Chapter 5

When Elizabeth opened her eyes to sunlight piercing the windows, she wished everything was a dream.

And perhaps it was. She had been studying late last night, preparing for "exam week" as Franceska called it, which Elizabeth would take on the second week of December. It was easy for her exhausted mind to come up with a fabrication of her fears, her dream. Perhaps if she went downstairs, she would find Elisa just preparing to leave, while Franceska waited with a cup of tea, perhaps with a bagel or waffle in hand. Just like it always had been for the last few weeks.

Yes, of course. Everything was just a dream. How silly of her to think that another warship like her would be reborn. How stupid of her to imagine that it would be the second ship of her class, which she never sailed together with. Warspite even looked like herself, with minor differences, because obviously her imagination wasn't that broad.

Elizabeth shook her head and rose to her feet. Perhaps it was best if she takes a day off, but no, that would be impractical, not to mention unfair to Franceska who drives for almost an hour from her flat to Hampshire. She would just sleep early.

Downstairs, everything was quiet save for the murmurs in the dining room. Elizabeth smiled as she headed there. She was right, after all. There was Elisa rising from her chair, draining her teacup. And next to her was Franceska, spearing a fluffy scrambled eggs as she conversed with… Conversed with Noah. Brian sat nearby, chewing a poached egg. And between them was Warspite, eyes wide, fork halfway to her mouth, as her gaze locked with Elizabeth's.

Because, of course, everything from last night really happened. How silly of her to think it didn't. And no, she wasn't going to bloody deal with this right now.

Spinning on her heels, Elizabeth was about to leave when Noah spoke calmly. "Elizabeth."

She halted mid-step. Inhaling deeply, she slowly lowered her foot and turned to face him, her expression blank. The conversation around the table had grown quiet. Four pairs of eyes stared at her, with varying reactions. Noah, calm and composed. Franceska and Brian, both curious. And Warspite, nervous and hopeful.

Only Elisa didn't look at her. But as she shouldered her bag and passed, she patted Elizabeth on the shoulder and said softly, "Good luck." Then she was gone through the door.

Noah gestured at the seat that his younger sister had just vacated. "Come here, Elizabeth."

Wordlessly, she obliged, ignoring the stares of everyone else. Her eyes remained on the table, listening but not looking, especially not toward Warspite. Noah continued, "Brian, Miss Bridgeman, if you two would please leave us for some minutes?"

"Yes, Commander." Like the dutiful aide that he was, Brian stood up, taking his plate with him. Franceska followed. Elizabeth wished she could just go with them, go anywhere else, but Noah's gaze anchored her to the seat.

"Look at us, Elizabeth."

She didn't want to, yet she couldn't refuse, either. It was rude, and she didn't had the heart nor the strength to resist Noah's gentle tone. Clenching her fingers, Elizabeth lifted her gaze toward him, doing her best to ignore Warspite. Noah was regarding her with a frown, not unkindly; worried. And now that Elizabeth could look at him closely, she noticed the tightness around his eyes, his stiff jaw.

He must be just as confused as she was. A pang of guilt stabbed at her heart.

The silence stretched on. She didn't look elsewhere, and neither did he. Finally, he said, "Why are you avoiding Warspite?"

"I'm not. I'm just tired." It wasn't a lie; she was tired.

Noah looked only half-convinced. He sighed. "Elizabeth, I know it's a lot to take in, but Warspite is still your sister. You needn't avoid her."

"She's…" Elizabeth caught herself before she could say something she would regret later. In truth, her heart soared. Her sister was here; she was not alone. Not anymore, she didn't need to. But it wasn't easy accepting this. Not when her dream presented her with a macabre image of her sister's final moments.

She swallowed, clasping her hands. "I'm just… shocked, is all."

"We all are," he muttered. Louder, he added, "But that doesn't mean you'll have to be rude. What you did last night was disrespectful, not just to your sister but to me as well."

"I know. I apologize for that."

"Say that to her, not to me."

