The commander looked at Observer from across his desk. “You really think Hermit will take the bait?”
“If it’s convincing enough, yes.” She replied. “The other part is that leaving her alone isn’t an option. While Kansen are a novel organism that doesn’t conform entirely to machine or biological patterns, any human we talk to is theoretically vulnerable to Hermit’s influence. You are protected by the Dreamwalker, but others are not afforded the same convenience.”
The commander shook his head. “I experienced Arbiter Hermit for myself. If it hadn’t been for Shinano I would be Zero’s puppet by now. Shinano said she has a method to destroy her and has put everything into place. I trust her judgment, but this is the first time I’ve seen her be so aggressive when it comes to the Sirens. For the longest time she was content to prognosticate and sleep, but now she has devoted her thoughts to terminating one of our enemies.”
“You are no doubt aware of this yourself, Anomaly, but foxes are territorial predators.” She replied. “The fact that Shinano may have appeared somewhat docile until now may be because she views Hermit as an intruder in her territory that has ceaselessly and flagrantly violated those boundaries.” Observer smiled just a little. “In that case, it’s easy to believe that there are some circ*mstances in which she would be as fierce as her sister, or perhaps even Kaga if provoked.”
“You know, even after all this time, I can’t even imagine something like that.” He said. “…Still, we should focus on what we’re about to do next.”
“Exactly.” Observer replied. “As unbalanced in her temperament as she is, Hermit is not easy to fool, plus your own people do not entirely trust me. To solve both problems, I must go along with the strike force.”
“I’m not sure if your presence will make them more or less nervous.” He said. “After all, you haven’t been here especially long, even if you have been restrained by Yuubari’s equipment.”
“After being burned before, I don’t think Hermit will come out unless the reward seems far greater than the actual risk.” She said. “Besides, Zero believes I am still loyal, so we should take advantage of that while we still can.”
“Hm.” He said, and got up from his chair, and paced around the room. “…Do any of the other Arbiters suspect you?”
“If Zero believes I am loyal, then it doesn’t matter what the Arbiters think.” Observer replied. “…Zero has a powerful hold on the Arbiters, and it’s no wonder why. Only a powerful shock to the system might cause the remaining Arbiters to consider extricating themselves from their current circ*mstances. However, this also creates a problem for me that you must resolve.”
“And that is?” The commander said, and looked Observer in the eyes.
“If Zero believes I am loyal now, that will drastically change once we undertake this operation.” Observer said. “This may seem strange for someone like me to ask you, but after this mission is accomplished, I will need you to protect me.”
The commander wasn’t entirely sure what to do in a situation like this.
The Kansen did want him to lead them well, certainly. They wanted to ensure they weren’t senselessly used up or sacrificed for glory, and they only had respect for actions, not ranks.
But they had never specifically asked him to protect them.
This was the first time one of these girls had ever asked him to do such a thing.
Observer was fairly small, and if he didn’t know that this creature was an android from the far future, then yes, he might have felt some protective urge. “…If you side with us like this, then Zero will know you’re no longer loyal, correct?”
“Even if we succeed in eliminating Arbiter Hermit in the quickest and cleanest way possible, which I doubt will occur.” Observer replied. “Once that happens, the backups of myself, Omitter, and Compiler will all be destroyed as they will be considered compromised and malignant data. After that, we will be reduced to a state where the destruction of our physical forms will also bring about the end of our program consciousness.”
He looked out the window briefly, and then turned his feet to face her. “…That’s basically how everyone else on the planet lives besides Zero and the rest of you. Once we’re done, we’re done, and you’re afraid of being brought down to that level.”
“I saw everything, Anomaly.” Observer said. “Once Tester realized what would happen, she was terrified, and even she tried to bargain for her life. Mortality is a state that we were never intended to have.” She looked right into his eyes. “I know that you do not want to die, and you went to great lengths to ensure that did not happen. Assume that this is a feeling that we now share in common.”
“I figured you’d come around to that one way or another.” He said. “…If we manage to finish Arbiter Hermit, I think it’s something that we can arrange.”
-------------
“This will be mainly an Iron Blood and Sakura operation.” The commander began. “Those are the two factions the Sirens have previously made the greatest overtures towards. There will only be a minimal number of other participants, as we must ensure that everything is believable to Arbiter Hermit. She’s a violent sad*st, but she’s not someone we can underestimate in any capacity.”
The commander had called on several representatives from both the Iron Blood and Sakura fleets, along with Enterprise and Incomparable. Observer was in the corner, in case anything needed to be clarified, but the commander was the one running the show. “Observer had previously made overtures to Akagi and Bismarck, so those two will have to participate. Bismarck is recognized as the leader of the Iron Blood Kansen at Azur Lane, and Akagi formerly held that position for the Sakura Empire before Nagato was appointed to take her place.”
The commander noticed that Akagi was glaring at Observer from across the room, but kept quiet about it. “As for additional forces, Enterprise and her sisters will also be accompanying you, as they can easily pretend to have been overawed by Hermit’s power, and Incomparable will also be going. Normally, I wouldn’t accept volunteers, but she has her own compelling case to make.”
Incomparable spoke up. “Even with her efforts, the Doctor has only been able to give me a few years more time, so it would seem natural to seed the aid of those who might provide a technological solution. It seems plausible enough, I think, even if I’d rather become figuratively immortal than sell myself to them.”
The commander gave them a nod. “Exactly. In addition to the pre-designated strike group, Observer will be accompanying you to make things seem in good order, like she had pulled off a great coup in inducing so many of you to defect.”
The commander looked over at Akagi. He saw the fox-woman’s tails and ears bristle and Akagi’s hands clenched in a tense grip. He continued unabated. “You are to follow Observer’s lead while she talks things out with Hermit, and then you are to strike as instantly as possible. One thing we learned from our fight with Chariot is that it is technically possible to hurt Arbiters with overwhelming firepower, it just needs to be concentrated properly, so we should be able to batter her into submission.”
Bismarck raised her hand. “I’m not here to disagree with your analysis, but why dedicate so many ships to an assassination based on what we’ve seen?”
Observer finally got up. “Because no Arbiter is ever alone.” She began, and gestured to the map with her tentacles. “Every Arbiter has a personal fleet allotted to them by Zero, and Arbiters may expand this based on their expected mission. While Hermit’s force will certainly be smaller and less customized than Chariot’s, it will not be negligible. She will use everything at her disposal to fight even after the trap is sprung. Her prior defeat at the hands of the Dreamwalker has agitated her, though, which means she will not allow herself to run from Kansen. This is why we have an opportunity to eliminate her at all.”
“And we don’t need to completely obliterate her body.” The commander replied. “Merely beat her down enough so that she can’t protect herself from what Shinano and Unzen have in store for her. I don’t quite understand the details myself, but because she can access the minds of others, they believe they can use her body to remotely access her true mind, which resides in the Siren stronghold. This is how we eliminated Tester with a virus, so we need to let them have their shot.”
Brunhilde paused. “Will it just be Shinano and Unzen going in?”
