invasion of Toulon they saw as inevitable. Some would want to flee and regroup, but she knew just as many would stay and fight to the death, a death the Ironblood would happily deliver. In the midst of that tension, Kaga stepped forward and unfurled her tails. After a quiet sip of tea she spoke. "I believe I have a solution, Shikikan."

"I'll hear it," Thorson agreed immediately, allowing her the floor. Kaga pointed to Casablanca, then Toulon.

"Stripped of armaments, our standard torpedo bombers could make this flight… one way. Each plane is capable of seating two, and they are designed to fly low when delivering payloads. We could deliver a strike force directly to Toulon, while avoiding ground-based air defenses the Ironblood have likely established along the coast," the kitsune laid out methodically before taking a step back from the table.

"That sounds too good to be true," Thorson said, though his tone was not disbelieving. Soryuu filled in the blank that Kaga had intentionally held back.

"In order to maintain a fleet of aircraft that size, the kansen piloting the craft would need to keep her hull manifested," the lapine carrier explained seriously, thin lines appearing on her forehead. "Just getting the air wing to Toulon would require a monumental effort, to say nothing of what would happen if they come under AA fire. In that state of exhaustion and separated from the power of her hull-"

"It could be a suicide mission if she was hit," Thorson finished for her, closing his eyes and sighing heavily. Neither Hewitt nor Patton saw the need to interrupt, both men's curiosity getting the better of them as military tactics once impossible were suddenly within the realm of feasibility. "Kaga, send for your sister."

"Shikikan Thorson, I request an explanation," Soryuu spoke up cautiously, aware that she was in the presence of men who were substantially superior to Thorson and would no doubt be judging his ability to command his subordinates. "Hiryuu or I could-"

"Hiryuu is far too valuable to risk in such an operation," Thorson informed the elder sister sternly, though he met her eyes so she could see he quite disliked the cold calculus he was required to perform. "We have no idea what's happened to the Royal contingent of this fleet. If they're up against Rommel and the Ugly Sisters, even they might not be able to win. If we lose Ark Royal, Hiryuu is the only one of her kind left in the fleet. Kaga and you have both demonstrated superb tactical and strategic skill on the battlefield and in the war room. Akagi is impulsive, reckless, and extremely powerful. She is the only one who could pull this off who I am willing to lose."

All eyes in the room settled on Kaga, who frowned back at them. "What would you have me say? He is right. Hiryuu may exceed Akagi in raw power now on account of whatever transformed her in that Mirror Sea, but she is too tactically valuable to sacrifice. My sister is powerful and expendable."

"Oh Kaga, surely you don't mean that? Well, the second bit at least. I am more powerful," came Akagi's simpering voice as she entered the room, having responded to summons with almost unnatural haste. "What would you and my dear Shikikan do without me?"

Patton snorted loudly, as though to ask how Thorson was still alive with such an obvious maneater serving under him. Akagi, meanwhile, strolled over to the war map and regarded it with surprising thoughtfulness for a time. "I see. You need my strength and speed to deliver you a fleet of pawns. And there is no way back for me but through victory and the aid of others. You were right to call upon me, dearest. I will prepare myself at once. My hull can carry ninety one aircraft by default, and I can probably summon up to a hundred and fifty while airborne myself. There were many men who seemed quite willing to die for that Templar on her ship. I suggest making use of them."

With that, Akagi swept from the room as though she were in command of the joint fleets, her head held high and tails blazing with spirit fire. Patton made his thoughts known as the door shut behind her. "That's one hell of a woman, kid. Emphasis on hell."

While Thorson brokered no disagreements with the Major General's assessment, Akagi's suggestion had him addressing Jean Bart once more. "I suppose it's up to you if you want to take some of them with you, but you should know that humans cannot survive Mirror Seas. Well, not without extreme intervention at any rate. I don't know if it's possible for the Sirens to open one up in a city or on a battlefield, but if they did all of your troops would be dead in minutes, maybe less."

The Templar's scowl darkened but she merely nodded in understanding, her thoughts already drifting far to the north and east where her sisters awaited her. Rear Admiral Hewitt cleared his throat. "Commander, please tell me someone else knows that the enemy has a weapon of this potency," he said with concern. Thorson nodded.

