USNS William McLean T-AKE 12
In the workshop inside the Cargo Ship, William was examining the blueprints of the Weapon System he had designed. He was focused on completing one of the Weapon Systems when a Manjuu tapped him on the back. Turning around, he saw the Manjuu pointing at the incoming calls on the comms. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts of finishing the Weapon System in time, and he had forgotten the comms had been ringing for a full minute.
He walked towards the comms and grabbed it, muttering curses. "I am busy right no—" His muttering was cut short by Enterprise-80's authoritative voice.
"I've been contacting you for goddamn minutes now! What the hell are you doing?"
"Sorry about that, I'm currently preoccupied with the projects at hand. So, what is the reason you called me, Ma'am?" William scratched his head, realizing his mistake.
"I have a job for you."
~Time skip~
Shoukaku and Zuikaku, along with the rest of the Imperial Soldiers, were hiding in the bushes and foliage next to the walls of Nagato's Mansion.
They had been tasked by the Higher-Ups to spy on the Diplomats for information gathering. The presentation in the Chamber Room had made everyone question their ability to counter the looming threat encroaching on the Empire's shores.
"They could have sent Takao or any of the Cruisers with their Demi-Human superior hearing capability," Zuikaku said, bored.
Shoukaku spoke, "Most of our Cruisers and other types of Ships with superior hearing are out in the ocean patrolling the coast. They will act as an early warning fleet."
"What about the new Ground Base Radar? Can they detect them?" Zuikaku asked.
"Hai..." Shoukaku said, but her expression saddened. "According to the nearest Ground Base Radar near the Capital, they failed to detect the four aircraft until they were close to the Capital."
"Even our new Ground Base Radar is incapable of detecting these Aircraft until it's too late," Zuikaku muttered.
As they waited, lying down in the bushes and foliage, they heard the same chopping noise as the aircraft used by the Diplomat.
"What the? ... that noise.... Nee-san?" Zuikaku exclaimed.
Shoukaku's eyes widened in surprise, as she hadn't detected the incoming aircraft with her recently installed onboard Radar. She stared as it flew above them uncontested.
Zuikaku almost launched a Fighter Interceptor to intercept the Osprey. But, she was stopped by Shoukaku. Many of the Imperial Soldiers pointed their Arisaka Type 99 Rifles at the Osprey above.
"Don't shoot!" Shoukaku shouted. Everyone followed her order, many baffled by her decision.
"Let's figure this out ourselves," she said. "Follow me."
Everyone followed her order and rushed inside the Mansion. The two Imperial Guards were unable to stop the raiding party.
CMV-22 Osprey
William was seated in the passenger seat of the CMV-22 Osprey. He was not having a good time, muttering to himself, "For fuck's sake! I'm not a Doctor, I'm a Physicist."
The Manjuu beside him, wearing a nurse cap, tapped his shoulder. He looked at them as they gave a thumbs-up, indicating it would be alright.
The Manjuu onboard his Ship always looked at him as if he were a weirdo. He always made an evil laugh and devilish grin when he made something odd. But because of his dedication to doing things right, especially putting his time and effort into making the Weapon Systems work to help others, the Manjuu onboard his ship was always cheering him up, even though he was considered a total weirdo.
"I don't know where you get this kind of motivation?" William asked one of the Manjuu wearing a nurse cap.
The rear door opened as the Osprey landed. He was greeted by Lucas standing in the open Garden, wearing his Dress Blues uniform.
"Welcome to Sakura Empire, I hope you liked your bumpy ride?" Lucas said with a grin.
"I didn't expect anything else from you, since you're the one who requested my aid," William responded, leaving the Aircraft from the rear and heading towards Lucas.
"Do you have the Kit?" Lucas asked, raising his voice to counter the engine noise from the two turboprop engines.
"Well, the 'Doctors' are always ready to receive their patients anywhere, any time," William replied with humor, tapping his Medical kit bag slung at his side.
The two laughed together. As they did, Imperial Soldiers and Shipgirls barged into Nagato's Mansion in the Garden. They all pointed their weapons at the two.
Both Lucas and William raised their hands in the air. The assistant Manjuu, wearing a nurse cap, also raised a hand as weapons were pointed at them.