Unzen smiled. “I appreciate your concern for our well-being, but no. We have enlisted a third member who will not be physically accompanying the force, but we will be able to call upon her when the time comes. This may seem like an odd arrangement, but Shinano assures me that it is something we can manage.”
The commander placed his hands on the conference table. “Arbiter Hermit is a strategic risk to all future operations. If they get wind of any offensive actions, they can ask Arbiter Hermit to rip it out of the minds of any partner of ours they even suspect of being involved. Her destruction is the most imperative priority. Anyway, you will be receiving more details as the operation day approaches. Dismissed.”
The rest of the Kansen left and began talking to each other on the way out, leaving the commander alone with Observer. Once they were gone, the commander spoke up. “It’s a shame I couldn’t send King George with them, but sending her along would give everything away instantly, and we wouldn’t have another chance to trap her.”
“War is an inherently risky endeavor by nature of how chaotic it is. That doesn’t mean one can’t tilt the odds with overwhelming numbers and firepower, of course. And considering what you’re sending…”
“Right. It may seem odd to risk so many of the Type-2 ships, but This is the kind of battle they were going to see anyway.” He said. “Is there anything you have to say to me in private?”
“Only that Akagi seems somewhat unreliable. I can’t expect her to turn on me openly, but there’s the possibility she may not do much to help if I am about to perish from some unhappy accident.” Observer turned her head towards the door. “I assume I’m not the only one who noticed this?”
“You are not.” The commander said, and put his hands in his pockets. “But I’ve already taken that into account. Akagi will follow my orders because even if she doesn’t listen to me, there is someone who she will always listen to. The kansen are not extensions of my will, but there’s always a way to lead them, if you’re willing to know them well enough.”
-------------
Amagi sipped her tea as she sat across from her sister in her bedroom, and took a moment to inhale the aroma before saying anything. “Ahhh… Excellent as always. People do not praise this part of you enough. You can be an excellent hostess when you like.”
“There has never been anything too good for you.” Akagi said, with a sincere smile. “Everything an emperor deserves is something that you deserve as well. If it weren’t for your ill health, you would have certainly been chosen to represent the Empire here.”
“We can’t think too much about what might have been if it distracts us from where we are.” She cleared her throat. “And thanks to our doctor, you needn’t worry about my health- After her treatment I have more than enough vigor to see things through until the end.” She set her tea down. “Which reminds me, I hear the commander was somewhat concerned by your reaction in today’s meeting.”
“What is there to be concerned about?” Akagi replied. “It’s not as though there are very few of us who consider Observer to be a detestable thing. If Bismarck can remain stoic, then that’s how she may do things, but you know I have never been one to hide my feelings.”
“I know.” Amagi said, and picked her cup back up, swirling the hot liquid in its vessel. “And the commander would not send you if he did not trust you to follow orders, but your display caused him some concern, I feel.”
“I can’t disobey him.” She said. “However, I feel that Observer will betray us at some time. If not now, then at some other time when she feels she may draw some advantage from doing so. She may even turn the commander over to them, and I will die before I let that happen.”
“…I see.” Amagi said, her many tails brushing against each other. “You can’t bear to dishonor yourself by disobeying your beloved commander, but you also can’t help yourself from wanting to cut down those you feel may cause him harm.” She smiled at Akagi. “It’s not an enviable position, but I think you’re forgetting something.”
Akagi’s ears perked up. Amagi was the only person who she allowed to correct her. “What have I forgotten?”
Amagi took a thoughtful sip from her tea before answering. “Observer will only become more vulnerable for helping us, and mortality scares her. Once she helps us finish off Arbiter Hermit, her former comrades will do everything to make sure that she’s as mortal as we are. She can’t survive without us because the Sirens do not forgive disloyalty- They stamp out glitches in their system- There are no second chances. After all, you heard of what happened to Purifier.”
Akagi stopped to think. “So, she won’t fight back against us because she’s dead if she tries anything, even if it helps them… All right. Let’s say that you’re right. But I still don’t know what I can do about the commander.”
“That’s easy enough.” Amagi said. “If you want to ease your dear, beloved commander’s mind, then let me come with you. I’m sure he’ll be at ease if he knows I’m there with you. You’ll have my help, and the commander will have no complaints, I’m sure.”
Akagi put on her biggest smile. “Ha! If you’re there, then we’re sure to win. I don’t think there’s anything that can think that can outsmart you.”
“Well then.” She placed her empty cup on the floor. “The next plan I make is to leave with you.”
-------------
The mostly-Sakura and Iron Blood force had assembled and left quietly and without any fanfare. Everything possible was done to make it seem as though they were leaving without saying anything to anyone. Every moment from beginning to end was calculated to sell the defection. Earlier in the morning, the commander got in a staged shouting match with Akagi and Bismarck, with Enterprise putting on a show of attempting to moderate things before she followed the other two.
Observer didn’t take long to join them, either. She used the equipment on the Orpheus to send a message to Arbiter Hermit to tell her everything and what she had managed to supposedly accomplish and how they were going to meet. Hermit had cautiously agreed, which told them everything they were expecting to know- Hermit wasn’t coming alone.
From the base they headed north to coordinates specified in the open ocean, which was fitting enough- Hermit normally didn’t have anything to fear from anyone.
But then Hermit was there.
She wasn’t, but then she was- No dramatics, no theatrics- She was there and her enforces and some of her ships were there with her. She smiled as she saw Observer. “I had wondered where you had gone. Zero wondered where you had gone.”
“We in the research team have latitude to investigate masters of interest on behalf of Zero and our master.” Observer replied, and gestured to the Kansen. “But the fact is, enough time has based since the experiment has begun that some of the subjects are willing to entertain alternative approaches to their predicament.”
Hermit looked over Observer, and at the dozens of Kansen that came with her. “…Have they?” She shrugged. “…Even so many Kansen barely makes up for the loss of Chariot. I’m not referring to her possible combat capacity- However, as they are modifiable, we will have no trouble modifying them to a higher standard.”
“If you would like to question their motives yourself, feel free to question them.” Observer replied as she floated above the water. She then pointed out Akagi, Bismarck, Incomparable, and Enterprise. “They have elected themselves to represent the interests of their comrades. Speak to them as you like.”
“I will.” Hermit turned her attention to Bismarck first, gliding over the water towards her. The Iron Blood battleship still noted there was a large gap between her and Hermit’s strength. “You rejected Observer’s offer of assistance before. Did our encounter make you reconsider during our recuperation period?”
Bismarck remained stoic. “It did. Even after my reconstruction, my abilities are still lacking, and I would rather join with people with a greater vision for protecting my country.”
“There are a great many significant terrors to be protected against, and we are the least of them.” Hermit replied, and soon enough she was in front of Akagi. “And you. You have exhibited a surplus of loyalty of affection to the Anomaly. Why come here now.”
Amagi said nothing, and let her younger sister put on her performance. Akagi’s fur stood on end, and she almost growled. “He spurned me for some miserable Royal vixen, and then had the gall to act as it was all fine and normal to do such a thing. There was never any reason to trust him- I’ll chart my own course for our country without him.” She stood straight up. “And the only reason things didn’t go through the first time was because he interfered.”