Elizabeth gripped her hands tighter. Her eyes darted toward Warspite, then away before she could look at her fully. And try as she might, Elizabeth couldn't find it within herself to stare at her sister's face. If she did, that dream might turn into reality.

She swallowed, and tried again, both for Noah's sake and hers. Her gaze locked with Warspite's, but she could barely hold it. "W-Warspite, I'm… I'm sorry for what happened last night."

Warspite smiled. "It is all right, sister. I know how hard it is to accept all of this." She shrugged. "Even I am not sure what to make of this situation, either."

"We all do," Noah said with a grunt. He turned to Warspite. "I'll presume you have no idea how you wounded up on the beach?"

"No. I'm afraid not, Commander. All I know is that, one moment I'm in a void. The next thing I know, I'm thinking and breathing. Is that the same for you as well, sister?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes. I just woke up on the shore the same way as you did."

Her sister stared at her hand with contemplation. "We are reborn as humans. But why?"

Why, indeed? An image flashed in Elizabeth's mind: Warspite's hull sinking in the dark blood-choked waters, while a conflagration consumed the docks of Devonport. She immediately averted her gaze from her sister, swallowing the bile rising in her throat despite her empty stomach. It couldn't be because of that dream; it was just a dream. Nothing more.

"We don't know." Noah's expression was troubled, and Elizabeth could tell he was contemplating the answer to that riddle. Was he having the same dreams too? If Warspite was here now, would the rest of her sister ships follow? Her head throbbed just thinking about it. Her stomach grumbled in protest too, no doubt on account of her thinking.

Noah glanced at her, smiling apologetically. "Let's not worry about that for now."

He called Brian and Franceska back into the dining room, apologising to the latter for interrupting her breakfast. Franceska didn't seem to mind, thankfully, and all of them went back to their meal.

Elizabeth didn't have the appetite, but she tried to eat anyway. It wouldn't do to study on an empty stomach. She had to focus on the present, the here and now, rather than what may or may not come.

"So, Edith, is it?" Franceska spoke after finishing her bagel. Somehow, she had went for a second helping. Not that Elizabeth could blame her. She was already on her third, and Brian seemed ready to fight fork and knife for the last two.

"Yes, ma'am," Warspite replied.

Franceska waved a hand. "Please, just call me Franz." She smiled. "It must be shocking to find out you have a sister."

"Ah…" Warspite chuckled nervously. "Well, I've always wanted an older sister."

"Oh. So you have a younger sister?"

Elizabeth frowned at that, and cast a furtive glance toward Franceska. Her attention was entirely focused on Warspite—too attentive, in fact, her eyes glimmering with unusual scrutiny. Even Noah was staring at her suspiciously, though she didn't seem to notice.

Brian, on the other hand, seemed content to just eat and listen.

Warspite shook her head. "Ah, no. I mean—"

Noah cleared his throat. "Miss Bridgeman, I believe you're making my future adopted sister uncomfortable."

Franceska blinked, raising an eyebrow, but nevertheless dipping her head in acknowledgement. "My apologies, Mr. Dallimore."

"Please refrain from asking questions unrelated to your job. You're being paid to teach them, not pry on their personal lives."

"I understand, Mr. Dallimore."

He grunted, expression sour, and a heavy silence fell on the table. Unease gripped Elizabeth's heart. Franceska didn't seem capable of any malice; she was kind and helpful during her lessons, and Elizabeth hadn't seen her tutor exhibit anything that would make her uncomfortable.

Except for that incident when their hands touched, but didn't Franceska say it was a natural phenomenon? And she had proven it to be true.

Elizabeth glanced at Warspite, her eyes drifting to her sister's hands.

There was one way to know.

###

After breakfast, Noah left the girls in the study room. Franceska wouldn't begin teaching Warspite until tomorrow, but it was best that the newly reborn battleship get used to life in the manor. There was much she needed to learn as a human.