"Hold it! You are under arrest for trespassing," Shoukaku remarked, pointing her katana at William.
"This is kinda awkward," Lucas commented, looking at Zuikaku as her red dress was being blown by the wind from the aircraft.
"Yeah," William agreed, lighting his cigar. The Manjuu wearing a Nurse cap raised both its hands, quivering in fear.
The Osprey flew off from the Garden, blowing dust and debris as it returned towards the fleet.
The strong gale produced by the Osprey's massive rotors blew the Crane Sisters and the accompanying Imperial Soldiers. The strong downwash from the Osprey's two rotors was powerful enough to be comparable to a small hurricane.
Both William and Lucas had deadpan looks on their faces as the Imperial Soldiers stood and pointed their Arisaka Type 99 Rifles at them. Both still raised their hands at the sight of the muzzles.
Zuikaku and Shoukaku stood and dusted off their dresses after being blown, having been directly under the downwash of the Osprey's rotor blades.
Lucas whispered, "That was awkward."
"I just stepped into this place and now I'm going to die," William said.
Lucas spoke up, "Lower your weapons. I just called a doctor," he said, serious yet sarcastic.
The Crane Sisters and the responding Imperial Soldiers were confused.
"What???"
"Lower your weapons.... They are my guests," Nagato ordered, walking towards them, assisted by Mikasa.
They looked towards the voice, surprised and confused, and lowered their weapons.
"I apologize for the rude actions my sister and I conducted, Lady Nagato," Shoukaku and Zuikaku bowed, apologizing.
Nagato slightly raised a hand, granting forgiveness. "It's alright. I should have informed you about their arrival. It's my mistake."
William leaned to his side and whispered, "Is she the patient?"
Lucas replied, "Yes... Can you fix her?"
William sighed, "Do I have to remind you that I'm not a qualified 'Doctor'?"
Lucas shrugged it off. "Nah... Just do your magic, old man."
The Imperial Soldiers and the Crane Sisters left. They moved with purpose, leaving Nagato and her Guests in the Garden.
Nagato then faced the two and apologized. "I apologize for not informing them of your arrival, Dr. William. It's rather rude of me to greet you like that?"
"No need to apologize, Miss Nagato. I've been in worse situations than this... so it's fine."
Lucas chimed in, "What kind of 'worst situation' are you referring to?"
William looked at him dead in the eye. "You don't have to know."
William had been pranked by Saratoga, who had placed a bucket of glitters above the door frame. Once, William entered he was showered glitters and confetti. He looked like a person who attended a gender reveal party with glitters and confetti all over him.
Lucas backed off a bit, scared by his scary looks. "Understandable."
"Shall we go inside? The hot weather may affect your health even more, Miss Nagato?" William said, removing his scary look.
Nagato nodded slowly, and they walked towards the Mansion. They walked slowly to allow Nagato to keep pace. She walked slowly due to her weak state. William observed her, thinking of her problem.
William thought, 'She's like a war veteran; she wasn't wounded by enemy fire or shrapnel. But she experienced something horrible in the war that haunts her memories every day.'
"Ah, great. She's having depression. Maybe we should have brought Vestal at this point," William muttered, observing her condition.
"Vestal is good at healing wounds and repairing ships, I doubt she can fix depression," Lucas responded, observing her too.
"By the way... how is she?" Lucas asked.
William described her in one word. ".... Grumpy...."
Musashi's Office, Sacred Sakura Tree Temple
Musashi was seated at her office table, reviewing documents she had received from Langley. On the other side of the table were the war preparations for the upcoming battle. She was conflicted about which path to choose for the Empire.
If she chose to bow down to Azur Lane's demands, they would be seen by the public as weak leaders. If she chose war, her visions reminded her of the devastation it could bring to the Empire, instead of harmony.
"Did the copy of the document reach the Emperor, Souryuu-san?" Musashi asked, as she read the terms of the documents.
"I'm having a bit of difficulty because the militarist faction inside the palace is blocking any documents related to Azur Lane from reaching the Emperor. However, I managed to successfully give the document to the Emperor without being blocked by the militarist faction. It was real hard work for even a single document," Souryuu reported, her expression worried. She feared the militarist faction would discover their actions.