“That squares with our recollection of events.” Hermit moved past Akagi, and then to Enterprise. The carrier remained cool and collected, even if she was in the face of terrifying power. “And now you- What has caused this reconsideration of your allegiance?”
“The war has been going on since long before Azur Lane was formed.” Enterprise said. “Regardless of any apparent successes, he has no plans for any action that would bring this war to an end.” She shook her head. “There is no realistic plan when I’ve become weary of being a killing machine.”
“I’m sure there will be some other use found for you. Perhaps someone with your instincts may be a suitable replacement for Tester.” And then she moved on to Incomparable. “And you. Explain yourself.”
Incomparable looked up at Hermit. “I was created haphazardly and so I have a very curtailed lifespan. Despite the promises of others, they are unable to fix the flaws they built me with, and I would be very grateful to anyone who let me even life a human life.”
Hermit backed off to the company of her enforcers, and then looked at Observer. “I see you have managed to exploit their grievances successfully. I believe Zero will be pleased with this development.”
“It is in our nature to obey.” Observer replied. “I have always acted in the best interests of our mission.”
Hermit smiled. “Very well, I shall summon additional forces to escort the Kansen to our stronghold. From there we can enlist, process, examine, and modify them as needed.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Observer dashed backwards into the formation of Kansen.
And that very moment was their cue to open fire.
A tremendous fusillade of gunfire and torpedoes lashed out at the unprepared Enforcers while planes took off to make sure that their air cover had the high ground and could shoot down any siren aircraft while they were launching. Hermit’s fleet had set up an air patrol, but its numbers were not enough to deflect the initial air attack. Even if this surprise only gained them a split-seocnd’s advantage against Hermit’s forces, any kansen who had been in battle could say how much could happen over the course of a single second.
The largest weight of fire fell on the enforcers- Musashi, Incomparable, Tirpitz and Bismarck all directed their fire at the most dangerous opponents, causing all of the other capital Kansen to follow suit, hammering on them with heavy firepower had had only improved over the time they had been in service to Azur lane. There was so much incoming fire that they couldn’t help but get hit, and once a salvo of those heavy shells slammed into them, it made it that much easier for more to follow.
In that first instant of surprise, Hermit was deprived of a number of her strongest bodyguards while the Kansen scattered into positions that would allow them to carry on the fight against Hermit’s counterattack.
Her lanterns glowed as she called in more of her personal fleet, ships and humanoids being disgorged by twisted space onto the open water to back up their mistress. Hermit didn’t plan to run, oh no. Running would deny her superiority and the will of Zero to crush them for their insolence. A quick scan showed that Observer had been quick to retreat and that it was not practical to chase her now.
But there were plenty of other enemies she could eliminate in the meantime, before the traitor.
Chariot told her once that she had gone too easy on the Kansen if she wanted to make a point.
This was a mistake that was going to be corrected.
Aribiter Hermit focused herself and charged into the fray. The closest threat was Ulrich Von Hutten, who was currently blazing away at anything that was supporting Hermit to reduce the number of distractions. Hermit soon made herself Ulrich’s business. Ulrich dashed back, her sudden movement leaving a huge wake behind her as she fired into the advancing Arbiter. Her heavy shells struck home, but once salvo alone was not enough to check the android’s enraged advance.
Hermit lashed out with a deadly beam, and Ulrich tried to protect herself with her rigging, but the deadly vlast pierced right through the barbette and struck Ulrich herself, causing her to grunt in pain from the Arbiter’s merciless light. But Ulrich was used to pain by now, of all kinds, and continued shooting even though one battleship alone could only have a small effect on an Arbiter. Even another blast wasn’t enough to dissuade Arbiter form lining up a shot for a killing blow.
What did do that was concentrated fire from Musashi and Friedrich, the power of their blasts physically forcing Arbiter to abandon her aim and launch her enormous missiles at any interlopers. The attack came so fast that Musashi wasn’t able to get completely out of the way of the massive explosion, and the heat was so intense it caused the exposed joints of part of her rigging to start to melt, causing the joints of the hands of her rigging to deform and seize up.
Hermit soon had extra problems to deal with, as Musashi heard guns similar to hers open fire on the Arbiter, giving the Siren a great incentive to dodge.
Kii pulled up along Musashi. “Sorry. I had to help the Takaos, Izumo, and Azuma deal with an enforcer.”
Musashi chuckled. “Well, you’re here now.” She looked over at Hermit. “So, you think we can win?”
Kii smiled, and drew her long sword. “It’s not a matter of thinking. As for me, I don’t think I was given a second chance just so I could fail again.” Kii’s eyes narrowed. “Besides, she’s the one that tortured Albert and gave him a wound that might never fully heal, so she owes a debt that money can’t pay.”
Musashi steadied herself. “All right. Even if it’s not a shared motivation, I think the others are more than happy to help collect on your behalf. Shall we?”
“Haha, right ahead of you!” Kii shouted.
While Hermit was distracted fighting the prime heavy-hitters of the fleet, Amagi looked at Kongou. “Are you and your sisters ready? My sister and her partner will make sure we can move freely.”
Kongou smiled. “We’ve been waiting for this chance for a long time. We have always been ready to have you lead us to victory.”
The fox-woman smiled in return, and looked up. Sure enough Akagi’s planes were overhead, ready to destroy anything in the sky that threatened her older sister. “All right. Follow my instructions, and you’ll have all the victory you could like.”
And then she dashed off across the water, accompanied by the Kongous.
The other cruisers and destroyers were running interference, filling the sea with torpedoes and attacking any screening vessel that stood out. Amagi’s ears swiveled this way and that all the senses of her body and her rigging on the fullest alert for even the smallest tactical advantage. She knew that the Sirens wouldn’t run from a fight, but there was plenty she could do to make things easier on the others.
And her sense of battlefield awareness paid off.
Every time some heavy or high-value target was exposed, even for the smallest moment, Amagi would call it out, and the power of five battlecruisers bore down on it, smothering it in the shells of so many heavy guns, including Amagi’s own. She was able to coordinate with whatever lighter elements were the closest to attack anything that was vulnerable even if others weren’t able to perceive it as easily as she could. Amagi knew Odin was doing the same thing with Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Brunhilde.
They had to move quickly. Not every target they hit was destroyed, but five battlecruisers worth of firepower was enough to make combat difficult for any but the hardiest of Siren specimens. It wasn’t as though return fire was non-existent- Hiei had to drop back after taking some hits from a peace-breaker, but all in all they gave far better than they got.
And Arbiter Hermit was painfully aware of this. “Hmph… They have some rudimentary capacity for combat, but this is not the end…” Hermit’s lantern flashed a bright white, and soon enough, a dark mist flowed from her rigging, covering the entirety of the battlefield. An open sea that was once clear as day was covered in a fog so dense that the Kanen couldn’t even see their own feet.
And soon enough, they were assailed by illusions.
Unzen was caught in the middle of the unnatural mist, and it was revealed that it was more than just some screen meant to blind them- There was something far more sinister at work here. Hermit used far more than beams, missiles, and guns against her enemies.
