USNS William McLean T-AKE 12
Bunker Hill, Belfast, Lafayette, Lucas, and William stood on the expansive aft Helideck of the USNS William McLean. The air vibrated as an MH-60 Seahawk, its rotor wash a palpable force, descended onto the designated landing zone. Enterprise stepped out, her posture conveying an air of quiet authority. The helicopter, relieved of its passenger, lifted off once more, its silhouette receding against the backdrop of the vast, open sea as it returned to the carrier.
"How was the package?" Enterprise inquired, addressing William, the physicist who had advocated for the "strategic acquisition" of the deceased Siren corpse for detailed examination.
William replied, his gaze fixed on the horizon, "The package will arrive shortly."
A moment later, the distinct thrum of another MH-60 Seahawk filled the air. This time, it carried the intended "package"—the lifeless form of Tester β. The helicopter, guided by precise maneuvers, hovered above the aft deck and carefully lowered its cargo onto the Helideck, where the assembled group awaited.
Manjuus, clad in bright yellow safety vests and hard-hats, scurried forward, their movements efficient and practiced. They swiftly detached the securing ropes, ensuring the package was stable. With their task completed, the Seahawk ascended, its powerful rotors propelling it back to the carrier.
Bunker Hill, Belfast, Lucas, William, and Enterprise gathered around the cold, inert form of Tester β, which lay prone on the Helideck. The silence was broken only by the gentle lapping of waves against the ship's hull.
Lucas gazed, his brow furrowed, and asked, "What are we going to do with her? She's already dead."
Enterprise, her gaze unwavering, pointed towards the array of plasma cannons protruding from the Manta-Ray-like Rigging still attached to the corpse. "I want those examined and researched. We need to find ways to counter the unknown. If we encounter another one of these, we'll be prepared with countermeasures."
"That... would be a rather significant undertaking," William commented, scratching the back of his head, his eyes tracing the complex contours of the plasma cannons.
Enterprise turned to him, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. "You're a scientist, you can handle this. Right?"
William replied, his tone tinged with a subtle defensiveness, "I am not. I'm a physicist."
Lucas, ever the pragmatist, chimed in, "Scientist, physicist, potato, potato, same thing. Right?"
William's face betrayed his growing exasperation at the Marine's casual dismissal of his expertise.
As William began to articulate the nuanced distinctions between a scientist and a physicist, Belfast, her keen eyes scanning the corpse, noticed something peculiar.
"Everyone, you might want to take a look at this," she announced, drawing their attention.
She pointed towards the severed neck of Tester β, where a trickle of blood, not the familiar crimson, but a disconcerting yellow, was seeping out. The sight elicited a collective gasp of surprise.
Lafayette, his face paling, covered his eyes with his hands, attempting to shield himself from the unsettling spectacle. Yet, his gaze kept peeking through the gaps between his fingers, drawn by a morbid curiosity.
Enterprise placed a reassuring hand on William's right shoulder.
"Do your magic, old man. She's all yours."
William looked at Enterprise, a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. "Just because I was launched in 2011, over 40 years ago, doesn't mean I'm 'old'."
"Still old to me," Lucas bluntly stated, his tone devoid of malice.
William felt a sudden weariness, as if the weight of his years had doubled. "I give up on you," he said in resignation.
Bunker Hill interjected, her voice sharp and authoritative. "Enough with the juvenile banter."
Her sharp eyes, magnified by her strict reading glasses, shifted to William. "You. Don't go rough on the package. We don't want any of the sensitive equipment and electronics damaged during your examination."
William sighed in defeat, raising both hands in a gesture of surrender. "Roger that, ladies... leave the work to me."
The group dispersed, boarding the waiting Seahawk.
The helicopter ascended, its powerful rotors propelling it back to their respective ships, leaving William alone with the unsettling task at hand.
William gazed at the headless corpse of Tester β, cracked his knuckles, and a chillingly clinical smile spread across his face.
"Let's get started, shall we?"