He was still suspicious, of course. The woman was unusually nosy earlier. And while it could simply be her way of determining Warspite's character, he couldn't be too careful; the secret was bound to slip out. But later was better than sooner.

"Brian, I want you to find out everything you can about Franceska Bridgeman when we return to Devonport," he told his aide when they were finally out of earshot. "Family background, her entire work history, her circle of friends. Everything."

"Yes, sir." Brian paused. "You think she knows something? Maybe someone from the base got a loose tongue?"

"If they do, I'm pulling it out when I find them," he muttered as he entered the library. Turning on the lights, he grabbed a pencil and notebook, placed them on the table, then went to the history section while Brian sat on the couch. "Ensign, I never told you to sit just yet." He grabbed a few books, some as thick as a church Bible.

"Yes, Commander." His aide leapt to his feet at once. "How may I be of service?"

Carrying the books to the table, Noah read the titles. History of the Royal Navy, Battleships: The Rise and Fall of Supreme Naval Firepower, World War 1: On the Seas—everything related to ships and naval engagements for the last hundred years. It was too much information for what he was looking for, but one could never be too certain when it came to uncertain things.

"Help me look for the Queen Elizabeth-class fast battleship's history. Note any significant dates."

Brian frowned, joining him on the table. "Any specifics? Service records? Construction history?"

"Construction history, yes." He opened one of the books. Grandpa Connor had collected these throughout his career and even after, but Noah had barely read a fraction of the entire collection. Now, he realized, he might have to go through all of them. "We found Elizabeth on October 16, the same day as her launch date. I want to know if—"

"Warspite's launch date was yesterday, Commander. November 26."

Noah froze. Winter had arrived early, but the chill crawling up his spine didn't have anything to do with the cold. He looked at Brian. The lad's expression was just as serious. "Could it be a coincidence?"

Brian shrugged. "We won't know until Valiant appears, Commander."

If the ship ever did. But even considering that possibility sent more shivers up his spine. "When was her launch date?"

"November 4, 1914. Almost a year after Warspite's."

Noah wrote it down. "Who's next?"

"Barham. December 31, same year. Last was Malaya. March 18, 1915."

Three more warships. And if they ended up on the shore of Devonport as Elizabeth and Warspite did, it would certainly start raising suspicions. A part of him hoped that Warspite would be the last, but he had a nagging feeling that this would be just the beginning. Next year was going to be stressful.

"Do you think they'll get reborn as well, Commander?" Brian asked.

"I don't know, Brian," Noah said with a shake of his head, staring at the notes. "I don't know."

###

Implementing her plan, Elizabeth realised, was difficult than she had imagined.

Franceska wasn't one for physical contact most of the time, except for rare occasions. And it seemed that Elizabeth warranted physical contact if Warspite's words were anything to judge by: Franceska didn't shake her hand at all when introducing herself.

For the rest of the day, physical contact was kept to a bare minimum. It was study time, so Elizabeth knew that Franceska would focus on her job and she usually just sit on her chair if there was no lecture involved. It would be impossible to get her to shake hands with Warspite, though a simple contact with her skin should probably be enough.

Of course, her sister knew about the plan. And while she was just listening and reading next to Elizabeth, Warspite made several attempts of her own without looking suspicious. Once, when Franceska was handing Elizabeth the assignments for the next day, Warspite approached and made it look like her feet had slipped, reaching out for the nearest thing she could grab on: Franceska's wrist.

Elizabeth's tutor, however, retracted her hand immediately, as if by some instinct, and poor Warspite's face met the floor with a thud.

She was fine, thankfully, but Franceska's action was highly suspicious. It almost seemed like she was avoiding being touched. Elizabeth told Warspite this after their tutor left, and she agreed.

When their tutor returned the next day, Elizabeth's suspicion grew. Greeting them during breakfast, Franceska waved a gloved hand at Elisa as she left.

"You're wearing gloves," Elizabeth noted. They were simple white cloth gloves, not uncommon, the kinds that British women wore for parties and gatherings.