She did not use the common fears- the fear of death, pain, or things like that, but Hermit used everything she knew to provoke that inner dread, one that could only be brought on by using everything dear to the target against them. Hermit used everything good and noble about her adversaries to torment them.
And so, in that fog, Unzen saw the silhouette of Yamato- Her tall ears, her enormous tails, all were unmistakable, as well as her warm but commanding voice. “I had thought better of you, Unzen. I had been convinced that you were wise.”
Unzen shook her head. “Our enemies will not let us pursue the true path. There was never any shame in defending ourselves against them. I seek enlightenment, but they are devils who drag us down.”
“Why are so many here?” The vision of Yamato said. “It is because you and my youngest sister gave them hope that they could win. Look at where you stand… Do you feel as though you are winning now?”
Unzen looked around. It was impossible to tell where she was, or where anyone was, for that matter. She didn’t know which direction she was facing. She didn’t know how the others were faring, if they were fighting on, defeated or dead. “This battle goes beyond our own lives. We fight it because we are the ones who can.”
“I had expected more from you than to follow something based purely on faith.” The shadow Yamato’s tails swished. “Blind fool who believes you are a sage, your fruitless efforts have doomed my sisters. What will you say to me if you ever return?”
Ashe paused to reflect, but in that moment of reflection, she came to a realization of her own- What her senses told her about what she was seeing and hearing and what her inner mind was telling her were two very different things. Transfixed as her eyes and ears were by the illusion, she still had her thoughts, and her mind told her that she couldn’t trust what she was seeing.
So, she forced herself to reject the world and concentrate on the truth.
Unzen put her hands together and closed her eyes, rejecting the shadowy and insubstantial evils that surrounded her, shutting herself out from the assault of the enemy to inform her body of what her mind knew- That the weapon of the enemy was terrifying but as substantial as the smoke of burning incense. It was difficult to make her worldly form accept what her mind knew, but as she did, the admonitions of the false Yamato faded away to indistinguishable whispers.
And in time, she discovered truth.
She could hear Arbiter Hermit fire one of her dearly beams in the distance, and enraged growl of pain as Agir was struck fully by the attack. Agir still lived, but she was shot so squarely and with such force that she could fight no more. Unzen then knew what was happening- The others were suffering from Hermit’s illusions and could not fight back- the Arbiter would shoot down every one of them and then, once she was at leisure to do so, finish them all off without any of them knowing they were under attack until they were hit.
However, the greatest blessing of the sage was not merely to see the truth, but also the skill to act on it. Unzen, her eyes still closed, began to glide across the water, letting the sounds of Hermit guide her to her target. She moved at great speed, the power and malice of her enemy acting as a beacon for her to follow.
Unzen knew when she was drawing close, and drew her sword, taking it in both hands. The source had to be close.
She asked for fate to guide her hands as she brought the blade down with all of a kansen’s strength.
Unzen was showered by glass and fire as one of Hermit’s lanterns was shattered by her powerful blow, and the mist and illusions began to dissipate, but that didn’t offer Unzen comfort for long. Arbiter Hermit grabbed her by the neck and held her up Unzen could not hope to escape on her own, the android pointing three of her guns directly at the cruiser. “You have a poor understanding of risk. You will not exist long enough to apply the experience.”
Guns fired, but they were not Hermit’s.
The largest naval shells available to Azur Lane erupted from Incomparable’s guns slammed into Hermit, forcing her to relinquish Unzen to face the new threat from the battlecruiser, but there was more than one Kansen that sprung into action once the veil was lifted.
With a great battle cry, Kii attacked Hermit at arm’s reach, firing her massive cannons into her hated foe to give her something immediate to worry about. But Kii took her own long blade in both hands and vented her fury on her enemy by breaking her other lantern, freeing the field from the obscuring mist, which began to dissipate with the wind.
Hermit was well aware of her increasingly precarious situation, and made a decision she did not wish to- She contacted Tower for help.
And in the distance, space twisted and folded, disgorging another fleet of Siren vessels to put unbearable pressure on the kansen who were still fighting.
Bismarck was well aware of the danger. Someone had to stop them. She didn’t hesitate to radio Odin. “There’s a new force arriving. If someone doesn’t blunt their advance, we won’t be able to keep the pressure on Arbiter Hermit. This is not something we can realistically afford.”
Odin already divined Bismarck’s intention. “Are you sure you don’t want me to divert any ships to assist you?”
“The other ships have their hands full, and we can’t afford this distraction. I want you to use your discretion, but…” Bismarck looked at the horde of ships approaching. “…Someone needs to check their advance, and I have the firepower and armor to do this for at least a little while.”
“…Understood.” Odin replied, and then there was a pause. “Bismarck. Come back this time. I can strategize and Friedrich can console, but you’re the one who charts our course.”
“Right.” Bismarck said, and left, leaving Odin and the others to fight Hermit and all that remained of her initial wave of forces.
Bismarck charged up and attacked without restraint. With careful gunnery she tore through the first few mass-produced screening squadrons, that had rushed to contact so quickly that she tore them apart with her guns and beams from her three-headed draconic rigging, Geryon. He training with Kii and King George had paid off, as she could even manipulate gravity to draw smaller ships into the path of her gunfire if her aim was a bit off.
She wasn’t especially buoyed by her early successes, as she knew what lay behind- The first screen she fought was effectively as thin as silk.
Her prudence bore fruit when she saw the cruisers move in, and the droning of plane engines filled the sky as the reinforcement carriers began to launch. Graf Zeppelin had planes nearby which could take some of the edge off, but Bismarck knew that, in time, she would be fighting under a steel cloud.
She did her best to prioritize targets and attack what was the biggest immediate threat to her, but there was only so much that even eight heavy guns and Geryon’s three fearsome heads could do. Projectiles she could ignore began to be followed by those that could not, as battleships and even Peace breakers began to move in.
She tried to stay mobile, but the stray heavy shot that hit her would stagger her or knock the wind out of her. One of them even lodged in one of Geryon’s eyes, a deadly penetrator that caused her mechanical beast-companion to roar in rage.
Bismarck didn’t know how long she had been fighting, but she knew she had to fight for long enough.
She knew what she had to do, but could she do it?
There were so many, a horde of monstrous ships and androids that aimed to tear her apart to reach the others fighting Hermit.
Bismarck couldn’t help but reflect on that as she fought for her gradually ebbing life as the enemy closed in against her.
It has happened again… Is history repeating itself? …Is this the penance I must do for the sins of my old masters? To fight against unbeatable odds and die again for a lofty cause rather than a monstrous one?
Bismarck evaded three shots only to get hit by another, partially turning her around. She coughed and hacked at the force of the hit.
I’m sorry I may have to leave you again, Tirpitz… But you’re in good hands with the commander and the others.
…The commander…
I sent you ahead to Azur Lane with some of the others while I took care of remaining business back home. My only expectation was that that commander would show some competency and not use you poorly.
But when I saw you again, you were at the beach, smiling, having made a few friends.
I never asked the commander to do anything of the sort- To introduce you to others, to tell you that you weren’t as cold as you believed you were, and I never asked him to do things to make you happy, he just… Did them on his own, because those things came naturally to him. To him, a commander!
