Azur Lane HQ
Everyone was called to an emergency meeting just as Wales was going to wrap up for the day. This time it was about a transmission intercepted from the Sakura Empire.
Warspite: We have received intel that the Sakura Empire plans to attack and threaten convoys in the Coral Sea.
Hood: That would be devastating. That's where Royal Navy mostly gets its oil from.
Enterprise: This is why we need to see to its defense.
QE: Trap or not, we need to protect those supply routes. Enterprise, can we send you Sara and Lex?
Enterprise: They have nothing else to do, so they might as well stretch their legs.
Wales: Well that should be it for the day. How are we doing in arms development?
Belfast: We have already developed new shell types for ships and more lethal bombs for aircraft that can now be standardized. Hornet, Enterprise, Arizona, Laffey, Javelin, Long Island, and Atlanta have already been equipped with these new improvements.
Warspite: Good, this meeting is adjourned.
A few days later somewhere in the Coral Sea
Sara: Wahhhh!!! I'm soooo booorrreeedd!!!
Lex: Don't wish for trouble or you could regret it.
Enterprise: I already feel like there's going to be trouble.
(Alert! Metal Rift triggered! Identifying participants....... Direct descendants of CSAS Saratoga and CSAS Lexington.)
A storm suddenly approached from the horizon.
Enterprise: Ohhhh, here we go.
Lex: What...is...happening...?
A massive tidal wave was approaching their direction.
Enterprise: Never gonna get used to this...
Sara just made the sign of the cross as the tidal wave grew closer. Engulfing the island itself, dragging it down with them.
(Loading......... Entering mental rift. Goodmorning Enterprise.)
They all wake up while Sara is breathing heavily.
Sara: W-we're...we're alive...
Lex: Enterprise! What was that!?
Enterprise: I myself don't know why that happens every time we enter a mental rift.
Lex: This happened before?
Enterprise: Yeah, when I, Wales, and Hood got to this mental rift in the Atlantic. We were engulfed in a tidal wave. My only hypothesis of this is that it's wiping the slate clean and creating a new one.
Sara: Like generating a new game world.
Enterprise: Something like that...
Lex: So where are we?
Enterprise: Looks like we're in a ship's bridge.
*Bam*
Lex: Ahhh!!!
The door to the bridge slammed open as a woman came through the door. They recognized her all too well.
Yorktown (C): Goddamit! Be more specific, Lexi.
Lexington (C): My wildcats detected a large dive bomber and torpedo bomber formations. They managed to intercept some, but shit is about to go downhill fast.
Yorktown (C): Tell the fleet to equip their riggings and prepare for an air raid.
Enterprise, Lexington, and Saratoga fell to the waters below. Luckily they had their rigging equipped, so they weren't swimming with the flotsam.
Astoria (C): Here they come!
Minneapolis (C): Torpedo bomber starboard side!
Hammann (C): Protect Yorktown and Lexington!
Sara: Is that you, sister?
Lex: Wow. I look more serious than I would normally be. I wonder how she's racking views.
Sara: All of you are here, but you guys look different.
Enterprise: Is this what we have to do? Relive their counterparts' lives, which could traumatize them just for your entertainment.
(It's not entertainment, Ms. Enterprise, I assure you. These rifts have to be lived through, or else everything from her world will seep into this one.)
Sara: Who was that?
Enterprise: Some ai who controls this world.
Sara: Isn't that Sci-Fi?
Enterprise: Aren't the Sirens Sci-Fi aliens as well?
Lex: Quiet down! The battle is starting.
A series of tracer shells and flak blanketed the sky shooting down multiple Vals and Kates. The shipgirls broke formation to make them less vulnerable. But there were simply too many of them.
*Boom*
They noticed some pillars of smoke rising in Lexington's previous location.
Lexington (C): ARRRGGHHH!!! I'm hit!
Yorktown (C): *NO! Can you move?*
Lexington (C): I ca-
But before she could finish, Minneapolis screamed.
Minneapolis (C): Lexington dive bomber!
Lexington (C): Christ almighty...
*Boom* *Boom*
A series of explosions caused Lexington to scream as she slowly felt her fuel leaking from the inside and starting a cascade of detonations. Suddenly a woman with a ponytail and a katana cut through the horizon.
Zuikaku (F): Always keep an eye on your flanks.
Lexington immediately swung her Springfield on Zuikaku. She blocked it with her katana and they engaged in a melee fight. Her escorts tried to get close, but her aircraft held them at bay.
Sara: You can do it, other sister!
Lex: You can do it, other me!