"Hmm? Oh these?" Franceska smiled. "Yes. I'm attending a party later today, so I have to. Actually, I was about to tell you that I'll have to leave early."

It was Friday, and Franceska said that she would leave for Scotland next week. Elizabeth found it too much of a coincidence, but there was nothing she could really do. She just had to try again when Franceska returned.

Weekend came and went like a breeze. Elizabeth finished all of her assignments, but without Franceska, she spent most of her time in the library together with Warspite.

Having her sister beside her gave her a strange feeling. On the one hand, she was glad for her company. At least she wouldn't be alone in the house during Elisa's shift at the bistro. And she didn't have to act around her like she did with Elisa and Franceska. On the other hand, though, she didn't know how to act around her own sister.

This was just one of the things she had to learn as a human, and she had considered asking Noah and Elisa for advice. But she didn't think they could help; they were humans with years of experience forging bonds. She was a former warship who only recently became a human and was still learning how to bond with people.

With a sigh, she closed the book she was reading and bent her neck to the other side as she stood. Spending too long in one position certainly wasn't comfortable.

"Where are you going?" Warspite asked, looking up from her book.

"I'm hungry." Elisa had prepared lunch earlier, but perhaps she should start learning how to cook as well. She would be going to London next year, away from the manor. And while there were certainly lots of restaurants around King's College, she didn't want to spend too much of Noah's money.

Which reminded her, she needed to find a job as well if she was to live on her own.

Warspite brightened and set her book on the table. "Let me join you."

They went to the kitchen. Elizabeth opened the fridge and took out the stew Elisa had set aside. Grabbing a pot, she turned on the stove and transferred the stew into the pot. At least she could do this much.

She heard clanging behind her. When she looked, Warspite was arranging the plates and cutlery. Elizabeth frowned. "What are you doing?"

Her sister blinked. "Why, I'm preparing the table."

Somehow, Elizabeth found that uncomfortable, though she didn't know why. She shrugged, then returned her attention back to the stove. When the stew finished boiling, she grabbed a bowl.

Warspite was beside her in an instant. "Here. Allow me to do that."

One hand holding the ladle, the other holding the bowl, Elizabeth stared at her sister blankly. Warspite had spoken English, Elizabeth was certain of that, but the words seemed from another language entirely. "Pardon?"

"I, uh, said I'm going to do that."

"Do what?"

"Transfer the stew to the bowl," Warspite said slowly, patiently. "Let me do that for you, sister."

"Why would you do that?"

"Why not?"

A heavy silence draped over them. It would have went on longer, but Elizabeth was hungry, the stew was growing cold, and Warspite was just standing there, waiting. Sighing, she handed the items to her then sat at the table.

Lunch was served a minute later. As they ate, Elizabeth noticed that Warspite's gaze remained on her, watching her every movement. When she caught her looking, Warspite quickly averted her gaze.

"What is it, Warspite?" Elizabeth asked.

"N-Nothing." She was still looking away.

"You've been staring at me since we started eating, don't think I hadn't notice. Have you got something to say?"

Warspite squirmed in her seat. She drew a deep breath. "Well, we've never been talking since Franceska last came here."

"What do you mean? I am talking to you right now. I talked to you yesterday and the day before." What is this about?

"Well, certainly. But no?" Warspite grimaced. "I always initiated the conversation, and you're just responding. You haven't really talked to me. I just… Aren't you glad I'm here?" She lowered her head and stared at her lap, mumbling the question.

It was like a dagger had been driven into Elizabeth's heart. She pursed her lips, lowering her fork. True, she hadn't been talking with Warspite, though she hadn't necessarily been avoiding her, either. It was just difficult to process all of this apart from becoming a human.

"I'm glad that you're here," she admitted in the most sincere tone he could muster. "I'm just… not used to this situation… yet."

"Oh." Warspite smiled at her. "That's all right. I'm also adjusting with being a human and seeing you as a human myself. And, well, the fact that we're together."