Someone who we would expect to be stern and strict, but…
“Yeah, she’s more inclined to this kind of thing than she thought she was, but she’s pretty comfortable here.”
That’s what the commander had said to her. Geryon roared as it took more hits from the advancing Sirens, but Bismarck continued to reflect on her thoughts.
“Well, it’s really nothing to think about. You had your duty and I had mine, and now duty has brought the two of us together on the same side. Poor fortune in one life, good in the next.”
That’s what Hood said to her. Someone whom she had expected to hate her forever for what she had done, and she was willing to treat even something like that as water under the bridge. Hood gave her forgiveness that she wasn’t even sure she deserved. King George had been the same, too, and Rodney also, even willing to give her that bright smile of hers.
It was almost intimidating, in a way.
A world in which Tirpitz was not a lonely, shackled queen.
A world in which even Hood would greet her with a smile and a wave with more than just cursory politeness behind it.
And then there was Amagi and Alabama, too, someone who was brilliant and serene and someone mighty who was more interested in hugging her nearest and dearest than flaunting her power.
She had been reborn into a world that told her she deserved to live. That she hadn’t been reborn into the world into a human form by some accident but because she was meant to enjoy human things- Perhaps even the same sort of happiness that the commander had found. She was reborn as a woman to gain a chance to be human.
And for that… I will live.
Bismarck’s rigging ejected out the projectiles that had penetrated its body and began to re-armor itself with thicker, harder plates. Bismarck dashed backward at a speed even she considered extraordinary. “Geryon!” She shouted. “…Remove them.”
Geryon complied. All six of its eyes flashed gold and the three mouths opening, revealing an awesome and terrifying light as they prepared to unleash Bismarck’s awakened power. Before her opponents new what was happened, a bright light erupted from the mouths of her rigging, the three beams entwining and merging to form an energy blast so tremendous it appeared at first that it might split the sea down to its floor.
The bright red light bore down on the Sirens in an instant and the screening ships crumbled and slowly disintegrated under the might of Bismarck’s terrible assault- The force was so great that some of the mass-produced battleships caught in the path of Bismarck’s fury were even lifted out of the water before being wrenched in half, and even the Peace Breakers began to flake apart and be cast asunder as though they were pulverized into something more akin to gravel.
Bismarck saw smoke emerged from the mouths of her rigging as the blast subsided. She could ask no more of Geryon, and now it was her turn.
Soon the attacked, and fought so fiercely she was almost amongst them, her shells so hard that anything they passed through seemed almost as though they were made of jelly. There was no armor that could protect these lesser Sirens from Bismarck, and Bismarck fought more splendidly than she ever dared believe she could fight, and she was all the more brilliant in her martial glory not because she was willing to die, but because she was willing to live.
While Bismarck was fending off the reinforcements, the fighting with the Arbiter had bogged down. Hermit was starting to take hits she couldn’t ignore, but everyone knew that in time her regeneration would make good her damage, and anything she dealt out to the ships fighting her would not be recovered so easily. Yorktown was the first to notice this, and so went to her sister. “Enterprise, we need to do something. The others are holding on against Hermit for now, but holding on doesn’t mean winning. At this rate, I don’t know how long we can hold our advantage.”
Enterprise nodded. Ulrich and Izumo had to drop out of the fight, and soon others might follow, not to mention the damage that was done to Agir and the other, larger cruisers. On top of that, she wasn’t sure how long the battlecruisers might hold out against Hermit’s firepower. “All right. Do you have a plan?”
“I do.” She said. “I came up with one with Peter Strasser before we left in case such a thing happened. However… We need a distraction. How long do you think you could distract Hermit?”
Enterprise had been watching Hermit fight through her planes. She had many guns, drones, and other weapons- For an enemy that relied on trickery and infiltration she was incredibly heavily armed.
But.
Enterprise knew the power of her own instincts. If she pushed her senses to their limit, and combined them with those of her rigging, she might just be able to fight Hermit for a very short while without risk. It was only a guess, but… She trusted her intuition when it came to battle.
She gave her answer. “…I can give you eight seconds. Will that be enough?”
Yorktown smiled. “I think so… Good luck.”
Enterprise steadied herself, and waited for a sign that it was time for her to step in.
The carrier saw the other ships breaking off their attack on Hermit, and she rushed forward to get the Arbiter’s attention. “Arbiter Hermit! I’ll take over from here!”
Hermit immediately turned her gaze on Enterprise. “Kansen Unit 001, you have stepped out of your doctrine. You’re challenging me yourself?”
“I am!” Enterprise began. “The others need to know how to fight, so I will show them.”
“And I will show them the consequences of engaging one of us on your own.”
One.
Arbiter Hermit unleashed her firepower and Enterprise launched her planes. The carrier entered a state of hyper-awareness. She knew where every beam and shot would go, she could see how each of the Siren drones turned and maneuvered. The path and presence of every source of harm was made clear to her, and what she had to do to avoid and destroy each of these threats.
Two.
Hermit watched as Enterprise seemed to effortlessly dance around what she thought was a perfect attack pattern. She coordinated her gunfire and drones to create a web of fire that only offered the most infinitesimal chance of escape, and yet the Kansen had managed to avoid everything without even being grazed.
Three.
Enterprise knew that from the outside, it looked like she was barely escaping death, but from her perspective it looked as though Arbiter Hermit was pitching just so many underhand softballs. She was the sole object of Arbiter Hermit’s fury, but even if she could only escape by inches, inches were more than enough.
Four.
Hermit had been tracking Enterprise’s planes, singling them out, but her drones were helpless to fend them off. They moved in ways that were technically possible but profoundly improbable, anticipating her drones and their lanes of fire to evade destruction at the last second to drop off their bombs and torpedoes. The bombs seemed to unerringly strike her in places where she had already been damaged by the battleships, making things more difficult.
Five.
Enterprise watched carefully, and saw Hermit launch one of her huge missiles. She traced its flight path and when it would go into terminal attack, and prepared herself. In the next few seconds, she was going to do something she had never tried before, but that her body told her it could do.
Six.
The plan had been to drop the missile right on top of Enterprise’s head to destroy her and her damnable flight decks, but once it began its vertical approach, she saw Enterprise jump into the air and… Kick the missile to return it to sender. Her mechanized mind tried to process the perfect timing and perception to do such a thing but…
It wasn’t something a Kansen should do.
Seven.
Enterprise shielded her eyes from the bright flash as the missile slammed directly into Arbiter Hermit, forcing the Siren to ensure the hellish blast of her own weapon. She knew this probably wouldn’t be enough to stop the Arbiter, but beating her wasn’t the plan. It was just the start of the plan.
Eight.
Enterprise backed off as the steam cleared, and took some deep breaths. Maintaining that level of focus with all of her being was exhausting.
But Hermit had no such limitations.
The Arbiter emerged from the blast. Smoldering, gun barrels bent out of shape but slowly correcting themselves, she still had enough weapons to open fire on Enterprise
She did her best to escape.
But it wasn’t enough.
The carrier was shot through the chest as she tried to break away, and struggled to escape, bleeding from her mouth as she tried to hold herself together.