"I'm worried too... If those bastards sabotage the diplomatic talks, I don't even know what might happen if their sabotage plan commences," Musashi said melancholically.
The mood in the room was dim, due to the gravity of the situation. If the militarists found out the document was in the Emperor's hands, it could be the end of her career as Flagship. And if the diplomatic talks failed, there would be no Sakura Empire left.
As Musashi was preoccupied with her thoughts, the door opened, and Shoukaku and Zuikaku entered, carrying urgent news. They bowed and reported.
"I apologize for the sudden intrusion, Lady Musashi. A strange aircraft, like the one the diplomats use to enter the Empire, landed in the garden of Lady Nagato's mansion with a 'Doctor' from one of the Modern Kansens."
This caught Musashi's attention, and she stood up from her seat, asking, "Did you just say... Doctor...?"
"Hai, Lady Musashi. By the looks of him, he appears to be a professional. He also has an assistant Manjuu with him," Zuikaku remarked.
"Why would they send a Doctor to Lady Nagato's Mansion?" Souryuu chimed in.
"I've heard Lucas offered to help Lady Nagato recover from her illness, with the help of their 'Doctor'," Shoukaku responded.
Musashi sat back in her seat, thinking. 'If that Doctor uses advanced medicine, he might be able to help Yamato nee-san recover from her coma? But the Higher-Ups aren't going to let someone like him, an outsider, get involved in Sakuran affairs.'
Musashi took a deep breath, making up her mind. "Shoukaku and Zuikaku, who else knows about this news?"
Zuikaku and Shoukaku looked at each other, then back at her. "The Imperial Guards and a few Imperial Soldiers, and only Zuikaku and I are the Shipgirls present," Shoukaku replied.
Musashi then made her decision and ordered them, "Shoukaku and Zuikaku, inform the Imperial Guards and the few Imperial Soldiers guarding Lady Nagato's Mansion to not let anyone get close to the Mansion. No matter what."
She then looked at Souryuu and ordered her, dead serious, "Souryuu-san, I'm going to meet the Azur Lane Doctor. Don't let anyone know about this, especially those militarists in the palace."
Souryuu lowered her head. "Hai."
Musashi pointed at the Crane Sisters and said, "You two, follow me..."
Nagato's Mansion
In Nagato's quarters, William was conducting a medical check-up on Nagato. He checked her heart rate and temperature, determined to find the cause of her weakened state.
"It seems like you're recovering from depression, Miss Nagato. But your weakened state still baffles me. I've looked into everything that could possibly cause your weak physique, but I still don't have any details."
"I see... My illness is incurable, then..." Nagato said, a sad expression on her face, tears slowly forming in her eyes.
"Nagato Nee-san..." Mutsu was afraid her sister's condition couldn't be cured. Nagato patted her head, as an older sister would.
William then spoke, trying to lighten the somber mood. "I have one theory though... it seems like someone wants to poison you... Miss Nagato..."
"That's impossible! No one in the Empire would poison Miss Nagato," Kawakaze retorted.
"Have you checked the militarist faction inside the palace? They might know something?" Lucas chimed in.
"No. Not even the militarist faction within the palace would do such a thing, although... they are known for assassinating people who block their way. But they can't do that to Nagato-san, it would enrage the Emperor," Mikasa remarked, thinking. 'Maybe the Sirens are behind this?'
"Maybe. Maybe killing her while she's ill wouldn't be so suspicious, even to the Emperor?" Lucas added.
One of Lucas's earpieces buzzed with static, and a familiar voice spoke. "That's possible. I've just overheard a conversation at the Palace. About a little Fox-Girl always meddling in their affairs and needing to be dispatched soon. Does that ring a bell?"
Lucas smiled slightly, putting his finger to his earpiece. "Looks like the report from Azur Lane was right, about Nagato being threatened by the militarist faction inside the palace. Report this immediately to Miss Enterprise. We might be in the middle of an empire about to explode from within."
"I've already reported it to Miss Enterprise. It looks like she's planning to 'liberate' these MFs the American way... I've already got the naughty list of these people," Arizona replied, listening to the conversation inside the palace with his Long Range Listening Device.