"I included everything in my reports to Pacific High Command, sir. Though I cannot say how much of it they believed."

"This is a concern for your intelligence services, Shkikian," Kaga insisted calmly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I believe we have already established that time is of the essence, and to my knowledge the Sirens have only ever deployed Mirror Seas like the one at the Sanctuary far from human habitation."

"It does seem that I have a bruiser of a campaign to plan," Patton agreed, more to himself than anyone else as he studied the map of Africa. "Hewitt?"

"If you're done with the lad then Rommel's all yours, George," the Admiral replied, saluting his compatriot. Patton returned it swiftly before turning for the door, pausing briefly with one foot past the threshold.

"Appreciate the support, kid. Don't let that fleet fall into enemy hands or my boys are probably dead," he declared bluntly. In his wake, Hewitt rubbed the back of his neck.

"I suppose we put the cart before the horse here, Commander, but I see no reason to deny you your operation. I assume you will be departing tonight?"

"He will not be leaving at all," South Dakota insisted from her place at his side. "If Hiryuu is too valuable to lose then are you not as well, Commander? Besides, I don't think you parachuting from the sky will do anything to harm enemy morale."

Thorson frowned and leaned forward, placing his hands on the table. "I've already split my forces once, but I grudgingly accept that you're right. Pennsylvania already accosted me for that mindset this afternoon. Minnie and Indy need time to rest and recover. Kaga, do you intend to accompany your sister?"

"If you'll allow me, Shikikan," the snowy kitsune replied immediately. Thorson grunted in acknowledgement.

"I'll keep the Second Carrier Division here with me then, but the rest of the Sakura fleet is yours minus Akashi."

Kaga folded her arms across her chest. "While I appreciate that, Shikikan, I do not think that my sisters are particularly well suited to this deployment. I need ships with strong AA and ASW capabilities. While it shames me to admit such a thing, our destroyers possess neither, other than perhaps Shiranui."

"Let me go, Commander. Please," Massachusetts insisted, earning her South Dakota's scrutinizing gaze. "I have what she needs."

Thorson was pretty confident that tactical necessity wasn't driving the passion in his battleship's voice, but the reasoning didn't matter much in the end. Again he turned to Kaga. "Cleveland, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Z23, Javelin, Forbin, Eldridge, Shiranui. Will that suffice?"

The carrier hummed to herself momentarily, ears twitching in thought before she agreed. "I have seen how fast your old battleship can move when she is pushed, or motivated. It is a well balanced and small force. If the situation in Toulon deteriorates we will retreat to link up with the main fleet. I assume by then you will have new marching orders from your High Command."

"But if we succeed? Surely we won't just retreat!" Jean Bart demanded, fists balled tightly. Thorson's guts knotted as he thought about Warspite and the others. He had no reason to believe they were in immediate danger, but with Rommel's divisions in the area and no word received from the eastern or central landing forces it was easy to let his imagination run wild towards the worst possible eventuality.

"Kaga will be in command. If the two of you deem your combined fleet powerful enough following the Toulon operation, find Queen Elizabeth and the others from the Royal Navy and render assistance wherever necessary. I know that emotions are running high, but don't snatch your fellows from Ironblood jaws in Toulon just to lose them in Africa," Thorson insisted. Jean Bart bowed slowly.

"That is all I can ask. With your permission, Commander Thorson? I need to make my soldiers aware of just how dangerous a mission this could turn out to be before asking for volunteers. It doesn't seem like the rest of the Vichya forces are so keen on joining the Allies, but the Templar have sat on the sidelines of this war long enough. You've given me what I requested, and so you'll have my sword in return. Farewell for now."

"Massachusetts," Thorson ordered, nodding at Jean Bart. The dark-skinned battleship needed no further urging, as she motioned for Jean to follow her and escorted her from the room. "Was there anything else, Rear Admiral? Anything best not mentioned around… new allies?"