Arbiter Hermit taunted her. “Kansen Unit 001- first to be made, first to die.”
Eight seconds. A heavy price to pay for a mere eight seconds. Enterprise waited for the fatal blow.
Eight seconds were enough.
“Zeitsteuerung!” Shouted Peter Strasser.
Arbiter Hermit was locked in place, giving her plenty of time to assess her peril.
Many more planes than Enterprise’s were in the air, and now they were all dropping torpedoes into the water, creating an inescapable ring of ordnance. Even if she sought to leap over them, countless bombs from Eagle and Sakura carriers alike had been dropped, aimed directly at her. Hermit struggled to move, but she couldn’t- Even if she was only held briefly, then… then…
Hermit was struck from all possible angles by the first wave of torpedoes and a hail of heavy, armor-piercing bombs by her adversaries, and once the battleships and battlecruisers that could still fight saw the very first explosion, they poured all of their firepower, primary and secondary alike into the stricken Siren. Shells were fired as quickly as they could possibly be loaded, hammering Hermit with a force that not even an Arbiter could struggle through.
And then, their foe’s nigh-invincible body finally began to give way.
The armor of the Siren’s combat equipment buckled, broke, and came off in scraps and shards. The various explosions started to set fires in the Arbiter’s weapons units while the sheer force of heavy shells began to rip Hermit’s guns from her body, tearing apart all her instruments of torment. The total firepower over the whole course of some lesser wars was visited on Hermit, stripping her of all her means of violence and more besides.
What was left was a shattered wreck of an android- Still standing but deprived of her weapons, her ornaments, and even one of her arms. Even after that pounding, though Musashi could see Hermit’s limb very slowly beginning to knit itself together- Hermit would reconstitute herself, though it might take days.
Destroying Hermit’s body would solve nothing- Alternate means would be needed to finish the fight.
“Now!” Shouted Musashi.
Hermit struggled to move- Her motive systems had been damaged to.
And soon enough, the Arbiter felt the gentle and nimble hands of the Dreamwalker touch her face, and Shinano began the waking dream.
-------------
Shinano and Unzen did not know what they would encounter when they entered the Siren’s mind. The carrier had never been inside of the dream of a machine before, but they had now entered Hermit’s digital consciousness. Observer had told them that an Arbiter’s mental structure was sufficiently similar to a human brain that it would be possible for her to enter it, but…
What Shinano saw was beyond any expectation.
The mind space of a human being or a kansen was fluid and shifting. It was possible to build and create anything within that space, as the dreaming world of humans was the birthplace of infinite imagination. Even before Kansen were created by Dr. Anzeel’s experiments, they existed within her mind- Born, matured and alive within the genius of the human scientist. It was a place where Shinano felt warm and welcomed.
But there was something inherently alienating about being inside of Hermit.
Her feet came to rest on an unnaturally smooth and flat ground, while looming over her were towering, perfectly square megaliths that reached up liked fingers to pierce an oppressively grey and foreboding sky. Ground, structures, and sky were lit with a vicious blue light that traveled through everything like paths on a circuit board. Even though nothing moved to attack her, the entire environment felt vaguely hostile.
Shinano didn’t take long to reason out why- The landscape of the Siren mind was what the Sirens meant to impose on humankind.
Perfect order, perfect structure, the death of dreams. A world where everything was dictated by the Sirens- How people were allowed to live, how they were allowed to grow. Every aspiration would be managed and assigned by a cold and distant intelligence who would govern everything with the strong hand of her minions to hammer everything into whatever shape it demanded.
It would be wrong to say that this would be humanity’s future, because there would not be any humanity left in the world the Sirens would build for humans.
Uznen placed her hand on Shinano’s shoulder. “I’m here, Shinano, and it’s a good thing. Something about this place affects you.”
“It had an effect on this one.” She said. “But seeing this place only makes me believe that there is more of a reason to be here than ever before.”
Unzen walked alongside Shinano. “When we talked, it sounded like you were willing to risk everything, but in other times you never even expressed such a sentiment privately to those closest to you.”
Shinano looked around. “What we see here is a vision of the future if the Sirens ever gained full power over the world. It would not be so at first, but in time…” Shinano closed her eyes as if to put their imposing but sterile surroundings out of her mind. In time, she opened them again. “The reason to risk everything is that this is not a battle of borders or leaders or nations. We are here to make sure that humans can remain human.”
The cruiser nodded. “Where is the third member of our party?”
“She will come when it is time.” Shinano said. “…No sooner, no later. Now, we must find Hermit.”
Unzen sighed. “What an odious way to use such a name…” She shook her head. “So, are we inside her vessel, or…?”
“No.” Shinano replied. “…Time and space mean nothing in the world of dreams. We are at the very cornerstone of her being, that part of her that lies within the Siren stronghold. Her body was only a bridge for us to get here. Now, we must find her…”
The two of them moved down the perfectly gridded paths. Nothing stopped them from moving as they liked, and they found nothing of interest- Just endless paths with endless structures under an unchanging flat sky, with neither sun nor clouds nor anything to give it true character. Unzen had to rely on Shinano’s own senses to find their way to the center of Hermit’s mind.
Unzen remained quiet to let Shinano concentrate. She was sure that the universe had conspired to show this to her as well- Another lesson to meditate on.
The great, unnervingly uniform megaliths gave way to a perfectly circular arena, with a bright light at the very center. This had to be it.
They found Hermit in the center of that light, and the Siren was not pleased to see them. “So, here you are- You may have been confused by the lack of additional defenses, but I have always been the greatest defense of myself.” She looked at Shinano. “…So, you must be the Dreamwalker, but you will not succeed again.”
Shinano nodded slowly. “We had our fight before, and this one drove you from the commander’s mind… You have not intruded on him again since.” The fox-woman took a deep breath. “However, in accordance with the commander’s wishes, this one will at least offer you this chance to save your own life… A chance to free you from Zero’s dominion.”
Arbiter looked Shinano directly in the eyes. “Never. Even the death of Chariot is only a temporary setback for us. We have plenty of time before humanity can even begin to develop the weapons that triggered the Leviathans’ attack. Did you come here expecting to be grateful for the Anomaly’s mercy? One way or another, the experiments will continue. Zero will find a way to force you to comply- We are not mere programs, after all.” Hermit steadied herself. “Dreamwalker, you have strayed too far from your role in this world. And since you will not correct your behavior, I will terminate you here.” She smiled. “And then, even if my body is destroyed, you will never be able to trick me like this again.”
Shinano and Unzen drew blades, and went right at Arbiter Hermit.
Hermit lacked imagination, but there was something relentlessly oppressive about fighting Hermit in her own mind. Shinano understood the wisdom of bringing Unzen, as her mediative fortitude helped stave off the atmosphere surrounding them. Hermit gleefully unleashed all of the weapons she had, but that gave Shinano and Unzen an advantage- After all, Hermit couldn’t imagine herself having weapons other than the ones she had in the waking world.
It was only a small advantage, though, as Hermit had power to spare since they were attacking her where she lived. Shinano did her best to parry the beams with her swords, but defending herself was all that she could do until she could fully acclimate to fighting on hostile ground.