JS Maya, beside Lucas, listened to her earpiece, her expression angry. Lucas noticed and patted her shoulder. "Don't do anything stupid, just stick to the plan... and don't let your emotions get the best of you."
JS Maya calmed down and sighed. "I won't let my emotions fail this mission..." Cruiser Maya made a fake cough to get their attention.
"Lady Musashi will arrive here shortly. She also wants to meet the 'Doctor'..."
William thought, 'What does she want from me?' He looked at Lucas, who shrugged, equally clueless.
"What does my Kohai need this time? She always comes here to ask for help..." Nagato muttered.
Heavy footsteps echoed down the wooden hallway of the mansion. The sliding door opened, revealing Musashi, Shoukaku, and Zuikaku. They entered Nagato's quarters with practiced composure.
"I apologize for the sudden intrusion, Nagato Sempai. I'm here for the 'Doctor' who came from Azur Lane..." Musashi said.
Everyone stared at William, who was about to light a cigar, but was stopped by his assistant Nurse Manjuu. He stared back in confusion. "Wait, what? What do you need me for?" William asked, bewildered.
Musashi struggled to ask for help from an outsider. The only person she ever asked for help was Nagato.
"I-I need your he—" she stammered, but was cut off by William.
"If you're asking me for help because I'm a 'Doctor'... well, you're out of luck, my dear. I'm not a 'Certified Doctor,' I'm just a Part-Time Medic."
This shocked the three of them. They hadn't expected him to be just a Medic. Musashi looked at Nagato for confirmation. "Is it true? Nagato sempai?"
Nagato nodded slowly, speaking in a low, calm, reassuring voice. "He's just checking my health, as a Medic, nothing more... But, he might be able to help you."
This brightened Musashi's expression, like a child filled with joy and youth. This surprised every Sakuran Shipgirl in the room. They had never seen her soft side like this; only Nagato had known it for many years.
"I didn't expect you would be so happy after hearing that, Lady Musashi," Shoukaku commented.
"You're too young to be sad, Musashi-chan," Mikasa added.
William thought, 'What kind of mess am I in now?' Lucas patted his shoulder. "I know how you feel, I've been there, Bud..."
"You can do it, old man..." JS Maya tried to cheer William, but failed miserably.
"I'm not old! I'm only 40+ years in service. For fuck's sake!" William yelled, correcting JS Maya.
Mikasa looked at him with a dead pan face, he's not the only one with age problems in the room.
JS Maya hid behind Lucas's back as William yelled at her, her head poked to at his left shoulder.
"You don't have to yell, you know? She was just trying to cheer you up," Lucas defended her, thinking, 'Is this my life now? Her hiding spot?'
William shrugged. "Whatever. Just keep an eye on your girlfriend, I'm out."
Musashi, Shoukaku, and Zuikaku were jaw-dropped and baffled. "Ge-Ge-Girlfriend...?????"
1
"It was just a joke, don't believe it," Mikasa said, trying to ease them, as she smiled.
The Manjuu wearing a nurse cap finished packing the equipment used to check up on Nagato. It gave a thumbs-up after finishing, and William then signaled Musashi that everything was ready to move.
"Okay, Miss Musashi. Show me the next patient," he said, sounding like a professional doctor.
~Few time Skip~
Cruiser Maya invited JS Maya to a public bathhouse. "Hey... would you like to bathe in the public bathhouse with me? The public bathhouse here is refreshing to your body."
"Hai. I would love to, but..." JS Maya then looked at Lucas.
Lucas was resting at the table, bored. He was currently facing the same problem every service member of every branch of the military faced: fighting boredom.
"Would you like to join us?" she asked.
Lucas perked up from his boredom. "Yes. I would love to. Getting stuck here at the table is the last thing I want."
"Can I join too?" Mutsu ran towards them, her eyes glowing. Her fox tail wiggled from side to side in excitement.
Lucas and JS Maya looked at Nagato and Mikasa. Nagato and Mikasa nodded in approval.
"Alright... let's go," Cruiser Maya said.
Public Bathhouse
JS Maya and Cruiser Maya both entered the women's bath section. Lucas looked to his side and saw the Onsen marking for men only.