Because they had never been together for very long until war and conflict separated them. Elizabeth knew this was a chance for them to rectify that, but that dream… What if by being together, it would lead to something terrible?

She clenched her fingers, then relaxed. She was doing it again, thinking about her fears. She should think about her hopes for a good and peaceful life with her sister.

"Yes, we're together." She returned her sister's smile. "This time, nothing will separate us."

###

Despite the lack of Franceska's lessons, Elizabeth found the following days enjoyable.

It was still strange to have her sister with her, and as a human, but now she was doing her best to treat Warspite properly. And frankly, her presence was a God-sent. As a former warship, there were things she could tell Warspite that she couldn't tell Elisa or even Franceska; things that only the two of them could and would understand.

But more than that, she was just glad to have someone go through and experience life as a human, exploring their new lives, discovering new things about the nation they had been created, damaged, and eventually scrapped, to protect, and even discovering things about each other.

The more she learned about Warspite, the more she felt guilty about ignoring her during the first few days. Her sister never let her do things on her own or even leave her for longer than necessary, as if she was making up for the time they hadn't spent together. Once, when Elisa had taught Elizabeth how to cook a waffle, Warspite was there beside her, handing the ingredients or utensils she needed. Another time when she was cleaning her room, Warspite lifted the bed for her to sweep the floor under.

Of course, they made sure that Elisa was out of sight when that happened.

By Friday, more than a week had already passed since Warspite's arrival. Franceska had sent them a letter announcing her return on Sunday and the resuming of her lessons the following day.

"So you're thinking that she is hiding something?" Warspite asked Elizabeth the next day as they clean the storage shed. Elisa was preparing dinner in the manor, and it was just Elizabeth and Warspite.

"Just a feeling." Elizabeth carried a stack of boxes that she placed on the floor. "Remember what I told you? When I touched her, there was this—"

"Electric surge. Yes, you did tell me." Her sister furrowed her brows. "But she told you it was natural, didn't she?"

"And after you arrived, she started wearing gloves. You saw how she reacted when you tried touching her." It wasn't just a coincidence, Elizabeth was certain.

Warspite was silent for a moment as she swiped the feather duster across the surface of an empty shelf, her expression thoughtful. "Supposed that you're correct, what could Miss Franceska be hiding from us?"

"I don't know!" Elizabeth threw her hands in frustration. "Perhaps she knows why we are here, or even how we are here. Perhaps she's—"

"Like us?" her sister said.

They exchanged looks. Long had Elizabeth considered that possibility, and the more she interacted with Franceska, the more her suspicion grew. But if their tutor was indeed a reborn warship like them, what did that mean?

"We have to know who she really is," Elizabeth said.

"And if we're wrong in our assumptions?" Warspite looked doubtful.

"Then we're wrong. It will be as simple as that."

With a tone of finality, Elizabeth squatted by one of the boxes and opened it. If they were wrong, it only meant that they had to find the reason for their existence themselves. But if they were right, she would make Franceska tell everything she knew, even if she had to use her strength.

She poked inside the box for a minute. Most were random tools and items that were in various states of disrepair. Some, like the power drill, weren't even working anymore. "Why are these things still here?"

Warspite joined her, peering over Elizabeth's shoulder. "Noah seems to keep a lot of broken things. Did you see that pink bike in the garage?"

"I did. When I first got here." She frowned. Now that she thought about it, why were they keeping a bike that was bent almost in half?

"Hey, what's this?" Warspite reached over and pulled out a shoebox. "Why is there a shoe—"

She stopped as she opened it. "Oh."

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.

"A gun."

Elizabeth was instantly on her feet. True enough, nestled in the shoebox was an old Webley revolver. She gasped, recognizing it. "This is Connor's! What is it doing here?"

"Who's Connor?"

"One of my crew." Elizabeth took out the gun. She had never held one as a human before, but the grip settled with familiarity in her hands. She checked the chambers; they were empty. Glancing inside the box, she saw a case of six bullets, just enough for one full load, and… a strip of paper, with faded words written on it.