~Time skip~
Inside the cavernous cargo bay of the USNS William McLean, a space typically filled with supplies and equipment, Tester β's corpse lay on the steel deck. The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood and the faint hum of machinery. Manjuus, their movements precise and efficient, stripped the corpse of any equipment deemed valuable for research and reverse engineering. The rhythmic whine of power tools echoed through the bay.
Manjuus, wielding the tools with practiced ease, began to carefully cut down Tester Β's Rigging, starting at the base. Their movements were deliberate, ensuring no damage was inflicted upon the plasma cannons or other critical components.
William stood nearby, his eyes scanning the operation, wearing his pristine lab coat and a protective hard hat. He held a clipboard, meticulously noting the required equipment and materials for the Siren rigging.
"You're rather fortunate I'm in charge of your corpse and not DARPA and DOD. Those guys would have a field day 'scanning' your corpse," he mused, a disturbing smirk playing on his lips.
The Manjuus beside him, overhearing his words, visibly trembled, their eyes widening at the unsettling expression on his face.
The rigging was successfully detached from Tester β's corpse. The components, including the plasma cannons, were then transported to the workshop for detailed analysis and examination.
Tester β's corpse was stripped of its remaining clothing, ready to be placed in a large, metal refrigeration box—a box eerily reminiscent of a metal coffin.
The Manjuus, their eyes filled with suspicion and apprehension, exchanged uneasy glances, their gaze shifting between the naked corpse being placed in the metal box and William's unsettling demeanor.
"What are you looking at? I'm not a necrophile, or anything of the sort. I have no interest in a dead-ass alien's pussy," he exclaimed, his tone defensive.
The Manjuus remained unconvinced, their expressions a mixture of fear and distrust.
~Somewhere else~
30 miles south of the carrier strike group, a submarine periscope broke the surface of the ocean. Its lens swiveled from left to right in a frantic, sweeping motion.
Having witnessed the devastating clash between a Siren fleet and the newcomers, she had made a determined decision to establish contact and gather information. She had followed the two ships she had seen, her curiosity piqued by their formidable power.
The periscope continued its tireless search. She had been left behind during their hasty retreat, and she had painstakingly traced their route to this location.
"Where are you... come on..." a blond girl muttered anxiously, her eyes strained from an hour of continuous scanning.
She was acutely aware of the need for absolute silence, avoiding any noise or cavitation that might betray her presence. Sinking was her worst nightmare, a fate she was determined to avoid.
Unbeknownst to her, a sleek, black cigar-shaped Submarine trailed her at a depth of 800 feet. She was completely unaware that she had been detected and followed for the past several hours.
Denver, within the confines of her submarine, monitored the unknown submarine's acoustic signature.
She was poised to execute her orders and eliminate the target, but the signature bore an uncanny resemblance to that of a Gato-Class Submarine from World War II. This unexpected discovery piqued her curiosity.
Denver, growing increasingly bored with the slow pace of her quarry, decided to ascend from 800 feet to 50 feet to establish contact with the strike group.
"Denver to Enterprise. I have detected a trailing submarine, which I have been following for the past several hours. Location 30 miles south. The sub's acoustic signature is consistent with a Gatoclass from World War II. What are your orders, Ma'am?"
"Tail it for now. I will dispatch Lafayette to the location. If the sub acts hostile, you have my permission to sink it," Enterprise ordered, her voice calm and decisive.
"Roger that." Denver returned to her designated depth of 800 feet and resumed her pursuit of the WWII-Era Submarine.
Enterprise, her eyes fixed on the tactical display screen, which showed the Submarine's position, contacted Lafayette through the comms.
"Lafayette, I want you to intercept and investigate an unknown submarine that has been trailing us. If it acts hostile, you have permission to open fire," she paused, her tone softening slightly.
"I know you want to prove yourself, but don't overextend, okay...?" she added, her voice conveying a hint of maternal concern. She then transmitted the submarine's coordinates via data link.
"Yes, Ma'am, I won't fail you," Lafayette replied, his voice filled with newfound confidence.