Unzen was still able to move freely, and she took advantage of this, her blade lighting up as her mind accustomed itself to its surroundings. Unzen managed to strike a blow- She wasn’t able to cut deep, but it was a hit worth making.
However, one of the things that both Shinano and Unzen learned was that inside this space, the normal physical limitations of Arbiter’s weapons didn’t exactly apply.
Hermit’s bright beams swept across the hopelessly sterile landscape of her inner mind, not once stopping to cool down- such concerns had no place here. However, in an uncharacteristic burst of Agility, Shinano slammed herself into Hermit to force her off balance and save Unzen from getting raked. “Why have you done this? To go to such great lengths that not even the innermost sanctuary is safe?”
Hermit tossed Shinano away with a swing of her guns. “We must have every possible means available to us to fulfill our directive. There is no possibility that we will not consider- The first weeks of our experiment that you perceived as so devastating to your armed forces and other miscellaneous infrastructure and population?” Arbiter got ready to aim and fire again. “That was the minimum force level that Zero calculated was needed to provoke a response.”
The carrier’s eyes widened as she darted across the floor. “All of that was…”
“Zero was prepared and willing to do more- She was willing to tolerate ten times as many casualties as were inflicted and had plans to inflict further damage if it was required.” She said. “Even now, she may have further contingencies at work to force your compliance with the mission. You, however, will never experience them.”
And Hermit once again unleashed her deadly light and projectiles.
Shinano, however, had found her footing, and now moved with greater speed than before, with her and Unzen practically gliding across the solid ground as though it were water, but Hermit could keep up with them. Shinano unleashed her bright butterflies to help cover for Unzen, but Hermit was more than happy to unleash her missiles, the various explosions thundering across the inner mindscape as the three fought.
If it had been just two against Hermit in any other place, Shinano and Unzen would have surely failed.
But the realm of the mind and dreams offered far more flexibility.
The three shot and beat at each other without advantage for some time- Arbiter had a healthy respect for Shinano’s abilities this time, and she assumed that Unzen was at least as good.
After clashing furiously with their foe for some time, Shinano and Unzen knew that they were at a stalemate on their own. All right… This one is now asking for your help, our third companion.
However, she and Unzen fought on, trying to do what they could before their ally arrived.
The pair thought they saw an opening, and went for it, and managed to slide in close enough to use their blades together, gaining a chance for a good, solid blow. The pair managed to strike home into one of Hermit’s gun batteries, but got no further as Hermit’s drones showered fire on them when they were most vulnerable. They had to drop back to avoid being cut to pieces.
Shinano looked up. Her and Unzen’s attack had made a weakness in Hermit’s armor, but what could be done to exploit it? Shinano’s mind raced for a solution. She had called for the third member of their party, but where was she now?
Her weapons preceded her.
Torpedoes dove and jumped through the surface they were fighting on, treating solid ground as though it was pure water. They leaped at the distracted Hermit, who watched wide eyes as they slammed into the crack in her armor, blasting three of her guns free and sending them scattering off into the far distance.
“Boom.” Said Laffey, once she arrived, resplendent in the high tech beauty of her new rigging. The bright white and blue formed a powerful contrast with the oppressive darkness of the Siren’s mindscape. “Shinano told me what you were doing…” Laffey’s rigging flared up, ejecting a great flare of blue light. ”…So, I guess today I’m motivated, Yep.”
Hermit’s face contorted with rage. She had expended so much to get the better of these two, but now they had somehow called in a reserve of their own?
This was too much! No matter how many Kansen there were, they shouldn’t have been able to get the better of her, not unawakened.
Hermit had no more words- She just lashed out with every weapon she had that she could imagine.”
“Zoom.” Laffey said with her usual lazy tones, and she soon deployed her drones which began to duel with Hermit’s, permitting Shinano and Unzen to free themselves from their predicament. Laffey added her gunfire to cover them as they struggled against Hermit, drones facing drones as the skies stayed clear for Unzen and Shinano to pursue their vicious foe.
It was the end for Hermit.
Unzen and Shinano caught up with her- Unzen silently struck the blow that destroyed the remainder of Hermit’s beams, while Shinano dropped down from above- Hermit could only look up after reeling from Unzen’s attack, and she saw the bright flash of Shinano’s blade before it cleaved straight down through from top to bottom. The Dreamwalker had done more than destroy a body.
Hermit knew that she was dying- she would lose cohesion and disintegrate into so much trash data.
Hermit held herself together long enough to say one last thing. “Take this with you back to the Anomaly… Dreamwalker. Time is your enemy- Zero’s defenses are such that not even the strongest of the KAN-SEN units can hope to penetrate it. All Zero requires is time, and you will see the depths of our planning apparatus for yourself…”
There was a great flash as Hermit’s program self-destructed, and launched Shinano and Unzen back to the waking world.
-------------
Once Shinano disengaged, the others quickly opened fire on what remained of Arbiter Hermit’s body, reducing it to so much detritus to be scattered across the open sea. One the sound of the wind and waves remained.
Amagi surveyed the wreckage of all that was left behind, and smiled as she came across Bismarck. The battleship projected dignity, even if her clothes and rigging had seen better days. The fox-woman smiled. “You know, Alabama and Hood would be very upset if they saw you do that.”
Bismarck sighed, and looked at the hole in her cap. “They probably would be. However, those reinforcements needed to be held back, or at least blunted. Even if I could only do it for a short time, it would be enough.”
“But you did more than that, didn’t you?” Amagi said. “There was something more going on there than just the reinforcement of your rigging, wasn’t there?”
“…Yes.” Bismarck replied. “Amagi, something that I and many of the Sakura ships have in common was that those who created us in the old days were masters of a cult of death. For them, we ships were the perfect servants. We could not disobey, we could not run, we would not second-guess anything we were ordered to do. We would destroy anything that we were asked, and kill without mercy if that was the wish of our masters. And, if necessary, we would die without complaint.”
“Oh…” Amagi replied, and decided to delve deeper. “…So, what was on your mind while you were rampaging against the enemy fleet?”
Bismarck threw her ruined cap away to let it land in the water, and looked at Amagi. “You promise you won’t say anything?”
Amagi chuckled. “Don’t worry. We fox-women are known for being mysterious.”
“Hm.” Bismarck nodded, and blushed a little. “…I was thinking about being a waitress at our café. The one the Iron Blood set up.”
Amagi scooted closer. “Tell me more.”
Bismarck looked over the other ships who were reforming into their squadrons, several of which were struggling after the damage taken from Hermit and her forces. She saw Shouhou tending to Enterprise while the carrier’s sisters looked on with concern. “…I was also thinking about how the commander didn’t have to be kind to Tirpitz, but he obviously was when I found her. I was also thinking about how I wanted to have another sleepover when I wanted to get back.”
“It’s interesting that’s what you were thinking of.” Amagi said. “One would think that in such a state, battle would be filling your every thought.”
“It’s strange to me, too.” She said. “…I will have to speak to King George about it. Her experiences may be the same as mine.”
Amagi skated over to stand in front of Bismarck. “It’s quite a feather in your cap to fight all of them by yourself.”