"It's unreadable," Warspite confirmed, squinting hard.

Elizabeth extended her hand. "May I?" With a shrug, Warspite gave it to her. It was indeed unreadable, mostly. The first line was Jo… n… 7 Bak… Str… Then more lines of indecipherable letters, arranged in a column. Strange.

She put it back inside the shoebox, along with the revolver. "Maybe we can ask Elisa about this later."

They resumed their cleaning, but there was nothing else in the shed that piqued their interest (apart from a slightly old golf set). After returning to the manor and having a nice, long bath, dinner was ready.

Elizabeth stared at the Shepherd's Pie hungrily. She bit into it, sighing in contentment. The meat was juicy and soft. "Excellent as always, Elisa."

The younger Dallimore smiled. "Next time, I'll teach you and Edith how to cook it. That way, you can cook it by yourselves when you two go to London next year." She paused. "Which reminds me, I'll ask Samson if he can have you on the bistro."

Elizabeth perked up at that. She had already discussed to Noah her and Warspite's desire to get simple jobs that would allow them to earn some money, and while he was hesitant, he agreed on the condition that they don't attract attention.

"That's wonderful! When do you think we can begin?"

Elisa shrugged. "That depends on Samson, but usually we hire helpers around this month when customers often double." She hesitated. "But are you sure about this, Beth? You and your sister are both studying on the weekdays."

Stamina wouldn't be a problem, Elizabeth knew. She and Warspite had just discovered recently that apart from their unnatural strength, their stamina far surpassed that of a human. "Yes. Besides, it's only going to be part-time."

"You're really eager to work, huh?"

"I want to earn some money." It was December, after all, and Elizabeth wanted to buy gifts for Warspite and the Dallimores. "And we can't always rely on Noah."

"That's true," Elisa said, nothing. "You're parents taught you well."

Elizabeth nearly choked on her food at that. Fortunately, she managed to swallow it, glancing at Warspite briefly, who had a panic look in her eyes. The topic of their fake parents hadn't been brought up since Elizabeth's arrival. Why is Elisa mentioning it now?

"Yes. Yes, they did." Elizabeth cleared her throat. "By the way, Elisa, there's something I want to ask."

"What is it?"

"Why is there a gun in the storage shed?"

For the first time since meeting her, Elizabeth saw fear flashed in Elisa's eyes. Her face paled. "Wh—How did you find that?" she demanded.

Elizabeth and Warspite exchanged looks. "We found it in a shoebox while we were cleaning the—"

Elisa stood up so quickly it made the two sister ships flinch in surprise. She looked terrified, her hands shaking, her breathing fast. "Did you see anything else inside the shoebox?"

"Well—"

"Did you see anything else inside the shoebox?" Elisa's voice nearly rose to a shout.

Elizabeth was no stranger to outburst; her crew, especially angry officers, would always shout at sailors who couldn't follow orders or made errors in following them. As such, she remained calm even though her heart hammered inside her chest.

"We saw a piece of paper." Elisa's grip on the table's edge tightened. "But it's unreadable. We put everything back in the shoebox."

The effect was immediate. Elisa seemingly deflated, sinking into her chair with a breathless sigh. For a moment, she cradled her head, bowed low over the table, allowing Elizabeth to share a glance more with Warspite. She mouthed, What was that about?

Warspite shrugged. Then Elisa looked up and straightened herself, and their attention was drawn back to her. She took a deep breath and said, "Whatever you've seen inside that box, please forget about it and don't mention it to Noah."

Elizabeth wanted to ask why, but Warspite shook her head by a fraction of an inch, and the questions died in Elizabeth's throat. She nodded.

Elisa smiled in gratitude.

For the rest of the meal, a heavy silence blanketed the table. Elizabeth watched Elisa closely, who never met her gaze while they ate. But Elizabeth could tell she was shaken, her eyes veiled by blankness. Haunted as if from a dark memory.