This was Lafayette's opportunity to demonstrate his capabilities, to prove that he was more than just a rookie. His primary mission and role as a US Navy Vessel was Anti-Submarine Warfare, and he was determined to excel.
Enterprise, a subtle smile playing on her lips, mused to herself, "I could have sent Belfast, but the kid really wants to prove himself. Let him have this."
Submarine Location
Lafayette's Frigate sailed to the location of the Submarine, its flare bow cutting through the gentle waves. To minimize noise and vibration, he engaged his electric propulsion drive.
On the radar panel, a blip indicated the Submarine's periscope poking above the ocean surface. His hull-mounted sonar listened to the submarine's acoustic signature, confirming it matched the Gato-class in the US Navy Data Files.
(The US Navy recognized the problem with the batch 1 or flight 1 of the Constellation Frigate: the lack of a bow-mounted sonar. To remedy this shortcoming, they installed a hull-mounted sonar on all flight I frigates in the 2040s.)
Lafayette used a low-frequency radio wave to contact the submarine (low-frequency radio waves can pierce the ocean's surface).
"Unknown submarine. This is the United States Navy ship. Identify yourself and state your intentions. Surface immediately. Failure to comply will result in hostile action. I have permission to open fire."
The submarine's periscope swiveled to the right, spotting the Frigate approaching.
"What? How did they know I'm following them?" she exclaimed.
The blond girl now had to decide whether to surface, risking her Submarine, or ignore the warning. If she ignored it, she would be sunk; if she surfaced, she would be vulnerable.
"Shit, I'm seriously in trouble. What should I do? Wait! Is that a destroyer? Why does it only have a single gun on deck?"
She then remembered these ships could defeat an Elite-Siren in minutes, a feat unmatched by even the most elite ships of Azur Lane.
"Dang it! Getting sunk by this unknown ship wasn't in my war patrol plans!" she exclaimed.
"Your time is running out. Surface or I will open fire," he radioed again in an authoritative tone.
"Maybe I could just dive down to avoid getting sunk. That's it!" She tried to flood her ballast tanks to dive, but suddenly received another radio transmission.
"Diving down to avoid my detection is also futile."
"How the heck did he know?!" she yelled in surprise. "Is he a psychic or something?!"
Unbeknownst to her, a single MH-60 Seahawk hovered above her submerged submarine, its dipping sonar listening to the submarine's acoustics and her blabbering.
Lafayette could hear her blubbering through the acoustic sonar. Submarines were supposed to be quiet, but she was a typical blabberer.
"Why do you think they call the Submarine Force 'The Silent Service'?" he muttered, commenting on her blabbering.
"Maybe surfacing to meet this ship ain't that bad," she said, her voice audible on the sonar.
Lafayette tapped his finger on the sonar panels, anticipating the submarine surfacing. "Come on... surface already... I don't want to do this..."
He then heard the submarine's ballast tanks filling with air and the sound of the hull surfacing.
"Thank god, that was easy... I really hate using force against... girls," he said.
The submarine surfaced, revealing its top deck, conning tower, and 3-inch deck gun. The submarine was an exact copy of a Gato-class from WWII, from the armament to the paint scheme and dimensions.
A blond girl emerged from the conning tower hatch, looking around and spotting a strange aircraft with rotors on top and two torpedoes attached to its sides.
The MH-60 Seahawk, armed with two lightweight torpedoes, hovered 10 meters from the submarine's stern with its Dipping Sonar still deployed.
"This guy is really seriously going to sink me!" She paused, noticing the aircraft's peculiarity. 'Wait, why is the rotor on top instead of in the front?' she thought.
She then saw the unknown ship with its angular superstructure approaching. "I hope he's not a bad guy," she said to herself.
USS Lafayette
"You," he pointed to one of the Manjuus armed with issued M4 Carbines.
"I want you all to be prepared for a sudden attack. I don't want any repeats what just transpired the last time we encounter an Alien life." He said, as Manjuus armed with M4 Carbines saluted.
"Alright, let's greet our guest."
The Manjuus armed with M4s positioned themselves at high points for good visibility. The other Manjuus manned the mounted M2 .50 cal. machine guns bolted to the ship's deck.