Hewitt shook his head. "With the situation deteriorating in Stalingrad and Egypt presumably in the hands of the Ironblood, I think it goes without saying that our hopes of a pincer against Rommel are dashed. That is unless this Toulon rescue is successful and those Black Templar form a potential second arm. Get your fleet in fighting order and prepare to move in support of the invasion of Africa. If anything more concrete comes down I'll be sure to pass it along. Your 'secretary' has been more than helpful in coordinating matters so far."

"Thank you kindly, Rear Admiral. If we're done here I'd be happy to escort you back to the Augusta on my way to visit Wichita," Brooklyn offered politely, adjusting her glasses with a finger.

"Thanks for the coffee, Commander Thorson. Send a hail if we can be of further assistance, and good luck to your strike force. It's a hell of a thing you're trying to pull off," Hewitt gave his evaluation of Jean Bart and Kaga's daring operation. All present saluted the Rear Admiral as the meeting finally concluded, leaving Thorson to consult with his kansen in private.

"Well? What do you think?"

"I think it's the best option we have at the moment, Kommandant," Bismarck gave her thoughts as Parseval the manjuu snoozed gently on her shoulder. "If any fighting force can form a spearhead against whatever abominations the Sirens are creating of my former comrades, it is the Templar. I may be jumping the gun, but we should discuss Gneisenau and Scharnhorst… before first contact. I believe, under the right conditions, they can still be reasoned with. They are part of the old guard."

"Duly noted, Bismarck. Anyone else?" Thorson requested. When no one stepped forward or spoke up he dismissed them. "Very well. Kaga, get in touch when your and Akagi's preparations are complete. I'll send orders to the fleet immediately regarding the composition and goal of the strike force. May your gods watch over you."

The pale kansen regarded him with curious eyes for a long moment, much to South Dakota's annoyance. There were clearly more than a few thoughts flitting behind her irises, but she chose not to vocalize any of them. "And yours, Shikikan. We will return victorious or not at all."

Thorson ran a hand through his hair as he and South Dakota were left alone. "Didn't she just get done explaining how she would retreat if things got too hairy?"

"Did you honestly believe those two, of all the Sakura, would abandon their pigheaded devotion to victory?" his buxom bodyguard wondered in return. He snorted and hung his head.

"It's pulled us from the fire before."

South Dakota thought of her sister, knowing there would be no stopping her from accompanying Jean to Toulon. "It has, Commander. But any fire left unchecked can become an inferno."

"Qu'attendons-nous? Allons-y!" Francois and the others gave a mildly inebriated cheer as Jean Bart, Forbin and Massachusetts at her side, explained the proposed aerial assault on Toulon. The Knight Captain frowned.

"Did you idiots not hear me?" she demanded sternly, hand on her hip. "If the Sirens deploy a Mirror Sea on Toulon you will all die! It won't be like today where my shields can save you. You will cease to exist."

The destroyer squire wore a confused and concerned expression as the soldiers looked at one another. Francois spoke up, representing his fellows in a way. "These 'Sirens' you speak of, Jean, they are allied with the Ironblood?"

"According to the Allies they are in command of the Ironblood Empire. Hitler is likely dead, along with his chiefs of staff. I have seen enough today that I am inclined to believe this. They are reclusive, manipulative, powerful, and control weapons beyond anything your race or mine have knowledge of," Jean laid out as plainly as she could, wanting to impress upon them all what volunteering for the operation really meant. "I will not consider any man who stays behind a coward, or less than a Templar. Discretion is always the better part of valor."

"Is that what you thought to yourself today when you fired those final shots?" Massachusetts asked of her, loud enough for the surrounding soldiers to hear her. Many among them nodded their heads in agreement. They did not know much about the dark-skinned kansen, but they did know that she had fought Jean with honor and returned her to them. That alone was enough to hear her out. Jean growled in anger.

"They are not kansen!"

"Neither is my Commander! But he survived the Sea. If your faith is strong enough to stand against an entire fleet, surely it can defend them as well," Massachusetts reasoned, though she had no evidence to support her claim other than the remarkable enigma of Thorson's embedded shard. What she did understand was being called to the fight, after months of feeling as though the war would pass her by. Jean Bart shook her head.