Later, when all was quiet in the manor, Elizabeth and Warspite discussed it in hushed tones in Elizabeth's room. "It's got to be something to do with their parents," Elizabeth surmised. It was the only reason she could think of that would warrant an outburst like that.

"And whatever it is, she wanted us to keep silent." Warspite idly twirled the pen in her fingers.

"But why?" Noah had once said that Elizabeth deserved knowing the family's history, and she felt this was something she should know, even if Elisa said otherwise.

One way or another, she would find out.

###

Franceska Bridgeman, age 34, born on March 5, 1959. Place of birth: Pembrokeshire, South West Wales. Her mother was Anna Bridgeman, deceased, died on 1980. Her father was Timothy Bridgeman, also deceased, died on 1985.

Noah read the file with a critical gaze. As far as family background goes, Franceska's seemed normal enough; a woman born from a simple family, living simple lives on a simple brownstone house, until fate intervened cruelly, as it always did. She went from place to place after her mother's passing, doing jobs to finance her father's deteriorating health, until he passed away as well.

It went perfectly in line with what she said thus far. Almost perfectly.

He put down the document with a sigh and stared at Brian. "This is everything?"

His aide shrugged. "Yes, Commander. The sleuth I hired was one of the best ones I know. He even said he got bored while doing this."

"Perhaps because he only spent a week doing it," Noah muttered. He didn't think it was enough to get all the information; he would have spent at least two weeks, or even three. But there was nothing he could do about it now.

"The report says she doesn't have many friends," he continued. "Do you believe that, Ensign?"

"Miss Franz moves from place to place, Commander. She probably doesn't have time to socialize."

"And yet she has time for parties. Furthermore, she said she has relatives in Scotland." He paused. "But your sleuth says she has no surviving relatives."

Brian frowned. "Perhaps she didn't know until now? There are plenty of incidents like that. Why, I just found out last month that I have distant cousins in America."

Noah pursed his lips. Was he really just paranoid? Or was there something he was severely missing? A clue that he didn't see. Perhaps he should hire another investigator, have them take this from another approach. He didn't like how Brian's sleuth's job was sloppy, and he had given him substantial money too.

With another sigh, he grabbed the file and slid it inside the folder. "All right. That will be all, Ensign. Bring me dinner at 1900 hours. You are dismissed."

"Yes, Commander." Brian stood up from the chair and saluted, then strode out the door.

Back to work, Noah thought. He still had two stacks of documents to sign, and it was already near evening. He only got a couple of hours before Brian returned with food.

Noah had just picked up his pen when the door opened and his aide strode back in, a small envelope in hand. "Sorry for barging in, Commander, but Thomas just gave me this. He said it was addressed to you."

"For me?" Noah frowned as he took it. Who would bother sending him a letter? Elisa knew his office phone number, and their dad hated writing letters; it couldn't be either of them, much less the girls.

He ripped it open with his pen and pulled out the content: a picture of…

It was a picture of a girl, captured with the camera from afar, sitting with a bored expression at a bench on a bus stop. A school bag lay at her feet, with the words "Govan High School" stitched in black.

Noah squinted. The picture was grainy, on account of the distance, but there was no mistaking the platinum-blonde hair and the crimson eyes the girl had… And the facial similarities she bore with Elizabeth and Warspite.

He filled his lungs with air and flipped the picture, his head swimming as he read the name written at the back in flowing script.

Valiant.

I'll admit, I'm not satisfied with how the middle portion of this chapter turned out. I feel like I should have extended the Elizabeth and Warspite scenes, mostly because I seem to have made them fix their relationship too fast for my liking. Unfortunately, that's one of biggest flaws as a fanfic writer: releasing chapters without much editing.

Then again, we can always treat everything as a first draft. And as with some of my fanfics, I will probably revise this fic once it is finished. Still, I can say that my favorite part to write is definitely the final scene.

Finally, Valiant is here!

As always, thank you for all the support! Until next time!