He entered and took off his clothes in the changing room, slowly unbuttoning his Dress Blues and placing them in a basket. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, walking towards the outdoor bath.
He was excited, as this was his first time going to a bathhouse as a Kansen. The moment he passed the two sliding doors separating the outdoor and indoor bath, his excitement dropped.
At the outdoor bath, someone was bathing while indulging in local sake. The two then stared at each other, a standoff forming between them.
Cmdr. Shin spoke, his eyebrows intersecting. "You...."
Lucas responded, sounding like a smart-ass. "Yes... It's me."
"What are you doing here?" Cmdr. Shin said, a hint of poison in his voice.
"What do you think I'm here for? To chat with you..." Lucas said.
"I have enough of your nonsense!" Cmdr. Shin quickly stood up from the hot spring, preparing a fighting stance, his dong dangling.
Lucas got into his own fighting stance. "Really bro? really??? You're fighting me, with your average wiener dangling like that?"
Cmdr. Shin looked at his dangling dong, then back at him. He sighed, knowing fighting a Kansen in a fistfight was impossible due to their superhuman strength. He sat down, not wanting to get injured. He knew Souryuu would kick his ass if he got into a fight.
"You're lucky I'm not in the mood for picking a fight," Cmdr. Shin reasoned.
Lucas loosened his guard, sensing no hostility from the Commander. He slowly walked towards the bath and began to bathe.
Cmdr. Shin looked at him as they were in opposite positions. "You're too hostile for a diplomat. You're not even a Commander nor Admiral? ... Eagle Union Ships were named after Commanders and Admirals... What are you?" Cmdr. Shin asked.
Lucas smirked. "United States Marine Corps."
"Marine???" I've never heard that name before?" Cmdr. Shin said.
"Let's just say... I'm Uncle Sam's bastard, mentally ill child that was recruited from an insane asylum and jail. With the best efforts of our enemies to kill us, we refused to die and give everyone in the military a headache."
Cmdr. Shin's brows twitched at the outlandish words he heard. "Don't bullshit me."
"I'm not bullshitting you," Lucas said. "If you've heard the symphony of rifles and cannons firing, followed by rockets and missiles whizzing past the battlefield, the only sound you should fear is the sound of Marines with their magical chant 'OHRAH'."
Cmdr. Shin couldn't take any more of his outlandish stories and left the bath, heading to the changing room.
Lucas spoke. "Where are you going? We're just getting started."
"I have enough of your outlandish and childish stories." He then faced him. "I have a meeting to attend. So I'm taking my leave," Cmdr. Shin said, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
Lucas waved a hand. "Alright, Grumpy Commander. Have a nice day."
Cmdr. Shin muttered some Japanese swears as he headed to the changing room. "Baka!"
Iron Blood Embassy
Eugen was on the telephone, contacting Bismarck from her office at Iron Blood Headquarters. Her voice was urgent as she relayed every detail of the diplomatic talks.
"Ja, Herr Bismarck. The New Kansens really do use the same technology as us."
"What about the Fritz-X and V-2 Rocket?"
"Ja, they also used it on their Aircraft, as we saw one armed with missiles comparable to our V-2. But in a smaller scale."
"Eugen. Do everything in your power to make that man reveal everything he knows about their weapons. Do everything... do you hear me?"
"Jawohl. I will do it, Herr Bismarck."
The call ended, and she put the telephone down. She then looked to her right, where Graf Zeppelin was standing with her arms crossed.
"What's your plan now, Eugen?" Graf Zeppelin asked.
Eugen stared for a moment and decided. "We're doing it old school, we'll close the gap and eavesdrop on their conversations to find any crucial information that might slip through their mouths."
Graf Zeppelin flinched, eyes wide. "You what now???"
"I know it's a ridiculous request, but the fruits of it are worth it..." Eugen turned her chair, facing Z-23, who seemed confused by her gaze.
"Gather your team and spy on him. Also, ask the Sakuran peers for assistance. We need to gather information about their technological advances, even if it's just snippets of conversations."
"You've got to be kidding me," Graf Zeppelin muttered.