"You and your fleet know far more about these Mirror Seas than I do. If you intend to encourage my men to follow us into the fight-"

"I'm sure that Commander Thorson will devote some resources to the problem if your crew prove useful in the Toulon operation. Just because we know more than you doesn't mean we know everything. We've only just begun to face the Sirens and their technology directly," the Union battleship proposed, gesturing to the assemblage of Vichya soldiers. "Besides, they clearly want to fight!"

"She is right, Jean," Francois pleaded, extending a hand towards her. "You saved us all today. Give us the chance to return the favor. This is our homeland!"

Another cheer went up for the Orthodoxy as soldier after soldier stepped forward and saluted to demonstrate his willingness to jump into hell. In the midst of the noise and commotion, Massachusetts placed a finger to her temple, receiving an urgent radio transmission from her older sister. "What? You're sure? It was one of Ark Royal's? Very well."

The interaction was not missed by Jean Bart, despite the excitability of her troops. "What is it?" she asked simply, brow furrowed. Massachusetts did not look pleased.

"We just received an urgent broadcast relayed from Gibraltar. One of Ark Royal's scout planes managed to make it from Algiers. The landing there was successful but the Oran force was completely wiped out. Siren technology was used in the attack, and Rommel's tanks patrol the deserts," the battleship relayed shortly as silence fell over the congregation. "The Sakura strategists you met earlier tonight have consulted with Bismarck and our own forces. We are all in agreement that the logical next step for the Ugly Sisters will be an encirclement and destruction of the forces at Algiers."

"Leaving us to cross half a continent to threaten them while they hold the Mediterranean," Jean Bart concluded with ice in her voice as a chill ran down her spine. She knew what she needed to do, and she knew that extra manpower could make the difference, tip a battle resting on the edge of a sword. With a sigh she drew her hands to her chest, clasped them together, and lowered her head in prayer. The Lord did not speak to her, but she did not need His express permission to liberate her homeland and its colonies. "Very well. Each and every one of you here will fight. That is now beyond question. The only matter to resolve is which half of you will come with me to Toulon and which half will push across the desert with the Union forces. Do not look at me like that! Have you been doing nothing but sitting on your asses and drinking all this time? You have lived in these deserts for months. Our empire has ruled these lands for over a century. The Union will need you in the battles to come. As for those of you who come with me, our aim is nothing less than to spring the Black Templar fleet from Toulon… and abandon our beloved homeland once more. We will sail for Africa. We will deliver an ancient foe from certain death. We will reunite with our comrades. And our crusade will not stop until the Ironblood or Templar are no more. I swear to the Lord that I will do everything in my power to shield you from the Sirens. Now get yourselves sorted! We depart tonight!"

"I'll send ahead to Akagi, and I'll ask the Commander about the Mirror Seas," Massachusetts promised Jean sincerely as the Vichya soldiers present began arguing with one another, clamoring to be part of the group that would accompany Jean to Toulon. A couple dozen were natives of the city, but the remaining slots were hotly contested. "They are very brave men, aren't they?"

"They are fools!" Jean Bart hissed under her breath before allowing a small smile to crack through. "But yes, they are brave. You are too."

Massachusetts felt her cubes sing and her heart skip a beat at the woman's words, but felt the need to maintain humility in the presence of a warrior of God. "We will see how I fare when I do not have an entire fleet at my back. Your god favored you today. I will pray to the spirits for the same."

"There is but one God, pagan," Jean told her, though her voice held no malice. "And He saves all, even you and your sisters if you'll allow Him."

It was Massachusetts' turn to frown. The events of the day had made it easy to forget that the object of her mysterious infatuation was a monotheist, and a devout one at that. What she could not do, however, was deny the 'miracles' that she'd witnessed that day. "Yes, he saved you today. And when we faced down Bismarck and her fleet of Siren warships the gods of the Sakura delivered us to victory. Your god may very well be real, Templar. But he is not the only one. When we go to war together I will pray to the spirits for both of us, and for your men."

Jean knew there was scarce little time to debate matters of earnest faith with the war breathing down their necks. The Union battleship seemed earnest, at least, so she nodded her head in acceptance. "Then I thank you. Let us make ready to depart."