Enterprise was not so optimistic. She knew if something bad was going to happen. And her gut feeling was proven true when Zuikaku did a backflip and stabbed Lexington's back. It wasn't enough to kill her but it did open a gaping hole in Lexington.
As Zuikaku removed her sword and she replied.
Zuikaku (F): Stop acting strong and surrender to the jaws of death.
Lexington (C): No! I will fight to my last drop of blood.
Zuikaku (F): You are just prolonging your suffering. Just embrace death, get on your knees and let your ancestors guide you.
Lexington (C): It is better to die on your feet than on your knees.
Zuikaku (F): Then I shall fight you with honor.
Zuikaku sheathes her katana and enters a combat stance. Zuikaku made the first move when she tried to kick Lexington in her stomach. Luckily she dodge just in time and grabbed Zuikaku's leg, and threw her some distance away. She recovered quickly and made a dash for Lexington before punching her in the face. Lexington was stunned but recovered just in time to grab Zuikaku's punch. The battle lasted for a few minutes when Lexington got a transmission from Yorktown.
Yorktown (C): *Abandon your fight with Zuikaku and withdraw!*
Lexington (C): I-i can't even move.
Astoria (C): Hold on, Lexington, we're coming.
Zuikaku (F): I gave you your fight; it's time for me to withdraw. I'm sorry that it must come to this.
With that, Zuikaku made her final move and slashed her throat.
Minneapolis (C): NOOOOOOO!!!
Astoria: DON'T LET HER ESCAPE!
Zuikaku deploys a smoke screen and disengages from the battle.
Yorktown (C): Lexi!
Hammann (C): Wait! Yorktown, you're still heavily damaged.
Yorktown (C): Let me through!
Lexington (C): *cough* *cough* Yorktown.....Sara...take care of Sara.................
Yorktown closes Lexington's still-open eyes and mutters.
Yorktown (C): *sighs* I will, Lexi.
Hammann (C): Yorktown, we are low on fuel, and you are heavily damaged. We must withdraw.
Yorktown (C): *sighs* Give the order. I can't let my personal feelings endanger my subordinates.
Meanwhile, with Enterprise, she only gives a sympathetic salute to Lexington, Saratoga is hugging her sister while crying, and Lexington is just staring at her counterpart.
Sara: That's not you, sister... That's not you.....
Lexington: I-i-i know... Is this what warfare without sirens looks like...?
The world once again started dematerializing.
(Synchronization complete) Analyzing Data............. Data received, closing mental rift.... Rewards: (You can now summon cruisers to your aid.) Bonus synchronization: (Where is our Mothers' Aunty?), Fun Fact: (Once a ship is sunk or scrapped, some of their parts can be used to make their successors or daughters if you will. One example is CSAS Yorktown' after she was sunk, some of her parts were salvaged to create her daughter CSAS Yorktown Essex class carrier.)
Lex: Enterprise, what is this?
Enterprise: Don't worry; it's just a simulation.
Lex: What is a mental rift anyway?
Enterprise: As far as I know, it's Enty's world seeping into ours, and we must relive them in order to close them. Animus also said that it can give me powers like summoning ships.
Sara: What is that writing floating in the air?
Lex: It says.... Synchronization complete....closing mental rift and...... Rewards?
Sara: Wow! You can summon ships!
Enterprise: That's something I'd like to see. Yorktown calling Essex big sis.
Sara: That's just awkward.
Lex: What's a bonus synchronization?
Enterprise: It's lore about her world that doesn't affect us even if we refuse to relive them.
Lex: The title looks tempting. I really need something to cheer me up after what I just saw.
(Do you want to initiate bonus synchronization?)
Enterprise: Yes.
(Bonus synchronization initiated.)
1945
The world suddenly started to materialize, and the shipgirls found themselves in the middle of a forest.
Sara: Where are we?
???: Obasan! Wait for me!
???: Hurry, young woman.
They see someone who looks just like Yorktown but wears a different attire.
Lex: Weird...I know only one person that wears something like that. And she.....looks younger.
Yorky (C): Wait for just a minute Aunt Enty!
Everyone: Aunt?
Enterprise: I never thought I would see the day Yorktown called me aunt.
Hornet (C): You're so slow, big sis.
Yorky (C): Well, I'm not as athletic as the rest of you!
Hornet (C): So where are you taking us, aunt Enty?
Enty: You said you wanted to know where your mothers were.
Hornet (C): You're finally going to tell us where they're buried!
Hornet said excitedly.
Enty: I promised you after the war that we are going to visit their graves.