Then an Aide entered the room, holding report papers, and gave a report. "Ma'am."
"Ja, go on..." Eugen gestured to the Aide.
The Aide cleared his throat. "One of our agents confirmed the location of Lucas and Maya. The other also confirmed that another Modern Kansen has arrived, beyond any Sakuran knowledge. The terrain hides the presence of the same craft the two diplomats have used."
Eugen grinned, the news like the cherry on top of the cake she was about to bake. "Gut."
She then looked at the rest in the room. "Get ready, our next mission will commence."
"Jawohl," Z-23 complied and headed to the lobby to gather her team of agents to spy on Lucas and JS Maya.
Eugen thought, 'I hope this works.'
At the Bushes
Arizona, along with AZ-1 Team, was docked in the cover of thick bushes and eerie, calm foliage. Kowalski was at the remote control of the Black Hornet Nano Drone. Hovered above the Iron Blood embassy, looking for any openly flipped documents on the table through the window.
The listening device planted in the room provided them with information, but not visuals. He and his team listened to the entire conversation of the Iron Blood Shipgirls. Beside them was an amalgamation of custom-made characters in Ghillie Suits.
"Looks like the Sakura Empire is heating up from the inside. This is going to be fun," Skipper said, listening to the device.
"Looks like spreading tension was a success. We just now have to wait for them to trip over their own feet," Arizona remarked. His attention then shifted to the two maids tagging along.
"By the way... why are we stuck with the two of you...? Could Her Majesty herself have sent something beyond eye-catching?" He asked, somewhat annoyed at their appearance on such a high-stakes reconnaissance and infiltration mission.
"Her Majesty's orders were absolute, and we, her Service Maids, shall excel in such tasks that are often mundane. We are Her Majesty's cloak and dagger," Sheffield exclaimed, her brows furrowed.
Arizona, with a face of doubt about the Maids' capability, didn't have to ask about the mandatory maid uniform used in such a high-stakes mission, in the cover of the jungle.
"I'm very sorry for the rudeness of Shefi, she's kind of like that..." Edinburgh apologized to him.
Arizona raised a brow. "Shefi...?" He uttered her name, receiving an intersecting brows as feedback from her.
"Whatever... just don't let her go full Rambo on this one..."
"Rambo...?" The two maids asked in unison.
"Just ignore it," Arizona said, returning his attention to the drone controller.
Sheffield spoke in her typical cold voice. "Whatever..."
Her eyes darted at him like a heat-seeking missile, Queen's order: Gather crucial information about him and what future business could be made. Queen Elizabeth, along with the other Shipgirls who held titles, were amazed by his performance of information gathering and how meticulously detailed it was. In future operations/self-interest, she could use some help.
"By the way Sir Arizona? How did you and your Team manage to go unnoticed by the Sakuran Shipgirls' senses?" Edinburgh asked, looking through her binoculars.
Skipper spoke. "Well... we endured a bunch of mosquitoes, insects, and god damn weather. We just needed a little bit of motivation."
"Iron Blood is moving," Kowalski reported, eyes on the controller.
"Better warn our Diplomats, and Doc," Skipper said.
Arizona quickly changed channels on his radio device as he contacted Lucas and JS Maya about the incoming Iron Blood Agents.
"Come on, damn it," Arizona muttered as Lucas's phone rang.
Public Bathhouse
Lucas was relaxing in one of the Outdoor Public Bathhouses. He was the only one left bathing, as the other customers had left after seeing him.
The resentment of the Sakuran people towards the Eagle Union ran deep. They avoided him in plain sight, their gazes like knives trying to stab him in the throat with every glare.
"Great. The people here are avoiding me ever since I left Nagato's Mansion. But, Maya is welcomed by the people here."
His phone then rang on the shelf where he had placed his clothes. He got out of the bath and headed to the dressing room where he had left his phone.
He sighed. "What now?" he muttered in frustration and pressed the call icon. "Hell----"
Arizona barked into the phone, urgently warning him about a team of spies eavesdropping on them. "Iron Blood Agents are on their way!"
"Wait. what?"
"You and Maya are both under threat! Iron Blood Shipgirls with their Agents are coming after you and the information you two hold!"