"Are you sure, Commander? The last time you were alone with her-"

"Was when she was under house arrest, technically," Thorson pointed out, cutting off South Dakota with a wave of his hand as they came aboard the Tennessee in the final hours of November 8th. With the ship resting at dock in Casablanca there was no need to ferry him about, but the native battleship had insisted on being at his side regardless. The docks had been enemy territory not twenty four hours prior. "I understand your concerns, Dakota. But we're sending her on a mission that, on paper, looks like suicide. Zed and the other destroyers could easily make a run for it if need be, and Massachusetts would have had a conniption if we kept her here. There are some conversations that just need to be face to face."

South Dakota did not look pleased at the situation, but she didn't object to his argument either. Instead she leaned against the railing next to the gangway and nodded for him to proceed to the bridge. "I will await you here then. Perhaps the spirits will wish to speak in darkness," she said, referring to the new moon that rested somewhere above them in the inky sky. Thorson saluted her casually.

"Thank you, Dakota. I'll return shortly," he promised, striding off to locate his most difficult battleship. She wasn't hard to track down. He found her waiting for him on the bridge with Ares snoozing on her shoulder. To his welcome surprise she was holding two steaming mugs of coffee, and passed him one with a curt nod.

"So the radio chatter wasn't a lie then? We're actually going to airdrop on the Orthodoxy mainland?" she asked neutrally, her blue eyes almost glowing in the darkness. She didn't bother telling him that his seemed the same. Akagi's name would not be mentioned or even alluded to on her ship if she could help it. Thorson nodded as he took a sip.

"Thank you for this. I'd heard the desert nights would be cold, but I guess you don't quite believe it until you experience it for yourself. As for Toulon, yes. That's the plan," he confirmed in a stern tone. "Akagi will be ferrying you, a few other kansen, and a couple hundred Templar soldiers to the city using her torpedo bombers. Once there you will crush any Ironblood or Siren resistance and liberate the Black Templar fleet if need be. There are… no contingency plans if this doesn't work. The rest of the fleet will be heading for the Mediterranean as soon as the landings are complete here, but it will still take a couple of days. You will be the most veteran kansen on this mission, and you're also the least likely to survive if things go belly-up and you need to flee west."

Tennessee glanced to her left as Ares let out a soft 'juuuu' in his sleep. If Thorson had anything else he wanted to say to her, he was having trouble forming the words. A humorless smile played over her lips. "I think I prefer you when you're angry, Andrew. You want to come with us, don't you? Even if only so that if we die you also pay the price for your mistakes?" she guessed, placing her coffee on the nearest flat, metal surface and walking slowly towards him. He made no move to retreat, looking her dead in the eyes.

"You're certainly one to lecture about anger and mistakes, Belle," he shot back as she tossed her cap unceremoniously to the floor and leaned forward until their noses touched. She closed her eyes as his breath washed over her lips. It was a perk of being one of the taller kansen, one that she'd only ever indulged in once. She touched her mouth to his, speaking into his wind-chapped lips.

"Who better than I?" she proposed without shame, running a hand down his broad chest as his free hand came to rest on the swell of her hip. "Your expectations of me would have been obvious enough even without coming here tonight. So why don't we do what you came here to do? You were honest with me about the operation so I'll be honest with you. I can't remember being happier than when you told me you rejected that idiot maiden's marriage proposal. It was my fault I didn't get to fuck you senseless that night as thanks. I doubt we have all night, but let's make up for lost time now, at least a bit."

Thorson's cheeks burned, not from shame, but from the realization that he wanted her just as badly. Her roaming hands found their evidence soon enough, the lovers' respective height and high cut of her dress ensuring that a simple peeling aside of her panties was all that was required to facilitate their coupling. She laughed quietly as he hilted himself and her breath hitched in her throat. "Oh come on, stop worrying about the coffee! It won't matter when I break down my hull in a couple hours," she encouraged, grabbing a fistful of his hair and pinning him to the wall as he groped and used her body for his own pleasure. She moaned freely and without reservation.

"You've changed, Belle," he breathed against the shell of her ear as they pressed their bodies together. Ares had long since hopped off of her shoulder and on his way with a disgruntled chirping. She nibbled on Thorson's ear as she replied.