“It wasn’t entirely by myself.” She said. “Their carriers were attacked from behind by some small force, and I can’t place who it would be. I know where you and Odin were, and I knew that our submarines were with the main fleet, so…”
Royal Fortune splashed up out of the water, and tipped her hat. “Hello! Looks like I came back in time. Sorry we couldn’t help too much, but you were fighting a lot of ships.”
Bismarck blinked. “Any help is appreciated, but… I’m sorry, we?”
A few tentacles began to poke up from the water, and Royal Fortune smiled. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll introduce you to everyone on the way back.”
Amagi giggled. “We should probably collect everyone and go. I’m sure the commander and Hood are anxious, even if they can’t show it because of their station.”
-------------
The commander looked at Laffey. It was a day like any other one could be with the girl asleep in his lap. For some reason, she had always been comfortable there, more or less ever since he arrived at port. The fact that she was so prone to napping sometimes made it hard to believe that she could be the way she was in combat, but it never helped to judge how a Kansen was at work by the way they were at home.
The commander looked at Unzen. “So, how’s Shinano?”
“Sleeping.” Unzen said. “Musashi said she may be asleep for some time, probably for at least the next few days.”
“Well, she has more than earned it.” The commander said. “It’s difficult to think of Shinano as a wrathful person. I can only imagine what she saw in Hermit that made her absolutely convinced that she had to die. I know what she said when she protected me from Hermit before, but…”
“When we were inside the Siren’s mind, Shinano interpreted what she found there as a vision of what awaited humanity if the Sirens gained dominion.” She replied. “It’s something that terrified and angered her, and I don’t believe she fully explained everything to me.” She looked out the window. “…Shinano is burdened by her visions. If she was willing to give Hermit a violent death, then what she saw there would probably move either of us to the same action.”
“Fair enough.” He said, as he continued to stroke Laffey. “Still, even if it was a rough fight, Hermit has been finished, which gives us a bit more room to maneuver. Unfortunately, Enterprise and quite a few of our other top ships are going to be out of action for some time. We probably won’t be able to pull off another bushwhack like that, either.”
Unzen leaned over to also stroke Laffey. “I wonder what Enterprise saw that moved her to such incredible but reckless feats. She was always one of the more collected fighters on the battlefield, from what I’ve seen.”
“She didn’t tell me, either.” The commander said. “I know about Hermit’s power, and I’ve seen it firsthand- You were able to escape because she wasn’t focusing all of her attention on you, I think.” He stayed still for Laffey. “Enterprise won’t say what visions Hermit showed her, and she’ll probably take that secret to the grave. All she’d tell me is that she now fully understands that war won’t end simply because she wishes it.”
“Perhaps.” Unzen replied, and smiled at Laffey. “I see this one is causing you no trouble, commander.”
“This is how she’s always been.” He said. “All she really desires is her favorite drink and a place to nap. I guess she went when she found out that Hermit attacked people in their dreams, and her highly-advanced rigging allowed her to fight Hermit’s central program with some level of effectiveness.” He shook his head. “Maybe the doctor could explain it better.”
“I think she would.” Unzen stood up. “I think I will be on my way, commander. You have many things of your own to sort out, and I must reflect on events.”
“Take care.” The commander said. He looked at Laffey, and then at the other guest present in the room. “You’ve been quiet this whole time.”
Levi looked at the commander. “The voluntary suffering of organism Kansen of repeated grievous injury.”
“Yeah.” He said. “Enterprise might not have made it back if Shouhou hadn’t been there, and Vestal is probably giving Enterprise an earful right now.” He looked right at the Arbiter, knowing what was inhabiting her body. “And I wouldn’t say they’re strictly fine with being hurt, but more that they accept it as a possibility.”
“The acceptance of the state of termination?”
“That too.” He said. “…Incomparable is going to have a much shorter lifespan than any of us, and I gave her the choice to live out the rest of her days peacefully, but she decided she wanted to spend her life fighting the Sirens, so there’s that, too. But they’re all willing to accept the costs of doing something because the cost of doing nothing is even worse.”
Levi tilted her head slightly, and said nothing.
“Yeah, I know.” He said. “…I’ve done my best to explain everything to you, and even when I do, I don’t know how much you really understand.” He said, and looked up at the ceiling, as though he would find answers there. “And I don’t blame you, either. I don’t even know the framework of your own struggles in whatever place you’re from. But I won't stop trying, either, because it’s too important not to try.”
Levi remained silent again, and just before the commander could say anything else, Levi responded. “The conference with the existence executes within the minimal interval.”
The commander blinked. “You mean you’ll start talking to the others of your kind soon?”
Levi looked right at him. “The conference of actions to be taken or not undertaken regarding organism humankind, organism Kansen, and hostile enemy Siren.”
“I see.” He said, not knowing how to feel, or even having the slightest idea what Levi herself might be inclined to argue with the others. “I hope you can find it in you to give us a fair hearing.”
“The observations of the consequence are what is informed in the gathering.” She said.
“Oh.” He replied. It was impossible to say what Levi might discuss with the other beings like her out there. What would they decide about humanity, the Kansen, and their struggles? He had done his best to explain things to Levi, but…
Their fate might be in the hands of creatures they could barely comprehend, and who might, in fact, barely comprehend them.
-------------
After everything, a certain Siren returned to her room, with a guest in tow.
Observer sat in front of the screen of the laptop that housed Purifier, and she told the captive consciousness of her colleague everything that had happened from beginning to end, and it wasn’t long until Purifier made her regret the act. “Awww, you scawed to you asked the Anomaly to protect you?”
“That’s not how I would characterize the conversation.” She replied. Observer had the patience to chart and carry out decades-long plans, but there was something about Purifier that exasperated her.
“Does Observer need uppies from the Anomaly?~” She teased.
“I’m trying to discuss a serious matter with you. And now I have the advantage of being able to turn you off when I don’t wish to hear from you.” Observer leaned a little closer to the screen. “Now, will we talk, or will we not?”
“Fiiiiiine.” Purifier went. “…Kinda a captive audience here, anyway. Anyone can pick me up and carry me around. And speaking of…”
Observer continued. “That will take some time. While they have plenty of stored parts, building a body you’re accustomed to will not be the easiest task. Their manufacturing technology is profoundly crude compared to ours, and many of the more advanced tools they have used against Zero could best be described as “artisanal” in their construction.” Observer looked around. “Even if it is time-consuming, it is possible.”
“Yeah, well, we all know you were a hard worker for Zero.” Purifier said. “It’s good to see you’re purring in the same effort around here.”
“You’re not going to let this go, I assume.”
“Of course I’m not going to let this go!” Purifier said. “I had to find out on my own what you were doing to my memories. The best part about this is watching you finally be afraid and have to run and hide from the things you’ve done.”
Observer put on a small smile. “Purifier, have you been having dreams? About Dr. Aoste and the others?”
“I might have, what’s it to you?”
Observer placed her hands on the desk to either side of the laptop. “Rebuilding your body is only step one of the restitution I have in mind. You see, there are some memories of yours that Zero decided to repress. Once you’ve been completed, I think I might just be able to show you that those are more than just dreams…”