Yorky (C): Well then, let's go, aunt Enterprise.
Enterprise, Sara, and Lex followed them up a hill, where they see a lake full of crosses.
Lex: It's...both beautiful and sad at the same time.
Sara: Is this our friends' final resting place?
Enterprise: Hurry up we're going to lose them.
They arrived at two crosses sticking out of the rest.
Yorky (C): I-is this our mother's final resting place?
Enty: Yes, it is.
Hornet (C): Is that my mother's hat?
Enty: Yes, it is, Hornet.
Enty steps closer to the crosses. She kneels in between them.
Enty: Do you know what I remembered most from them?
Y and H: No.
Enty: It was, at the time, a silly conversation, in my opinion.
1941
A forest near Pearl Harbor.
They see Yorktown, Enty, and Hornet lying beneath a tree, spending their leave talking with each other.
Hornet (C): So...how do you wanna be buried?
Yorktown (C): I would just like my grave to be covered in roses. You?
Hornet (C): When I go, I just want to be buried with friends. Friends...or with family. I don't think it matters more than that. What about you, Enty?
Enty (C): Me? Well, I don't care about any of that nonsense.
Hornet (C): C'mon, give us one human moment from you.
Enty (C): Face me to the west so I can watch the sunset and remember all the fine times we had.
(Error in bonus synchronization...... Ejecting participants.)
A few miles from Azur Lane.
Enty: This is the first test of Azur Lane's autonomous anti-sub corvette CSAS Independence.
Enty and the others are onboard a corvette. They are patiently waiting for Enty to initiate the test of the first autonomous ship that wasn't produced by sirens.
Enty: Activating!
Independence (M): Systems......online.......... weapons.......hot........mission....... the elimination of all known sirens. Sonar online, radar online, SAMs online, CIWS online, RIMs online, 76mm deck gun online, SUMs online, gas turbine online. All systems are functional.
Enty: Now that's what I call variety.
Akashi: What do those acronyms mean? And how will that ship with one deck gun take on sirens and Crimson Axis ships?
Enty: Correction, it's supposed to take on submarines, and for that question. Though it won't stand a chance against a cruiser, against a destroyer, however, that would be a different story.
Edinburgh: Yeah! Even Laffey could sink that ship.
Enty: Never judge a book by its cover. It uses modern FCS systems to maneuver the ship. It can make calculations a million times per second.
They were all shocked at Enty's bold statement.
Enty: If that still doesn't impress you, then that 76mm gun can fire a variety of ammunition. It can use laser-guided munitions and anti-air shells. It can fire up to 264 rounds per minute. That's roughly 4.4 rounds per second. With the FCS, it can guarantee 100% accuracy from a range that a destroyer is expected to hit by 45%. It can also predict the exact trajectory of incoming projectiles and act accordingly. It can predict where the most vulnerable parts of an enemy ship are and what weapons they are about to use. It can also use its CIWS or close-in weapons systems and SAMs or Surface to air missiles to destroy incoming projectiles faster that it would make even Belfast blush in the face of this corvette. And against aircraft, it would be a slaughter, provided they have enough ammunition. And that's not even its true purpose' its main objective is to destroy submarines, but if faced with siren missiles, shells, or even against any light armored siren or shipgirl. This would be a beast. Now for the last part. Its SUMs or surface-to-underwater missiles can destroy submarines above 1000 feet. It uses sound to detect enemies, and provided the Sirens used capable countermeasures, it will always hit its target.
Everyone was shocked at how destructive Enty's ship really was. Their own submarines couldn't even dive below 400, and her weapons were built to intercept targets from 1000 feet. And to take into account the ship gun's accuracy would make even Warspite blush. And the accuracy from Enty's SAMs would be almost god-like.
Enty: The best part is the FCS can be implemented on your ships.
Akashi: SELL ME THE TECH!!! I WILL WORK FOR YOU FOR FREE!
Enty: Sorry capitalist cat, but I'm giving this to Edinburgh, for now. I know you would start a monopoly and sell it to Azur Lane for big bucks. As for you, Edinburgh, Imagine your guns have 100% accuracy. Imagine you are able to predict your enemy's movement. You would be, at this time, the most powerful ship in Azur Lane.
Edinburgh: M-me! Even more powerful than Belfast.
Edinburgh's mind: Having 100% accuracy! With this, I can finally claim my right as the older sister to Belfast. No longer will I be looked down on.
Edinburgh: I am honored, Ms. Enty.
Edinburgh saluted Enty as the time for trials began.