"Not as much as you'd think, Andrew. I still want you all for myself, so I'll survive this mission and all the rest too. Just tell me, if I'm going to make this jump for you, how you really feel about me," the kansen panted, her hair partially obscuring her eyes and her uniform hanging open from where he'd roughly enjoyed her ample chest.

In that situation, Commander Thorson found himself as most men did when fully captured by a woman's sensuous folds, quite unable to lie. "You drive me up the walls sometimes, but I love you."

A distinct, aromatic wetness grew between her legs where their bodies were connected as she shivered against him. "Even though I tried to kill you?"

"Hell, it could even be because you tried to kill me," Thorson replied gruffly, breathing heavily as he climaxed just after her. "I don't have time to worry about that sort of thing."

After a few moments of labored breathing against one another and the wall of her bridge, Tennessee pulled back so they could look at one another again. "I'll make sure we find some time later, then."

Andrew nodded as she leaned in to kiss him once more, finding that as with their prior lascivious encounter, she was far more prone to showing tender affection after getting in a round or two. "That's all I can ask."

With her orders and timetable set, Tennessee indulged in her Commander's body for a few more minutes. She even 'cleaned' him once he slipped out of her, claiming that it would keep her fresh in his mind even while she was gone. He found it impossible to deny the logic as he did his best to make himself presentable and return to his escort, fumbling with the buttons and zippers on his uniform. Before he departed, Tennessee called to get his attention a final time. With her back turned to him, facing the dimly lit instruments at her helm, it was impossible to tell they'd just shared an intimate moment. "Tennessee?"

"Either put in a transfer for the Colorado gals, or find a decent tattoo artist somewhere on this side of the globe. I'm not coming back without another kill to ink."

Her blond haired commander returned her request with a salute. "I'll keep that in mind, Tennessee. Godspeed."

"And you, Commander," she murmured as he closed the heavy, metal door and left her alone in the dim light. She licked her lips once as they turned into a genuine if imperceptible smile. "Thanks for the fuck."

"You're allowed to admit you want to come along," Kaga told Soryuu, glancing at her pupil over a cup of tea. Her flight deck was devoid of all aircraft as the strike force prepared for departure, giving the impression that they were seated on a vast plateau overlooking the desert coast. Soryuu frowned back. "You don't need to agree with his estimation of your importance either."

The rabbit carrier's ears wilted as she looked away. "Self-flattery aside I don't think he's wrong, but…"

"This is how it felt in the early days, before we lost Amagi-nee," Kaga told her, lapsing into a rare moment of melancholy and nostalgia. "Everything about our lives was new and exciting. Our potential was limitless and our leadership firm. All we needed to do was keep our bows to the rising sun. Andrew Thorson is no Amagi. He has a disturbing tendency to rule by committee until the shells start flying or discipline needs to be meted out. That said, this operation is going to push Akagi to her limit. That contingent from the Royal Navy may already be engaged in a last stand. He is deploying us in ways no conventional weapons could be. It is alright to chafe at the bit, Soryuu. You could use a bit of your sister in you, and the same could be said for her. I'm sure an impartial observer would say the same of Akagi and myself."

The elder sister of the Second Carrier Division closed her eyes and nodded, aware that while it was far from a typical lesson, Kaga was doing her best to impart wisdom of a kind to her. "Then you should make sure to drop far outside of shore bombardment range, along with a proper submarine screening force. Let those battleships enjoy their cavalry charges without needing to worry about protecting you. Even if that might mean letting Akagi go on ahead."

Silence fell over the two strategists as Kaga's tails stilled their typical, slow waving motions behind her. She realized that Soryuu was correct. Part of her had been considering dropping right on top of Toulon if Akagi chose that path. A light breeze blew over them from the Atlantic, bearing a single sakura blossom that made its way into her cup. The corners of her lips curled into a smile. "I will remember your wise words, student of mine. In the meantime, have patience. As surely as Hiryuu was transformed by this conflict, you too will have your hour. Let us both do our best to remain alive until then."

Soryuu breathed deeply and squared her shoulders as she remained cross-legged on Kaga's flight deck. "As you say, Kaga-san."