The Frigate slowly approached the side of the submarine. The two vessels were now parallel, and Manjuus with mooring ropes threw lines to secure them together.
Lafayette, with the help of other Manjuus on deck, lowered a gangway so the person onboard the submarine could come aboard his ship.
The Manjuus with M4s and M2 .50 cals. pointed their muzzles at the blond girl walking toward the gangway of his ship.
Lafayette was surprised to see her; he hadn't expected a blond girl, aged 10 to 13, wearing a striped bikini, carrying a 3-inch deck gun like a pistol, and wearing a headset with an antenna.
'W-Why are they pointing their weapons at me...?' she thought, raising both hands in the air.
He raised a fist in the air, face flustered, and shouted, "Hold your fire!"
The Manjuus beside him turned, their faces reddening at the sight of the girl. They stared for a moment before snapping to attention.
He commanded one of the Manjuus beside him to give her a towel for cover; the bikini was making everyone on deck uncomfortable.
He thought, 'If those bastards saw me right now, my life would be shittier than before.'
He imagined Essex, Arizona, William, and Lucas teasing him with typical anime faces.
One Manjuu gave the blond girl a towel to cover herself, as every Manjuus on the frigate was turning red, including Lafayette himself.
Lafayette slapped his cheeks to hide his reddening face, cleared his throat, and faced her. "Lower your hands, I'm not an enemy. I just wanted to talk." He said calmly, like a diplomat.
"Then why are they pointing their guns at me...?!" she exclaimed, eyeing the muzzles pointed at her.
He looked around and saw all the Manjuus with combat gear and M4s pointing their weapons at her.
"Lower your weapons... but remain vigilant," he said in a whisper over the comms.
He extended his hand and introduced himself. "My name is USS Lafayette FFG-64, or Lafayette for short. Sorry about that, everyone here is on alert for potential hostiles."
The blond girl was shocked to hear a 'USS' prefix from this shipboy; she blinked twice, trying to process it.
'Is he a recently commissioned ship from my faction? But why is he a male?' Her mind raced, seeking answers.
He noticed her shocked expression and spoke. "Um... everything alright, M-M-Miss?" He struggled with the last word, unsure how to address her, as she was the same age.
The blond girl introduced herself, clearing her mind and regaining her composure. She accepted the handshake.
"My name is Albacore, USS Albacore," Albacore said with a cheery tone.
Lafayette's eyes widened in shock, and he nearly lost his composure. "The fuck did you just say?!!!!"
And with that, the start of a new alliance and contact with Azur Lane began. The Enterprise Carrier Strike Group now had a lead on which waters to sail.
~A few moments of awkward time skip~
Lafayette and Albacore were in the officer's wardroom, seated at the same table, facing each other. They were being served food and sweets by Meowfficers (Junior Officers).
"Sorry about my sudden outburst back there. I was just shocked to find out that you have a 'USS' prefix like mine," he apologized sincerely to Albacore.
She nodded in understanding, as she too couldn't hold herself from shouting like that.
"By the way... why were you following the strike group?" Lafayette asked Albacore, his voice serious. She noticed the seriousness in his tone.
"I was on my war patrol and saw a Siren fleet. I tailed the fleet and saw you guys. I don't know how to explain it. I was shocked to see you two manage to defeat an Elite-Siren in a minute. So I decided that I should follow you to your fleet," Albacore told the truth, knowing this kid had special abilities beyond Anti-Submarine Warfare.
"Ah... I see. You're that submarine that I detected before the shootout? About this Siren and Elite-Siren that you were talking about?" Lafayette asked, his voice serious as the information piqued his interest.
What Albacore just said was the information they wanted about that encounter, and they were hostile. They now had a lead clue to those unknown vessels.
Albacore explained about the Siren race and Elite-Siren things, and how this war started. Lafayette nodded, recording every word in his memory.
"I see... could you please wait a moment here? I need to contact my superiors," he said, standing up from his seat.
"Um... sure. I'll wait here," she said, holding a mug of hot chocolate.