Enty: Alright! Screen the area for hostiles.
Independence (M): Affirmative!
As they watched the corvette scour for any siren activity it suddenly responded.
Independence (M): Conn, sonar: new contact bearing 056 designated Sierra 1, contact is identified as class 1 siren submarine. Conn, sonar: new contact bearing 116 designated Sierra 2, contact is classified as class 1 siren submarine.
Enty: Looks like we have some fish to catch. I have the conn Independence. Make bearing 068 and accelerate to 35 knots.
Independence (M): Copy that!
Enty: Launch SUMs at Sierra 1 and Sierra 2.
Independence (M): Launch VLS!
The shipgirls watch as they see four SUMs rise into the air faster than they thought possible. They could still feel the heat even from the inside.
Vestal: What's with the fancy talk?
Enty: Back in my world high command wanted to induce professionalism in our next-generation ships. So they educated them to act much more professionally.
Independence (M): Conn, target acquired! Contact is cavitating.
Royal: Why would you care so much whether a ship cavitates or not?
Enty: Surface weapons are not the only ones that evolved underwater weapons as well. Modern submarines are built to be quiet to avoid homing torpedoes. So sound means everything.
A few seconds pass by, and the ship once again responds.
Independence (M): Conn lost contact on Sierra 1 and 2. Targets confirmed destroyed.
Enty: Anti-submarine test success.
*siren*
Independence (M): Conn, aircraft detected!
Enty immediately views the radar, and based on their radar cross-section, which has the shape of a Sr-72, she deduced that they were siren jets.
Enty: Looks like we get to test its AA capabilities too. Launch SAMs but keep four alive.
The ship responded by launching multiple SAMs into the air. The siren jets tried desperately to evade the SAMs, but they were one-sidedly slaughtered. Four remained, and they got close enough for the CIWS to fire. The shipgirls see them and braced for impact, but before it could launch, they heard the distinctive sound of something firing even faster than any of the machine guns ever built.
*brrrrrrrrrrrtttttttrtrt*
Multiple siren jets fall from the sky as the CIWS fires shrapnel rounds at 4500 rounds per minute and 75 rounds per second. The deck gun fires shrapnel rounds as well, tearing them apart. But it stops firing because although it has an impressive fire rate for such a caliber, it can easily overheat and be prone to breakdown due to the complex loading mechanism. One remained, and it fired off its missile before being destroyed. Sirens blared as the missile screamed toward them. The corvette immediately used its countermeasures to throw it off course.
Enty: I admit, even though during stress testing of the deck gun, it can only fire 132 rounds in 30 seconds. But I must say I'm impressed with OUR work!
Vestal faints, Edinburgh is hyperventilating, and Akashi is crying her business mind off due to the fact she couldn't sell this to her fellow shipgirls.
Independence (M): Conn: new contact designated Sierra 3, contact identified as capital ship.
Enty: Can you identify the contact?
Independence (M): Contact identified as Amagi class battlecruiser.
Enty: How the hell did she get past us without us knowing!? Approach the contact.
They neared the supposed Sakura ship drifting in the waves. Enty didn't recognize the ship, but she did know the name. Amagi.....
Enty: Vestal! Come with me just in case there is someone in need of medical attention.
Vestal nods and they board the ship. They walk through the corridors until they reached the bridge.
Vestal: Hello! Is there anyone here?
???: *Achoo* *sniffles*
Enty: Huh!
Vestal: Come here. We're not going to hurt you.
The shipgirl slowly showed herself behind the captain's chair, and Enty was shocked to see a child.
Amagi-chan: Are you here to eat me...?
Vestal: What!? No! We are here to help you. Are you Amagi?
Amagi-chan: H-hai! I am Amagi.
Vestal: How did you get here?
Amagi-chan: I-i don't remember. I was just lying down in bed, and I felt so tired. Sis was screaming to not go to sleep, but I think she didn't want me to sleep so we could play some more. When I closed my eyes, I woke up on my ship.
Enty: We should take her with us. She is a sitting duck out here.
Vestal: Ok. Hey, Amagi. It's not safe here, would you like to come with us?
Amagi-chan: Ok...
Vestal: You can call me mommy Vestal, and you can call her aunt Enty.
Amagi-chan: No! I want to call her mommy Enty.
Enty almost coughed when she heard her say mommy Enty.
Enty: I'm sorry, could you repeat that?
Amagi-chan: I want to call you mommy Enty.
Vestal looked at Enty and smiled.
Vestal: You heard her, mommy Enty.
Enty: Let's just go.
...