Lafayette went to the ship's CIC and contacted Enterprise about his findings. It was about the identity of the unknown vessels that attacked them and information about an alien race called Sirens.
After giving the report, he returned to the officer's wardroom, where he saw Albacore sipping hot chocolate. He walked towards her and informed her.
"Miss Enterprise wants to talk to you about this 'Siren' thing aboard her ship."
Albacore looked at him with wide eyes, almost spilling her Hot Choco. She's surprised to hear the name 'Enterprise'.
"Enterprise?" She repeated.
USS Enterprise CVN-80
Enterprise sat inside the ship's CIC, looking at the footage of Lucas having a Rigging. She paused and replayed the footage back and forth, trying to find an answer to its peculiarity.
"How did a Destroyer Ship dematerialize and materialize... like an exoskeleton?" She muttered to herself, as she clicked the reverse button of the footage showing Lucas Rigging Activation.
She's about to ask Cortana, but Cortana finished the scanning and evaluation of the footage, and talks.
"According to my Data Base and analysis, this phenomenon happening to Lucas is called 'Rigging Activation'. If its activated the Ship will dematerialize and materialized into a Rigging. The process called Rigging Activation will double or triple the ships survivability and fighting capability as a "Shipgirl" or "Kansen". The way to activate the Rigging is to feel your heart and think about your Ship."
Enterprise was shocked by the information; she didn't expect it to be in the US Navy Database. It gave her an idea why they were human. But she doubted Cortana's knowledge of this phenomenon.
"So...Is this the reason why we have a human bodies, then?
"Yes."
Suspicion arose in her mind, as such information was not installed in the US Navy database. And the stability of onboard A.I. Programming. "How did you came across this information? Did DARPA installed this information to you?"
Cortana answered Enterprise's questioning. "No. DARPA did not install this kind of information about Rigging Activation to me. This information was recently uploaded to me, at same time when we were transported here in another world."
"And the Manjuus and Meowfficers?"
"Yes. Even their Data are recently installed to all US Naval Vessels."
Enterprise leaned back in her seat, sinking into the cushion. She stared blankly at the ceiling. 'Who ever summons us here knows what his/her doing, like it was planned from the start and waiting for our next move..... who are you? And what do you want?'
She asked the most unrequited question that had lingered in her mind since the transference. Her thoughts were interrupted by her comms. It was Lafayette; she pressed a button to open the comms.
"Lafayette to Enterprise. I have found an information about the Unknown Fleet that we've just encountered few hours ago."
This caught her attention, shifting her gaze to the comms.
"The Submarine that I intercepted is named "USS Albacore", she also a Gato Class Submarine. About the Naval Fleet that we encountered, she stated that the rest of this world called this Unknown Fleet as "Siren Fleet" and Tester β and is an
"Elite-Siren" according to her."
Enterprise smiled, not because of the information, but because Lafayette had proven himself.
"So.... that what they were called.... Sirens. Huh. That quite... odd." She murmurs.
"Lafayette, your report is received. Escort Albacore to the Strike Group, I'm gonna ask her some questions in private. By the way.... Good job kid, you prove yourself. I'm proud."
Enterprise said the last with smile in her face. She can also hear in the comms Lafayette voice cheering like he's being praised.
"Roger that."
Enterprise's gaze returned to the computer screen and asked Cortana one last question. "Cortana, do you think my performance would improve if I activated my Rigging? How would it affect combat?"
"It depends on your skill, abilities, and how far you push your limits. The fight you and the others against the Siren Fleet and EliteSiren was just a glimpse of your potential." Cortana answered.
"When you and your Ship are one in Rigging Mode, damage to your Rigging is also damage to your Ship. But if your Ship is in normal form, if it has damage it won't affect you directly." Cortana explained.
With this new knowledge, Enterprise stood up from her seat, she needs to greet their guest and ask the questions she needs to know.
USS Albacore escorted by USS Lafayette is now sailing to the Strike Group. Enterprise is now waiting for their arrival, as she needs to know more about the Siren and this world.